City of Jackson Police Department

Animal Control Division

Operational Assessment

On June 29, 2021, members of the Best Friends municipal and shelter support team concluded
an operational assessment of the animal control facility of the Jackson Police Department in

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Jackson, Mississippi. This document provides the findings and recommendations for the city of
Jackson.

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Our recommendations are based on nationally recognized proven strategies for success in

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shelter operations. Once the recommendations are accepted by city and shelter leadership, staff
at Best Friends will work with shelter leadership to create an implementation plan and schedule
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periodic meetings to discuss progress and challenges.
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Defining the Opportunity

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The city of Jackson, at the request of the nonprofit Friends of Jackson Animal Control,
requested that Best Friends conduct this visit based on a report presented by Dr. Bushby, a
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licensed veterinarian who had conducted a similar visit which detailed serious concerns
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regarding operations and animal care at the facility. This report was requested to either refute or
substantiate Dr. Bushby’s findings and/or any identify other concerns observed. Upon our
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arrival, the shelter manager stated that he had a family emergency and had to leave, but that
the former manager, Mr. Perry, would answer any questions we had.
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Demographic Information

The Jackson Police Department oversees animal control services for the city of Jackson. The
total service area has a population of approximately 154,340 residents and covers an area of
just over 113 square miles. The average household income in Jackson is $55,850, with a
poverty rate of 25.42%

The 2020-2021 budget for animal control is $390,919, resulting in per capita spending of $2.53
on animal control annually. Based on Best Friends’ national data collection (from more than
3,000 agencies nationwide), this falls well below the average annual funding level for municipal
animal services ($902,313) and the average per capita spending ($9.13).

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Summary

After reviewing the report submitted by Dr. Bushby, we concur with his findings and join him in
expressing a sense of urgency about rectifying the issues mentioned in both his and this report
as quickly as possible. This assessment is meant to set a road map to identify things that are
working and things that are in need of attention, and to provide resources, including potential
assistance from Best Friends.
We highly recommend a partnership in helping the agency increase the quality of life and
lifesaving for the animals in Jackson. The conditions at the shelter and of the animals in the care
of Jackson Police Animal Control are in need of drastic improvements requiring intervention and
immediate attention.

Basic Shelter Operations

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Staffing

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The agency currently employs five full-time employees: a manager, two field officers, one

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kennel technician and a dispatcher (who works off-site and was not present during the visit).
The two field officers are responsible for providing coverage to the city at all times. Their
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regularly scheduled shift is Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is no official
procedure in place for handling weekends and off-hours other than they “work it out between
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themselves.” The one kennel attendant works seven days a week for a few hours a day.
Typically, he is directed to report to the shelter at 7 a.m. to provide care and cleaning for the
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animals, then he leaves and returns later in the day. A review of employee sign-in sheets
verified this statement.
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During conversations with staff and volunteers, it was obvious that their training is outdated and
they have no knowledge of today’s more effective programming and procedures. No effort has
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been made by any of the staff to advance their knowledge or ability to provide care to the
animals. When asked what they do well at the shelter, staff responded “nothing,” admitting to
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their lack of understanding and knowledge of basic animal shelter operations.

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The shelter does utilize volunteers, but there have been none signed in to assist with dog care
since May 19, 2021. There were three volunteers tending to the cats, claiming that animal
control does not provide care to the cats in the building. Staff confirmed this statement, saying
that the volunteers were responsible for providing daily care to the cats. They did not
acknowledge that the cats were legally in the care and custody of the City of Jackson, with
ultimate responsibility for the cats held by the city.
Recommendations for staffing:

• The staffing level for animal care is completely inadequate to provide proper care for the
animals. We recommend no less than three full-time additional staff members per day
dedicated to animal care in this facility. We also recommend providing direct care to cats
and/or providing a level of oversight to the volunteers providing care to the feline
population. (See the section below on animal care and housing.)

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 • We recommend implementing a comprehensive volunteer program to assist staff in daily
operations. A well-managed volunteer program allows staff the time necessary to ensure
that daily operations are completed effectively and efficiently.

• Training in all areas of basic shelter operations is required for all staff and volunteers.

Record-keeping and documentation

During our visit, we observed no processes or attempts to keep even the most basic records
beyond a hand-written intake form, which were placed into a folder in no particular order. These
documents were then placed into a binder for the shelter manager; staff do not have access to
these files.
Animals were not identified with intake numbers, paper collars or cage signs, so there is no way

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to know which animal is which, where they came from or when they came in, other than the
personal recollection of staff. This presents serious concerns about documenting any illnesses
or injuries, how long an animal has been in the facility, where the animal was picked up and

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other critical information needed to care for animals, rehome them or return lost animals to their

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families.
The shelter staff claim to send approximately 20-30 dogs each week for euthanasia to a local
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group they have contracted with to perform this service. However, no records of final disposition
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are kept, and as Dr. Bushby points out in his report, after reviewing the records of that
municipally contracted agency, it was found that no animals have been transferred from animal
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control for euthanasia services in the past six months.

