SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – The division manager of Seminole County Animal Services has resigned amid mounting criticism of a since-halted pet diversion program, according to an internal email shared Tuesday by County Manager Darren Gray.
Adam Leath had already resigned by that time, the email states, adding Stephen Lerner would serve as interim division manager until the position is permanently filled. Additionally, Seminole County has since contracted a third party — who is partnered with DSK Law Firm — to conduct an independent review of the division, Gray wrote to several recipients.
“This is a positive step forward, and I encourage each of you to share your thoughts with (the third party) regarding Animal Services’ practices and policies, as well as your experience as employees. This is an independent inquiry, so the County Manager’s Office, Human Resources, and department leadership will not be involved until provided with the final report,” Gray said in the message.
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News 6′s Catherine Silver reported a day prior to the email that critics of the program, such as Kris Buchanan with T.E.A.R.S. of Seminole County, voiced concerns at an August county commission meeting that SCAS was selectively taking in highly-adoptable cats and dogs while otherwise “eliminating the shelter as a resource for residents.”
“By the time a person has decided to bring an animal to a shelter they are out of options,” Buchanan said, adding her own shelter and others were now fielding more calls despite only having a “shoestring budget” and limited foster homes to work with.
Alan Harris is the director of Emergency Management for Seminole County, which oversees the county’s animal shelter. He’s said the division has heard the feedback loud and clear.
“Very clearly from the reports that we’ve gotten back from some groups, it may not have been an appropriate launch,” Harris said. “So, with any new program, any new thought, any new procedure, we’re going to look at it. We’re going to get the commission’s idea also what they want to do moving forward.”
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After listening to public comment at the Aug. 27 meeting, Chairman Jay Zembower urged local animal groups to be patient.
“We have seen your emails. We have fielded your phone calls. We are aware,” Zembower said. “Let us do our due diligence.”
The shelter has lowered its intake numbers since the diversion program started in February. Data posted publicly on the animal services website shows the shelter took in a total of 3,021 animals between February and August this year. It took in 3,956 and 4,304 during the same time period in 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Other counties struggling with capacity have found success with their own diversion programs. Orange County Animal Services has said fewer animals were surrendered by their owners after it implemented a diversion program last year.
“The animal services division is often a no-win scenario, whether it’s one group or another group they often have competing ideas in the way things should go,” Harris said. “We are constantly trying to improve here, and while a program may work somewhere else it may not work as well here, or it may need to be tweaked for this particular area, and we’re going to continue to try to provide the best type of service that we can for our animals.”
The email sent Tuesday states Harris will continue to hold bi-weekly, all-hands meetings with the SCAS team in order to gather and address feedback.
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