LAWRENCE CO. — The Lawrence County Commissioners have entered into a one-year contractual agreement with the White River Humane Society (WRHS) to house stray dogs and cats found to be at large by animal control.
The agreement, approved Tuesday morning, outlines the terms under which the humane society will provide services independently and autonomously from the sheriff’s department, which employs the county’s animal control officer.
Under the new arrangement, WRHS will hold animals for up to five business days after they are brought to the shelter. The city of Bedford, along with Oolitic and Mitchell, already has separate animal control contracts with the humane society.
The county will pay WRHS $380 per animal brought to the shelter. According to WRHS, that figure was calculated based on WRHS’s 2023 average cost per animal. An additional fee of $100 per animal will be charged if the animal is brought to the shelter outside the business hours stipulated in the agreement, as it requires shelter management to report back on-site after service hours.
