- July 11, 2025
Dear Editor:
Flagler County needs a modern, humane animal shelter, and it will take $3.8 million to make it happen.
At a recent county workshop, three options were presented to address growing animal control challenges:
1. Do nothing: Continue the current $320,599 annual contract with the Flagler Humane Society. This status quo comes with serious concerns: limited space, questionable conditions and persistent complaints about care and transparency. Allegations of overcrowding and failures to report rabies cases have surfaced at county and city meetings.
2. Partner with Palm Coast and the Humane Society: At $515,860 for the first year, this still relies on the current shelter. It does little to address concerns about capacity, oversight or accountability. Future costs remain uncertain. They could go down, they could go up. At this point we don’t know.
3. Establish a county-run Animal Control Department and facility: This would cost $456,339 per year, only slightly more than the current contract. But the return is significantly greater. Services would come under full county oversight, with clear transparency through public records and Sunshine Law compliance. A county facility would include proper kennels, quarantine and grooming areas, a reception space, administrative offices and a cat condo. Now for the “hard pill to swallow,” the cost to construct the facility is $3.8 million.
Yes, the county faces a $2 million budget deficit. Yes, beach renourishment funding remains unresolved. And no, the county can’t write a check for $3.8 million tomorrow. But placing this shelter on the Capital Improvement Plan is a promising start. It shows recognition of the need and commitment to a solution.
Now, the question becomes: How do we fund it? This is where the community can step in. Flagler residents have consistently shown their passion, generosity and willingness to take action. Animal advocates regularly speak up at meetings urging change. A grassroots fundraising campaign, led by those who care most, could build momentum. Coupled with county efforts to save and plan, this could show state agencies that Flagler County is serious, capable and worthy of support.
It’s time for Flagler County to take control of its animal welfare future eliminating the drama, reducing liability and providing a clean, caring facility that reflects our values.
We’ve come together before to achieve big things. Let’s do it again, for the animals who can’t speak for themselves.
Ron Long
Flagler County
