Humane Society to share in license fee revenue

An agreement has been reached between Yuma County and the Humane Society of Yuma that will ensure continued animal control services for county residents.

Through a unanimous vote by the Yuma County Board of Supervisors on Monday, an agreement with the agency was approved, settling an issue that had been a topic of discussion between the Humane Society and the county for the last couple of years regarding the collection of dog license fees.

In the agreement, HSOY will receive $480,000 - the same appropriation as last year - from the county to provide animal control services in unincorporated areas. In addition, HSOY will retain licensing fees that exceed a total of $75,000.

 "I think it's a fair resolution," said Robert Pickels, Yuma County administrator. "It's a creative solution."

HSOY Executive Director Shawn Smith said following the meeting that he was "very pleased with the county's response and willingness to work with us. We were able to say we didn't just have a need but an answer to the need. It will be mutually beneficial for the county and the Humane Society and the taxpayers."

The assumption, Pickels said, is that HSOY will have earned the increased revenue through its public awareness campaign and other efforts to bring in the added license fees through greater compliance with rabies control and dog licensing requirements.

Pickels said HSOY had asked for an additional $50,000 funding for the new fiscal year, but the county was holding the line at existing appropriation levels to all the outside organizations it partners with.

"We don't have the money to give them more," he said.

Through its contract with the county, the Humane Society provides such services as rabies control, responding to barking dogs and dangerous animals and loose dogs, as well as operating an animal shelter. It has a similar contract with the city of Yuma and Somerton and provides kenneling for San Luis, Ariz.

HSOY services also include collecting dog licensing fees on behalf of the county, fees that have increased in the last two years through the agency's efforts, Humane Society officials have said.

Therefore, they said, the agency should share in that revenue to help cover its resultant increased operational costs.

In a compromise, the base amount of license fees was established at $75,000 as determined by the amounts collected in previous years, Pickels said. Anything collected above that amount will stay with the Humane Society through the new agreement.

It's expected, he said, that the agency will realize the additional $50,000 it had originally asked for will come through the revenue sharing of the license fees.

As part of the agreement, the supervisors also set a public hearing for 9 a.m. Aug. 3 regarding a revision to the penalty for late renewal of dog licenses. The change would increase from a $2 one-time fee to a charge of $4 for each month past the licensing renewal date.