This creates concerns about what happened to the animals once they were no longer housed at
the shelter. There were no records of receipt from the agency, no invoices and no indication of
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what happened to animals when the required stray hold time had expired. Also, no records of
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adoption were available for inspection. We will not speculate as to what became of these
animals, but we find it extremely troubling that no explanation or documentation exists to refute
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allegations of wrongdoing made by concerned community members.

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In addition, the computer system at the shelter is unused; staff claim that there is limited internet
access and the software is outdated and unusable.
Finally, the shelter has no standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding any aspect of
operations. During our visit, we supplied several copies of the Humane Animal Control manual
to provide staff with a more current review of today’s modern programming to aid in the creation
of SOPs.
Recommendations for record-keeping:

• We recommend a complete audit of records to ensure government accountability and

transparency. Proper record-keeping will provide the agency with evidence to dispel
accusations of improprieties.

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 • The shelter should secure a shelter-specific software program to track all areas of
operations.

• Computer and internet upgrades are imperative to success in today’s environment and
should be secured as soon as funding allows.

• A complete set of SOPs should be created and utilized to ensure consistent, thorough
operations.

Sanitation, Housing and Care

This is the area of most concern. Throughout the facility, the conditions are cause for immediate
action. The lack of care provided represents a threat not only to the animals’ well-being but to

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the safety of the staff working there.
Canine care

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Kennels are cleaned by entering the run, with the dog still present in the kennel, and then using

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a high-powered hose to spray solid materials out of the run and into a large uncovered drain
that runs the length of the kennel area. Pine-Sol is then applied to “control the smell.” Pine-Sol
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has proven to be toxic to many animals and may cause chemical burns if it’s not quickly
removed from an animal’s paws, and it could also lead to respiratory issues. Due to the agitated
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state of the dogs, we were unable to safely inspect the pads of the dogs’ feet.
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By performing daily cleaning in this manner, staff run the risk of dogs becoming so frightened
that they respond in a defensive, aggressive manner, possibly resulting in a serious attack on
the staff.
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Additionally, the use of the hose while the dog is still in the run creates an environment where
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the dog becomes afraid of people, which reduces the likelihood of the dog being a candidate for
adoption. This practice also keeps the dogs at a heightened state of stress, thereby reducing
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the immune system’s ability to fight off disease.

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Almost all the kennels observed had standing water and the dogs were damp throughout the
day, as most of the dog runs did not have any form of raised bedding to allow the dogs to
escape the water left behind.
The dogs who showed severe aggression were removed from their kennels by means of a
catchpole so the kennels could be cleaned. This procedure has been known to actually increase
aggression in dogs, because they know that whenever they see a human they are about to be
removed with a catchpole. As with use of a hose, it also keeps the dogs in a heightened state of
stress.
The kennels are designed to be double-sided, with a sliding door to separate the two sides. This
is so that the dog has ample space to move freely from one side to the next. This design allows
kennel attendants to clean fully and safely, by closing the sliding door to keep the dog on one
side; cleaning, sanitizing and drying the other side; and then switching the dog to the clean side
in order to clean the other side. All the kennels, however, have had their wire cables removed to

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prevent the sliding door from being opened, which creates a situation where a dog only receives
half of the recommended space for housing and has only limited space to move about freely.
After cleaning, the grates covering the drains were left off, creating a hazard for those walking
through, and large puddles of standing water were found throughout the facility, including in the
dog runs. These practices create a serious hazard to staff and visitors, and leave the city open
to liabilities and legal claims.
The animals receive no medical care unless it is deemed critical. Staff claimed that the local
ordinances prohibit them from obtaining medical care for animals unless it is apparent that the
animal is dying. A review of the ordinance found no such prohibition. During our visit, we
observed two large-breed dogs with a body condition score of 2. All bones were clearly visible
on both dogs. In the run of a large-breed dog, we also observed several piles of feces covered
with blood. There were no records of these dogs receiving medical care, no indication that the
conditions were observed or attended to by staff, and no record of when they arrived.

