Conditions at a local animal shelter are being scrutinized by people concerned about what's going on inside. The concerns were brought before Lancaster City Council members Monday night.
A handful of people spoke during public comments at the meeting.
They presented city leaders with a petition for changes, with more 1,000 signatures, they wanted to see at the animal shelter.
A group of about 30 people attended the meeting with concerns about the care and safety of the animals -- concerns such as staffing, adequate exercise for the dogs and networking opportunities for rescue and adoption.
They also said the shelter turned them down for volunteer services, refusing to allow them back onto the property to see or assist with the animals.
"This city just wants to keep them closed up, and to ultimately kill the animals because they're doing nothing to get them out of the shelter," former volunteer Mandi Solomon said.
The city -- which did allow cameras inside the shelter -- told NBC 5 there's a new director who put new policies and procedures in place concerning rescue services.
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"There's nothing to hide, but there are policies and procedures, and my director has put policies and procedures in place. And when you make changes when they weren't in place or being followed previously and you make these changes, it takes time for people to get comfortable with these changes," Lancaster City Manager Opal Mauldin-Jones said.
In 2018, the shelter adopted, rescued or redeemed 554 dogs. in 2019, that number stands at about 124.
