Plans for $48M Palm Beach County animal shelter will help reach goal of zero euthanizations
Jan Steele, the director of Animal Care & Control, recently appeared before county commissioners to discuss the agency's operation. Among the topics discussed was the euthanization rate.
The shelter would rather not kill any animal, but sometimes it has no choice, Steele said. The county shelter, unlike private ones, must accept any animal that is dropped off, she noted. Some have behavioral problems; others are sick. Efforts to find those animals adoptive homes pose a challenge.
There is also a space problem. The facility, along Belvedere Road west of Florida's Turnpike in suburban West Palm Beach, is over capacity. As of July 20, the facility had 193 dogs with only enough space for 144. It had 172 cats with space for 100
Pets had to be either doubled or tripled up or housed in temporary crates while calls are placed to other shelters to take some of the animals.
'We need to have four or five kennels available to accommodate law enforcement,' Steele said.
Once all options are exhausted, animals are put on the proposed euthanasia list, which Steele and a veterinarian review. Nonetheless, Steele noted, the agency has significantly improved its release rate, the percentage of animals released from the shelter without having to be euthanized.
In 2023, the release rate was 86%. Five years earlier, it was just 69%. In 2013, more than 9,300 animals had to be killed; the figure was 1,221 in 2024.
A taste of Royal Palm Beach: Decadent Cuban sandwiches, savory bowls of pho, even oxtail
How has Animal Control cut back on its euthanization rates?
Steele said the community is more aware of what is being done at the shelter, which provides for nearly 10,000 animals each year.
More people are volunteering. And the county has expanded its offering of free sterilizations for both cats and dogs. The agency has also increased the number of community partners that take in pets at the shelter.
The county had hoped to meet its goal of zero euthanizations in 2024. In 2014, county commissioners adopted a resolution that set a goal of ending euthanasia of all adoptable dogs and cats by that year. Recognizing that was not going to happen, the county extended the deadline for 'The Countdown to Zero' animal kills by an additional 10 years.
MORE: Animal Care and Control is getting a new $48M facility with needed air-conditioned kennels
The county has approved plans to build a new facility for Animal Care & Control. Construction is expected to begin sometime this winter.
The facility's $48 million facelift will more than double its size and include air-conditioned kennels. It will allow for more animals to be accommodated. Steele noted that sick animals will be housed in a quarantine-isolation facility, allowing for veterinary care to be provided at a higher level.
'We will not have to euthanize pets simply because there's no place to house them,' she said.
Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach County animal shelter euthanization rate down
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 minutes ago
- Yahoo
West Virginia Lottery results: See winning numbers for Mega Millions, Daily 3 on Aug. 5, 2025
Are you looking to win big? The West Virginia Lottery offers a variety of games if you think it's your lucky day. Lottery players in West Virginia can choose from popular national games like the Powerball and Mega Millions, which are available in the vast majority of states. Other games include Lotto America, Daily 3, Daily 4 and Cash 25. Big lottery wins around the U.S. include a lucky lottery ticketholder in California who won a $1.27 billion Mega Millions jackpot in December 2024. See more big winners here. And if you do end up cashing a jackpot, here's what experts say to do first. Here's a look at Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025 results for each game: Winning Mega Millions numbers from Aug. 5 drawing 12-27-42-59-65, Mega Ball: 02 Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Daily 3 numbers from Aug. 5 drawing 9-3-5 Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Daily 4 numbers from Aug. 5 drawing 3-8-9-2 Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Cash 25 numbers from Aug. 5 drawing 01-06-07-09-21-24 Check Cash 25 payouts and previous drawings here. Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results When are the West Virginia Lottery drawings held? Powerball: 11 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Mega Millions: 10:59 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday. Lotto America: 10:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Daily 3, 4: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday. Cash 25: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Where can you buy lottery tickets? Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets. You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer. Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: West Virginia Lottery results, winning numbers: Mega Millions, Daily 3, more
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
1,000+ Plano students lose bus service after district redefines routes deemed hazardous to walk
