Idaho Mountain Express: Animal shelter is privately funded

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Animal shelter is privately funded

A story in the May 11 issue regarding county funding for local nonprofits incorrectly stated that the Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley applied for taxpayer funds to support shelter programs, particularly our free community spay/neuter clinics. In fact, the shelter is funded exclusively by private donations and grants, with no taxpayer dollars supporting our programs.

The county contracts with outside providers for many other services, including waste management, utilities, road building and more. Our contracts with Blaine County and each city are solely to provide impound services for stray animals.

By county ordinance, each municipality is required to provide impound services as a matter of public safety and health. Impound services provide housing for stray animals for a set time until owners reclaim their animals. Rather than having to build and run its own impound facility at a greater cost and a reduced level of care than what the shelter can provide, the county contracts out for impound services. The funds that the county pays for these services exclusively cover the cost of care for impounded animals, which are the responsibility of the municipality and do not belong to the shelter. None of the contract funds are used to pay for shelter programs.

If an impounded, adoptable animal is not claimed by its owner in the time prescribed by law, the animal shelter takes ownership and cares for the animal through our regular programs and services, not utilizing county funds, while awaiting adoption. Last year, the shelter provided housing for 479 stray animals, 259 of which were reclaimed by their owners.

We are incredibly grateful for the community's overwhelming support for the shelter's programs (spay/neuter clinics, Paws for Hunger, Hikin' Buddies, etc.). This support allows us to not rely on taxpayer funds for our important work.

JO-ANNE DIXON

Executive Director

The Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley

Editor's note: The Idaho Mountain Express printed a correction to the error on May 16.

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