Politics & Government
Upper Nazareth Won't Renew Animal Shelter Contract
Police Chief Alan Siegfried unhappy with The Center for Animal Health and Welfare after receiving no help with stray dogs last week -- when a contract was in place.
The Board of Supervisors decided Wednesday night to not renew the township's contract with The Center for Animal Health and Welfare (CAHW).
The decision means that as of Jan. 1, the township will have no pre-arranged place to take stray animals -- mainly dogs -- that are picked up and given temporary shelter by the township's police department.
Before supervisors decided not to renew the agreement -- which called for a 50-percent increase in the fees charged for each animal housed at the no-kill shelter -- Upper Nazareth Police Chief Alan Siegfried detailed his dealings with the shelter last week.
Find out what's happening in Nazarethwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
He was not pleased.
“It was just a horrible week as far as animals were concerned,” Siegfried said.
Find out what's happening in Nazarethwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The police department collected two stray dogs, both of which Siegfried tried unsuccessfully to take to the Northampton County shelter, the chief said.
“Their answer was 'We do not have room',” Siegfried said. Shelter officials also told Siegfried they could not take in a sick cat because no veterinarian was available to treat it, he added.
“Those are not supposed to be acceptable answers, but those are the answers we got,” Siegfried said.
The two stray dogs the police department collected were taken in by Pets in Need, a small non-profit animal shelter in Upper Nazareth. Supervisors approved payment of $100 per dog to Pets in Need, since that is what the township would have paid to take the strays to the shelter formerly known as the Northampton County SPCA. (That rate will rise to $150 per animal in 2012; $300 for pitbulls.)
“If you are going to pay (CAHW) for not providing the service, why not pay the one that actually provides the service?” Siegfried said.
Pets in Need is a small shelter and cannot house a large number of animals, supervisors said. Starting next year, Upper Nazareth officials will deal with stray animals on a case-by-case basis, said Supervisor Chairman Mike Rinker, in brief remarks after Wednesday's meeting.
Several other Northampton County municipalities -- including -- have decided not to renew contracts with CAHW.