On a recent summer day, several eighth graders tested out their walk to school — a mile and a half across two major roads to Otto Middle School in Plano. For years, Sophia Livengood, 13, Sophia Ortega, 13, and Ivy Rogers, 12, have taken the bus. This school year, it's no longer an option. Students living more than two miles from campus automatically qualify for free busing, as do those who face "hazardous traffic conditions if they walked to school." But Plano ISD has now changed what it considers "hazardous." CBS News Texas reviewed maps of dozens of neighborhoods that no longer qualify for bus service, which the district has made available on a webpage dedicated to its new transportation plan. The district identified 2,524 students living in affected neighborhoods. Of those, Plano ISD estimates that between 959 and 1,305 bus riders would be directly impacted by the change. "Nothing has changed. It's probably even gotten worse," said Andrea Livengood, who worries about her daughter and her friends walking to and from school. She says it's hard for working parents to know what to do. "We can possibly drop off the kids in the morning, but in the afternoon, we don't have time to sit in the carpool line an hour and wait for our kids to get out," she said. If middle school families are worried, imagine what it's like for those with even younger students. Take Sigler Elementary, a Title I school serving mostly low-income families with children as young as four. About a quarter of its roughly 500 students live in the Bel Air Oaks apartment complex. In past years, the district estimates between 59 and 94 of them have ridden the bus. They're now losing service after the district reclassified their path across six lanes of traffic on Plano Parkway and six lanes on Alma Drive as safe. It was near the same intersection where police say a 9-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl were hit by a driver who ran a red light in May. School board members say the addition of crosswalks, sidewalks, and pedestrian signals has made some of the affected paths safer. "These updates were not sudden, and they were not made lightly," wrote Superintendent Dr. Theresa Williams in a statement. "They reflect months of planning, years of data, and a commitment to doing what's right for students both in terms of safety and the responsible use of taxpayer resources." In work session meetings where the changes were discussed, trustees did not appear eager to cut back services, but rather compelled by a need to cut spending. "Student safety is always going to be paramount. I learned that very early in this role. However, we also have a fiscal responsibility," said trustee Jeri Chambers at a March meeting. "This is an example of us having to be really tight, and we're going to have to get tighter." For years, Plano ISD — like many North Texas school districts — has operated on a deficit budget, spending more money than it's allowed to keep. It's lost hundreds of millions of dollars in school taxes to the state through recapture, while the Legislature delayed passing any increase to per-student funding. The funding gap in transportation has grown especially large, as gas, labor, and buses have become more expensive. Plano ISD reports it spent $20.6 million last year on transportation, an expense for which the state allotted it just $2.5 million. "When I say allotment, that's us keeping our own taxes. And so that funding gap is currently about $18 million," said Deputy Superintendent Johnny Hill. "As a result, when we talk about transportation, we need to be as efficient as we can with offering transportation services." By reducing routes, the district expects to need 13 fewer drivers and save $1.04 million per year. Plano ISD isn't alone in targeting transportation for budget cuts. "We've definitely seen school districts across the country make the decision to change bus routes, cut bus routes," said Sebastian Martinez Hickey, an analyst at the Economic Policy Institute who has studied the nationwide shortage of school bus drivers. More than half of all students, he says, still rely on buses to get to school, especially low-income students. Today, EPI found there are nearly a third fewer bus drivers than there were 15 years ago. "I think perhaps they are undervalued because we don't think about what an essential service it is to get children safely and on time to school," said Martinez Hickey. "When there are changes to school bus routes or there are cancellations, that can contribute to increases in chronic absenteeism for students." Livengood wishes Plano's school board would reconsider. "There are other ways to save money without putting kids in danger," she said. In the meantime, students are preparing to find their own way to class.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
CNN10 Gifford Fire becomes largest California wildfire this year
Today on CNN10: Coy teams up with CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam to unpack the chaos behind California's wildfires. Then, a look back at a historic anniversary in Hiroshima, followed by a deep dive into how social media swindlers are using fake identities on LinkedIn. All that and more on today's CNN10!
