Less than a year after taking on its own animal control and shelter services, the City of Brewton is contracting with the Humane Society of Escambia County again — effective today.
In its first official meeting, the new city council voted unanimously Tuesday on the plan.
Mayor Yank Lovelace told the council that, upon approval of the contract, HSEC would be given use of the building and facilities of the current Brewton Animal Control and Pet Adoption Center  to serve the city of Brewton for animal control and sheltering.
“They would have use of the building and facilities at least until May 31, 2013,” Lovelace said. “During the first two years of the agreement, the city would pay the Humane Society $65,000 a year in monthly installments. If approved for another two-year period, the payment to the Humane Society would go up to $75,000 a year in monthly installments for the next two years. This will be effective Nov. 14.”
Until last year, the city had been paying $65,000 per year for Humane Society services. After several months of questions about the cost of services, the city decided to part ways with the organization. At the same time, the city of Atmore severed its ties with the Humane Society and continues to operate its own shelter in partnership with the Poarch Creek Indians.
In the agreement approved Tuesday between the City of Brewton and the Humane Society of Escambia County, HSEC would be responsible for stray animal pickup, live trap setting and retrieving, response and curative action to all complaints made by persons within the city of Brewton or by city representatives in respect to animals, animal cruelty investigations and enforcement, emergency 24/7 on call with emergency being defined as injured or possibly life threatening to animal or person, immediate response to animal bite reports or complaints, board and disposition of animals, providing adoptions serves for any animal evaluated and deemed adoptable by HSEC that has been vaccinated, spayed or neutered, community education, assistance to city law enforcement with any animal situation, rabies ordinance patrol and enforcement.
Also included in agreement, the city agrees to provide the HSEC with two employees from the current animal control staff, at the city’s expense, to aid HSEC in its animal control operations to ensure continuous and uninterrupted animal control oeprations throughout the city.
Renee Jones, director of HSEC, could not be reached for comment at press time Tuesday.
The ordinance is printed on page 2A of today’s Brewton Standard.