Nonprofit organization Companion Animal Alliance will take over sheltering and adoption operations at the city-parish animal shelter beginning Aug. 1 if the Metro Council approves a privatization agreement Wednesday. The city-parish would continue to handle animal rescues and ordinance enforcement. However, the council will consider eliminating 10 city-parish positions as part of the deal, which would be good for three years. “Nobody will actually lose their jobs,” says Mayor Pro Tem Mike Walker. “CAA has agreed to hire anyone who wants to take a position with them, or they can choose to stay with the city-parish in some other role.” Walker says Animal Control Director Hilton Cole’s position will not change under the deal. CAA recently hired a new executive director, Laura Hinze, who begins work today.
Negotiations between the CAA and the city-parish began in 2010, with a previous deal having fallen apart in November. A total of 12,951 animals were impounded in 2009, according to the city-parish budget, with 9,527 euthanized and 1,262 adopted. The 2011 budget for animal control and the rescue center is $2.2 million, with $1.4 million going toward salaries and employee benefits. A public hearing will precede the council’s discussion on the issue. The meeting convenes at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the Governmental Building on St. Louis Street. —Steve Sanoski
