City approves animal control contract

The Healdsburg City Council approved an agreement with two organizations that  have a proven track record of animal care and control to take over services for the city that for 50 years were handled by the Healdsburg Animal Shelter.
The joint proposal will have the Sonoma Humane Society providing sheltering services locally in a temporary trailer on the grounds of the partially constructed Healdsburg Animal Shelter building that is currently in litigation. The second part of the proposal includes services provided by the Petaluma Animal Services Foundation (PASF) for animal control. PASF will employ a local Healdsburg Animal Control Officer that will work out of a temporary building at the same Bacchus Landing Way site.
“I’m very enthusiastic about this process, I think it’s in the best interest of the city,” said Healdsburg Police Chief Kevin Burke.
When the Healdsburg Animal Shelter abruptly closed amid controversy in June, the city was left with an immediate need to provide for the community’s animals and entered into an emergency agreement with the county of Sonoma to provide services while the city asked for proposals from local organizations who could both shelter animals locally and provide emergency response and animal control.
Five organizations submitted proposals, including Green Dog Rescue Project, the County of Sonoma, SNAP Cats, and the joint Sonoma Humane Society / Petaluma Animal Services Foundation proposal.
The resulting plan, approved in concept Monday night, will likely be in place by April of 2014.
“The outcome of this process has been great,” said Healdsburg Mayor Susan Jones. “They both have stellar backgrounds and track records.”
The Healdsburg Animal Shelter constructed a $3 million building, but the board last year filed a lawsuit seeking restitution for “substantial design and construction defects that make the shelter effectively uninhabitable.”
The new animal care and control services won’t operate yet out of that building, but the Sonoma Humane Society has been in talks with the Healdsburg Animal Shelter board for use of the site. Animal care and control services will be housed in temporary facilities on the property until further notice.
“We don’t know what’s going on with the building, but we have secured their permission to operate a day use facility,” said Kiska Icard, executive director of the Sonoma Humane Society.
The temporary shelter will include an officer trailer, along with the SHS mobile adoption unit. SHS will provide kennel space for temporary holds of animals and transport the animals down to their facility on Highway 12 for the nights. Adoptable animals will then be brought back to Healdsburg the next day.
“It’s very clear that a high level of service in regards to animals in town is a big deal,” said councilmember Tom Chambers. “We have two great organizations that have a great track record and reputation and it’s very clear animals will get the kind of care the citizens of Healdsburg want them to get.”
The city will pay $235,000 per year for the contract.