Pasco officials report on new Tri‑Cities animal shelter operations; Kennewick seeks clearer interlocal reporting

Pasco City officials and the Tri‑Cities animal services team updated the Kennewick City Council on April 8 about the new regional animal shelter and current animal control operations. Pasco said the facility relocated animals into the new shelter on March 25 and is operating animal control, shelter intake, volunteer programs and community outreach for Kennewick, Pasco and Richland under an interlocal agreement.

Why it matters: the shelter provides animal control and public‑safety functions across three cities and has recurring budget and operational implications for Kennewick. Council members asked for clearer, regular reporting under the interlocal agreement and sought detail about the city’s financial contribution to the facility.

What officials reported Pasco Assistant City Manager Angela Pichon and shelter staff said Pasco assumed direct operation of shelter and animal control management beginning in 2022 and moved to the new facility March 25, 2025. Ben Zigan, animal services manager, said animal control provides emergency response for sick, injured and dangerous animals, nuisance investigations, cruelty investigations and public education. The shelter’s public hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; after‑hours responses use an answering service and an on‑call officer for emergencies.

Operations, staffing and numbers Officials reported the shelter currently employs 22 people (20 full‑time, 2 part‑time) including three animal control officers, a lead officer and animal care technicians. Pasco staff said the shelter handled roughly 3,000 animal intakes in 2024 and about 4,300 animal control cases across the three cities last year. The shelter restarted a volunteer program and had about 125 people enrolled in orientations as of late March; volunteers will support dog walking, cat enrichment and a visitor support team.

Shelter services and partnerships Pasco staff described community outreach — including a community outreach dog (“Dee Dee”) used for humane education — and partnerships to move animals to other shelters when local capacity is constrained. Staff said they had roughly 20 partner agencies and foster networks to help transfer animals to areas with available space. Adoption events are planned (Pasco staff announced a May 10 event at the new shelter, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.).

Budget and governance questions Council members asked about capital and operating costs. Pasco staff said the facility was a multi‑phase project: the building component was described as “a little over $4,000,000,” kennel equipment about $500,000, and fixtures/equipment additional costs; Kennewick’s direct cash contribution to the project was reported at about $1,800,000. The shelter operates under a 2016 interlocal agreement (ILA) that was updated and became effective when the new facility opened; Pasco staff said the ILA remains in effect and that management‑committee meetings occur to coordinate service delivery.

Reporting and accountability Several Kennewick council members said they rarely saw the management committee reports called for in the ILA and asked for clearer, routine reporting. Pasco staff said the management committee meets every other month and that animal‑control authority meetings include budget updates and operations reports; staff offered to share meeting portal links and agendas and said quarterly reporting and community‑facing updates would be provided.

Service priorities and policy points Staff said the shelter follows municipal codes for each city and relies on shelter medicine and animal health best practices for care and policies. Animal control officers prioritize emergency responses (dangerous animals, bites, animals in vehicles during extreme weather) and respond to other complaints within 24 hours when possible. Officials said the cities’ municipal codes are largely similar but noted specific differences — for example, permit fees for potentially dangerous dogs — and recommended periodic code updates to reflect modern animal control practices.

Quotes from the meeting "We are officially in the new shelter, as of March 25," said Jesse Rice, Pasco staff involved with the relocation. "We currently have 22 employees, 20 of those are full time, 2 are part time," Pasco staff said during the presentation.

What council asked staff to do Kennewick council members requested more regular, clear management‑committee reporting and suggested the ILA be revisited where the agreement left items unspecified. Council members also asked for a detailed accounting of the city’s contribution and the shelter’s operating budget; Pasco staff said they would provide budget documents, links to meeting portals and requested attendance at the tri‑city management meetings.

Background and context Pasco took over direct management and operations after contracting arrangements changed in 2022. The shelter serves a roughly 102‑square‑mile area with an estimated combined population near 226,000. Officials described ongoing challenges including the upcoming kitten season, capacity constraints during peak periods, and the need for regional code alignment or complementary policy tools (spay/neuter programs, licensing, transfer partnerships) to manage population pressures.

Next steps Pasco staff said they will provide links to management committee agendas, meet with the three cities as required under the ILA and share budget worksheets and periodic operational reports. Council members asked staff to follow up on specific budget numbers and to plan clearer quarterly reporting under the interlocal agreement.