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Gardner council approves animal ordinance changes, staff proposes partnership with rescue after RFP draws no bids
Summary
After learning an RFP produced no shelter bids, city staff proposed a short-term partnership with Always and Forever Pet Rescue and recommended limiting after-hours intake and incentivizing microchipping. Council adopted amendments to the city’s animal code and moved licensing fees to policy.
Mayor Todd Winters opened the meeting before the council heard an extended animal services update and then acted on proposed code changes.
City staff (Pat) told the council that the current contract provides 10 dog kennels and 14 cat kennels and that a 2025 renewal proposal would have been "a hundred and 70,000 base fee plus a per animal fee" that "was going to put us around 190,000" in expenses. Pat said the city issued an RFP after that renewal exceeded the original contract but received no bids, prompting staff to seek interim alternatives.
Pat said staff is proposing a short-term partnership with Always and Forever Pet Rescue, a managed-intake rescue located in Osawatomie, that would charge $35 per day and cover vaccines and spay/neuter after the required 3-day stray hold. Based on 2023 intake figures (263 animals) and other holds, Pat presented a rough estimate of about $37,380 for the rescue placement costs for that year, excluding euthanasia or disposal fees.
The presentation included proposed operational changes effective Jan. 1, 2025: limit after-hours intake (no after-hours cat pickup unless injured; no after-hours dog pickup unless involved in a bite, dangerous situation or injured), encourage quarantine at a veterinarian or home for bite holds when allowable, expand microchipping and licensing incentives, and pursue trap-neuter-return or similar community cat programs in collaboration with neighboring jurisdictions.
Council members pressed staff on enforcement and logistics. One member asked whether owners could be charged for the full 10-day bite hold; Pat said most bites have involved owned dogs and that owners are required to pay or make payment arrangements to reclaim animals. Council members also urged staff to expand microchip scanner availability and to pursue online licensing to increase compliance.
On related business the council considered and adopted amendments to chapter 6 of the Gardner Municipal Code related to animals, moving fee schedules to administrative policy so fees can be adjusted without ordinance changes and including an incentive to microchip pets. Council discussion left a mandate to staff to publicize the change and explore a three-year licensing option tied to rabies vaccine cycles.
The council’s action on the ordinance was recorded as passing as amended; the adopted language moves fee-setting authority to policy and adds strong encouragement for microchipping rather than an immediate citywide mandate.
The council asked staff to continue pursuing local partnerships, vet outreach for emergency care and clinics, additional microchip scanners in patrol vehicles, and public outreach so the community understands the operational changes before they take effect.
