Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer has announced that the city will soon privatize many of the duties now performed by Metro Animal Services.The city will continue to oversee animal control, but pet care, sheltering and adoptions will be handled by a private firm that Fischer hopes to have in place by July 1st.The mayor’s announcement coincides with the release of a review of MAS he ordered shortly after taking office in January."Animal services in my view is in need of such a turnaround that we must take drastic, significant steps to turn around the culture and performance of Metro Animal Services. The problems and mismanagement have, quite frankly, gone on for too long, and it's time for significant change," he said. The review, conducted by a six-person committee, found what it called “multiple issues “ with management and methods used to oversee the 53-person workforce. It also found the agency’s Manslick Road facility to be “grossly substandard.” and recommends it be abandoned.Fischer says the city is launching a national search for the private agency. An animal control director will likely be promoted from within the city agency.