The Marion County Board of Supervisors approved a 90 day extension of their animal control contract with the Marion County Humane Society during their regular meeting Tuesday morning. This agreement allows the two parties to clear up language as they get set for a longer extension down the road.
That longer agreement will likely feature an increase of around $800 per year due to the increase of population from the 2000 to 2010 census. The Marion County Sheriff’s Department will no longer be transporting non-dangerous stray animals from properties to the Humane Society; citizens will be encouraged to drop off the animals themselves. Marion County Attorney Ed Bull says that he’s currently in negotiations with someone to pick up animals that residents couldn’t drop off. An estimated 150-180 stray animals from rural areas are delivered to the Marion County Humane Society annually.