9/24/18, Des Moines, Iowa
Tonight, the Des Moines City Council voted unanimously to approve a 10-year contract for Animal Control services with the Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL). The ARL has been the city’s preferred vendor for animal control services since 2005 and this contract will now extend this relationship into at least 2029.
We are pleased with this vote of confidence by the city council tonight to continue this partnership through the next decade. This is not only a great outcome for the continuity of service and care for the human and animal residents of Des Moines, but it also allows for exciting changes that will continue to benefit this community, and save more lives.
Through this agreement, the ARL will continue to:
- Prioritize public safety of the residents of Des Moines,
- Manage and staff an open admission shelter where no animal is turned away,
- Provide accessible and professional customer service to all residents of Des Moines,
- Offer community outreach programs that promote and support responsible pet ownership,
- Propose and pursue progressive, innovative solutions in animal control sheltering and operations for City consideration and community support.
The ARL will also continue to occupy the city’s building on SE 14th Street until construction on the city’s new building is complete in Summer 2021.
Animal Control Officers (ACOs) will continue to respond to calls dispatched by the Des Moines Police Department (DMPD) 7 days per week, from 7:00 am. -10:00 p.m. and DMPD officers will respond to calls outside of that time. The Animal Control shelter will continue to be open Monday-Saturday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and hours will continue to be evaluated to best meet the needs of the public.
There are nearly 5,500 Des Moines animals that arrive at Animal Control each year and the ARL is committed to continuing to stay at zero euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals, with public safety and animal welfare being the utmost priority.
We appreciate all of the work the city staff has done to put this contract together and the vote by the city council to ensure that Des Moines’ homeless and injured animals will continue to have a safe haven at the ARL, when they have nowhere else to turn
Tom Colvin
CEO, Animal Rescue League of Iowa
