Nazareth Says 'No' to Animal Shelter Agreement

An agreement between Nazareth and The Center for Animal Health and Welfare will not be renewed after it expires at the end of 2011.

members unanimously agreed Monday night to not approve an animal disposition agreement for two reasons. The first involved the 50 percent increase in fees.

Under the 2012 agreement:

• Cats and Dogs -- $150 per animal
• Pitbulls -- $300 per dog

Over the past year, dogs brought to the Northampton County animal shelter -- by police officers -- cost the borough $100 per dog. Council previously agreed that its would not handle cats.

The shelter raised rates from $50 to $75 in 2010 and then $75 to $100 in 2011, according to a report in The Morning Call.

According to Paul Kokolus, the borough’s secretary and treasurer, four dogs have been taken to the animal shelter in the past year.

The final reason Council members decided against the agreement involved the area’s zip code. In addition to Nazareth, four other municipalities use a 18064 zip code -- the townships of Upper Nazareth, Lower Nazareth, Bushkill and Plainfield.

Council Vice President Larry Stoudt made it known that he did not approve of the new agreement.

“This is a blatant way of getting the Borough of Nazareth to pay for anybody who takes a dog or cat down there to [the animal shelter],” Stoudt said. “As long as they have a Nazareth mailing address, we’re going to end up paying.”

Before making a motion to deny the agreement, Stoudt added, “If they just look at [a driver’s license] where it says ‘Nazareth’ or ‘18064,’ we’re going to end up paying, and that’s just wrong,” he said. “I recommend we deny this contract and we look into another way of taking care of dogs when our police pick them up.”

A solution to the problem was not decided upon at Monday's meeting.

The Board of Supervisors will vote on the same agreement at tonight’s meeting, according to Chairman Mike Rinker.

ended its agreement with the animal shelter at the end of 2010, according to Timm Tenges, the township’s manager.

Like Nazareth, the township does not handle cats. When a dog is picked up by , it is taken to a pen set up in Hanover Township, Northampton County, Tenges said. Officials from Hanover Township make sure the dog has food and water.

If the dog is not claimed after a certain period of time, according to Tenges, a state Dog Warden is notified and then takes over from there. The Dog Warden for Northampton County is Kathy Andrews, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

A call to The Center for Animal Health and Welfare was not returned.