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Feline care
There are two primary rooms designated for cats. Staff reported that they do not provide care to

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the cats because that responsibility is left to a group of volunteers. During our visit, we observed

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three volunteers tending to the cats.
In the smaller of the two rooms, the cats were kept in wire cages. The condition of the cages
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was unacceptable, with feces crusted to the litter boxes and plastic cage pans. Common types
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of kitty litter are not used in the shelter; instead, pieces of newspaper are left intact flat on the
bottom of the litter box. When using newspaper as kitty litter, the commonly accepted practice is
to tear the newspaper into shreds to give cats the opportunity to attempt to bury their waste.
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One crate held a young mother cat with a large litter of kittens who appeared to be
approximately 8-10 weeks old. The mother cat displayed a high level of aggression. All the cats
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appeared to have a skin disease; many had a crust covering most of their face, others had
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similar lesions spread out over their head and face. The volunteer present stated that there had
been no attempt at seeking medical attention; she said she had tried several methods to
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medicate them herself.

In this room, we also observed a large cat with what appeared to be a healing wound covering
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most of his forehead. This cat appeared to be extremely fearful and hid in the back of the crate,
shaking. His wire crate contained no bedding or place to hide, simply a litter box and food and
water bowls. The volunteer stated that he had been there for several months, but did not have
any documentation or records identifying the cat, detailing his condition or treatment, or
indicating how long he had been there.
In the larger of the two rooms, many cats were roaming free while others were confined to wire
crates. Also present in this room was a standing set of unused standard cat cages. The
volunteer stated that since the cats tend to stay at the facility for several months at a time, she
felt that it was cruel to keep them in a cage that small.
The conditions in this room mirrored those found in the smaller cat holding room. Litter boxes
appear not to have been cleaned in some time, as indicated by the amount of feces crusted
onto the boxes. Plastic crate liners also had a large amount of accumulated feces and in most
cases, the volunteers had placed pieces of newspaper over the feces that were outside the litter

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box. Since many of the cats are free-roaming throughout the room, we observed several piles of
feces and puddles of urine1. When we watched the cleaning process, we observed a young
woman remove a pile of feces from the floor with a paper towel, and then simply wipe the floor
and place pieces of newspaper over the area where the cat had defecated.
Many of the cats observed free-roaming showed visible signs of upper respiratory infection, as
indicated by liquid eye and nasal discharge. These cats freely interacted with both other free-
roaming cats and those confined to crates. The types of suspected viruses we observed are
highly contagious to other cats and can quickly spread throughout the shelter population.
During our conversation with a volunteer, we were informed that the cats at the facility are all
deemed “feral” and are waiting to be entered into the barn relocation program. She stated that
they do not believe in trap-neuter-return (TNR) programming — the most common, long-term,
humane solution to the community cat issue — and that she would only place them in the barn
program. However, she said, the program did not currently have any openings.

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As with the canine population, none of the cats were sterilized or vaccinated.

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Recommendations for housing and care:

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The services of a veterinarian should be obtained immediately to establish the current
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medical needs of the animals housed at the facility, and a contract for ongoing services
should be secured for future animal care. A process needs to be implemented for staff to
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be able to identify signs and symptoms of illness and to notify medical professionals.
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• A proper sanitation and disease prevention protocol should be put in place that utilizes
humane techniques using proper cleaning agents. This would require replacing the wire
cables to restore the full use of each kennel and following standard recommended
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protocols, such as those listed in the resources below.

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• All housing materials from the cat holding areas need to be removed, sanitized and then
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returned. A proper sanitation and disease prevention procedure should be put in place
for the volunteers as well.
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• All intake of healthy stray cats should cease immediately until such time that the current
population can be sterilized, vaccinated, and relocated or released back to their
neighborhoods.

• A comprehensive community cat program should be implemented to properly address

residents’ concerns about stray cats.

• An enrichment program for both cats and dogs should be implemented to reduce stress
and provide the animals with both the mental and physical stimulation they require. This
includes ensuring that dogs are able to get out of their kennels at least daily for regular

1 This was also observed after cleaning was completed and the volunteers had left for the day.

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 exercise and fresh air.

• Adoptions are done at a reasonable price; however, the animals are not sterilized or
vaccinated when released. There are no records of how many adoptions are being done,
so we are unable to give recommendations on how to improve adoption procedures,
other than what is listed below regarding hours of operation.

• The creation of a robust foster program would aid in providing temporary homes for
animals experiencing medical or behavior concerns. Engaging residents as foster
volunteers enables the community to become part of the solution. Fostering is a critical
lifesaving program in shelters nationwide.

