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🐶 Niceville has euthanized at least two dogs since taking over animal control responsibilities from PAWS in 2025.
📋 Police officers are being trained to handle animal control duties, but internal concerns remain about safety and liability.
📞 The city is still in talks with PAWS and other organizations for potential future animal control partnerships.
The City of Niceville confirmed to Mid Bay News that it has euthanized at least two dogs since the city took over animal control services from Panhandle Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in the new year.
We’ve reached out to determine what the number for euthanizations from PAWS is so far this year as well. When we get the number, we will add it here. PAWS currently serves Unincorporated Okaloosa County, along Fort Walton Beach, Destin and other smaller cities.
According to Public Information Officer for the City of Niceville Shannettra Francis, the city is in the process of getting Niceville Police Officers credentialed to serve as animal control officers as well.
Sources with knowledge of the situation say Niceville Police Officers are reticent about the animal control situation – citing the euthanization of the animals, the lack of liability coverage held by the city for animal-related injuries like dog bites, and the claim that Niceville holds detained animals at the city’s water treatment center by CEFCO on SR-85.
We asked Francis about the provision of shelter for animals under the city’s care and insurance for employees. She told us, “The city has a kennel the animals are held in,” and that “The City provides workers’ compensation for all employees covering accidents and injuries while on the job, regardless of whether they are caused by animals.”
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PAWS is not out of the picture for the City of Niceville just yet. Though, City Leadership has made it clear they are not looking at PAWS only as a way to deal with animals as of April 8.
City Manager David Deitch said the city is, “still in conversations, trying to set up a meeting with the executive director of PAWS and so that conversation isn’t dead yet. We’re just trying to coordinate schedules. Another opportunity has presented itself where we might be able to enter an agreement with a different organization for those types of services. But those conversations haven’t happened yet.” Deitch said the conversations would take place in the near future – but the city doesn’t want to hold its breath. “We’re prepared to hire animal control and go our own route.”
