ORLANDO — On June 2, 2021, Clewiston Animal Control, which is operated by the Clewiston Police Department, began to undergo many changes. On day 1, they changed from operating a kill-shelter to a no-kill shelter, saving more than 1,500 animals in the first year. The name was changed to Clewiston Animal Services to reflect the philosophical change in service approach to the community. All new polices were put into place, new training developed, and new partnerships established.

Over the past 19 months, the entire facility underwent a complete remodel with a focus on a cleaner, healthier environment for the animals and our employees. The facility would now include a designated intake area, a designated isolation area, an increased capacity for cats from 24 to 45-60, new dog shade structures, and recently a new 2,176 square foot dog play yard with built-in play equipment and shade trees. The remodeling of the facility and the creation of the new play yard was solely completed by Clewiston Police Officers that volunteered their time saving the citizens thousands of dollars.

If that wasn’t enough, a new volunteer program structure and foster parent program were implemented.

On Feb. 25, 2023, members of the Clewiston Police Department and Animal Services staff attended the Florida Animal Control Association’s (FACA) annual awards banquet in Orlando, Florida. With more than 80 member agencies and organizations in FACA, Clewiston Animal Services was honored to accept the 2022 State of Florida’s Outstanding Small Agency of the Year.

Chief Thomas Lewis stated, “I’m proud of the hard work and dedication of our staff and volunteers as well as our relationships with local rescue groups. I would also like to recognize the support of our city and county leaders for their support. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you have a passion for saving animals. We were honored to accept this recognition and are looking forward to even more progress in the years to come. This is another reason that Clewiston is “America’s Sweetest Town.”