The cash-strapped city of Bellevue moved one step closer to signing a contract for services with the Wood River Animal Shelter on Thursday.
A contract would assure the shelter of an annual fee from a city that has brought a burden of stray and abandoned pets to the "no-kill" shelter.
Animal shelter Executive Director Jo-Anne Dixon told the council that she has taken in 19 animals from Bellevue since Jan. 1. Only two of the animals were eventually claimed by their owners.
Dixon is hoping the city will sign a contract with the shelter to cover a portion of costs from animals brought from Bellevue.
Since 2007, the shelter has been working under contract with Blaine County, Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley. Each jurisdiction pays an annual fee to cover expected animal impound costs.
Bellevue officials want to help take care of their share of the stray animal problem, but want to make sure the animals are in fact from Bellevue, and that the city will not be on the hook for exorbitant veterinarian bills if animals come to the shelter seriously injured.
"If an animal is seriously injured, it makes no sense if they are going to be euthanized anyway in five days, especially for an animal that has no owner and is unadoptable," City Administrator Tom Blanchard said.
Blanchard suggested the council consider a $2,000 contract for impound services along with a $120 cap on vet bills per animal.
Dixon said treating animals is the "humane thing to do," and that the shelter has put down only one animal since the first of the year. She said euthanasia costs $25 and is a much cheaper alternative to surgery on seriously injured animals.
She said euthanasia is an option at the shelter only for animals that are terminally ill or dangerous. She said the shelter works hard to get animals adopted, and takes care of only their basic medical needs until they are recovered by owners or adopted.
"Serious veterinary interventions are rare," she said.
Bellevue Mayor Jon Anderson commended Dixon on her work at the shelter and told the council that he has owns a shelter dog.
"Misha, a chow mix," he said.
The council asked Dixon to produce records of the amount of veterinarian bills from each jurisdiction in the county for the next City Council meeting.
Dixon said in an interview that she was happy the city was making progress toward covering the costs of impounding stray animals from Bellevue.
"The last mayor and council would not even consider a contract," she said.
Dixon told the council earlier this month that pet owners from southern Idaho "dump" unwanted animals in the south valley, especially around Timmerman Junction, perhaps because of the "no-kill" policy at the shelter.
Tony Evans: tevans@mtexpress.com
