Animal advocates protest Hunzeker, Manatee County Animal Services, demand accountability

MANATEE -- Armed with large signs, animal advocates protested along Manatee Avenue West early Thursday evening to call for the removal of Manatee County Administrator Ed Hunzeker, interim Manatee County animal services chief Joel Richmond and others at the agency over what they describe as a lack of accountability and the inhumane killing of adoptable animals.

Protest organizer Nathan Levinson issued a statement Wednesday night saying Manatee County constituents "have had enough of inhumane killings of dogs and cats." At the protest, he wore a shirt that read: "Stop Needless Killing."

In his statement, the 43-year-old Bradenton resident blamed Richmond for not being held accountable for anything, and

said Hunzeker "refused to sit in a meeting and see for himself affidavits for cruelty and abuse of not following anything."

"No accountability, no civility, no ethics ... not carrying out anything for five years," Levinson said. "Manatee County needs to clean house."

Beside him stood several women with signs in their hands that read: "Fire Joel Richmond" and "Manatee County residents we are their voice!!!"

Levinson's written statement accused Hunzeker of not accounting for $331,000 given to MCAS.

Manatee County spokesman Nick Azzara sent an email response to a Bradenton Herald reporter on behalf of Hunzeker, who was in meetings Thursday afternoon. Two documents were attached, including a breakdown of the budget amendment county commissioners approved in February detailing how the $331,000 would be spent by the agency.

"The first attachment states that a large portion of the $331K is allocated for contracted veterinary services," Azzara wrote in reference to a $125,000 sum listed on the document.

Other items on the document include medical supplies, animal food, microchip scanners and animal surgery room equipment.

"We will not respond to anyone's personal attacks, as they are a clear breach of the county's ACE philosophy that embraces Accountability, Civility and Ethics in all we do at Manatee County government," concluded Azzara in his email.

Messages for Richmond were not returned Thursday.

"I feel it's my duty to speak for the voiceless," said Laura Green, who stood on the sidewalk beside other protesters. "The animals do not choose to be homeless. It's due to human ignorance that they're put in that situation and, if we don't speak for them, who will? MCAS -- they're supposed to be the guardians of these animals, and they're doing things that are inhumane and cruel."

Some motorists honked as they drove by the protesters.

A petition titled "'Guard the Guardians' at Manatee County Animal Services" was created earlier this week on ipetitions.com and has collected 245 signatures. Petitioners demand Hunzeker, the Manatee County Commission and Public Safety Director Rob Smith take immediate action to hold MCAS shelter employees "accountable for the humane treatment of animals in their custody and to institute an ethic of honesty and transparency when citizens challenge the internal practices of MANATEE COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES."

Amaris Castillo, law enforcement/island reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7051. Follow her on Twitter @AmarisCastillo.

This story was originally published January 7, 2016 at 11:58 PM with the headline "Animal advocates protest Hunzeker, Manatee County Animal Services, demand accountability ."