Facility Management and Maintenance

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Overall, the shelter is unkempt and in disrepair. The walls and windows were barren and dirty;
no informational signs or handouts were present. The area around the exterior of the building is
overgrown with weeds, and the facility does not present as a welcoming place for families to

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visit and adopt an animal. The two fenced-in play yards, where potential adopters are instructed

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to take dogs in order to determine whether they want to adopt, is overgrown and unsightly. Most
areas outside the lobby were found to be cluttered and unused.
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The hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. These hours are not
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conducive to a successful adoption program. Most families want to adopt in the evenings or on
weekends, forcing them to seek alternative ways to adopt. Staff did state that if someone comes
to the door and knocks on a Saturday, cleaning staff (if they hear the knock) will let them in to
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adopt.
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Photos of the facility

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Play yard: meet and greet areas

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Volunteer sign-in sheet

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Staff sign-in sheet for daily feeding
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Free-roaming cat room

(These photos were taken after daily cleaning.)

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 Kitten with visible signs of skin infection

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Litter box after daily cleaning

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 Cat with untreated wound

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Kennel area after daily cleaning

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Resources
The following resources can assist with implementing some of the recommendations given
above and should be considered an immediate first step to improving conditions at the facility.

Shelter guidelines

• Association of Shelter Veterinarians Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters

• ASPCApro shelter care checklist
• ASPCA shelter disinfectant quick reference

Sanitation and housing

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• Best Friends Humane Animal Control manual chapters on:
o Enrichment for Cats in Shelters

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o Enrichment for Dogs in Shelters

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• Operational training playbook on Disease Control: The Role of Sanitation
• Operational training playbook on Feline Housing and Enrichment
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• ASPCA resource: Hiding Places Mean Happier Cats
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Medical care
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• AAHA vaccination guidelines for shelter-housed dogs

• AAHA/AAFP core vaccines for shelter cats
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Cat lifesaving
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• Best Friends comprehensive Community Cat Programs Handbook

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Best Friends Kitten Lifesaving Resources

• Best Friends webinar on mitigating nuisance cat complaints
• Best Friends Humane Animal Control manual chapter on Management of Stray and
Feral Cats

Volunteer and foster programming

• Foundations of Volunteer Engagement

• Best Friends volunteer resources
• Best Friends in Los Angeles online form and orientation video for new volunteers
• Best Friends operational playbook on Foster Programs
• Best Friends Humane Animal Control manual chapter on Foster Programs
• Cat Foster Care Manual

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 • Kitten Foster Care Manual
• Dog Foster Care Manual

Intakes and live outcomes

• Operational training playbook on Adoptions

• Operational training playbook on Alternative Outcomes
• Online learning course on Client Service and Adoptions
• Operational training playbook on Managed Intake or Admission
• Online learning course on Intake Diversion in the Field
• Best Friends webinar on Advanced Return-to-Owner in the Field
• Best Friends Humane Animal Control manual chapters on:
o Return-to-Owner Strategies

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o Managed Intake
o Delayed or Diverted Intake
o Intake Diversion in the Field

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o Intake Diversion via Pet Retention
o Adoption Programs

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Communications and culture
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• Best Friends Humane Animal Control manual chapters on:

o The Role of Animal Control in Local Government
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o The Role of Local Government in Animal Control

• Article on outdated policies
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• Best Friends Humane Animal Control manual chapter on Shelter Animal Data Collection
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Conclusion
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Best Friends has grave concerns about the well-being of the animals being held at Jackson
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Police Department’s animal control facility and those that might be impounded in the future. We
urge the city of Jackson to address these issues immediately and begin the process of
improving operations at the facility.

Best Friends stands by ready to assist and welcomes the opportunity to work closely with city
officials to rectify the problems observed. Best Friends can offer various opportunities, including
(but not limited to) training, one-on-one coaching of employees, financial support, materials and
equipment contributions, and implementation of programmatic priorities.

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About Best Friends Animal Society

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Best Friends Animal Society is a leading animal welfare organization working to end the killing of dogs
and cats in America’s shelters by 2025. Founded in 1984, Best Friends is a pioneer in the no-kill
movement and has helped reduce the number of animals killed in shelters from an estimated 17 million
per year to around 347,000. Best Friends runs lifesaving programs across the country, as well as the
nation’s largest no-kill animal sanctuary. Working collaboratively with a network of more than 3,300
animal welfare and shelter partners, and community members nationwide, Best Friends is working to
Save Them All®. For more information, visit bestfriends.org.

Disclaimer: Best Friends’ reports are based upon observations and information available at the time of the
assessment of your operations. We do not claim (1) that we have discovered any or all existing or
potential hazards or (2) that your business locations or operations are in compliance with any law, rule or
regulation. We assume no responsibility for the control or correction of hazards and do not warrant that
the implementation of any of our recommendations will result in (1) the elimination of any unsafe
conditions or (2) compliance with any standards, codes, ordinances, regulations, statutes or laws.

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