King County animal shelters to get $1 million infusion

Metropolitan King County Council leaders and County Executive Ron Sims announced today they have agreed to make nearly $1 million in immediate improvements at county animal shelters and to work together to reduce the number of animals that die there.

Sims and the council members said the county would sterilize more pets, find homes for more abandoned or stray animals, crack down on animal cruelty and reduce euthanasia rates to 15 percent of the cats and dogs that enter the shelters next year

"We can do a heck of a lot better," Sims said at a news conference with council Chairwoman Julia Patterson and Vice Chairman Dow Constantine.

Said Patterson, "The three of us believe that the people of King County are compassionate people and they expect us to move forward in this direction."

The agreement ends weeks of confrontation between the executive and council following a consultant's devastating report on conditions in the Kent and Bellevue shelters.

The $965,000 spending plan — to be voted on by the County Council — calls for hiring more part-time veterinarians and hiring other workers to care for animals, step up adoption efforts and work with volunteers. The money would also buy additional dog kennels and cat cages to reduce overcrowding.

While those short-term changes are being made, a long-term plan for the shelters' future would be developed and a consultant would "shadow" shelter staff and report his or her observations to policymakers.

Funding for the short-term plan would come from an existing Animal Care Benefit Fund and other capital funds.

Keith Ervin: 206-464-2105 or kervin@seattletimes.com