Gadsden council approves new contract with Humane Society Pet Rescue

The Gadsden City Council Tuesday approved a new one-year contract with the Humane Society Pet Rescue and Adoption Center for housing animals picked up by the city's Animal Control Department as well as animals brought to the shelter by Gadsden residents.

The new contract will pay the society $11,800 a month or $141,600 annually, an increase of 47.5 percent from the current contract which pays $8,000 a month or $96,000 annually.

The contract has two one-year extensions with no more than a 3 percent increase allowed each year.

The rate paid by the city has not increased since the original contract in 2007. After that contract expired in 2008, the city has operated on a month-to-month basis with the center.

Cities with a population of 5,000 or more are required by state law to have an animal shelter.

Tuesday was the deadline for an agreement on a new contract. The city had been given a Jan. 31 deadline by the shelter with no animals accepted after March 1 but the deadline was extended one month.

In a meeting with the city last year, HSPRAC officials said the shelter is taking in more animals from the city and costs have increased.