Central Nebraska Humane Society
GRAND ISLAND – The Grand Island City Council voted 8-0 Nov. 19 to approve a one-year contract with the Central Nebraska Humane Society to provide various services for the city.
Council member Michelle Fitzke was absent from the meeting.
The cost of the contract is $550,000 per year, City Attorney Kari Fisk told the City Council.
In a memo to the City Council, it says that the Humane Society provides animal control services for the city and also provides shelter and care for animals seized by Animal Control or the Grand Island Police Department.
The Humane Society works to find temporary and permanent homes for animals in its care.
The contract provides for funding for 3.5 FTE animal control officers and compensates the Humane Society for the cost of providing shelter and care for animals seized by officers.
“The 2023-2024 contract was issued for only one year due to operational concerns and changes which have been largely addressed by the Central Nebraska Humane Society,” the memo said.
The new contract is very similar to last year’s contract. There are several key changes. It removes the provision for a liaison officer paid in part by the Humane Society and replaces it with the option to reduce the monthly payment from the city if community service officers must be provided by the city due to understaffing by the Humane Society. The contract clarifies the authority of the Humane Society to hold or refuse to return certain animals. The contract also clarifies that the city does not require the Humane Society to accept animals dropped off there.
The Humane Society reports that the city has a higher per-capita animal ownership number than other cities in Nebraska and that incidents of animal abandonment continue to increase at a concerning rate, the memo said.
City Attorney Kari Fisk addresses the Grand Islsnd City Council about a one-year contract with the Central Nebraska Humane Society, (Carol Bryant, Central Nebraska Today)
