Disabatino Calls for "Special Meeting" on Animal Services

BRADENTON -- District 4 Manatee County Commissioner Robin DiSabatino has called for a BOCC "special meeting" to discuss the plethora of emails and voicemails calling for intervention in the county's failed "No Kill" policy.

DiSabatino received an email from Debra Glow questioning the county's plan to put-down three dogs on Wednesday when there is a free adoption event scheduled for the weekend. Glow wrote, "You are taking a life and denying an animal a loving home," calling the action, "cruel and spiteful."

DiSabatino said, "We need to do something now." The district 4 Commissioner then sent an email to the other board members, States Attorney; Manatee County Animal Services; the County Administrator, the County Attorney's office; Public Safety and Clerk of the Court, extending the request.

"It is my opinion, that we need to call a special meeting asap to discuss Animal Services, even if we call the commissioners back from break …" DiSabatino wrote, adding, "If I am allowed to make the motion to call a special, publicly-advertised meeting next Tuesday, July 8th or as soon as we can get four commissions to attend at 9 a.m. or any time certain, after it has time to be properly noticed."

DiSabatino has expressed annoyance with the way the county administrator, and some other commissioners have handled the dilemma brought on by the raid on the Napier's Rescue Sanctuary, where 300 animals were confiscated by county officials because of deplorable conditions.

For over six months county officials have avoided a timely resolve to the blow-back Manatee County's "No Kill" program has received since the raid.

DiSabatino said, "We need to deal with this now."