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NoCo Humane outlines services and contract valuation as Larimer County sees effective 6% rate increase
Summary
NoCo Humane officials briefed Larimer County commissioners on animal services provided under their contract, explaining a full-cost recovery valuation that yields a roughly 6% net rate increase after prior credits; staff described services, wildlife response limits and rabies protocols.
NoCo Humane leaders told Larimer County commissioners June 29 that the nonprofit’s contract provides animal care, shelter operations, field response and public-health coordination — and that a change in accounting credits and fee revenue means the county will see an effective rate increase.
"We do animal care. We do lost and found, and we do behavior and enrichment," Cynthia Settle, who recently stepped into the role of NoCo Humane CEO, told commissioners, outlining intake triage, foster and transfer programs, daily enrichment and veterinary checks performed before adoption. She described the organization’s Larimer campus, community programs and partnerships with university veterinary training and local pet food partners.
Nelson Murphy, NoCo Humane’s chief financial officer, explained the contract valuation methodology staff use for Larimer County: a full-cost recovery model that relies on lagged, audited calendar-year data and allocates costs based on drivers such as calls for service, population and animal intakes. "Once you get into calendar year ’26, you’re in the new rate," Murphy said, and after accounting for a prior one‑time credit the effective year-over-year change is about 6% rather than the headline 10%.
Murphy said two factors explain most of the movement: a decline in licensing revenue, which reduces offsets to contract costs, and modest increases in veterinary service costs. He said the county’s percentage allocation of costs actually fell slightly this year but that the timing and size of credits and licensing collection changes produced the net increase.
Commissioners asked for program details. Brett Harris, NoCo Humane’s director of animal protection and control, said the contract covers animal protection and control response for wildlife up to roughly 100 pounds — generally coyote-size animals and smaller — and that Colorado Parks and Wildlife would take primary responsibility for larger wildlife such as elk or deer. On rabies: Harris said NoCo Humane works with public health to hold suspect animals, coordinate testing and, when exposure occurred, impound and arrange euthanasia and testing as required.
County staff and commissioners said they appreciated the partnership and asked staff to continue monitoring dispatch arrangements and after‑hours coverage with the sheriff’s office. No formal vote was taken on the contract during the work session; staff indicated ongoing conversations about the contract’s operational details and shared dispatch arrangements may return to the board for further action.
