CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina's animal welfare policies and discussions to possibly expand Charlotte's aging animal shelter were both in the spotlight Wednesday, as legislators visited shelter officials.
CMPD Animal Care and Control welcomed Sen. DeAndrea Salvador, Rep. Terry Brown, and Nick Halmrast, a representative from Sen. Thom Tillis's office.
The group toured the shelter to learn about the need for expansion there, the various ways the shelter serves the animals and people in the Charlotte area, and what legislative changes could help the work animal shelters do for the community.
"The biggest thing that stood out to me about this visit is the sheer number of animals that this facility is housing and dealing with on a daily, weekly, a yearly basis," Brown said, after the tour.
Charlotte's shelter was built roughly 30 years ago, when the city's population was less than half of its current size. Josh Fisher, shelter director, said as Charlotte has grown, so has the number of animals the shelter serves and the resources needed to meet that need.
Fisher told his visitors that local-level discussions to possibly expand Animal Care and Control's capacity were still underway.
Late last year, city councilwoman Dimple Ajmera told WCNC Charlotte the city was generating estimates to expand the facility and would vote on the project this year.
"I think that's something that's very critical," Brown said. "Because it's such a needed service in our community, but a service we don't think about and that's probably a testament to the folks who work here ... They're keeping our community safe and making sure that we're not having to think about the things they do on a daily basis."
Urgent pleas from the shelter have become more commonplace this year and last, with regular requests for the community to help temporarily house dogs, as kennels fill to the max. In October 2022, Fisher told WCNC Charlotte the shelter has 170 kennels but would need closer to 300 to have adequate housing for the homeless dogs entering the shelter system.
Amid the capacity crunch, the shelter is also undergoing accessibility compliance upgrades, which are temporarily pinching precious kennel space, but not expanding it in the long-term.
During Wednesday's meeting, Fisher was asked what policy support is needed for the state's animal care programs, and he told representatives North Carolina is lacking unified standards for animal care, both in best practices and how government programs are funded.
Representatives shared they would be interested in looking into legislative moves to address those concerns.
"I definitely want to go back to my office and look at those current statutes, and talk with my colleagues in the General Assembly, and see what we can do to ensure that we're making sure that we're protecting our animals... and the community at large," Brown said.
Contact Vanessa Ruffes at vruffes@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.