Animal Allies takes over Superior shelter operation

The Superior Animal Shelter is coming under new management starting Jan. 1.

The City Council on Tuesday night approved a new contract with Animal Allies. The Animal Rescue Federation, which has provided volunteers to care for the animals since 1988, took over operations in 2001. The organization will cease to operate the shelter Dec. 31.

Mayor Bruce Hagen planned to give Animal Rescue Federation a certificate of appreciation for the many years of work they put into shelter, but members of the organization were unable to attend the meeting Tuesday night.

The initial contract is largely the same as the contract with ARF, with the exception of the funding level. The city will provide Animal Allies $35,000 in two payments over the life of the six-month contract for an expanded level of services to help in the care and adoption of the animals.

Previously, the city funded ARF at $40,000 annually.

“It’s nice to see the city pay what they should have been paying a long time ago,” said Dan O’Neill, a volunteer with ARF who supported the agreement with Animal Allies last week when the finance committee discussed the proposal.

The city also bears responsibility for any maintenance or repairs that exceed $500 while Animal Allies remains in the city’s shelter at 2225 Hill Ave.

The city is in the process of replacing its current animal shelter, which was constructed in 1978, and was not designed for the long-term care of the animals taken to the facility.

The six-month contract was agreed to so the city can get a better handle on the timeline for construction and completion of a new facility on Hammond Avenue near the fairgrounds. The council could consider extending the contract or developing a new one six months from now, depending on how long construction is expected to take.

Construction is expected to begin in the spring.

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