Char-Meck Animal Care & Control breaks from CMPD
CHARLOTTE, NC –Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control is now in control of it’s future.
“There is a lot to be done. There’s a lot to still be figured out, but we’re super excited about what the future might hold,” said Josh Fisher.
Fisher is the director of Char-Meck Animal Care & Control. Fisher and the rest of theΒ rest of Animal Care and Control have been asking to separate from CMPD for a long time.
Fisher believes the move will help with funding. It’s still coming from the city but now there are less hoops to jump through.
“There were chunks of our budget that were decentralized within CMPD. So things like uniforms, things like fuel, things like our radios and our IT communications devices. Those were funded by other aspects of CMPD,” explained Fisher.
Animal Care and Control already dropped the CMPD name more than a year ago. They now have a new look. Fisher says there won’t be much of a change to the community other than the volunteer process.
“The requirements to come and be a volunteer for us will be reduced, essentially, because you’re not coming to volunteer at a police station,” said Fisher.
Fisher says the volunteer onboarding process took up to 60 days. For volunteer Natalie Peterman it was a lot longer.
“It took about six months to get through the whole process,” continued Peterman, “it seemed a bit extensive to come in, and walk dogs.”
Fisher says ACC lost volunteers as a result of the long wait. He tells me dropping the police department from the name may also entice more pet owners with a criminal record or undocumented immigration status to reclaim their lost pets.
“We have had people who have said,Β I’m not comfortable coming to animal care and control,” explained Fisher.
The change officially happens July 1st.
