Regional partnership to protect pets: County Council approves new animal services model

June 21, 2010

Summary

Collaborative plan between County and cities protects people and pets, and creates new entrepreneurial opportunities.

Story

The Metropolitan King County Council today approved the creation of a collaborative regional animal services program that spreads the cost of animal control, sheltering and licensing between 27 suburban cities and King County’s unincorporated communities, while providing for public safety and the humane care of animals.

The Council’s adoption today of the regional plan is the culmination of three years of work by the Council and the County Executive to reform an animal services system that was scrutinized by numerous Council studies. A joint cities-county work group formed in January by County Executive Dow Constantine developed the regional program that creates a partnership between the County and the suburban cities that contract with the County for animal services.

"The reality is that we do not have the animal sheltering capacity in the region without the County shelter in Kent, at least in the near-term. This new regional model is the best option we have to improve animal welfare and continue to be a good partner with our cities," said Councilmember Julia Patterson, chair of the Council’s Budget and Fiscal Management Committee. “With the support of 27 cities and an Executive who has made reforming our government a priority, we are finally moving forward together.”

“We’ve come a long way in six months, but this plan is just a beginning, not an end,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine, who partnered with Councilmember Patterson in the Council’s animal reforms. “This is a plan to increase revenues for all our partners, reduce costs, and make continual improvements in animal care, disease prevention, shelter overpopulation, systems management, and animal cruelty investigation that have been identified in the Animal Services Strategic Plan and in past reports and studies conducted under the leadership of the Council.”

Today’s action approves a contract framework between the cities and King County. The framework has already been approved by 19 cities, with eight other cities signaling they intend to do so. The agreement defines services, expenditures, cost allocation methodologies and establishes a city-county committee to pursue innovative service improvements and cost reductions.

Under the legislation, cities will pay a greater share of the cost of the services with the goal of eventually covering all the costs now subsidized by the County. Cities will have an incentive to generate revenue by increasing the rate of pet licensing, the fees that now help fund the system. The County, in collaboration with the cities, will undertake entrepreneurial activities, seek partnerships with private animal welfare organizations, and increase donations and the use of volunteers and fostering.
 
The new regional model divides the County into four geographic districts for animal control services:

• Bothell, Carnation, Duvall, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Redmond, Sammamish, Shoreline, and Woodinville
• Beaux Arts, Bellevue, Clyde Hill, Issaquah, Mercer Island, Newcastle, North Bend, Snoqualmie, and Yarrow Point
• Kent, SeaTac, and Tukwila
• Auburn, Black Diamond, Covington, Enumclaw, and Maple Valley

Each of the districts also includes unincorporated areas of the County, and King County will continue to be responsible for the provision of services in the unincorporated areas as the local government provider.

Each region will have a dedicated field officer, who would be overseen by a field sergeant.  Additional assistance will be provided by an animal cruelty sergeant to investigate cruelty cases and two officers on call after regular service hours for emergency response.

The legislation also includes revenue-generating opportunities that involve the public and regional businesses:

• It encourages citizen involvement through the creation of an Animal Bequest Fund, which will provide revenue to support animal services through donations. The fund can be used only for animal services and will be managed by the Director of the Department of Executive Services.  
• It authorizes the Director of the Department of Executive Services to explore entrepreneurial opportunities through concessions, advertising, sponsorship, and naming-rights agreements with vendors to sell animal-related products and services. Proceeds would be applied to regional animal services.

To date, 18 cities have approved two-and-a-half year contracts with the County, with the city of Bothell opting for a six-month contract. The current contracts with the cities expire June 30, 2010. The interlocal agreement allows for continuity of services over the length of the contract.

The adopted legislation advances the Council’s priority of Local and Regional Cooperation and Safe, Healthy and Vibrant Communities. See the Council’s Priorities Scorecard.