The Humane League of Lancaster County is in the doghouse with East Lampeter Township officials.

Although East Lampeter supervisors voted unanimously Monday to approve a new one-year contract with the League for taking in stray dogs found in the township, officials said the growing cost of League services is driving them right out of the market — and may force township officials to provide dog-care services on their own.

"It has been a point of conversation among my (municipal) peers for some time now," Township Manager Ralph Hutchison said Monday.

"We have an obligation under state law to deal with stray dogs … and historically, we have dealt with the Humane League."

But, while the League once charged municipalities on a per-dog basis, they have recently switched to a per-capita billing plan.

So, instead of paying $100 per dog turned in to the League, Hutchison said, municipalities were asked to pay 30 cents per resident.

That cost East Lampeter more than $4,000 in 2009, he said.

Because of a recent incident that sent a large number of dogs to the shelter, "we probably did pretty well this year," he added. "It might have cost us only $35 or $40 per dog. But that was an anomaly."

East Lampeter sends an average of 25 to 30 dogs to the shelter per year, Hutchison said, which would cost the township up to $3,000 under the old payment plan.

Even if the current plan wasn't more costly, he said, the League is upping the price to 60 cents per capita for the 2010 budget. That will cost the township "a little over $8,100," he said. And, he added, early reports indicate the fee will increase to $1 per capita by 2011.

"I don't think we can justify spending $14,000 to send dogs over to the Humane League. It's just way too much," Hutchison said.

"This is pretty much a 'take-it-or-leave-it' proposal," he added. "I think the police chief and I are pretty much resigned to the fact that we're going to have to do it here."

That means building kennels and absorbing the costs to feed, exercise and provide medical care for stray dogs until a state dog law officer can claim them, he said. Hutchison said he will look into the costs of providing the service.

"We don't want to go into the dog business," Supervisor Michael Landis said. "But we're somewhat held hostage by their system."

The Humane League shelter on Lincoln Highway is in East Lampeter Township, officials noted.

E-mail: tknapp@lnpnews.com