www.TheNewBarker.com 42 THE NEW BARKER IN THEORY, RUNNING THE ANIMAL SHELTER IS REALLY NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE DO AT THE JAIL. –SHERIFF WAYNE IVEY BREVARD COUNTY If a municipal shelter is struggling, Ivey strongly supports having the Sheriff's department take over. "It will bring instant credibility to the table. We keep the animals from getting out, keep them from fighting, provide healthcare, feed them, encourage them to take baths (when they don't want to). The biggest difference in dealing with animals and people is that the animals seem to appreciate what we're doing for them." –by Anna Cooke Photographs, courtesy of Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Wayne Ivey poses between Deputies Michael Nettles and Tyler Turner as they hold Bloodhounds Jet and Blue, the newest additions to the K-9 family. A Sense of Community With A Sense of Humor. When Sheriff Wayne Ivey took over the Brevard County Animal Care Center in 2014, the live release/save rate was 55 percent.The Sheriff, who had been elected in 2012, admits to not being familiar with the terms live release or no kill.All he knew was that the facility itself was dilapidated and animal services mismanagement was a constant source of tension between the County Commissioners and the public.“If you mentioned those terms to me back then, I would’ve looked at you like you had two heads,” the Sheriff told us during a recent conversation. The County Commissioners wanted the Sheriff’s department to take over the enforcement side of animal services and envisioned privatizing the open-intake shelter side.“I knew we could handle the enforcement side. I wasn’t sure what skill set we would be bringing to the table on handling the shelter side,” said Sheriff Ivey. When a prominent member of the community spoke with the Sheriff about the possibility of taking over the entire operation, Ivey’s concerned response was,“I don’t think I could stand before God and tell him I killed an innocent creature because there was no room.” The community leader’s response to Ivey was,“That’s exactly why you should do it.”