Jacksonville residents may see quicker help for dangerous dog incidents after Councilman Jimmy Peluso and the Office of the Inspector General raised concerns about the city’s Animal Control and Protective Services (ACPS) response system.
Local officials flag communication hurdles
Peluso, who represents District 7 where the municipal shelter sits, visited the facility unannounced and found the kennels in good condition and volunteers responsive. However, he said the biggest problem is the way the public reports dangerous dogs. Currently, callers must use the 630‑CITY line or the MyJax app, both of which route calls through fire, police and other agencies before reaching ACPS. “You’re not able to directly call ACPS,” Peluso said. “I’d love for them to have their own number.”
Audit finds delayed emergency calls
The Inspector General’s office released an audit covering 200 emergency and high‑priority calls made between November 2024 and April 2025. More than one‑third of those calls – 69 in total – were not responded to quickly enough according to ACPS’s own operating procedures. Some calls failed to transfer from the city’s central systems for more than 24 hours, with a few taking over a month to reach an officer.
Sixteen calls were stuck in the system, while twenty‑two lacked timestamps or clear response‑time standards, especially those marked as “dangerous.” The audit recommends that ACPS work with the city to ensure proper transfer of reports and to establish standard response times for all call types.
No‑kill policy not to blame, but staffing shortfall is real
Critics have linked a rise in dog‑bite incidents to the shelter’s no‑kill philosophy, but ACPS Chief Mike Bricker says the policy does not dictate operational decisions. He emphasized that officers prioritize calls based on urgency.
Nevertheless, ACPS is operating with far fewer officers than the National Animal Control Association suggests. The guideline recommends one officer per 18,000 residents; Jacksonville’s 900,000‑plus population would need more than 50 officers. The department currently fields only 20.
Steps toward improvement
In response to the audit, ACPS said it is updating its response‑time metrics, now including dangerous calls under the “bite” category. The agency measures success by the time a case is fully closed, which can take up to four weeks for a dog bite.
Peluso’s push for a dedicated ACPS hotline aligns with the Inspector General’s call for clearer procedures. Both officials agree that faster, more transparent communication will protect the health and safety of Jacksonville’s residents and its animal companions.
Community impact
Local nonprofits that support the city’s animal‑welfare mission raise hundreds of millions of dollars each year toward the no‑kill goal. While the shelter’s capacity challenges remain, the focus on improving emergency response aims to reduce animal suffering and restore public trust in ACPS operations.
Original reporting: Jacksonville Today — read the source article.
