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Cowlitz County weighs options as Humane Society contract talks push costs higher
Summary
County prosecutors, the sheriff and commissioners discussed a proposed contract from Humane Society of Southwest Washington that would raise the county's 2025 sheltering charge to about $111,000 and seeks control of local intake functions. Officials discussed short-term extensions, county-run shelter options and multi-jurisdiction arrangements.
Cowlitz County officials spent more than an hour reviewing a proposed sheltering contract that Humane Society of Southwest Washington has offered to local governments, a deal that county staff say would raise costs and reduce the county's control over animal intake.
Jason Loreen, deputy prosecutor, told the Board that Humane Society officials have proposed a price to the county of roughly $111,000 for 2025 and were seeking to take all animals that county animal control encounters, to accept walk-in animals from citizens and to close the county's short-term holding facilities near the jail. "They would go to the local humane society as well. They would have an open door policy for citizens to bring in stray animals as well for that price," Loreen said.
Why it matters: County leaders said the offer threatens to make the Humane Society the "only game in town," placing the county in a weaker bargaining position for future price increases. Commissioners and the sheriff’s office said the one-year price could fit within the 2024 budget but would be difficult to sustain if the nonprofit raised rates substantially in subsequent years.
Discussion and context: Officials said Humane Society financials show a larger revenue base in other counties and a higher-cost operating model than the county's previous provider. Loreen summarized recent negotiations: the nonprofit initially proposed about $170,000, then offered $111,000 after talks with participating cities. County leaders said that methodology and per-capita formulas varied across jurisdictions, producing inconsistent quotes to cities and the county.
County leaders discussed three near-term choices: accept a one-year extension under the new terms to gain time, try to renegotiate the sheltering terms again, or pursue an alternative such as a county-owned shelter or a regional, multi-jurisdiction facility. "One option would be to operate our own shelter in the county whether the county did that alone or in conjunction with, say, Longview and Kelso," Loreen said, outlining the ownership-and-control trade-offs of a county-run facility.
Operational details and risk: Commissioners and staff noted a range of potential additional costs, from veterinary care for seized large livestock to capital and staffing needs for a county-run shelter. The county's animal-control budget for the year was described in the meeting as approximately $420,000; staff said 2024 spending came in under budget, leaving room for a one-year contract if necessary.
Next steps: Board members asked staff to ask the Humane Society for one more clarification on whether it would allow continued use of the jail-area short-term holding facility and to press for any possible price concessions. In parallel the county will begin exploring alternatives, including outreach to Lewis County and other neighboring jurisdictions to gauge interest in a regional solution and to assess the feasibility and cost of a county-operated shelter.
