Gadsden council seeks financial report from Humane Society Pet rescue center

The Gadsden City Council has requested information from the Humane Society Pet and Rescue Center about its financial condition and future plans, after the center asked the council to more than double the city’s annual payment for shelter services.

The council also is seeking a meeting with city departments to discuss possible changes in the city’s contract with the center, which expired six years ago.

Representatives of the Humane Society met Monday with the council’s Public Safety Committee, chaired by Councilman Ben Reed.

The city currently pays the Humane Society $8,000 a month, or $96,000 annually. The center has requested that be increased to $17,000 a month, or $204,000 a year. There also are plans, according to Humane Society members, to seek an increase from Attalla, which also receives animal shelter service from the center.

Through June, the center had received 1,581 animals, 1,324 of which came from Gadsden, according to Humane Society records.

Reed asked the group to provide the council with an operating statement, as well as information about funds the group has on hand and if the funds are designated for any particular purposes.

Veterinarian Teresa Drummond-Rieger, president of the Humane Society, said the center financially is “sitting in a good situation,” but would like to increase the amount it receives from the city. She said that does not cover the cost of shelter care from animals brought to the center by Gadsden residents, or picked up by Animal Control and brought to the shelter.