Pueblo City Council approves ordinance to reduce euthanasia at all animal shelters in the city

After three hours of testimony and discussion, Pueblo City Council approved an ordinance Monday that will reduce euthanasia at all shelters within city limits.

The ordinance titled the ‘Pueblo Animal Protection Act’ will require all animal shelters to make changes in animal care and processes to reunite or adopt out an animal. Originally the ordinance was just to “city-tax funded” animal shelters but was amended at Monday’s meeting to read all shelters in Pueblo city limits.

The ordinance also details all shelters in Pueblo must have a 90 percent “save rate” or “live animal release rate” come 2019. Pueblo Animal Services finished 2017 with an 82 percent live release ate.

A number of rules in the ordinance will govern if and when animals could be euthanized. Some stipulations in the ordinance say animals cannot be euthanized if there is room at the shelter, a foster home or another rescue organization can take the animal. It will also require the shelter to contact the person that brought the animal to the shelter to see if they want to take it back.

Those in favor of the ordinance say it would be good for the community and improve the care of the animals at Pueblo Animal Services.

“Nobody wants to take their animals there because they might end up dead. So you know it’s going to build a good rapport with the community and it’s going to save animals and that’s the most important thing,” LeDonna Edwards said.

While administrators with the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR), who runs the shelter, say it would put a strain on resources like staffing and money.

“The whole no-kill movement says that it can be done without resources, but that isn’t true,” Jan McHugh-Smith, President, and CEO of HSPPR said. “We’d have to look at the other additional resources would we need to be able to continue doing the contract and be able to meet that goal.”

The ordinance would go into effect in 2019. HSPPR said their contract with the city goes through 2018, and if passed it would affect their contract negotiations with the city.

Pueblo City Council approved the ordinance in a 4-3 vote after three hours of testimony.

Some council members brought up their concerns with how the ordinance, if approved, would be enforced in Pueblo County, as both the city and county share the tax-funded shelter, Pueblo Animal Services.

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