JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville’s Animal Care and Protective Services (ACPS) is set to receive new tools to offer better protection to animals in breeders and pet shops.
The Jacksonville City Council recently passed a bill that mandates staffing requirements for these facilities, aiming to prevent overcrowding and unsafe conditions. The new rule requires breeders and pet shops to have at least one paid employee for every 32 dogs or cats during normal business hours.
RELATED: More tables and toasts are coming to downtown Jacksonville. Here’s what the new sidewalk rules mean
ACPS Division Chief Michael Bricker explained that some breeders and shops have housed over 100 animals in recent years, making enforcement challenging.
“We have not really had a way to enforce that,” Bricker said. “But now, thankfully, we have two special investigators...their whole goal is to make sure that pet shops and our breeders are running it in an efficient way.”
In addition to staffing changes, a second bill introduced by Councilman Raul Arias proposes updates to outdoor leash and tethering rules.
“Sometimes we overlook the animals,” Arias said. “We all have a heart for them.”
One notable change involves the city’s “Stray Hold” policy, which currently requires stray animals to be held for six days while ACPS waits for owners to claim them.
Bricker noted that reducing the stray hold period could alleviate overcrowding at shelters.
“This year we had like 450 dogs at one point, and we have 264 kennels,” he said. “Eliminating or shortening the stray hold will create spaces for us in the shelters, so we don’t have the overcrowding issue.”
Council member Arias acknowledged community concerns, particularly from seniors who may not know where to look if their pet goes missing and from people who might be on vacation, unaware their pet was lost.
“What I love about policy and legislation is that once you file something, it opens up the conversations,” Arias said."
He said he plans to hold several meetings to gather feedback and explore solutions to ease these worries.