Major renovations are underway at the Columbus County Animal Protective Services (APS) shelter.
“It takes a while to get things up to where they were supposed to be,” said Sheriff Jody Greene. “We are really grateful that the commissioners and The County Manager (Eddie Madden) have recognized this and supported us on it.”
When Greene took over Animal Control last year, kennels were rusty. The floor was permanently stained in many places. Feces and urine washed out of kennels drained through all the dog pens to reach a sewer outlet, spreading disease and parasites. The ventilation system had years of fur and dirt packed into the equipment. Fluorescent lights were often in need of repair. The county had multiple violations from the Veterinarian’s Office that threatened to cost thousands in fines.
New, energy efficient LED lighting is now installed, along with a pressure washing system that drains into an outflow. The HVAC system has been cleaned and upgraded. New pens are also on the way. The new kennels will be placed higher, allowing washwater to properly drain. The department was also placed under the sheriff’s office and changed to Animal Protective Services.
“There’s not going to be any more dragging hoses through urine and feces and spreading it across the floor,” Greene said.
The concrete floors are also being refinished and resealed. The interior of the building was repainted by Greg Long, who volunteered much of his work. Bess Taylor, who is best known for her artwork throughout downtown Whiteville, also volunteered to paint several murals on the walls in the main kennel area.
In addition to the customer service area up front (which features a “living room” atmosphere for prospective adopters to visit with pets), APS deputies now have their own squad room. Workstations provide individual areas for completing paperwork on laptop computers that can access the same information as other deputies.
“It never made any sense for APS to have to find a deputy to investigate a case,” Greene said. “Everyone here now can investigate an animal case, file a report and do whatever else is needed, either from their trucks or the office. They are dispatched by Central, just like any other officer. It’s faster and it provides accountability.”
The squad room was outfitted with surplus cubicles from the former BB&T building, now the main county office complex.
“Mr. Madden was great is helping us out with these,” Greene said. “They were already paid for, with the purchase of the building, and they weren’t going to be used. This was just another way we could save the taxpayers some money.”
The next major project is going to be additional improvements to the cat area, Greene said.
All animals interned at the shelter are currently being housed at All Creatures Great and Small boarding in Whiteville and at Brunswick Animal Services.
People have been great about working with us,” Greene said. “They know we are going to make this better than it has been. We’re getting a lot of donations as well – food, supplies, you name it. It’s going to be a much better operation than there was before.”
Greene said he is proud of the staff at APS, all of whom have had or are taking additional specialized training. New protocols are in place for virtually everything from adoptions to handling fees and donations. Officers also now wear uniforms similar to those of the sheriff’s office, which oversees the department. Sworn deputies with arrest powers are part of the staff.
Greene made animal control reform a priority in his election campaign in 2018, and he said he feels the county was ready for major changes at the shelter. Two big parts of those changes, he said, were a professional staff and capital improvements such as vehicles and facilities.
“We have good people here,” Greene said. “They work hard, and it’s not a job many people want to do. It’s an important job. The citizens have a right to expect humane treatment of animals, and good use of their money. That’s what we are doing here.
“We have a way to go, but it’s significantly better than it was.”
Animal adoptions are currently on hold due to the renovations at the shelter. For information about available dogs and cats, log on to the APS Facebook page, or call 910.641.3945.
