City of Columbus, Indiana Animal Services Meeting

The Columbus, Indiana animal services group met on September 14, 2026, for a routine business meeting. Members took roll call, approved prior minutes, and received staff updates on animal control cases, shelter statistics, fundraising, staffing, and construction of the new shelter building.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the July 13 minutes as corrected; all in favor with no opposition.

Staff Reports & Program Updates

• Dangerous animal update: No dangerous-animal cases were reported.
• Agreed-order update: The person subject to the shelter's first agreed order had his TNR cat pass away and was reminded he may not have other animals at this time. Staff responded to a call after his ex-wife visited with two kittens, took the kittens' names, and explained the restriction more clearly. He also asked whether he could have animals if he moved; staff said restrictions generally apply to the person rather than the address, and any future change would require review, time, appropriate space, and possibly additional conditions.
• Confiscations: Nothing out of the ordinary; animals are sometimes left behind by people who move.
• TNR/community cats: 205 cats to date, down from 242 at the same time last year because of extreme heat and difficulty getting appointments.
• Cat save rate: About 80%, below normal because many very sick kittens arrived or died in foster care; no single illness pattern such as calicivirus or panleukopenia was identified.
• Pet food bank: More than 11,000 pounds of food given away to date.
• Low-cost clinic: The partnership with the Brownsburg low-cost spay/neuter clinic is going well; earlier 2026 statistics are still being reconstructed and are expected next month.
• Grants: Staff applied for an ASPCA grant but received notification it was not approved.
• Kitty Caravan: The last two transports were canceled because increased vaccination, medication, and health requirements meant not enough cats qualified. Some cats passed health checks and travel but became ill within 24 hours of arrival; staff said the receiving building is small, making quarantine difficult. Staff asked whether the organization could take dogs instead; accepting 6-8 dogs through Bay Path and Save a Dog would be very helpful, with a 50/50 chance for late September.
• Foster/kitten season: The shelter is in round three of kitten season, with bottle-baby kittens coming in; more fosters are always needed, and new foster applications have increased.
• Staffing: Olivia Martin, medical manager/vet tech, is doing well. A part-time employee gave notice to start her own business, so the shelter will post and hire a couple of part-timers.
• Facility/new building: No major new facility issues were reported. Construction at the new building is moving dirt and metal has been brought in; completion is estimated for October 2027.

Fundraising & Financial Updates

• Adoption medical fund: The financial report cited $13,749 in the adoption medical fund. The professional services line item is over 100% because vet bills are paid from it, so staff will move funds and request additional appropriations to cover the rest of the year.
• Biennial fundraiser: The last event raised $240,000, but only $90,000 went to the adoption medical fund; the previous year all $240,000 went to that fund. The rest went to the capital campaign.
• Capital campaign: The campaign has met its goal but will need more money; the bricks, papers, and remembrance tree campaign continues, and the year-end appeal letter will go out around Thanksgiving.
• Mums sale: The mum sale runs a few more weeks, and plants must be picked up by the end of September.
• Bingo: The next bingo fundraiser is Monday, November 2, 2026, at 450 North in a larger space. The first bingo raised just over $6,000 and sold out with 118 people; the larger space will hold about 190-200.
• Other fundraisers: Panera and Chipotle each raised just over $100; Moonlight Loop raised $9,400 for the adoption medical fund. A Pars for Pets event had no final numbers and was not as successful as hoped, though attendees enjoyed it. An online 50/50 fundraiser, Positively Lucky 5050, is planned; no start date was given.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the July 13 minutes with a correction.
• Staff will move funds and request additional appropriations to keep the professional services/vet bill account funded through the end of the year.
• Staff will post part-time job openings.
• Staff will follow up on a possible Kitty Caravan dog transport for late September.
• The next bingo is scheduled for November 2, 2026, and mum sale plants must be picked up by the end of September.
• The meeting adjourned after a motion to adjourn was made and approved.