Humane Society: Animals will pay the price

Jerry Renick is no fan of the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, largely because of its 30 percent euthanasia rate.

But as founder of a rescue agency, Renick knows how crucial animal services are, and the idea of El Paso County sharply curtailing the society's contract makes him cringe.

"That would be a tragedy in the county for sure. We have to turn down 15 to 20 animals a month because we don't have a place to put them," Renick said, referring to his group, Saving Animals in Need Together, or SAINT.

He said if the Humane Society services end, the county would be "run over with strays."

Faced with a budget crisis as the economy falters, county commissioners Thursday said they plan to cut their share of next year's funding for the Humane Society. Initially, the commissioners planned to cut next year's funding almost in half, from $354,274 this year to $188,000. But eroding revenue projections cut that even further to $70,000.

Under the contract, which covers specific unincorporated areas of the county, including the Ute Pass corridor, the north county area, Widefield-Security, Cimarron Hills and other scattered spots, the Humane Society enforces ordinances, such as dogs at large, handles pet licenses, investigates cruelty and neglect reports, and provides public education, medical and shelter services.

In the past year, there were 1,112 cruelty and neglect cases reported in the contract area, a 21 percent rise since 2005, according to the Humane Society.

Humane Society director Wes Metzler said the agency would not continue the contract for $188,000, much less a further reduction. "I don't see how we could accept something less," he said.

Commissioners said Thursday they are hoping to pay only $70,000 as a "facilities fee," so the county could use the agency's shelter to impound dangerous animals or comply with court-ordered quarantines.

Metzler wasn't warm to that idea.

"Since they've decided to pay no money or very little money, there's certainly a possibility our facility won't be available," he said.

Metzler said losing the county's funding might force the Humane Society to lay off some employees, but that county residents would suffer more from the loss of its services.

"I think it's going to be a train wreck with no services," Metzler said. "There's just a litany of things you don't get," including people to field lost-and-found calls.

"I personally feel real bad that there's going to be a lot of things that don't happen," he said, "and in all likelihood the animals will be the ones that suffer the most."

Commissioners said they don't relish curtailing animal control, but they need money to fund $358,000 in mandated medical and food services at the jail. About $300,000 would come from a budget error that overstated the district attorney's budget, with the rest taken from the animal contract.

Trying to save money on animal control doesn't always pay off, as Colorado Springs found out.

The city sought bids in late 2003 for animal control services. Colorado Humane Society of Englewood underbid the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region by $505,000 and won the three-year deal, beginning January 2004.

Sharing facilities with the Pikes Peak nonprofit proved difficult. Also, Colorado Humane Society was criticized for shoddy customer service and was accused of euthanizing lost dogs before owners could claim them.

In mid-2005, the city bagged the agreement and paid the Colorado Humane Society $175,000 to leave. It then rehired the local Humane Society at a higher cost. The city has contracted with the local nonprofit ever since, and this year will pay between $800,000 and $900,000.

Meanwhile, the Colorado Humane Society has been sued by Colorado Attorney General John Suthers for allegedly euthanizing nearly a third of animals brought to its shelters while claiming that it was only putting down 8 percent, among other allegations. The allegations cover the time when Colorado Springs contracted with the agency.

Metzler said if there's no county contract, the Humane Society's response would be discretionary. But he added, "We're not going to give up on some of these cruelty things just because we don't have a contract."

Among the worst cases investigated by the Humane Society in recent years was Gina Johnston, who was convicted and sent to prison after 29 starving horses were found at her home on Calhan Highway in 2004, 2006 and 2007. The Humane Society helped adopt out most of the horses and sent some to rescue agencies.

In another case, Lori Manire was convicted of animal cruelty after Humane Society investigators found 39 sick, emaciated horses and cattle on her ranch in 2004.

Animal cruelty is a state statute, so sheriff's officers must respond to complaints. It's unclear whether Sheriff Terry Maketa, who parked patrol cruisers earlier this year to make ends meet, would be able to enforce the county's animal ordinances.

"We're looking into that to see what the impact would be, what the contract encompassed and if it were to be cut back, what the impact would be to our agency," sheriff's spokeswoman Lari Sevene said.

Renick understands the sheriff has his hands full.

"He has murders and everything else," he said. "Animals are pretty low on their list."