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New Iberia council weighs options after parish signals end of animal-control contract
Summary
Following notice from the parish that it will terminate the animal-control contract in five months, council members discussed short‑ and long‑term options including negotiating for more time, partnering with nonprofits, retrofitting or building a new shelter, and obtaining public‑records data on intake and euthanasia to size a facility and budget.
The New Iberia City Council held an extended discussion after receiving a notice from Iberia Parish that it intends to end the parish's animal-control contract with the city in roughly five months.
Mayor and council members outlined potential responses: negotiate for additional time or revised terms with the parish, explore partnering with local nonprofits, retrofit an existing building or construct a new facility, or operate a municipal shelter with associated ongoing operating costs. Council members repeatedly stressed the need for data and requested public records showing parish-wide intake numbers, jurisdictional breakdowns and euthanasia counts to determine facility size and operating budgets.
The mayor said he had pursued nonprofit partnerships but that available shelters are strained and that retrofitting a suitable building could be less expensive than new construction; he also said borrowing would put the city on the hook for a multi-year note and that any capital-outlay request was currently a placeholder. Council members urged the mayor and city attorney to seek a meeting with parish officials to negotiate for more time and to request the outstanding public-records information; several council members reported speaking informally with parish council members who indicated negotiation was not off the table.
Council discussed operational details that will affect cost estimates — kennel space, staffing, administration, food and veterinary expenses and euthanasia rates — and asked staff to return with detailed numbers once the parish provides requested records. No formal action or vote was taken; council directed staff to continue exploring options and to seek intergovernmental talks with the parish.
