Cape Girardeau County OKs animal-control contract; will consider building to safeguard equipment

The Cape Girardeau County Commission on Monday approved a new one-year agreement for animal control with Southeast Missouri Pets, formerly the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri.

The new agreement for $36,000 annually is 10% higher than in 2021.

The county had budgeted only $33,000 late in its budget process for 2022 before receiving the pet shelter's request in mid-December.

County Auditor Pete Frazier said in the past, SEMO Pets had come to the commission in-person requesting increases, but such a visit did not occur last year.

"In the future, I strongly urge a two-year or three-year contract," First District Commissioner Paul Koeper said.

SEMO Pets executive director Tracy Poston said a multiyear deal would be tough to arrange.

"I don't know that we can do it because, as a shelter, our costs have been rising exponentially and we don't know what the next year will bring," Poston explained, adding the shelter typically cares for 50 to 60 dogs per day.

"The minimum wage keeps going up, so do supplies and, just like households, our costs have been rising too -- the sheer amount of 'kennel enrichment' we do, finding new ways to keep our dogs engaged, is a challenge and expensive. It will be difficult to do multiyear contracts given how volatile the market is."

• Jackson -- The county seat municipality has not responded to SEMO Pets' December request for a 10% increase in 2022 to $31,460, city administrator Jim Roach said.
• Cape Girardeau -- The county's largest city is on a different fiscal calendar from Cape Girardeau County and Jackson, so it has not received a formal SEMO Pets presentation.

Public information manager Nicolette Brennan said the police department is negotiating with the shelter about this year's fee. In 2021, the city paid SEMO Pets $64,260 for animal control. In 2020, the assessed figure was $63,000.

• Scott City -- City administrator Mike Dudek said the municipality is handling its own animal control.

"We canceled our contract. We have our own kennel and a nuisance officer and work closely with the veterinarian here. We follow all guidelines and are inspected as well. So far, it has been going well for us," said Dudek, who was named to his current position in 2019.

Protecting equipment

In a matter that will likely come up formally in Thursday's regularly scheduled meeting, the Cape Girardeau County Commission will consider asking for requests for proposals for a new building to house emergency equipment such as generators.

"What we've seen in recent months are disasters happening all around us, with tornadoes in Kentucky, in Southeast Missouri, in St. Mary and in Fredericktown," First District Commissioner Paul Koeper said.

"Black River Electric Cooperative's building survived the EF3 tornado on Oct. 24 but much of its outdoor equipment was badly damaged," Second District Commissioner Charlie Herbst added.

Koeper said he doesn't know how much a building will cost but it is needed.

"People depend on us to make sure we have a safe place for this equipment and perhaps the cities of Jackson and Cape Girardeau will want to use it as well."