Charlotte County, Animal Welfare League reach funding deal

Following months of negotiations, Charlotte County and the Animal Welfare League reached an agreement on a new contract to fund the no-kill shelter in Port Charlotte. After some final revisions, the contract is scheduled for adoption at the Sept. 22 Board of County Commissioners meeting. 

Under the agreement drafted earlier this month, the county would provide the AWL with up to $882,456 annually, plus $40,000 for the shelter’s spay and neuter program. The funding, which would come from the county’s ad valorem general fund, is $544,693 more than the AWL’s current $337,762.68 allocation. 

The current contract, which includes a 3% annual increase, expires Nov. 1. 

The AWL originally sought $1.3 million annually, with a 5% annual increase. 

Charlotte County commissioners and AWL Executive Director Tara Zajas agreed June 16 to continue negotiations after commissioners said they could not support the shelter’s $1.3 million request. The AWL rejected the county’s $600,000 counteroffer. 

The AWL said $600,000 would not be sufficient to care for a growing number of animals amid rising costs. 

Hurricane Ian also contributed to the shelter’s financial pressures. The 2022 storm caused extensive damage to the facility, including flooding, and left the shelter without electricity or running water, straining its infrastructure. 

As commissioners debated the proposal in June, Fire Chief and Public Safety Director Matthew McElroy outlined alternatives if the county ultimately decided to operate its own animal shelter. 

The fastest option would be a modular facility that could be operational within three to four months. Leasing the structure would cost $143,450 annually, while constructing a 3,950-square-foot facility would cost about $200,000. Annual operating expenses would total approximately $414,750. 

Another option would be to lease the former Goodwill building in Punta Gorda. McElroy said preparing the building would take six to 12 months and require city rezoning approval before it could operate as an animal shelter. 

A third option would involve purchasing and renovating a 20,000-square-foot building. That project would cost roughly $3 million and take 12 to 18 months to complete. 

Despite discussing alternatives, commissioners said they preferred to continue working with the AWL. 

Under the new contract, if costs are expected to exceed the annual maximum of $882,456, the county and AWL would meet to review service levels and compensation. 

Liaisons designated by the county and AWL would meet monthly, and an independent certified public accountant would be required to conduct an annual audit of the AWL’s income and expenses. 

The county’s share of sheltering costs would vary based on how long an animal remains at the facility. For stays of one to seven days, the county would pay 100% of the cost. For eight to 10 days, the county would pay 70%, with its share dropping by 10 percentage points for each additional five-day period. For stays of 36 to 40 days, the county would pay 10%. After 40 days, the AWL would be responsible for the full cost of the animal’s care.