DAVENPORT, Iowa – King’s Harvest Pet Rescue says the number of cats and dogs it takes in could double or even triple.
It comes after the Scott County Humane Society put in a 90-day cancellation notice concerning its contract with the City of Davenport. According to the City, the Humane Society asked for a 300% increase in the contract price. The city says they currently pay them around $240,000 per year, but the Humane Society wanted $720,000 every year.
The Humane Society currently takes in animal calls and shelters animals when needed. Their contract with the city ends on July 1st, and that’s why the city is turning to King’s Harvest.
However, King’s Harvest doesn’t know if they have the space to intake all these animals. King’s Harvest says they currently house 200 cats and about 20 dogs.
“We are probably at max capacity,” says Rochelle Dougall, Assistant Director at the shelter. Since the city emailed her about the possible negotiation she’s been “overwhelmed and incredulous, and definitely surprised”.
“We probably wouldn’t be able to do it here with the space that we have,” Dougall says.
If anything, she says they could add on out back where the dogs are caged outside.
“Things are moving fast, I know there is pressure to finalize it,” comments Dougall. “We could still not do it.’
But, to continue finding homes for all the pets, they’ll have to find more room in their own home.
A meeting was set for Monday night at 7 p.m. at the King’s Harvest Ministries in downtown Davenport. This will be an open forum for the public on the current contract negotiations.
In the meantime, the city says it is training code enforcement officers to work as animal control temporarily until they hire four full-time animal control officers.
In a statement from the Brandon Wright, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant City Administrator for the City of Davenport, he said:
“We are moving the animal control function from being completely outsourced through the Humane Society to a hybrid model with both city employees and a new shelter contract. Enforcement of the animal control component of the municipal code will be performed by newly hired city employees and animal sheltering/care will likely be performed by King’s Harvest Animal Shelter. We are working quickly through a contract with King’s Harvest.”