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Idaho Humane Society seeks $193,929 from Eagle, flags shelter renovation needs
Summary
Idaho Humane Society CEO Jeff Rosenthal and CFO Leanne Gilbert reported a 95% save rate for pets in 2025, 481 field incidents in Eagle last year, and requested an Eagle allocation of $193,929 for FY27; IHS also described major renovation needs at its 30‑year‑old facility.
Jeff Rosenthal, CEO of the Idaho Humane Society (IHS), told Eagle council the regional animal‑control program handled 481 field incidents in Eagle in 2025 and that IHS achieved a roughly 95% save rate for dogs and cats across its service area last year. Rosenthal said Idaho is recognized nationally as having an aggregate save rate above 90% and that IHS sheltered roughly 25% of those animals.
"During the past year the organization helped save 10,269 pets achieving a 95% save rate for both dogs and cats," Rosenthal said. He described a regional cost‑sharing approach that combines sheltering, enforcement and veterinary services across Ada County jurisdictions.
Leanne Gilbert, IHS CFO, presented the FY27 allocation methodology and said Eagle's request for FY27 is $193,929 (about 5.5% of the program budget), representing a 3% increase in Eagle's assessment consistent with other participating jurisdictions. Gilbert explained program budgeting is prepared at the program level and allocated to jurisdictions based on service and population shares.
Rosenthal also highlighted operational challenges and policy trends: a 68% increase in feral or naturalized domestic rabbit admissions projected to exceed 1,200 this year; an aging shelter facility more than 30 years old with phased renovation plans; and persistent field service needs including dog‑at‑large, barking complaints, animal cruelty investigations and bite reports. He said the organization is exploring a staged renovation funded partly through philanthropic appeals and partnerships.
Council asked about response times, citation volumes and the IHS capital plan. Rosenthal and Gilbert said average response time to priority calls has been around 34 minutes and that the IHS team will provide further detail on the renovation timeline and fundraising approach during upcoming budget work.
