LAKE CITY, Fla. – The Lake City Humane Society is set to lose almost $400,000 after Columbia County officials decided not to renew its contract with them.
The 61 kennels at LCHS are currently over capacity, being occupied by 100 animals. But it’s not the only problem the shelter is facing.
Columbia County officials said it’s not renewing their contract with the non-profit, which expires on Sept. 30, causing it to lose out on the $375,750 it received in the last fiscal year.
Elizabeth Halloran, the executive director, said learning that the county won’t renew the contract sent her through a mixture of emotions.
“Different emotions...Losing the contract of course is going to make a difference,” Halloran said.
She said she believes the reason why their contract wasn’t renewed is that the shelter is now a “no kill” shelter, making them and the county have different missions.
“We’re certainly not in crisis; we just have to do more fundraising, we have to reach out to the community that has been so generous to us,” Halloran said.
She said the community help will be important, which is why they’re asking for in-person and online donations.
Halloran said they can still house animals for the county and her agency will go to the county in the capacity as an outside agency and request money as a nonprofit.
The shelter’s Facebook page said that the county made a unanimous decision “not to renew the contract with LCHS without any negotiations.”
The Columbia County Board of Commissioners gave a statement on why it decided not to renew the contract.
The existing contract with the Humane Society expires on Sept 30th.
In discussing renewal options with the Humane Society, they indicated that their facility is full and could not take additional animals. Therefore the County felt it necessary to build additional shelter space.
The process of building the kennels that were referenced in yesterday’s commissioner meeting has begun. No further information is available at this time.
Columbia County Board of County Commissioners