Community Corner

Question of the Day: Second Coming of the Animal Shelter?

Weigh in with your thoughts on this issue.

The Long Beach Animal Shelter will open its doors again after the facility was closed five years ago.

The City Council on Tuesday voted to approve a one-year contract with the animal rescue-adoption organization, Rescue Ink Inc., to operate the former animal shelter on a $15,000 budget starting July 1. This pilot program comes with an option to renew for a second year.

City Manager Charles Theofan said the city is mandated to have shelter services, whether or not it contracts with another municipality. Long Beach was previously paying $47,000 annually for its animal-related services to Freeport Animal Shelter, a facility that has closed.

Theofan noted that the $15,000 is for Rescue Ink Inc. to care for the animals that will be housed at the animal shelter, located in the North Park section of the city, but otherwise the organization will maintain the facility and pay for the utilities and other expenses. Veterinary services may, in part, be provided through vets that have previously volunteered their work to Rescue Ink.

Theofan said the city decided on Rescue Ink Inc. because of “how seriously they take the concept of pet adoption,” that it affiliates with animal psychologists and experts in animal behavior, and is a high-profile organization that has been featured on the National Geographic Channel.

When asked about whether the shelter would adopt a non-kill policy, the city manager said that it would resort to such practices only as "a last possibility," and only if the animal is deemed too dangerous.

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Patch will have an article on this partnership between the city and Rescue Inc., but for now answer this question in the comments: What are your thoughts on an animal shelter reopening in Long Beach?


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