Contract renewal unleashes debate

By JENNIFER DYCKMorning Star StaffJul 07 2006 http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/
A $634,000 five-year contract extension being handed over to K-9 Animal Control Services is unleashing heated debate. With K-9’s contract up in December, the North Okanagan Regional District voted to extend the contract, therefore it did not go out to tender. That has left directors Eric Foster (Mayor of Lumby) and Patrick Nicol, Vernon councillor, arguing that the contract should have been offered to others interested, such as the SPCA. “To cut them out of this seems totally unfair to me,” said Nicol. B.C. SPCA’s general manager of operations Bob Busch’s only comment was: “The B.C. SPCA was definitely interested in this contract and are disappointed it didn’t go to tender.” But BX-Swan Lake director Cliff Kanester pointed to the situation created when the SPCA did hold a dog control contract in the past. “If we look back at our experience with the SPCA with dog control it was not very good.” Michael Stamhuis, general manager of community and infrastructure services, adds that the contract is not recommended for the SPCA or the Animal Care Society. “What we’re asking is someone to provide animal control services, which is not what they do.” The issue was raised that since the SPCA does not hold full-time hours, this contract could improve their service. Pat Ellis, owner and operator of K-9 who has been in the animal control business for 26 years, said that would not be the case. “They’re thinking that all this extra money can go to cat care or dog care. “But if this contract is done properly there is no left over money. “We work seven days a week, sometimes 24 hours a day.” NORD director and Vernon councillor Pat Cochrane also raised the issue that it would be unfair for this contract to go out to tender now that the K-9 bid is public. With the contract, which runs from December 2006 to December 2011, K-9 is also required to build a $60,000 impoundment facility on Haney Road, next to the existing SPCA site. Ellis said K-9 is responsible for the cost but will be repaid over the five years. “It is a building that in the future if someone else gets the contract, everything in this building gets taken out and NORD can use it for whatever it wants.” Due to a lack of access, Ellis also notes that K-9 could not use the SPCA facility therefore there is a real need for this new facility. “The pound is never going to go away, if anything they’re going to need bigger facilities.” She also wants the public to understand the role of K-9, which does not include killing animals. “Everybody perceives that we kill all the animals, we don’t. We only kill animals if we absolutely have to, if they’re old, sick or mean.
“We’re here to enforce the bylaws and protect the public and a lot of people don’t understand that,” she said, adding that the SPCA has the authority to deal with cruelty to animals, not K-9.