WACO (June 12, 2012)—McLennan County residents who don’t live in Waco must now pay a $45-per-animal surrender fee if they want to turn in strays or unwanted pets at the Waco Humane Society.
McLennan County has an annual $60,000 contract with the shelter covering the surrender fees for 800 pets, but four months before the end of the shelter’s fiscal year, the money has run out.
The City of Waco has a separate $300,000 annual contract with the shelter.
Gina, Ford, director of the Waco Humane Society, says she hopes a temporary contract can be negotiated with McLennan County Commissioners Tuesday.
The contract, she said, would be “based on a per-animal, per-fee basis."
“That way they will only have to pay for the exact amount of animals that are brought in,” she said.
County resident Rosa Martin took two cats to the shelter on Monday and planned to surrender four more until she learned of the fee.
"I don't have $45 to pay for a cat,” she said.
“It’s impossible."
