Lee County restricts animal shelter inquiry process after calls of concern

To ensure Lee County Animal Shelter staff can adequately perform their job duties concerning animal welfare, Lee County Government is instilling a new process for information requests made to the shelter.

The Lee County Animal Shelter is made up of staff who work tirelessly to care for surrendered, stray, quarantined, bite, and dangerous animals that come into the shelter’s care.

Recently, the Lee County Animal Shelter has experienced a high influx of intense calls and messages requesting information on a daily basis, which is impeding shelter staff’s ability to carry out daily operations.

This change in policy comes after complaints, such as the one below from Facebook on Aug. 20, 2026.

Lee County, NC Community Information

Tia Kandy · ·

We need people to speak at the next commissioner’s meeting. We also need people to email the commissioner’s office. I have prepared several statements as well as an email to send. Please comment if you are able to help, in which fashion, and I will message you the prepared information. Please only comment if you were serious about taking action. Lee County was a no-kill shelter for 2 years and in 2 weeks they have put down 10 dogs, including a 6 month old Shepherd mix. This is as a result of a change of information the shelter can share, which resulted in the lack of rescue partnership.

We need people to speak at the next commissioner’s meeting. We also need people to email the commissioner’s office. I have prepared several statements as well as an email to send. Please comment if you are able to help, in which fashion, and I will message you the prepared information. Please only comment if you were serious about taking action. Lee County was a no-kill shelter for 2 years and in 2 weeks they have put down 10 dogs, including a 6 month old Shepherd mix. This is as a result of a change of information the shelter can share, which resulted in the lack of rescue partnership.

Friends of the Lee County NC Animal Shelter and Advocates for All Animals It Takes A Village Rescue NC

Lee County writes that to help requesters get the information they are asking for while also allowing for shelter staff to care for the animals in their custody, the Lee County Animal Shelter is now providing weekly email updates to rescue and foster groups who currently work with the shelter and will continue working with these agencies to adopt, rescue and/or foster animals as quickly as possible. For information about animal records kept pursuant to statute, including disposition, a public records request should be made online at https://leecountync.forms.govos.com/sc/CO16121000021944728 and will be fulfilled in a reasonable amount of time.

The public is welcome to view all animals received by the shelter online, including animal photos and identifying information, at https://leecountync.animalshelternet.com/  which is updated frequently. The shelter also operates a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/people/Lee-County-Animal-Shelter/100088674315035/ to advertise adoptable animals and share shelter information, programs, resources, and other helpful information. 

Lee County Government is proud of the Lee County Animal Shelter’s past recognitions from the non-profit Best Friends Animal Society as a “No-Kill Shelter” in 2023 and 2024, which requires a 90% adoption rate, and for remaining close to that rate in 2025 with an 82% adoption rate and 1,222 animals adopted and rescued throughout the year.

The public should be aware that while the Lee County Animal Shelter has received “No-Kill Shelter” recognition, that does not mean animals are not euthanized due to a variety of circumstances such as disease control, medical suffering, behavioral risks, and overcrowding. Shelter staff do everything possible to adopt animals out or work with rescue and foster groups to continue their care, and use euthanasia as a last-possible resort.

“The County depends on members of the community and rescue partners to adopt these animals,” said County Manager Lisa Minter. “Our shelter staff will continue to work with both the public and rescue groups to protect and save animals, while also ensuring our staff has the time and resources to do their jobs safely and efficiently.”

About North Carolina animal shelters: 

• Animal shelters defined by NCGS 19A-23(5) are not considered to be a rescue group or foster program.  The exact definition is as follows: “Animal shelter” means a facility which is used to house or contain seized, stray, homeless, quarantined, abandoned or unwanted animals and which is under contract with, owned, operated, or maintained by a county, city, town, or other municipality, or by a duly incorporated humane society, animal welfare society, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or other nonprofit organization devoted to the welfare, protection, rehabilitation, or humane treatment of animals. 
• As referenced in the definition above, North Carolina animal shelters must accept all surrendered, stray, quarantined, bite, and dangerous animals. 
• Under state law, there is a general 72-hour holding period for animals brought to shelters prior to being available for adoption or rescue. 
• Any adoptable animal must be made available for adoption under procedures that allow members of the public to inspect the animal. 
• The Animal Welfare Act also requires shelters to meet the following criteria: https://www.ncleg.gov/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/byarticle/chapter_19a/article_3.html.  

Provided and edited.

Aug. 21, 2026