Cape Girardeau County OKs animal control contract

Cape Girardeau County Commission approved Thursday, May 18, a three-year animal control agreement with Southeast Missouri (SEMO) Pets.

The agreement, which runs through 2025, will pay the shelter, which operates a $3.7 million, 12,000-square-foot facility at 180 Weston St. in Cape Girardeau, $36,000 in 2023.

Animals without ID will be delivered to SEMO Pets by law enforcement personnel, the fire service and the county's animal control officer for processing.

SEMO Pets, previously known as Humane Society of Southeast Missouri, has similar agreements in place with the cities of Cape Girardeau and Jackson; Perry County, Missouri; Oran, Missouri; Essex, Missouri; Miner, Missouri; McClure, Illinois; and Thebes, Illinois.

Of note

Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy and associate commissioners Paul Koeper and Charlie Herbst also took the following actions Thursday.

• Appointed Kendra Eads to the county's domestic violence board through Dec. 31, 2025. Eads replaces the late Walt Wildman on the panel.
• Approved an emergency purchase of a new mower, utilizing the county highway fund, for $23,588 from Davis Farm Supply in Fruitland. Two mowers previously purchased with promised delivery by May 1 will not be delivered now until August due to supply chain problems. Koeper said Davis will provide the newly bought mower "in a week."