Working with the Sumter County Chamber of Commerce, the county plans to upgrade its animal shelter using public donations.
County Administrator Bradley Arnold estimated the upgrades would cost about $600,000 and commissioners Tuesday set a limit of $400,000 on county funds that would be used to match the donations.
“This would simply accelerate our time frame,” Arnold said, adding that the upgrades would improve the program to capture, vaccinate and release feral cats that began a year ago.
Commissioner Doug Gilpin got the campaign started by donating two acoustic guitars signed by country artists Luke Bryan and Little Big Town. He displayed the guitars at Tuesday’s meeting.
Gilpin said the chamber will sell $10 raffle tickets and hold a drawing to determine the winners of the guitars. He also said he planned to write a $500 check for the effort and that state Rep. Brett Hage, who represents the 33rd District that includes Sumter County and parts of Lake and Marion counties as well, is planning a $12,900 donation.
“This gets us off to a good start,” Gilpin said. “We’re going to make significant improvements with this effort. We’ve recently gotten a list of things to improve at animal services.”
The donation effort was endorsed by Angie Fox, of Lost Pets of the Villages, a frequent critic of the animal services operation.
“This is exciting news,” she said. “I think this is going to be tremendous.”
Sumter County has improved its animal services over the past year after Fox and other activists began advocating for change at county board of commissioners’ meetings.
The number of euthanized dogs and cats was reduced, thanks partly to the feral cat program. The county contracts with a local veterinarian to perform the vaccinations and check the welfare of stray animals.
But animal activists have been frustrated by the refusal of county officials to establish a no-kill shelter like Lake County has, where 10 percent or fewer of the animals are killed.