FKSPCA to Assume County’s Animal Control Contract for the Middle Keys
The Florida Keys Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (FKSPCA) announced at its meeting on October 21, that Monroe County commissioners gave approval for the FKSPCA to assume the remainder of the contract currently held by SHARK (Safe Harbor Animal Rescue of the Keys) for animal control services in the Middle Keys. As a result of their internal issues, the SHARK Board of Directors voted in August 2015 to find another group to assume the responsibilities in their jurisdiction. Both the County and SHARK agreed that the FKSPCA was the best possibility for this assignment.
“Obviously, the welfare of the animals and their owners was our primary concern in making the decision to take over animal control responsibilities for the Middle Keys,” said Tammy Fox-Royer, Executive Director of the FKSPCA. “We’re sorry to see the dissolution of SHARK, but we are confident that the transition will be seamless.”
FKSPCA Chairman of the Board Jane Dawkins said that their Board and Finance Committee carefully considered the proposal and decided that the FKSPCA was fully capable, both organizationally and financially, of assuming these new responsibilities.
“With our new building fund in its final stages, this is an exciting time for the FKSPCA,” Dawkins said “I firmly believe that we will be a better and stronger organization as a result of this expanded footprint.”
Sandy Tuttle, SHARK Chairman of the Board, agreed. “I’m thrilled that the FKSPCA will be taking over for SHARK. The FKSPCA is a wonderful organization with a strong board, dedicated staff and organizational stability. They have tremendous community support in the Lower Keys, and I am hopeful that they will get the same level of support in Marathon and the Middle Keys.”
All six current SHARK employees have been asked to stay in the same or similar positions. Tammy Fox-Royer will become Executive Director of the expanded organization. Currently, the FKSPCA, based on Stock Island, is responsible for animal control services in the Lower Keys from mile marker zero to 17. The assumption of this new contract will extend their animal care services to mile marker 70.
About the FKSPCA
The Florida Keys SPCA is dedicated to promoting the humane treatment of all animals through compassionate care, adoption, education, population control and humane law enforcement.
The primary goal of the FKSPCA is to place all adoptable animals into caring, loving, lifelong homes. The FKSPCA conducts a variety of programs including adoption; lost & found; humane education; cruelty investigation; sheltering of animals belonging to victims of domestic abuse; low-cost and free spay and neuter surgeries; feral cat trap, spay/neuter and release project; and free behavior counseling programs.
The FKSPCA is a completely independent, private, not-for-profit 501c3 organization and is not under the umbrella of, nor funded by, any other national humane organization. For more information, please visit fkspca.org.