Humane society may raise shelter fee

COLUMBUS -- The Platte Valley Humane Society wants to double its fee for animal sheltering services provided to Platte County from $300 per month to $600 per month. The fee increase would be effective Feb. 1.

Platte County Supervisors discussed the proposed increase Tuesday but tabled it until Jan. 20 when they hope to have more information on potential alternatives to the society’s services.

The $300 fee, set in 2005, is used to cover expenses for animals taken in through the sheriff’s department and strays brought in from county residents.

John McPhail, president of the Platte Valley Humane Society, outlined the reasoning behind the request in a letter to Platte County Sheriff Jon Zavadil dated Dec. 18.

“The society just completed a financial analysis of our first year of operating our adoption center,” McPhail wrote. “Among a number of matters that need be addressed if we are to remain financially viable was that of our monthly fees charged to governmental subdivisions for whom we provide animal sheltering services.

“The current monthly fee charged to Platte County for such services is $300. I noted that this $300 fee has remained unchanged since June of 2005.

“Frankly, it was our mistake in not addressing this fee sooner. Based on our just-completed financial analysis, the board of directors of the society concluded at its meeting last evening that we must increase the monthly fee charged to Platte County to $600.”

Zavadil said his department’s policy on animal control in the county.

“There are no ‘at large’ ordinances in the county, so we don’t’ pick up stray dogs and cats,” Zavadil said. “We had 117 animal complaints in the county last year. Most of those were cattle on the road and other similar complaints.

“If we get a call about a dangerous or vicious dog or other animal we do respond to those.”

Zavadil said current numbers from the humane society reported taking in 59 dogs, 74 cats and three wild animals from the county in the past year.

“I think that number is probably accurate, but not all of those animals were a result of calls from the sheriff’s department,” Zavadil said. “I checked our records and the department only directly took in seven animals last year.”

Zavadil noted the letter from the humane society offered the county the option of accepting the rate increase or making alternative arrangements for housing animals from the county.

He then referred to an e-mail written by Gayle Oppliger, which he had received from Supervisor Myron Franzen. The e-mail forward was dated Dec. 29.

After detailing portions of the letter, Zavadil suggested that Oppliger’s facility might be available as an alternative option for the county.

Oppliger said she was involved in obtaining the original $300 per month support from the county in 2005. At that time the humane society operated under the “animal foster care” model and the funding was used primarily for food and veterinary services, she said.

Oppliger said she “parted ways” with the humane society and started Bright Futures Pet Adoption & Rescue Inc., a non-profit animal rescue service in October 2007.

She said in her letter that since opening her shelter she has taken in 18 dogs that were strays in the county and a number of cats.

“Most of the people that call me are referred to me from employees of Platte Valley Humane Society, aka, Paws & Claws Adoption Center,” Oppliger wrote. “ They tell the people calling that they do not do ‘animal control’, therefore will not pick up the animal. If they want the animal gone from their property they have to bring it in themselves.”

Oppliger said employees at the humane society are giving her contact information to county residents.

“I, of course, am going to do all I can to help save the lives of these poor, helpless, abandoned animals,” Oppliger wrote. “However, I do not think that it is fair that PVHS continues to receive funding from Platte County for services that they obviously are not providing.”

Oppliger said during a phone interview Wednesday it was not the intent of her letter to imply that she was prepared to provide animal sheltering services to the county. She said she would be willing to come to the board meeting Jan. 20 to discuss the issues raised in her e-mail with the supervisors.

After discussing Oppliger’s e-mail, Zavadil voiced his concern about dropping the arrangement with the humane society.

“She (Oppliger) is equipped to take mostly dogs, but she’s concerned with the possible number of cats if she were to take them,” Zavadil said. “It’s my understanding from the letter that she wants to submit a proposal for this situation.”

“My concern is if a year or two down the road she would decide to get out of it ... where would we go then?” Zavadil asked. “We’d be stuck between a rock and hard place. I think you may want to wait until next meeting to hear from Gayle.”

Supervisor Tom Martens said the board should bring in a representative from the humane society and Oppliger at the next meeting so the board could more completely understand the situation.

In a phone interview Monday, McPhail said the rate agreement with the county is inappropriate for the society’s current situation. He said the agreements the organization has with the City of Columbus and Schuyler are appropriate rates because they were set after the humane society had moved into its current facility.

“The rates set for the county in 2005 before we had the new facility just aren’t appropriate for the service and overhead incurred by the humane society at this time,” McPhail said. “We’re not trying to make money here, but we can’t lose money either.

“At this point we’re losing money on every animal brought in from the county by the sheriff’s department or a county resident.”

McPhail said the adoption fees charged don’t meet the expenses and he said 90 percent of donations that come into the organization are from city residents.

“I just don’t think it’s fair to the city residents for us to take in county animals without an appropriate rate agreement,” he said. “Each subdivision of government should pay its fair share.”