After months of lobbying and three meetings, animal advocates are finally getting policy changes at the Rowan County Animal Shelter.

Rowan County Commissioners on Monday approved all but two recommendations from the Animal Shelter Task Force. Among the approved recommendations were a volunteer program, extended hours for the shelter on Saturday, a $10 adoption fee increase to pay for vaccinations and microchips, new software for the shelter and install card readers to prevent volunteers from entering certain areas.

The $10 fee increase and extended Saturday hours, which haven’t yet been decided, will go into effect on July 1 — the start of the 2016 fiscal year — according to County Manager Aaron Church. The volunteer program is expected to start when the shelter’s new cat wing opens. It’s currently under construction.

Specific dates for other measures haven’t yet been determined, Church said.

The commissioners tabled a measure to allow feral cats to be trapped, neutered and released for 60 days. They also voted to keep a photo limit for dogs at eight.

When contacted Tuesday, Rowan County residents on the task force were mostly optimistic about the changes approved by commissioners. The task force met three times and included two veterinarians, multiple community members and county officials.

Local veterinarian Greg Lowe, who served on task force, said the changes will give the shelter the right tools to succeed.

“You can put the best race car driver that ever lived in a go cart and someone who has never driven in a race car, and right off of the bat you know the race car is going to win,” Lowe said. “You’ve got to give them the tools they need to match what they’re capable of.”

Animal Advocate Nina Dix said the timeline for implementation sin’t the most critical aspect of changes passed by commissioners.

“As long as we know they’re committed to implementing changes, I’m OK with waiting until the cat wing opens,” Dix said.

Animal activist Barbara Hart said software changes would help streamline the intake process for animals. The software is estimated to cost $27,500. One feature that’s been touted by commissioners and shelter staff is taking pictures of animals immediately upon intake and distributing them on Facebook.

Taking pictures of animals immediately could help owners find lost dogs and cats quickly if the animal is picked up.

Photos of animals, however, have been a contentious issue among some task force members and shelter staff. Currently, animal non-profit groups are allowed to take a maximum of eight pictures in an hour on specific days. Tracy Waugh, an animal advocate and task force member, pushed to change the regulation during task force meetings, but didn’t receive any support.

Commissioner Craig Pierce, who served as a liaison to the task force, mentioned Waugh’s proposal during Monday’s commissioner meeting, but said he’d prefer not to change the requirement. Pierce said the shelter’s new software would alleviate any need to take additional photos. Shelter Director Clai Martin has also said he’d prefer not to change the limit.

Waugh on Tuesday said she was frustrated neither the task force nor commissioners seriously considered the change.

Commissioners Chairman Greg Edds during Monday’s meeting made a motion to change the photo-taking limit until the software is implemented. Edds’ motion didn’t receive a second. As a result, it failed.

“I think it’s ridiculous and it shows the current mindset of our shelter management,” Waugh said about the photo requirement. “No one could give me a clear indication as to why it shouldn’t be changed. The eight picture rule is ridiculous.”

Waugh said time would tell whether the changes passed by commissioners would pay off, and questioned card readers being placed in the shelter.

“I also believe the shelter currently allows inmates, convicted felons, more independence and freedom in the shelter than the community and implied volunteers,” she said. “We need card reader entry and other requirements for volunteers to participate as compassionate citizens, however, inmates are presently allowed in shelter without these requirements.”

Although commissioners voted to table a measure to allow feral cat colonies and trap, neuter, release programs, it has received universal support. When outlining the task force’s proposed changes, Pierce said allowing trap, neuter and release programs wouldn’t cost the county any money and would reduce the number of wild cats in Rowan.

Commissioners delayed passage to speak with municipal leaders in Rowan about the possibility of also allowing trap, neuter and release programs. Currently, the county’s ordinances don’t allow feral cat colonies, but many Rowan residents quietly feed and tend to the colonies.

Local Veterinarian Rebekah Julian, who served on the task force, said the programs would reduce the number of cats that are able to reproduce and would reduce disease among the feral colonies. Julian said breeding is a major method of transmission for disease among feral cats.

Feral colonies also could help cut down on the number of rodents, she said.

Although he was hesitant about a number of changes during the task force meetings, Animal Shelter Director Clai Martin on Tuesday spoke positively about the coming additions to his department. For the first time in its history, his department will have a budget of more than $1 million in the 2016 fiscal year.

“The state of the Rowan County Animal Shelter has never been better and it’s going to get even better thanks to the commissioners’ commitment,” Martin said. “My staff and I are very excited about all of the positive changes coming to the shelter.”

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.