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Finance committee approves three-year renewal with Humane Animal Welfare Society for impoundment and care services
Summary
The Waukesha City Finance Committee approved a three-year renewal (2025–2027) with the Humane Animal Welfare Society for animal impoundment and care, authorizing an annual payment the record describes as rising roughly 3% from about $45,000 to about $47,000. Members questioned usage levels and the per-animal cost before passing the contract unanimously by voice vote.
The Waukesha City Finance Committee on Dec. 10 approved a three-year renewal with the Humane Animal Welfare Society to provide impoundment and animal-care services for 2025–2027, with staff describing an annual contract payment of roughly $47,000.
Tony (city staff) told the committee the contract renews services the city has used for at least six years and covers impoundment, care and response for stray, abandoned, injured and sick animals — including wildlife. He said law enforcement would retain 24-hour access and that Hawes provides 24/7 pickup service.
Alderman Lemke pressed staff for usage numbers and questioned the per-animal economics. “If it was a 100 animals, which is one every three days, that’s $400 an animal,” Lemke said, urging staff to provide counts to justify the expense.
Alderman Piper described several response examples as the basis for supporting the contract, including calls to remove baby foxes raised in a garage, a frightened raccoon seized with police assistance, and a larger case involving hundreds of chinchillas that the presenter said Hawes had taken into custody and housed. “Because we have this contract, the city was able to do something about it,” Piper said, arguing the service covers more than routine dogs and cats.
Tony described the renewal as an approximately 3% increase from about $45,000 to about $47,000 annually and said the city pays the amount as a single annual payment for the three-year term. After brief discussion, Alderman Piper moved to approve the contract; Alderman Bartels seconded. The committee approved the motion by voice vote; the record shows the item passed unanimously.
The contract renewal and the question of usage data will be retained in city records; staff indicated they would follow up on counts if requested by committee members. The committee returned to other agenda items after the vote.
