Contact: Donna Bigler, 240-777-6537
For Immediate Release: July 26, 2001

Duncan Announces New Contract with
Montgomery County Humane Society, Inc.
To Provide Animal Shelter Services

Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan announced today that a new $1.17 million contract has been signed with the Montgomery County Humane Society, Inc. to provide Animal Shelter services at the County’s facility, located at 14645 Rothgeb Drive in Rockville. Under its contract with the County, the Humane Society cares for more than 10,000 stray or abandoned animals each year, and manages pet adoption services, administers a low-cost spay-neuter program for pets, and cares for sick or injured animals.

“The Humane Society contributes a great deal to the health and welfare of our community, and they do an excellent job of placing unwanted pets in loving homes,” said Duncan. “I am pleased that we have been able to forge a new agreement with this outstanding organization.”

"The Humane Society does great work for Montgomery County," said Councilmember Nancy Dacek, lead on animal services' issues for the Council. "This agreement makes sure they can keep on doing great work. Council staff, the Police, and the County Executive were enormously helpful in making sure we drafted a fair deal for all. Montgomery residents -- and Montgomery animals -- are the big winners."

Although the Humane Society has operated the County’s animal shelter services for more than 40 years, the increasing costs of insurance, food and animal care supplies and vehicle maintenance prompted the organization last March to express concerns about its ability to continue under its agreement with the County. The new contract addresses those concerns, and also includes $32,000 for rehabilitation services provided by the Second Chance Wildlife Center for approximately 800 animals brought to the Shelter each year. In addition, the contract funds staff training and a $1.75 per hour increase in pay, bringing the starting hourly wage for shelter employees to $8 an hour.

The contract, administered by the Animal Services Division of the Montgomery County Department of Police, funds 32 full-time and 7 part-time employees at the Shelter.