King County officials won’t be getting out of the animal-shelter business as quickly as they had planned.
The County Council agreed Monday with a request by County Executive Dow Constantine to extend the deadline for closing the Kent and Bellevue shelters to June 30, from the previous Jan. 31.
Constantine wants more time to work out a regional model with the 32 cities, including Kent, that contracts with the county to run the shelters, animal-control services and the pet-licensing program.
“We’re doing something new, and that is to get everyone on the same page for the welfare of animals and protection of public health and safety,” Constantine said in a Council media release. “I appreciate the Council’s openness to our new approach and we are hard at work to develop a new regional model.”
Carrie Cihak, director of strategic initiatives for Constantine’s office, said in a phone interview Monday that county staff needs the extra five months to develop a new model program.
“We plan to work with the cities on a regional model for shelters, control services and licensing and it’s going to take time to do that,” Cihak said.
The Council in November directed the county executive to end the sheltering services by Jan. 31. The Council also wanted the cities to take over animal control field services by June 30 unless new agreements allow the county to recover the full cost of field services to the cities.
County officials said revenues from pet licenses and other fees have fallen about $2 million short per year of the $5 million cost of providing animal-care and control services. With a projected budget shortfall of $56 million in 2010, the county wants out of the animal-care and control business to focus on other services and programs.
Councilwoman Julia Patterson, whose District 5 includes most of Kent, supports Constantine’s request.
“It makes sense if the executive branch needs more time to get it right,” Patterson said in a phone interview Monday. “His intent is a long-term solution to result in more humane treatment of the animals.”
The Council last year set June 30 as the deadline for cities to take over funding animal-control services. Constantine wants to link animal control, shelters and licensing to the June deadline.
“I’m very hopeful and optimistic,” Cihak said about setting up a fully funded regional model by June 30.
Even after that deadline, the Kent Shelter might remain open as part of a new regional plan for animal sheltering.
“We have been looking very carefully at the issue since the executive took office (in November),” Cihak said. “It is clear there is not the capacity (to house animals) in the region without the Kent facility.”
Cihak said city officials are ready to move forward to find answers.
“Many cities are interesting in working with us on a regional approach,” Cihak said. “There is a lot of opportunity to work with the cities to better define services and to bring costs down.”
Kent city officials have said they favor a regional approach.
Community-based organizations such as the Seattle Humane Society in Bellevue may or may not play a role in a regional model.
“I don’t know the answer to that,” Cihak said. “It’s too early in the process to know.”
Cihak said the county does want to work with animal-control officers, shelter volunteers, as well as with veterinarians to be a part of the regional plan.
Sgt. John Diel, president of the King County Animal Control Officer’s Guild that represents 28 county officers, said the guild met with Cihak and other members of Constantine’s staff Friday to discuss a regional model for animal care and control.
“It was a general discussion and we will be scheduling a followup meeting,” Diel said in a phone interview Friday. “I believe it was a very good and productive meeting. We understand the executive is very interested in having a good animal-care and control program. We hope he takes his desire and experience to help the program be successful.”
Cihak also called the meeting with the guild “productive.”
“We’re going to need to rely on employees to help us achieve this,” Cihak said.
Diel said the guild plans to work with the cities as well.
“We need to engage the cities in the regional model,” Diel said. “We as a bargaining unit look forward to being part of that discussion to work out a solution for a regional model.”
The county executive’s office (under then-County Executive Ron Sims) and the County Council started to battle nearly three years ago about animal care after a September 2007 citizens committee report called shelter conditions in Kent “deplorable.”
The Council has said in the past that it wants the county out of the sheltering business, not only to save money but also to improve the treatment of the animals through a new regional model.
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