BRUNSWICK COUNTY — As Brunswick County’s animal shelter struggles to keep up with rising demand, a new facility has been approved — drawing both support and skepticism from local leaders and members of the public.
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The Brunswick County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 Monday night — Pat Sykes against — to approve a $639,604 contract with construction management firm Myers & Chapman, Inc.. The company will oversee the design phase of a new 10,000-square-foot animal adoption center, slated for completion by May 2027.
The new animal center will be built just north of the existing facility at 429 Green Swamp Road, which currently can hold about 60 animals in total. The new build will be designed to hold about 48 dogs and 56 cats and will separate public-facing adoption areas from intake operations.
The old building will still be utilized for animal services, only repurposed for intake, quarantine and office space — allowing the new structure to focus solely on providing dedicated, hygienic housing for adoptable animals.
Sergeant Belinda Musgrove of the Sheriff’s Office Division of Animal Protective Services detailed to commissioners the current 21-year-old facility is overwhelmed and inadequate for the county’s rapid growth. The department handles an intake of over 4,000 animals per year, with more than 1,600 adoptions taking place in 2024.
Musgrove cited a recent surge in volume, noting a four-week period this fall when the shelter took in 476 animals — half of them owner-surrenders.
“The building is at its capacity, it is being used in resourceful ways,” Musgrove said. “We initially were set up to use two rooms for cat adoption and for cat holding. We’re using two storage closets, two rooms and a hallway.”
Brunswick County Animal Protective Services has operated under the sheriff’s office since 2012, with county-run animal control services dating back to the 1970s. The division received about $1.5 million in the Fiscal Year 2025–26 budget and relies heavily on community support, including 99 active volunteers and more than 200 individuals signed up to assist the shelter.
Despite the need for a new facility, Commissioner Pat Sykes raised concerns over the project’s total cost and the county’s financial priorities. She contended the expense was unjustified.
“This is going a step way above what a government entity is required to do — our job here is to protect,” Sykes said. “We got other areas that are so important in this county.”
Sykes stressed the money could be spent elsewhere, pointing to school overcapacity as an urgent need. The board recently approved $1 million in funding for four modular classrooms at Belville and Lincoln elementary schools earlier in the meeting.
“Here we are worried about animals more so than we are people and I just have a problem with that,” Sykes said.
Public commenter Gary Ostby echoed the sentiment. Ostby questioned why the county was spending public funds to “compete with the private sector” — nonprofit animal rescue organizations operating in the county — when essential services are lacking.
“We’ve got medical facilities that we need, we’ve got emergency services to handle the new people, we’ve got deputy sheriffs that we need to add to the workforce just to take care of all the new people, we got recreational facilities that we need to support the people, and in addition to that, now we need new schools,” Otsby said.
There was a bit of confusion amongst the gallery and the board as to the total cost for the new building. Ostby and Sykes both pointed to estimates at or above $10 million based on the county’s initial 2023 needs assessment for a new animal control facility, coupled with rising construction costs.
This estimate was challenged by Commissioner Marty Cooke, who said after reviewing the figures for similar construction, he anticipates costs closer to $5 million. County comptroller Elizabeth Bynum confirmed there is currently no concrete, final price tag for the construction, explaining they won’t have the number until Myers & Chapman completes the design work. The firm is expected to deliver a guaranteed maximum price for the project by mid-2026.
Speaking in support, Cooke explained the project is a necessary upgrade for the old, overcrowded building. The commissioner said he adopted two dogs from the facility and acknowledged the dedicated work from Musgrove, volunteers and other staff to keep it operational despite constraints. Brunswick Animal Protective Services relies on community assistance, with 99 active volunteers on regular rotation, and over 200 individuals signed up to assist the shelter.
One of those volunteers, Pat Kane, stressed to the board the county facility is essential because private rescue organizations charge high adoption fees — often ranging from $250 to $500 or more — which can financially exclude lower-income individuals. The county center, by contrast, charges $65 for dogs over six months and $15 for cats and kittens, all of which include a physical examination, spay/neuter procedure and rabies vaccination.
“These people who don’t have the most money in the world, don’t they have a right to have a pet in their family?” Kane asked.
Cooke was joined in support by Chair Mike Forte, whose advocacy was personal. Forte announced the recent passing of his family dog, Sonny, whom he and his wife adopted from the county shelter in 2011. Forte made the motion to approve the project in honor of his “faithful companion.”
“We will be rescuing another, I can promise you that — and I think if my wife has her way, it’ll be two,” Forte said.
Commissioner Frank Williams, who recognized receiving strongly held opinions on both sides of the issue, ultimately supported the motion. However, he cautioned staff to ensure the design remains practical and fiscally responsible.
“To me, it’s about expanding our capacity to do something we’re already doing, but do it better and meet a need,” Williams said. “We want it functional, but you know, we want it cost effective and not a puppy palace, so to speak.”
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