Polk approves $13,032/month agreement with Foothills Humane Society 

COLUMBUS—Polk County Commissioners unanimously approved an agreement this week with the Foothills Humane Society to house stray animals.  

The county has been contracting with Foothills for several years, as it does not have an animal shelter of its own.  

The agreement was for the county to pay Foothills $13,032 per month, or $156,380 per year to house stray cats and dogs.  

Commissioners met Monday and approved the annual agreement. The money to pay for the animal housing was included in the county’s newly approved budget, which began on July 1.  

The agreement between the county and Foothills states that the county has an animal control ordinance that requires the impounding and boarding of certain animals and does not currently have adequate facilities or the manpower to provide impoundment and boarding of animals.  

The county’s responsibilities include that the county will deliver only cats and dogs to the humane society and that the county shall call and notify Foothills when space is needed.  

The county shall submit to Foothills an animal control release form for each animal delivered and the county shall not deliver any cats or dogs to Foothills known to be contagious or who appear to require urgent veterinary care.  

The county will also inform Foothills of any animals it deems or suspects to be dangerous. The county will also seek restitution from animal owners for impoundments due to suspected cruelty or bites and shall remit the restitution to Foothills.  

Foothills will be responsible for accepting stray or abandoned dogs and cats from the county animal control officers or their designees and to provide adequate facilities to house the animals.  

Foothills shall also provide a minimum of four dog kennels and four cat cages for the impoundment of animals during cruelty investigations or bite cages.  

Foothills will house dogs and cats a minimum of 72 hours unless reclaimed sooner by their owners and in cases of animal cruelty investigations or dog bites, Foothills shall provide the first three days of animal impoundment at no additional charge to the county.  

Foothills Humane Society is a no-kill shelter, located at 989 Little Mountain Road, Columbus.