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The Animal Protective Association of Missouri, or APA, began managing the county shelter in Olivette in December, but the county still runs animal control — a department that handles dangerous animals, strays and cruelty cases.

But Councilwoman Rita Heard Days, a Democrat from Bel-Nor, said she has heard complaints from county animal control staff about what the county’s role is and what responsibilities belong to APA.

“What we are hearing is no one is aware of what everybody else is supposed to be doing,� Days said at a council committee meeting on Tuesday. “There are some activities that animal control was doing that all of a sudden APA is doing.�

Last fall as APA prepared to take over, animal control officers, known as ACOs, were worried the nonprofit was taking over their jobs as well as shelter operations, according to emails obtained through an open records request.

“A couple of ACOs and myself have some concerns about the APA,� Animal Care and Control Officer Supervisor Stephen McLean wrote in a September email to the health department. “Is the APA taking animal control over as well as the kennels? We have some ACOs looking for other jobs because of this concern.�

The county’s director of Communicable Disease Prevention, Carole Baskin, responded saying the APA “is absolutely NOT taking over animal control.�

Animal control officers were previously helping out in the shelter, said public health Director Dr. Kanika Cunningham at Tuesday’s meeting. The public health department oversees animal control. After APA took over, the officers were no longer needed in the shelter, Cunningham said, allowing officers to get back into the field. The change has led to fewer strays or dangerous animals on the run, Cunningham said.

But concerns about the APA’s role persisted, Days said. The health department and APA need to make their respective roles clear, she said.

APA staff have weekly meetings with two county liaisons, Cunningham said. And health department leaders and APA staff meet monthly. Both sides need to make sure they’re communicating with the rest of staffers, Days said.

“More than anything, I’m concerned about communication,� Days said. “I would encourage both of you to keep the rank and file apprised of what’s happening so they can feel a little more secure about their positions and what they’re going to be doing.�

It has been a challenge to work out where animal control and APA’s responsibilities overlap, said APA chief operating officer Kim Brown.

“Change is hard, and this work is really, really complex,� Brown told councilmembers. “We have a lot of expertise in running a shelter, but the (public health) team has areas they’re responsible for. In learning both of those and the overlap, we’re making progress. Both really value the partnership.