Cincinnati Animal CARE Humane Society is about two months into its contract providing dog warden services in Hamilton County.
The county commission awarded a $1.95 million contract for the work in July to that agency, and it started performing those functions on Aug. 1.
The contract will last until Dec. 31, and it can be renewed yearly up to four times.
Cincinnati Animal CARE replaced the SPCA Cincinnati, which had been handling the county's dog warden duties for many years. The SPCA announced more than a year ago it wanted to end that relationship with the county.
Cincinnati Animal CARE Executive Director Carolyn Evans provided an update Tuesday to the Hamilton County Commissioner.
"We run animal care and control - also referred to as dog warden services - and also animal sheltering for the county," Evans said. "Our officers are the ones that pick up strays in the field; they also respond to calls about cruelty and neglect for animals, and we take in strays at the shelter as well."
That animal shelter is located at 3949 Colerain Ave. in Northside. The county is now leasing and maintaining that facility.
Evans said one issue with the recent transition is some confusion that her group is now the county's dog warden and not the SPCA.
She also said animal services is a rapidly evolving field.
"Gone are the days of the dog pound and the dog catcher," Evans said. "We're doing everything that we can to stay on top of industry trends and best practices and deliver exceptional, contemporary animal services to our community."
Cincinnati Animal CARE is a sister organization to Clermont Animal CARE Humane Society, operating the shelter in Clermont County. They are committed to bringing their no-kill ethic to Hamilton County. Evans said that 98% of the animals that are leaving the Northside shelter are leaving alive.
"We don't euthanize an animal for space, and we don't euthanize an animal for convenience," Evans said. "Every treatable animal is treated, every trainable animal is trained, and every savable animal that comes through the doors of the Northside shelter is going to be saved."
Animals are only euthanized when absolutely necessary to prevent suffering or when their release could endanger the public.
Evans said Cincinnati Animal Care is committed to partnerships, transparency and accountability.
