Pueblo City Council postpones vote for ordinance to reduce euthanasia at Pueblo Animal Services

The Pueblo City Council decided again on Tuesday night to postpone the vote of a controversial ordinance that aims to reduce euthanasia at the animal shelter.

This is the second time the council has issued a continuance on the vote. This time, additional changes are being made to the proposed ordinance.

The council also expressed a want to consult with Pueblo County Commissioners on the issue.

The proposed ordinance would require the shelter make major changes in the care of animals, and increase the “live release” numbers from about 80 percent to 90 percent.

Those in favor of the ordinance say it would be a good step for the community and the care of animal.

Chris Nicoll, the council member who proposed the ordinance, says he aims to run the shelter the way taxpayers would want to. That means maintaining a 90 percent live-release rate and creating a multi-step process before an animal is put down.

“It will help to make sure we have good standards of care, and it will always help to make sure that we’re making sure that all animals have a chance to be looked at very carefully before any animals are euthanized,” said Nicoll.

Some of the guidelines state that the Pueblo shelter would only euthanize an animal if there was no room in any of the shelter’s kennels, other rescue shelters have been contacted, and even the people who turned in the animal have been contacted to see if they would take it back.

However, administrators who run the shelter with the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR), say it would strain the resources like staffing and money.

They also say a specific number for a save rate can be a problem for public safety.

“To have a pressure to meet a certain percentage point means that the shelter whoever that is will be pressured to put animals out into the community which may be putting the community and the animals of the community at risk,” said Jan Mchugh-Smith, the President and CEO of HSPPR.