Grant Co. to contract for animal control study
Loki is among the dogs available for adoption from Grant County Animal Outreach. Grant County Commissioners will commission a study to look at animal control options.
COURTESY PHOTO/GCAO
Grant County Commissioners will contract with the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society, pictured, to conduct a study of animal control in Grant County.
Options for animal control in Grant County, and how to improve it, will be the subject of a study commissioned by the Grant County Commissioners. Peaches, a cat available for adoption at Grant County Animal Outreach, is pictured.
EPHRATA — The Grant County Commissioners will contract with the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society to conduct a study of animal control in Grant County and the options for improving it.
Commissioner Cindy Carter said the goal is to determine the most effective way to address the issue of animals, mostly dogs and cats, that are wandering at large for whatever reason.
“They’re going to help us put a plan together, figure out what we need to do,” Carter said.
The contract is projected to cost $30,000 to $50,000, and county officials want to get started on it.
“We’re hoping we can get moving on it sooner rather than later,” she said.
Carter said the goal is to formulate a plan that will help coordinate the animal control efforts of county and city animal control, Grant County Animal Outreach and volunteer animal welfare groups.
Commissioners talked with WVHS officials earlier this year, and toured its Wenatchee facility. In a discussion on animal control Wednesday, Commissioner Danny Stone said he was impressed with the services offered by WVHS and its facility in Wenatchee.
The humane society provides animal control services in Chelan and Douglas counties, Carter said. The WVHS has animal control officers and an onsite veterinary clinic.
Currently, Grant County provides $100,000 to support GCAO; the city of Moses Lake also provides monetary support and owns the shelter facility. Moses Lake city officials have discussed finding a location for a new shelter.
The GCAO received a property donation that had the potential to be used for a new shelter, but the property may be home to a threatened or endangered animal species. In that case, it couldn’t be developed.
The city of Quincy has its own shelter. There are a number of volunteer animal welfare groups that pick up animals in Grant County and house them with the help of their volunteers, both in and out of the county.
Carter said commissioners hope that the study and the plan that comes out of it will provide an avenue to get all the cities, GCAO and the volunteer groups working together.
“We’re looking for that niche,” she said.
Cheryl Schweizer may be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.
