County reviews department's conduct

EAST COUNTY — It’s not an investigation.

But behind closed doors at Manatee County Animal Services, members of a professional research firm are working to discover best practices for handling alleged animal abuse situations, such the one that took place at Napier’s Log Cabin Horse and Animal Sanctuary, where more than 300 animals were confiscated in a Feb. 5 raid.

Matrix Consulting Group LTD — a California-based firm that provides analytical services to local and state governments that need changes — started its research at animal services’ headquarters in Palmetto last week.

After research concludes in October, the company will make recommendations for best practices.

Animal services came under public scrutiny earlier this year following the Napier’s raid and after allegations surfaced that an employee abused a dog in front of a potential adopter. The situation brought more negative attention to the department, even though the employee was later found to be acting in self defense.

County Director of Public Safety Ron Koper hopes the research will provide answers to the question:

“What can we do differently to satisfy the community, maintain a no-kill status and ensure animals receive proper care?”

After reviewing the findings, he also plans to push for more clarity in state guidelines, in terms of standards for shelters’ appearance. Knowing what is acceptable for shelters could be the key to ensuring animal services’ employees know how to handle situations such as the one at Napier’s, Koper said.

Area animal rescue volunteers and other community members may be asked to participate in focus groups to determine ways to improve animal services. 

“This process will really give us an opportunity to see where we can improve, what we can do better,” Koper said. 

Matrix representatives are completing interviews, reviewing programs and services and touring the county’s two facilities, among other tasks.

Analysts will generate questionnaires to be completed anonymously by animal services employees, as well as other research methods, according to the contract between Matrix and the county.

The analysis will cost the county about $50,000, in addition to wages for consultants and travel expenses.
Matrix’s final report will prioritize specific actions animal services can take to improve its processes and services.

Koper expects Matrix will address a need for more space after touring the county’s two animal control facilities in Palmetto and downtown Bradenton.

He estimated the Palmetto facility houses between 2,000 and 3,000 animals each year.

Without additional funding, however, the department can’t continue operating at the same level, Koper said.

“We do the job capable of what our resources allow,” Koper said.

The analysis by Matrix is separate from an investigation conducted by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. (See related box, left.)

Investigation Clears Staff
After sorting through a decade’s worth of paperwork and emails and retracing steps that led to the seizure of more than 300 animals from Napier’s Log Cabin Horse and Animal Rescue, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has found that Manatee County’s animal services department employees committed no criminal wrongdoing.

A 448-page report released Aug. 4 spells out specific findings, including a timeline of site visits and findings of animal services staff to the property of Alan and Sheree Napier, owners of the rescue.

“There was not sufficient evidence against any one person to warrant criminal charges,” said Dave Bristow, spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office.

Firm evaluates attitudes, jobs
Below, the East County Observer describes a few of the tasks analysts will complete throughout the next two months.

Task 1 — Identify attitudes toward services and issues
Matrix will interview the county’s administrator, public safety department and the animal services division.
Representatives will also talk to shelter volunteers throughout the county.

Through its discussions, the group hopes to gauge the community’s attitude toward animal services.

Task 2 — Document animal services employees’ attitudes towards strengths and improvement opportunities.

The department’s employees will anonymously complete a questionnaire online via Survey Monkey.
Questions will be based on the responses received from initial interviews completed in the first task.

Task 5 — Evaluate operations and services
The consultant will use data obtained through its research to answer questions such as “What is the process to be approved as an outside shelter?” and “How is staff held accountable for ethical behavior?”

Contact Amanda Sebastiano at [email protected].