Funding causes conflict as Charleston Animal Society and county negotiate new contract (2024)

The Charleston Animal Society and Charleston County government are working to negotiate a new contract to continue providing care for animals in the Lowcountry together.

Charleston County doesn’t run its own animal shelter. Instead, the county has a contract with the Charleston Animal Society, a nonprofit, to provide the shelter space.

Joe Elmore, CEO of Charleston Animal Society, said the two entities have worked together since 1979.

County officials have requested more details about the society’s services so they can better understand what their money is going toward before finalizing a new contract.

There’s also discussion on how to get other municipalities involved to help pay the animal society for its services.

Elmore said overall funding has never gotten to where it needs to be to help take care of all the animals in the overcrowded shelter. In a space that is projected to hold 230, he said as of June 18 there were just under 1,000 animals.

Elmore said while the county delivers a monthly payment, the animal society has historically filled in the gaps through funding from donors.

Charleston County gave a monthly payment of $187,500, totaling up to $2.25 million overall, in fiscal year 2024. For fiscal 2023, the animal society spent $4,906,903 to support its organization.

Elmore added Charleston County does not invest in prevention, like spaying and neutering, to address the overpopulation of animals.

In a previous contract with the society, the county assumed the cost for all animals in the county, including the ones found inside surrounding municipalities. In 2019, Charleston County eliminated responsibility for animals found inside municipalities by animal control officers and stopped paying to support them, which Elmore said started the discussion about funding.

The 2019 contract between the county and animal society states the society is responsible “for the humane disposition of live dogs and cats running at large, and such other animals as delivered into its custody by agents of Charleston County.”

But county officials say they’re in the dark about some of the animal society’s operations.

Charleston County Council Chairman Herb Sass told The Post and Courier the county is trying to get some accountability from the animal society. He said the county has requested specific numbers and details, like how many animals are from unincorporated parts of the county, how many come from the cities in the county and how many days animals are kept.

“We’re supposed to look out for our citizens and for the taxpayers’ money, so we need to know what we’re paying for and how much we’re paying,” Sass said.

While members of County Council said they haven’t received those numbers, Elmore said he sent them a year ago. Elmore added the animal society sends a monthly report to the county with this exact information, using addresses from the county’s geographic information system.

As a result of this conflict, at its June 18 meeting Charleston County Council unanimously voted to reallocate $2.4 million in funds originally designated for the animal shelter contract in the sheriff’s budget into the county’s non-departmental budget and changed the language from “animal shelter expenses” to “animal services.”

During the meeting, County Councilman Joe Boykin said that because the outcome of contractual discussions with the animal society is unclear, it’s better for the county to have the freedom and flexibility in the use of those funds throughout the upcoming fiscal year.

Elmore said this action makes no difference to the animal society since the county is giving them the money anyway, and that the reallocation is just a matter of internal accounting and “where they’re parking“ the funds.

Sass said if the county was expected to pay the amount the society requested — $3.5 million — it would most likely require a property tax increase. Elmore said the threat of a tax increase is just a scapegoat and that he is tired of the excuses the county is coming up with.

Boykin said the county is paying $2.4 million rather than the requested $3.5 million because they’re not getting any documentation from the animal society. The county is also not paying for any animals coming from the municipalities.

He told The Post and Courier no one on County Council wants animals to be killed.

Not all municipalities pay the animal society for its services. Mount Pleasant paid $280,000 this past year, but Charleston and North Charleston do not give annual payments.

Tony Tassarotti, North Charleston’s communications coordinator, wrote in an email that North Charleston did donate the 2455 Remount Road property to the animal society around 17 years ago, which is where the society has been located since.

Tassarotti added that while the city does not contribute to the animal society’s operating budget, they are actively exploring funding options to ensure Charleston Animal Society’s continued success.

Charleston city officials could not be reached by the time of publication.

Sass said the county is working on trying to sit down with officials from other municipalities and the animal society so they can work together. He said he’s optimistic about the outcome.

Despite disagreements and miscommunication, Elmore said he hopes the animal society will be able to work things out with Charleston County.

“We’ve been working together for 45 years,” Elmore said. “You don’t just throw that down the drain, you know?”