27 Cities signal intent to join new regional model for animal control, sheltering and licensing - June 2010

Twenty-seven cities have signed letters of intent to join a collaborative new approach for the provision of animal services, enabling King County Executive Dow Constantine to deliver a comprehensive package to the King County Council for implementation of a new regional model for animal services in King County. If a critical mass of the 27 cities proceed to sign contracts and the County Council approves, the new Regional Animal Services of King County would be implemented starting July 1.

The county has distributed cost estimates to participating cities that are based on the number of cities that have signed letters of intent; the more cities that participate, the lower the cost for each city. Total revenue from pet license sales in each city will be credited back to the amount each city would pay for services. The proposed code changes would create incentives to promote pet licensing, which both supports the return of animals to their homes and is critical to the funding of services.

The Executive’s Roadmap for Reform outlines actions, some of which are already underway, to address remaining deficiencies in animal care, disease prevention, shelter overpopulation, systems management, and animal cruelty investigation that have been identified as areas for improvement in the county’s Animal Services Strategic Plan and in past reports and studies that have been conducted under the leadership of the King County Council.

Transmittal Letter to Council (PDF)
Summary of Proposed Code and License Fee Changes (PDF)
Proposed Council Ordinances
    Animal Services Supplemental Ordinance (PDF)
    Animal Services Interlocal Adoption Ordinance (PDF)
    Animal Services Code Amendment Ordinance (PDF)
Roadmap to Reform (PDF)

Proposal for a new regional services model - April 2010

A Joint Cities-County Work Group representing 8 cities and the county has spent three months coming up with a new regional model for animal control, sheltering and licensing services..

The new model proposes a humane animal services system that provides significant economies of scale and financial incentives for cities that promote public health and safety, animal welfare and customer service, and help contain costs for all participants over time.

The Joint Cities-County Work Group was composed of representatives from the county and the cities of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Redmond, Bellevue, Sammamish, SeaTac, Tukwila, and Kent. Their proposed "Agreement in Principle" was presented April 7 to city managers and administrators from across the county and is now before cities for evaluation and potential action on prospective contracts by their respective city councils.

Background (PDF)
Regional Benefits (PDF)
Agreement in Principle (PDF)

How has animal control functioned until now?

Animal control, sheltering and licensing are discretionary local services for which individual cities historically had responsibility within their own borders. After being approached by leadership of the Suburban Cities Association in the mid-1980s, King County agreed to provide animal services on behalf of cities on a regional basis, in exchange for the revenues from pet license fees to fund the system.

That arrangement has not been revisited since its inception, and over the past quarter-century the gap between license revenues and the cost of the system has grown to a level that is not sustainable for the county.

In recent years, the county has subsidized the system with more than $2 million per year from the county general fund to cover the cost of providing animal control, sheltering and licensing to the suburban cities and unincorporated areas.

King County currently provides animal services to all residents in the unincorporated areas, and contracts with 35 other cities within the county; All but Seattle, Renton, Skykomish and Milton. Three cities purchase limited contract services: Des Moines, Newcastle and Normandy Park. Five cities buy an enhanced level of service: Auburn, Shoreline, Kirkland, SeaTac, and Tukwila. The city of Federal Way recently decided to establish its own animal control system.

Nearly 200 volunteers help provide care for animals at the shelters. Many of their insights and suggestions have been incorporated into the new regional model, such as closing the Crossroads shelter to focus more resources on Kent, involving the private sector through the partnership with PAWS, and dedicating resources to increase the rate of pet licensing for the fees that fund the system.

What's next

The King County Council must approve the contracts with King County cities, which must be in place by June 30, 2010.