Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region asks Pueblo for $170,000 increase as shelter intakes surge

The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region told the Pueblo City Council on Sept. 29 that it is requesting an additional $170,000 for its 2026 city contract after a sustained increase in animals entering its shelter.

Kelly Lykes, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR), told council members, “We have been in a budget deficit since 2024,” and said the increase in intakes and calls for animal-law-enforcement services are the primary drivers of the funding request.

Lykes said the organization’s current contract with Pueblo was negotiated in 2022 and was based on an estimated 5,200 annual intakes. “Since 2023, HSPPR has provided shelter and animal law enforcement services to 8,200 animals annually,” Lykes said, and she told councilors the organization expects similar volumes in 2025.

Why it matters: city officials must decide whether to increase the contract as requested, spread any increase across multiple years, or pursue other budget options before the contract expires Dec. 31. HSPPR representatives asked the city to provide direction by Oct. 1 so the nonprofit can finalize its operating plans and staffing.

Key facts and council questions

- Amount requested: HSPPR said it is requesting an additional $170,000 over the city’s 2025 payment, which the presenter identified as $1,800,000, to make the 2026 budget whole.

- Deficits reported: HSPPR said its 2024 deficit was about $270,000 and that the 2025 shortfall is about $434,000.

- Fee credit offer: HSPPR offered to “credit back $273,000 in licensing fees, restitution, bond, and impound fees” to reduce the 2026 contract cost.

- Intake numbers and transfers: HSPPR said it is reporting 8,200 annual intakes since 2023 and transfers roughly 2,000 animals out of the Pueblo shelter annually — about 1,500 to its Colorado Springs facility and the remainder to other partners — for foster or higher-level veterinary care. HSPPR said the intakes reported to state databases count all intakes even when animals are transferred to other facilities.

- Length of stay and operations: HSPPR reported average lengths of stay of about seven days for dogs and eight days for cats and said it has responded to 17 large-scale impounds so far in 2025, including some with more than 40 animals.

Council members asked about revenue sources (donations and estate gifts), staffing and pay for animal-law-enforcement employees, licensing and fee collection, and the nonprofit’s administrative allocation.

Councilor Flores questioned how donor and estate gifts affect HSPPR’s finances; Lykes said gifts help offset costs but are not guaranteed. Lykes told the council that HSPPR spends about $366,000 on veterinary expenses and $582,000 on shelter operations beyond what the contract covers.

On licensing, HSPPR said licensing rates and impound fees are set by city ordinance and county resolution; the nonprofit said it can sell licenses in the field and that it will work with owners on payment plans or fee reductions when necessary. When Mayor Heather Graham asked, “Do all of your contracts pay the admin fee?” HSPPR replied, “They do. Yes.”

What HSPPR provides and constraints cited

Lykes described services HSPPR provides beyond the contract’s funded line items, including low-cost spay/neuter, vaccination events, veterinary wellness visits, a trap-neuter-return community cat program, youth education, and emergency response assistance alongside first responders. She said HSPPR provides about $2 million in public services to the Pueblo community through donor dollars and fees for service.

Lykes said HSPPR cannot cut core services without violating animal-welfare best practices, city ordinances or state laws. “There is simply no contract reduction for shelter services when the shelter is experiencing a 58% increase in the number of pets from the community from the time of the last contract negotiation,” she said.

Additional context and next steps

Council discussion included a suggestion to consider a multi-year approach to any increase. One councilor suggested spreading an increase over a three-year contract to reduce the immediate budgetary impact on the city. Several councilors thanked HSPPR for its operations and data reporting; councilors also noted HSPPR’s reported save rate of roughly 86–89 percent compared with lower save rates when the city operated the shelter in the past.

No formal action or vote was recorded at the Sept. 29 work session. HSPPR said it has been in ongoing contract discussions with city staff (meetings on March 6, Aug. 8 and Sept. 3 were cited) and asked the council for clear budget direction by Oct. 1 to finalize plans for 2026.

Ending

HSPPR representatives said they will continue discussions with city staff; councilors indicated they expect the city manager and mayor to provide budget guidance during the forthcoming budget process. No decision was made at the meeting.