Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era

Manheim OKs animal control deal

Borough approves contract for 2013 with SPCA

Manheim Borough council approved a contract with the newly formed Lancaster SPCA for animal control service during a Jan. 29 meeting.

Because the contract with its current provider, Playful Pups Retreat in Elizabethtown, is effective until Feb. 28, the contract with the SPCA will begin March 1.

Manheim Borough Police Chief Joe Stauffer reported that the contract with the SPCA has an initial start-up fee of $500 as well as an assessed fee of $300 per dog based on the 13 dogs that were received at Playful Pups from the borough in 2012. The fee is payable in installments in February and June.

Stauffer said that because the contract will begin two months into the year, he's hoping to negotiate a lower fee.

Stauffer also is hoping to minimize the impact of the assessed fee by constructing a kennel for two dogs at the borough's public works facility on Colebrook Street.

Stray dogs would be held there for 24 hours before they're turned over to the SPCA.

"Most of the stray dogs taken to Playful Pups last year were claimed by owners within 24 hours. Having the dogs in the borough for 24 hours means that our residents can claim them here rather than having to drive to Lancaster. Plus we'll receive a refund from the SPCA at the end of the year if fewer dogs are taken there," he said.

Because this is an unexpected expense, Stauffer is seeking donations of materials for the two kennels. A $25 nonprofit kennel license also would be required, and one officer per shift will be assigned to monitor the dogs.

An additional benefit of the SPCA contract is that the organization will license dogs that are brought there and the organization also will work with municipalities on controlling cats.

"In the borough we have an issue with colonies of feral cats," Stauffer said during a phone interview Jan. 30.

Manheim Borough Police Department also has a contract to provide service to Rapho Township, which also has contracted animal control service with Playful Pups Retreat.

Playful Pups provided service to two municipalities last year. Because Rapho's contract with Playful Pups will be ending in February, the township is considering contracting with Lancaster SPCA.

During a Jan. 17 meeting Rapho officials said they would consider approving a contract with the SPCA, but because the two municipalities work together on animal control, they wanted to wait until borough council approved a contract.

Rapho is scheduled to take action on the SPCA contract on Thursday.

For more Manheim Central area news, visit: My ManheimCentralNews.com.