My Visit to the Palmetto Shelter: A Heartbreaking Experience
Adopt-A-Palooza: Your Chance to Save a Life
The first time I visited the Palmetto Animal Shelter, I had an odd experience. I was asked a few questions about what I was looking for, and then, only one dog was brought out for me to see. That wasn’t what I had expected at all. I didn’t get the chance to walk around or meet more dogs, and honestly, it felt like a missed opportunity—not just for me, but for the dogs. People want to see all the dogs, make a connection, and find the one that pulls at their heart. I walked away feeling like the system wasn’t designed to help these animals get adopted.
But recently, things have changed. On my second visit, I was happy to see they had updated the rules, and now, visitors can walk around the shelter with a staff member to meet the dogs. It’s a much better way to get to know the animals, to see their personalities, and give them a chance to find a forever home. However, as I walked through the kennels, I couldn’t help but feel heartbroken. The outside kennels, while covered from the rain, offer little protection from the brutal Florida heat. There’s no air conditioning—just a few fans that don’t really make much of a difference. It was clear the dogs were suffering from the heat, and it made me realize how badly they need better conditions.
The Bishop Shelter Plan: A Delayed Dream
For years now, there’s been talk about moving the dogs at Palmetto to the Bishop Animal Shelter. Bishop was supposed to be a fresh start—larger, better equipped, and a place where the dogs would have more comfort and care. The county took over the Bishop Shelter in 2022 after it was donated, a gift valued at $18 million. It seemed like the perfect solution. The plan was to expand and upgrade Bishop, creating a new home for the dogs stuck in Palmetto’s outdated kennels.
But, as with many things, plans started falling behind. What was originally promised as a two-year project with a completion date of 2024 is now delayed. The county had switched to using prefabricated kennels to speed things up and lower costs, but here we are—two years away from completion, and the dogs at Palmetto continue to suffer in the Florida heat without proper facilities.
What I Learned from David Daniels and the Volunteers
When David Daniels, along with some dedicated volunteers, met with county officials recently, they received more bad news. The timeline for the Bishop expansion has been pushed back even further, and it doesn’t look like it will be ready until 2026. This delay is incredibly frustrating for everyone who cares about these animals. While I appreciate that the county staff is working on it, I can't help but feel that the dogs deserve better now—not in two years.
David and the volunteers have been pushing for transparency and quicker action, but it seems like the county isn’t moving fast enough. I understand that large projects take time, but at this point, it feels like the urgency has been lost.
Could Dome Structures Be the Solution?
With all these delays, I started thinking: What if we looked at a different approach? I remember that Peggy Adams Animal Rescue in Palm Beach County, had a dome structure that they use for animal housing. This got me wondering if we could apply the same idea here in Manatee County.
Aircreate Dome building Elysian Falls https://www.elysianfalls.com.au/
Dome structures are cost-effective, quick to build, and extremely durable—especially in hurricane-prone areas like ours. The dome design also allows for better airflow, which could help combat the oppressive heat that’s making life so difficult for the dogs at Palmetto. These structures could even serve a dual purpose: housing the animals year-round, but also acting as a shelter for people with pets during hurricane season. Many storm shelters don’t allow pets, which puts families in a difficult situation. A facility that could accommodate both could be a win for the entire community.
Peggy Adams Dome Structures West Palm Beach, Fl
Adopt-A-Palooza: An Opportunity to Help Now
While the plans for Bishop continue to unfold, there’s something we can do to help these animals right now—adopt! Adopt-A-Palooza is Manatee County’s largest pet adoption event, and it’s happening on Saturday, September 28, 2024, at the Bradenton Area Convention Center from 11 AM to 4 PM.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Over 100 adoptable pets from Manatee County Animal Welfare (MCAW) will be there, just waiting for a chance to meet you.
- Adoption fees are waived, but donations to Friends of Manatee County Animal Services (FoMCAS) are encouraged to support ongoing care.
- All pets are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped, so they’re ready to go home with you.
- You’ll just need to pay a $20 license fee to bring home your new friend.
- There will be 60+ pet-friendly vendors offering products and services for you and your pet.
For more information about the event, visit [mymanatee.org/pal](https://www.mymanatee.org/pal).
By adopting, you’ll not only be giving a deserving animal a home, but you’ll also help ease the overcrowding at shelters like Palmetto. These animals need us, and Adopt-A-Palooza is the perfect time to make a difference.
Adopt don't shop
My 4 rescue dogs, yes all are in the picture, kind of. It's impossible to get a great picture with my dogs
(Continued from below) profit from cruelty, more people will hopefully come to realize that there is no better friend and family member than a shelter dog. At the same time I think it is time for a change in leadership at Manatee County. The poor decisions, poor results, poor animal health, poor conditions and poor performance at Animal Services should not lead to promotions.
Sari strikes again with more thoughtful, informative writing. While I am certainly pleased that the County finally allows potential adopters to see ALL the available dogs, what the heck took so long? In my lifetime of adopting dogs, I have never approached an adoption knowing I wanted a 47.3 lb, 3.5 years old, blue eyed, long tailed, black dog w/white paws. I think very few people approach adoption that way. Yet it took 4 1/2 years for the person in charge of MCAW to change the 2020 Covid rule. Like Sari writes, we may go in with a general idea, but more often than not, it becomes a love at first sight adoption. My best friend picked a dog that was heartworm positive, scared to death, shy, skinny mutt from Hillsborough County's shelter. Houdini has been her soul mate for 15 years. They don't just communicate, they have full conversations. For 4.5 years, that kind of magic has been prohibited due to poor management at our public shelter. That refusal to allow shelter visitors to actually see the dogs is just one of a long list of poor management decisions under the same Animal Services leader that was hired in 2016. I have described many other examples of mismanagement under this same leadership, including the 2020 hiring of her Pinellas County workout partner to be the shelter's first Volunteer Coordinator. In 2022, as staff and volunteers struggled to get the dogs out for just 2 short walks a day, the VC created barriers to volunteering such as requiring multiple trips to the shelter to wash dishes, do laundry, and schedule a guided tour of the grounds before the person was allowed to begin 5 days of training. Yes, 5 days of spending 2 hours watching someone else walk a dog. Training is important, but walking a dog is not rocket science. One or 2 days with an experienced person, then start with the creampuffs. In a couple weeks, move up to the jumpers, then the pullers and so on. In 2022, over 500 people applied to volunteer - most never picked up a leash due to the bottleneck created by MCAW leadership. A private citizen working from home, with the Chief's permission had to get the program back on track. That Volunteer Coordinator has moved on, thankfully... The leader that hired her and looked the other way was promoted to Deputy Director. Like Sari - I encourage people to please visit adoptapalooza. There are over 100 dogs at our shelter - anyone that has room in their home can find the right match. As we also move toward shutting down the puppy stores that make a profit from cruelty, more people will hopefully come to realize that there is no better friend and family member than a shelter dog. I just think it is time for a change in leadership at Manatee County. The poor decisions, poor results, poor animal health, poor conditions and poor performance at Animal Services should not lead to promotions.