COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)— Tuesday, Columbus City Council is set to discuss the future of Columbus Animal Care and Control (CACC) following the arrest of eight workers, including the manager and veterinarian.
Due to the arrests, CACC has limited its services with 12 out of 25 positions vacant.
“[We will] close the facility to public for intake processes, owner surrenders, services lost and found as well as injured sick animals will cease immediately,” City Manager Isaiah Hugley said in a news conference.
Animals at the shelter will be adopted out until the shelter is empty. Residents are asked to call Paws Humane for rehoming and medical services. Animal nuisance calls will be taken by Columbus Police Department. But where does CACC go from here?
“Paws Humane Society is interested in taking over the management of both the shelter and field services of Animal Care and control contingent on the level of funding the city is prepared to allocate,” Hugley said.
Field services and operations at CACC has been operating on a $2.1 million annual budget. Paws is requesting $3.5 million. The emergency purchase is on the City Manager’s Agenda for city council meeting scheduled Tuesday, Oct. 8. Hugley says once approval is given by the mayor and council, the transition of operations will happen within 90 days.