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STATUS OF ANIMAL CONTROL IN RAMSEY
<br />
<br /> Ass previously reported to the council and discussed briefly,
<br />it appears that animal control costs have risen greatly above
<br />previous years figures and will likely stay that way. The
<br />Greater Anoka County Humane Society has underbid itself for
<br />contracts in the past, it would seem, and the new director has
<br />been mandated to bring the organization into the black. Our
<br />1990-1991 (August to August) increased from the 1989-1990 figure
<br />c,f $5,500 to projected figure of $13,610.
<br /> It is a firm consensus among many municipal figures who
<br />handle the animal control aspect 'of their communities that the
<br />problems currently existing will continue to exist unless
<br />something new is developed. This consensus was reached at a
<br />meeting I attended in Blaine on August 15th in the company with
<br />c, ther pers~ons form Cc, on Rapids,' Fridley, Columbia Heights, Ham
<br />Lake, Andover, Spring Lake Park, Centerville, Linc, Lakes Circle
<br />Pines/Lexington and Blaine. All of us recognized that over the
<br />years there have been numerous contractc, rs performing the animal
<br />cc, ntrol services and they have been traditionally unstable and,
<br />sc, met Jmes, unreliable.
<br /> It is the purpose of this memo to lay out available c, ptions
<br />we can look at for animal control in ~amsey. They will all be
<br />mc, re expensive than the city if accustomed to paying, by fairly
<br />large amounts, and some will more stability and efficacy that
<br />others albeit at a higher cost. Animal control is however a very
<br />necessary service in the community and citizens do becc, me very
<br />vocal over it. The ever present danger of dog, cat and nther
<br />animal bites becomes even more serious when there are years of
<br />high inciden~e of rabies and distemper and there are media
<br />announced incidents of serious injuries and death from dc, g
<br />attacks. While I have strongly advocated, and continue to do so,
<br />citizen invc, lvement in helping tc, contain strays and deal with
<br />wild animals, even this level of attention has greatly increased
<br />i n ~: o s t.
<br /> I will lay out fc, r consideration the ,:,ptions available, with
<br />attendant costs where available, exact and approximate, and
<br />c,::,mments c,n the pr,::,s and c,:;,ns c,f each option.
<br />
<br />I. Greater Anoka Cc, unty
<br />Ramsey )
<br />
<br />Humane Society (present contractc, r to
<br />
<br /> A. Projected 19'90-1991 cc, st (Aug. 1 1990 through Ju].y 31,
<br />1991) $1'7,184.00. This figure was calculated using 1989 actual
<br />figures for animals contained and the Humane Society's 1990-1991
<br />contract prices. A letter later received from them indicated a
<br />mistake on ~their part for the cost of euthanasia and disposal.
<br />This error when cc, rrected resulted in a lower cost .... $13,610.00
<br />
<br />The fc, ll,::,wing is an estimate ,:,f 1990-1991 .costs using averages of
<br />1990 animal ~:ontainment figures fr¢,m Jan. 1, 1990 through Jun 30,
<br />
<br />1. A~:tual number of animals picked up
<br />2. N,.tml:)er ,::,f dc, gs claimed
<br />3. Using average~.~ for above figures:
<br /> a. Animals picked up 13.83/mc,. x 12
<br /> b. dogs claimed 5/mo.x 12
<br />
<br />83
<br />30
<br />
<br />166
<br /> 60
<br />
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