Spokane7
50°
January 27, 2010 in Opinion
City, county must join forces for the animals
The city of Spokane and SpokAnimal C.A.R.E. are beginning to look like a couple trapped in a failed marriage. They’ve been drifting apart for a decade, yet there they were this week, extending their animal control relationship another two years.
Two years – that’s how long it’s been since the Spokane City Council decided to turn animal control responsibilities over to the Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service, commonly known as SCRAPS. As part of the deal the city would have to pay for a $4 million expansion of the county shelter.
SpokAnimal was happy to give up the role it had played for some 20 years. It wanted to concentrate on finding homes for strays.
Problem is, voters defeated a bond issue that was supposed to pay for the shelter-expansion project. With no backup plan, the city turned again to a reluctant SpokAnimal C.A.R.E. Now, under an agreement approved this week by SpokAnimal’s board and the City Council, the nonprofit agency will keep doing the job it doesn’t want.
The uncomfortable necessity is evidence of something we’ve believed for a long time. Regional issues need regional governance, and animal control is a natural candidate.
That, of course, is where the City Council was headed with its 2008 decision, but it was short-sighted to count on voter approval of a ballot measure, which also included $14 million for various police facilities, to make it happen.
From the sidelines, Spokane County Commissioner Todd Mielke has raised the idea of a countywide bond issue – not to enlarge the county animal shelter but to build a new regional one that he says will be needed in a few years anyway. A county bond issue may pose the same risk that stymied the city, but regionalism is the right approach.
However it’s funded, a regional system offers efficiencies, cost savings and enforcement consistency. Voters have rejected an outright merger of city and county government, but interagency agreements have worked well between the two governments. Animal control could be another. We hope the city and county will use the coming two years to make it happen.
To respond online, click on Opinion under the Topics menu at www.spokesman.com.
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bullkillers2 on January 27 at 2:06 p.m.
It’s a disgrace that a city that can host a national skating event continues to renege on its promised care for its animal population. It is ridiculous to continue to depend on a private shelter and expect it can handle this monumental task.
Lets get the regional shelter going NOW while interest rates are low and labor cheap!
kerry on January 27 at 2:16 p.m.
I think people care about animals, I think a bond for a shelter would pass if it did not include all the other stuff like a showcase for police evidence. Why dont we try again with a stand alone bond? If at first we dont succeed, try, try, try again. The animals are counting on us.
Tia on January 27 at 3:32 p.m.
Apparently voters living in the “city” of Spokane assume that “no animal shelter AT ALL” is actually an option for them!
These same individuals want to breed dogs out of their garage…sell them….pay no taxes on that sale, taxes that in part that would support a new shelter…and then not worry that over HALF of these backyard bred dogs will end up in the shelter that they “DON’T want to support or pay for”!
The apathy pertaining to animal welfare in this town is appalling at best…..
glennlee on January 27 at 3:35 p.m.
I agree with Kerry. So many people told me they wanted to vote for a new animal shelter, but they voted AGAINST the bond because it included too many other items that they thought were excessive and unnecessary.
I also agree with Bob. The longer we put it off, the more expensive it will get. let’s get it going NOW…..
Lizard on January 27 at 5:54 p.m.
When the community fails to spay and neuter their companion animals, leading to the homelessness of animals and the countless animals that have to be put down every year, I do not see how we can justify slimming their chance to life to an even greater extent. This, to me, seems like an obvious moral obligation that we have towards the animals.
christylee on January 27 at 6:11 p.m.
I am sure that people would have voted to pay a few more taxes to help the animals in Spokane. Funding a regional animal shelter is so important to the future of Spokane. The animal overpopulation problem will not solve itself so we NEED to take care of the issue.
Lets vote again. And lets vote in favor of a regional shelter. I know the people of Spokane care about their families and that includes their animals too!
dreamzofpeace on January 27 at 6:37 p.m.
I agree, the pet overpopulation in Spokane will not resolve itself. Spokane MUST fund a regional animal shelter. Please put this to another vote without all of the unnecessary fluff of special interests which have nothing to do with the health and well being of animals in Spokane.
The time to do this is NOW just as Bob has suggested. Costs for building are at an all time low.
The same economic issues are unfortunately causing increasing numbers at the local shelters - if the animals are lucky. Others are dropped off in remote areas, left in abandoned homes, or something far worse.
“Animals are more than ever a test of our character, of mankind’s capacity for empathy and for decent, honorable conduct and faithful stewardship. We are called to treat them with kindness, not because they have rights or power or some claim to equality, but in a sense because they don’t; because they all stand unequal and powerless before us.” Matthew Scully - Dominion
Stevias on January 27 at 10:38 p.m.
Thank you Kerry Masters and Glen Lee!
The Spokesman has repeatedly blamed voters for rejecting the construction of a new shelter while leaving out the part that the bond included ridiculous and astronomical cost for remodeling every government building in Spokane. If the original proposal had been left alone as a way to fund a new shelter, evidence room, and shooting range, I believe voters would have responded with more enthusiasm. As much as I want a new shelter and expanded services for our region’s animals in need, I voted against the bond because it had been re-written with many more millions that looked like a blank check for unnecessary construction projects. Instead of blaming voters, maybe they should be given some credit for having some sense of priority and fiscal responsibility. I hope that the next time a bond is proposed for a new shelter, it will adhere to real need so that voters can respond without feeling manipulated. – Stevias Solomon
D Statler on January 28 at 8:01 p.m.
We could vote for a construction bond for a regional animal shelter and a new jail together. The inmates could take care of the animals and earn their keep.The spokane police could arrest the stray dogs and take them to jail.We could store extra dog biscuits in the new property room. LOL All fun aside here.This is a serious problem and needs to be addressed before the new jail bond,seperate from any other issues.A new animal shelter bond would surely pass. Having the inmates/ people on welfare working there to earn their keep makes way too much sense. Count me in as a YES vote on the shelter.Count me out as a NO vote for the jail/shooting range/property room/raises in wages for law enforcement/tickets to the policemans ball. LOL
MAYBE, if we could store doggy biscuits in the property room !