Fort Pierce adoption center: 1,002 animals served; 63.7% positive live outcomes reported

City staff delivered a detailed accounting of adoption center and animal control outcomes for the reporting period 04/16/2025–05/28/2026. Deputy Director Dwayne Johnson and Director Sean Koss reported 1,002 total animals handled, 638 positive live outcomes (63.67%), 145 animals alive in custody (14.47%), 16 unassisted deaths (1.60%), and 203 euthanasias (20.26%) for medical, behavioral and public‑safety reasons.

Johnson walked the commission through intake/outcome categories — adoptions (311), return‑to‑owner (137), rescue transfers (190) — and explained that the shelter maintains dual logging of controlled substances and a permanent audit trail in its ShelterLOVE system to comply with Florida statutes. He said the center is 100% compliant with the cited state reporting and euthanasia standards and described staff procedures for behavioral assessment, triage and documentation.

Commissioners asked about comparative benchmarking, adoption fees and veterinary capability. Staff said the city is not moving forward with on‑site modular clinic plans because of high site and outfitting costs, that adoptions currently average $400, and that a fee study and requests for proposals for outside veterinary services are planned. Commissioners also urged outreach for volunteers and donor support to relieve budget pressures and asked for regular updates on long‑pending legal cases that affect animals held in evidence.

The presentation emphasized transparency and legal compliance and left the commission with planned follow‑ups on benchmarking and fee studies.