Animal activists were out in force Tuesday night to confront Sumter County commissioners over animal shelter issues.
Their largest turnout since last fall came after commissioners agreed two weeks ago to move ahead with a defamation lawsuit, challenging a Facebook video that called them monsters and “dirty rotten scoundrels.”
The video has been taken down and County Attorney Jennifer Rey said activists have until Friday to comply with demands in two cease-and-desist letters before the county considers legal action.
One commissioner, however, said he doesn’t support moving ahead with a lawsuit.
“I don’t support any litigation,” said Commissioner Doug Gilpin. “Civility is something we should strive for.”
But civility was in short supply Tuesday as activists badgered commissioners who tried to speak after a lengthy public forum.
Lack of transparency regarding the county animal shelter was a recurrent theme. The shelter does not allow volunteers and offers public tours for a half hour each week on Thursday mornings.
The activists have attended board meetings since last September. Despite shelter improvements, they have continued to hound commissioners and demand more changes.
Orlando attorney Steve Meyers, asked to attend by Angie Fox of Lost Pets of The Villages, led off the forum by suggesting a meeting between activists and commissioners to try to resolve their differences.
“Some of the stuff I’ve seen is pretty shocking – no volunteers, 30-minute visits,” he said, admitting he was new to the issues and didn’t have all the facts. “People in the county are livid about the animal shelter.”
Although the county has made improvements to the shelter, Fox said she won’t be satisfied “as long as it is not transparent.”
When her dog of eight years wandered away, Kim Pruett said she offered a $500 reward and, by the time she got to the shelter, the dog was dead.
“What are you hiding in there?” she asked. “Why did Isabelle have to die?”
Joe Flynn of The Villages asked how much a lawsuit would cost and later was escorted from the meeting by sheriff’s deputies after pressing commissioners to answer the questions.
Kim Nelson said she has lived in seven states and toured the country in an RV, rescuing dogs and cats along the way.
“I have never seen a municipality sue its constituents,” she said.
Commissioner Steve Printz said the meeting seemed like “deja vu” from last year, when activists also raised concerns about the shelter.
He said the county is committed to achieving a 90 percent live-release rate, the level of a no-kill shelter. The county’s live-release rate has been above 80 percent for the past six months.
“We have made great strides to achieve that,” Printz said.
Several activists shouted “Let us in the shelter” as County Administrator Bradley Arnold described improvements since last fall.
He said the county implemented a trap-neuter-vaccinate-and-release program for feral cats, revamped shelter procedures and upgraded its veterinary services with on-call response for injured animals.
A new strategic plan lists implementation goals in conjunction with the Sumter County Humane Society/SPCA, a partner for the past several years that offers animal adoptions.
