9.c) Staff Report-animal control agreementJ
SCAlVDIA
Staff RepoVt
Date of Meeting: December 15, 2015
To: City Council
From: Neil Soltis, City Administrator
Re: Animal Control Agreement
Background:
The City has an Animal Control Agreement with Hillcrest Animal Hospital that was originally
approved in 2011 with an automatic annual renewal provision. Hillcrest has proposed some
minor changes to the agreement to align the agreement with current provisions of Minnesota
statutes. In reviewing the agreement a language discrepancy was noted between the number of
days an unclaimed animal is to be confined at the facility. The current language in Section 8 of
Ordinance 120 reads that an unclaimed dog shall be confined for not less than 5 working days.
This confinement period as written would be in effect even if the animal was claimed by the
owner. The proposed animal control agreement provides for daily boarding up to 5 days.
Issue:
The current ordinance language states "confined in a humane manner for a period of not less than
5 working days". Is it the intent of the City to have a mandatory 5-day holding period? Should
the ordinance language be modified to read "confined for up to 5 days"
Options:
1) Make no change to the ordinance and modify the Animal Control agreement accordingly
2) Modify the language in the ordinance
Recommendation:
Option 2 unless it is the intent of the Council to require a set confinement period.