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Police chief asks council to authorize limited waiver of adoption fees to manage shelter capacity
Summary
Police Chief Mike Ward proposed three options to address shelter capacity — keep current council-waiver process, authorize fee waiver at a set capacity threshold, or permit chief discretion with city-manager checks — and said he will supply adoption counts and revenue figures to council.
Police Chief Mike Ward asked the Rawlins City Council to consider modifying city ordinance to give the police chief limited authority to lower or waive animal-shelter adoption fees when shelter population spikes.
Ward told council the Rochelle Bridal shelter (operated by the police department) has a technical capacity of 27 cats and 37 dogs but that staffing and call load lead staff to avoid holding more than about 25 dogs. "Historically, when the capacity of dogs and cats has reached a certain level, the police chief has come before council to ask for a waiver of the adoption fees," Ward said, and council heard three options: retain the current process requiring council approval; allow waivers when a specified capacity threshold is met; or give the chief broader discretion to waive fees with a check such as city-manager sign‑off and a report back to council.
Ward said adoption fees are usually "about $40" and described them as "a drop in the bucket in terms of the cost of operating the shelter." Council members pressed for data before changing ordinance; the chief said he would email the council the number of animals that rotate through the shelter each year and the resulting adoption-fee totals. During the meeting a council member noted staff estimates that roughly 300 animals pass through the shelter in a year.
No ordinance change was adopted; council requested the requested adoption/financial figures and will consider next steps after review. The chief also summarized shelter partnerships (Pet Partners and external rescues) and operational constraints that make rapid changes in population likely.
