County commissioners hold off on awarding animal shelter contract

By Conor Shine

Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015 | 5:30 p.m.

Clark County commissioners will wait another month to gather more information before awarding a 10-year, $41 million contract to run its animal shelter after a heated debate on the issue today.

The commission chambers were packed with animal lovers, but they didn't all agree on how to best care for the valley's stray and abandoned pets.

The Animal Foundation has provided shelter services for the county since 2005 out of the Lied Animal Shelter at 655 N. Mojave Road, near Bonanza Road.

The commission was set to approve another 10-year contract, which could be extended up to 20 years, that would pay the foundation $4.1 million per year to shelter animals brought in by animal control officers. The contract also includes Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, which also need to sign off on any deal.

But members of the nonprofit No-Kill Las Vegas urged the commission today not to award the contract to the Animal Foundation and instead put it up for a bid so other groups can submit proposals.

Bryce Henderson, president of the group, said the Animal Foundation hasn't done enough to prevent euthanasia of animals in its care. About 42 percent of the 31,437 animals taken in by the Animal Foundation in 2014 were euthanized. The foundation has decreased euthanasia rates by 53 percent over the past five years, but No-Kill Las Vegas advocates want to see that rate drop below 10 percent.

Animal Foundation spokeswoman Meghan Scheibe said much of the controversy comes from a misunderstanding of how her organization works.

The foundation is contracted by the county and other cities to care for animals for 72 hours after intake, a timeframe that is set in law to allow for owners to reclaim lost pets. After that, the animals are transferred to the foundation's nonprofit arm, which works to adopt them out. The contract being considered by the county doesn't have to do with adoptions or euthanasia, Scheibe said, only sheltering the animals for the mandatory 72-hour period.

The contract would also formalize a multimillion-dollar capital contribution from the county for repairs to the roof and other parts of the Lied Animal Shelter.

Commissioners delayed the vote to gather more information about what's in the contract and to consider alternative solutions, but they did not agree to put out the contract for a formal bid. Two groups contacted the county about taking over animal shelter services last year, but both decided not to pursue the contract.

Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak said he's hopeful members of the Animal Foundation and No-Kill Las Vegas can work out a compromise that satisfies both sides.

"I firmly believe everybody in this audience has the animals' best interest at heart," he said. "So there must be some common ground."

The commission will take up the contract again at its March 17 meeting.