Linn County towns contract with Humane Society for animal services

Many Linn County communities are getting their first formal animal control policy in decades, which came as news to many of them.

“There's just this misconception out there that a lot of those municipalities had, that the money we were getting from Linn County covered their services,” said Zach Melton. “It was all done on a handshake and a wink. It was never put on paper, and over the years the handshake and wink started to become a story, or folklore.”

Melton, executive director of the Cedar Valley Humane Society, spent the winter getting it on paper, negotiating new contracts for animal control services between the Cedar Rapids non-profit, the county, and its non-metro communities.

Linn County supervisors will consider Humane Society's proposal for services in unincorporated rural areas before the new fiscal year begins July 1. The county would pay a monthly fee of $6,250, with an additional $75 “call-out” fee for each case handled by the Humane Society's animal control officers.

The county's current flat annual rate of $60,000 hasn't changed since 1998.

The new agreements call for participating cities to pay $130 for each animal. They'll also pay the call-out fee when the Humane Society responds, but not when stray animals are dropped off at the society's facility at 7411 Mount Vernon Rd. SE.

Stray dogs and cats are held at least three business days. They're washed, vaccinated, and treated for worms, ticks, and fleas during their first day at the shelter. If an animal's owner claims their pet, the owner, not the city or county, is billed.

Residents with an animal problem will continue to call their local police - the Sheriff's Office in rural Linn County or communities that contract for law enforcement - who then call the Humane Society.

The Humane Society's staff notify a city official of the report, giving the city a chance to identify a stray pet and return it to its owner.

The Humane Society has reached agreements with Alburnett, Central City, Coggon, Fairfax, Hiawatha, Mount Vernon, Palo, Robins, Springville, and Walford. Marion has hired Cedar Rapids Animal Control, and contracts are pending with Ely, Lisbon, and Walker.

Center Point decided not to sign up, but Melton's pitch “ was actually a good opportunity for us to review what we had,” said City Administrator Steve Winger.

Center Point instead contracted with local veterinarian Charles Troup, now the city's animal control officer. Troup will board strays and lost pets at his facility.

Mount Vernon will continue to maintain what City Administrator Michael Beimer called “our own mini-animal care shelter” for wandering pets owned by city residents. The shelter's volunteer staff “had pretty good success” finding adoptive homes for true strays, Beimer said, but too many animals were being brought in from outside the city.

“We had these people dropping off animals and they weren't from Mount Vernon,” he said. “If that continued the costs would've been quite prohibitive.”

Beimer said the city will continue its program to implant tracking chips in resident's dogs. Those who roam will be held at City Hall until claimed, saving the city and owners some money.

“We have a cage up here with dog biscuits and play toys,” he said. “We call the owners and when the owner gets off work they come in and claim it. We're very pet-friendly.”

Editor's Note: Versions of this story appearing before 9:20 a.m. on 5/23 had incorrect information involving euthanizing animals which go unclaimed for three days. The Cedar Valley Humane Society becomes the owner of unclaimed animals after three days and then can begin assessing them for adoption.