After a decade of relying on an animal control officer to capture stray animals and the Friends of the Shelter to find homes for those unclaimed pets, both the City of Vinton and Benton County are preparing to make a significant change.
During Tuesday’s meeting of the supervisors, Vinton city manager Chris Ward formally asked the county to cancel the city’s lease of the animal shelter at the end of this fiscal year, June 30. 
Both the city and the county plan to enter into contracts with the Cedar Valley Humane Society; Vinton leaders are planning to cancel the city’s contract with Friends of the Shelter, Inc.
County and city leaders have been discussing the animal control issue for months, at both regular city council and supervisor meetings, as well as special meetings around the county with other area cities. 
Supervisor Todd Wiley said the resignation of the last animal control officer led to the discussion and the impending change. The county had considered hiring an animal control officer, but found that the cities of the county were unwilling to help fund the position. 
On Tuesday, Wiley presented his supervisor colleagues with a contract with CVHS. That organization is offering to pick up stray dogs anywhere in the county for $75. Holding fees would be $80 for the first day and $25 for the second and third days. After three days of being unclaimed, the dogs would become the property of CVHS. 
FOTSI representatives attended the meeting and submitted another contract proposal for both dogs and cats, but the supervisors said they were not interested in such an arrangements. Wiley asked if FOTSI would be interested in a contract dealing only with cats. 
The supervisors took no action on the issue Tuesday, but plan to review the contract and vote on it in a week or two. Vinton city officials also plan to address the issue at future council meetings. 
During a recent council meeting, FOTSI members displayed a chart showing how that a decade ago, hundreds of cats and dogs were euthanized each year. But in the past few years, 97 percent of strays were saved and placed in homes. By working with a variety of rescue groups and other animal organizations, and an active web site, FOTSI placed animals as far away as Oregon.
But the limitations of the aging shelter and the lack of an animal warden are the motivating factors in making the change. County officials believe that paying CVHS on per-animal basis would be more cost-effective than hiring another warden. 
Wiley said the arrangement with CVHS is for same-day pick-up; if a county resident calls with a stray, it should be a matter of hours before a CVHS staff member arrives. 
The county’s contract with CVHS would be short term; the county can quickly explore other options if residents do not find the new arrangement satisfactory.
“It’s worth a try,” said Supervisor Don Frese.