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Independence, MO —
Jackson County is asking for new proposals for the operation of the new animal shelter in Independence.
The county issued the “request for proposal” – basically asking for bids – on Friday. Proposals are due by Sept. 21.
The shelter, on Missouri 78 near Metropolitan Community College-Blue River, will replace the city of Independence shelter on Vista Drive. The new shelter will be able to handle about four times as many animals – up to 100 cats and 127 dogs.
The original plan, agreed to about three years ago, had been for the county to build it and the city to run it, but the county has held back over concerns the city couldn’t assure that it would be a “no-kill” shelter from the time it opens. City officials have said they could work toward that goal.
“Absolutely,” Legislator Dennis Waits, D-Independence, said Monday when asked if the shelter can be “no-kill” from day one.
The city had sought similar bids earlier and got only one, from the Heartland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (now called the Great Plains SPCA). The city rejected the SPCA’s bid as too high and put together plans to run the shelter itself through the Health Department. But the SPCA and others have criticized the city’s plan, saying it wasn’t allocating enough people or money to do the things needed to achieve “no kill” status. The county’s new RFP specifically calls for a euthanasia rate of 10 percent or less.
Asked why the county decided to put the operations out for bid at this point, Waits said, “The intent has always been to run a no-kill shelter.”
Waits also stressed that the county wants to continue to work with Independence.
Once the proposals are in at the end of next week, he said, they could be reviewed and acted upon within a couple of weeks. He wouldn’t put a date on when the shelter – nearly complete – would open but said it could be soon.
Jackson County is asking for new proposals for the operation of the new animal shelter in Independence.
The county issued the “request for proposal” – basically asking for bids – on Friday. Proposals are due by Sept. 21.
The shelter, on Missouri 78 near Metropolitan Community College-Blue River, will replace the city of Independence shelter on Vista Drive. The new shelter will be able to handle about four times as many animals – up to 100 cats and 127 dogs.
The original plan, agreed to about three years ago, had been for the county to build it and the city to run it, but the county has held back over concerns the city couldn’t assure that it would be a “no-kill” shelter from the time it opens. City officials have said they could work toward that goal.
“Absolutely,” Legislator Dennis Waits, D-Independence, said Monday when asked if the shelter can be “no-kill” from day one.
The city had sought similar bids earlier and got only one, from the Heartland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (now called the Great Plains SPCA). The city rejected the SPCA’s bid as too high and put together plans to run the shelter itself through the Health Department. But the SPCA and others have criticized the city’s plan, saying it wasn’t allocating enough people or money to do the things needed to achieve “no kill” status. The county’s new RFP specifically calls for a euthanasia rate of 10 percent or less.
Asked why the county decided to put the operations out for bid at this point, Waits said, “The intent has always been to run a no-kill shelter.”
Waits also stressed that the county wants to continue to work with Independence.
Once the proposals are in at the end of next week, he said, they could be reviewed and acted upon within a couple of weeks. He wouldn’t put a date on when the shelter – nearly complete – would open but said it could be soon.
