3 Councils join Cobourg in switching to the Humane Society
Councils for the Municipality of Port Hope, the Township of Hamilton, and the Township of Alnwick/Haldimand have announced the transfer of care and enforcement of animal management (pets and other small critters) to the Northumberland Humane Society.
All three Councils held Special Council meetings on April 26, 2022, respectively, to authorize the execution of an agreement to dissolve the Joint Animal Control Municipal Services Board (Board), authorize the sale of the Municipal Animal Service Facility and land, and to support a service contract between each Municipality and the Northumberland Humane Society (NHS) for Animal Control Services.
Since amalgamation, area municipalities within Northumberland County have generally worked together as a Board to deliver animal control services collectively through various arrangements. The Board has been exploring alternative animal care and enforcement options since 2020 when the Town of Cobourg left the Board and began working with the Northumberland Humane Society.
The new agreement is a five-year term and is based on a model of animal control, enforcement, and care currently being delivered by Humane Society agencies across various municipalities in Ontario. The NHS will operate out of the facility located at 2363 Theatre Road South and future use of the current NHS building located on Ward Street in Port Hope will be determined by the Northumberland Humane Society.
Bill Cane, Mayor, Township of Hamilton Chair / Council Representative for the former Joint Animal Control Municipal Service Board: “This will eliminate the duplication of services, result in significant savings to the municipalities, and ensure the humane care of the animals for which NHS is well known. In addition, being able to re-locate and operate from the previous Municipal Animal Services location on Theatre Rd will enable the Humane Society to provide even better care, and over time expand and broaden the services provided to the community.”
The facility will be open to the public, much the same as it currently operates and the agreement outlines the services and operations provided by the NHS, including the collection of impound fees set out in the Animal Control By-law. The agreement also acknowledges that the Humane Society is opposed to euthanizing animals and will instead provide veterinary care to the extent possible to save an animal’s life.
Residents in the Municipality of Port Hope and the Townships of Alnwick/Haldimand and Hamilton can find more about animal care services and enforcement by visiting the Northumberland Humane Society website.
The Northumberland Humane Society is a community minded organization governed by a volunteer board and has a strong reputation as an animal welfare group.
#animalcontrol, #northumberlandhumanesociety, #pets
