Contract falls short of what humane society wants

The Cape Girardeau County government's new contract with the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri likely will save the county money, commissioners said Thursday.

But a humane society official said it could burden county residents with a stray animal problem and will force those who don't live in Cape Girardeau or Jackson to pay a $10 per animal fee to drop off stray animals at the shelter.

Stray animals are a common occurrence in rural parts of the county, said Requi Salter, secretary for the humane society's board of directors.

"In the past, they haven't called a county animal control officer unless it was truly an animal they couldn't handle, like a vicious dog," she said.

The three commissioners unanimously approved a new one-year contract that stipulates the county will pay $38.54 per animal taken to the shelter by the county's animal control officer.

Last year, slightly more than 100 animals were taken to the shelter by the animal control officer. At the per animal rate, the price tag to the county would be more than $3,800.

But Gerald Jones, presiding commissioner, said that's far less than the $9,100 that the commission had been willing to pay.

Savings to the county

"It kind of appears to us it would be a substantial savings," said Jones of the agreement signed with the humane society.

Last year, the county paid a lump sum of $8,300 to help operate the shelter at 2536 Boutin Drive off of Route W.

Humane society officials last fall asked the county to pay $16,980 for 2003, with most of that going to fund operations and $1,980 to help fund repairs to the shelter's crematory. The crematory is used to dispose of cats and dogs euthanized by the shelter.

Jones said the commission felt that $9,100 was a fair amount.

"They were offended by that," Jones said of the $9,100 offer. Jones said Humane Society indicated they wanted the per-animal fee if the county commission wasn't willing to pay the requested amount.

Salter said the organization wanted the county to pay its fair share which included the cost of dealing with all stray animals brought to the shelter, outside of Cape Girardeau and Jackson.

The humane society spent $190,000 in 2003 to operate the shelter, which handled nearly 5,000 animals.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123