Euthanasia rates rise at Lee County Animal Shelter & advocates suggest a 5-step plan

Animal welfare advocates spoke to the Lee County Health Department on county accountability at the Sept. 16 meeting. The advocates presented a five-step strategy to reduce shelter crowding, improve transparency and increase adoptions, citing rising euthanasia numbers despite declining animal intake.

Advocate Kandy Mimande reported the Lee County Animal Shelter had 1,651 dogs and cat entering and 111 euthanized in 2023. In 2025, intake dropped to 1,431, but euthanasia rose to 207. At the same time, operating expenses rose about 30%.

In 2026, from Jan. through Aug., the shelter had 837 intakes and 128 euthanasias. Fifty animals were deemed unadoptable, their health was not recorded and the county said the reason was space.

Mimande suggested a five-step strategy.

Publish a monthly public dashboard showing intake, outcomes, euthanasia reasons, foster placements and length of stay. Data helps identify problems to develop reasonable protocols.

Establish a community-cat program based on ordinances in Wake and Durham counties. Sterilize, vaccinate and return eligible cats to reduce repeated intake and preserve shelter space.

Create a finder-to-foster pathway. North Carolina law already allows animals to be place with approved fosters, rescues or finders during the holding period. Guilford County uses this approach to keep suitable animals out of crowded kennels.

Direct the county attorney and animal services to develop legally sound sterilization and microchip proposals to improve identification, reunification and responsible placement.

Launch a pilot program to install a volunteer animal rescue liaison position in the animal shelter to increase rescues.

“I ask the board to recommend a 60-day working group with animal services, rescue partners, veterinarians, foster volunteers, county staff and the county attorney. Please return with a public dashboard, a finder-foster protocol, a community-cat framework, and legally reviewed sterilization and microchip options. These are concrete ways to address crowding upstream while protecting public safety and due process,” Mimande.

Advocates repeated how spaying and neutering animals prior to adoption helped stop needless suffering from overpopulation. They shared cases of animals adopted out of the Lee County Animal Shelter after people signed documents agreeing to have animals altered and paid a $50 deposit, only for the animals to be returned unaltered. Lee County Animal Shelter staff is supposed to track the adopted animals to ensure they are altered, but they do not have time.

Pre-altered dogs stay about four days fewer and cats about 11 days fewer, according to Shelter Animals Count.

According to Best Friends Animal Society, altered animals are 25% more likely to be adopted.

Shorter stays lower expenses, reduce staff workload and free kennel space.

Read Lee County restricts animal shelter inquiry process after calls of concern and

Lee County Animal Shelter “restores” communication with rescue groups.

Slide presentation images provided by the animal advocates.

Sept. 17, 2026

Stephanie M. Sellers

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Why are surrounding counties reducing shelter crowding with spay-and-neuter, but Lee County is not?

Animal welfare advocates said sterilization before adoption, community-cat programs and stronger foster pathways could reduce shelter stays, expenses and euthanasia in Lee County.