Public urges Board to fund animal-shelter and dedicated animal-control officer after council ordinance

At the City of Burlington Board of Finance meeting on May 28, a former council task-force member urged the board to ensure the Police Department budget includes funds to comply with recently approved council recommendations requiring an animal shelter for all animals and a dedicated animal control officer.

The comment came from Lori Ketler, who said she served on the city task force that produced a 71-page report and whose recommendations were considered by the ordinance committee and later approved by the full City Council. “The ordinance… for the shelter in particular is mandatory. It’s not discretionary,” Ketler said.

Why it matters: Ketler warned that years of volunteer and committee work would be undermined if the council’s ordinance is not backed by appropriations in the Police Department budget. She identified two specific provisions she said the council had approved — a requirement for an animal shelter covering all animals, not just dogs, and a dedicated animal control officer — that she believes are absent from the police budget.

Police Chief Burke responded later in the meeting during the department’s budget presentation. He said animal-control duties are currently handled through the department’s Community Support/Community Service Officer (CSO) team and that the department has enrolled staff in training on how ACOs assist police agencies. He also raised a separate operational concern: the long‑standing kennel contract the city uses is ending. “Once that contract expires in June of this year, they are no longer gonna be in business,” the chief said, adding that many area kennels will not accept animals with unknown vaccination status and that finding an alternative kennel is an ongoing problem.

Discussion vs. decision: The board did not take a formal vote or adopt a budget amendment on the record at this meeting. The exchange recorded was public comment followed by the chief’s explanation of current departmental capacity and an operational challenge (the kennel closure). The transcript shows the chief said CSO staff will continue animal-control functions and that additional partners or contracts will be required if the kennel closes.

What’s next: The chief said the CSO manager is actively seeking alternatives and will report back; Ketler urged the board and administration to align the budget with the council‑approved ordinance so the mandate is supported by funding.