By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

                An air-conditioned luxury bus loaded with rescued dogs pulled into Levy County Animal Services Monday and accepted an additional 16 local dogs for adoption in South Florida.

            The Labor Day rescue was arranged by animal advocate Sarah Podobinski and her adoption partner, Lynn Condermann, with help from Levy County Commissioner John Meeks.

            Podobinski called Meeks Sunday to ask him if he could arrange to have county staff open the doors of Levy County Animal Services on Monday for the pickup of the friendly canines.

            Meeks, who had helped Podobinski in a similar way previously, contacted staff and had them on hand to help Big Dog Ranch Rescue pick up the lucky canines.

            Podobinski, vice president of Rapscallion to the Rescue, Inc., said it worked out well. She and animal services volunteer Kristi Selck picked out 16 deserving dogs for the trip to their forever home.

            “A shout out to Commissioner John Meeks. I called him yesterday to let him know what I needed done. I needed animal control to meet me out here to get dogs. I will give props to John Meeks. He got this done. He’s helped me other times like this before, so I knew he could get things done. He did. We got it done,” she said.

            Nathan Mercer, a long-serving animal control officer, was on hand to open the gate at the Levy County Landfill Transfer Station to let Podobinski, Condermann, and Spotlight into the facility.

            The big bus arrived right on time a few minutes later. Podobinski had worked in the past with Big (and small) Dog (and Little) Ranch Rescue out of Palm Beach County. She said they are a wealthy animal rescue group and are friends of former President Donald Trump.

            “They are well above our pay grade but we’re always grateful for any help we can get. I’ve worked with them numerous times on hoarding cases and stuff like that. I really trust them to make sure things are taken care of,” Podobinski said.

            The Labor Day rescue comes on the heels of a major change at animal services. Former Animal Services Director David Weatherford, who wasn’t particularly popular with rescue groups, has been replaced by Rod Hastings, former administrative manager of the landfill and transfer station. Weatherford has been transferred to construction and maintenance as a foreman at the same pay grade.

            Podobinski said things have improved at animal services. The transfer of Weatherford was a step in the right direction.

            Mercer said a part-time veterinarian comes in on Mondays and Tuesdays to do spay and neuter and vaccinations, implants, etc. He said the part-time vet is providing enough help that animal services can do adoptions to keep pace with the workload. He said about 3,000 animals pass through Levy County Animal Services annually.

            Former animal services Veterinarian Darlene Esler resigned a couple of months ago after an alleged pushing incident at animal services.

            He said the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals from Brevard County stopped at Levy County Animal Services before Hurricane Idalia and picked up 10 dogs for adoption.

            “That helps us out getting the dogs out of here. It’s better than being euthanized,” he said. “Some of the rescue groups from down south pull from our shelters up here. They have a better success rate for adopting them than we do. That’s what helps us out.”

            Mercer, who has worked at Levy County Animal Services longer than anyone else, said irresponsible pet owners are a problem. He said the department still receives five to six calls a day from owners that want to surrender their pets, but the county’s current policy is not to accept owner-surrendered pets. People try to get around the policy.

            “There are people who call and say I want to surrender my dog. I say sorry, we’re not taking owner-released dogs now. They wait for a couple of hours or the next day to call and say, hey, I’ve got this stray dog to pick up and it’s the same phone number,” Mercer said. “Some of these dogs slip in this way.”

            Podobinski said most counties have the same policy regarding owner-released pets. They don’t take them or they take them only if there is space.

            “That’s the way it is everywhere. I don’t know of a county animal control that is taking animal surrenders. Most of them are by appointment if they have room. Alachua turns people away, Marion County turns people away for owner surrender,” she said.

            Prior to the arrival of the Big Dog Ranch Rescue bus, Levy County Animal Services sent Podobinksi a list of dogs being housed at the county shelter. She culled out the ones that members of the public in Levy County had expressed an interest in adopting and picked from what was left.

            Mercer said there were about 50 dogs at the shelter leading up to Monday’s big rescue. The shelter was full. The 16 rescues helped free up space for more dogs.

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Enterprise Reporting September 4, 2023; Posted September 4, 2023