SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane's city council said they're ready to align with the county in running Spokane County's Regional Animal Protection Services, or SCRAPS.
"I mean we're stronger together, better policy together, better expectations for the region," said council member Michael Cathcart during a Thursday study session.
Spokane County CEO Scott Simmons was there, along with the county prosecutor's Chief Examiner Chris Anderson, on invite from the council. Councilmember Karen Stratton opened by saying it was an opportunity to have a discussion and move forward in a collaborative way. It was also, she noted, an effort to address the ongoing concerns about euthanasia for capacity issues.
"That is the big hot button for everybody right now," she said.
The city and county are heading into arbitration over SCRAPS and the continuing controversy that stemmed after community members complained about euthanasia policies; more than a dozen dogs were put down in one day, prompting emergency action from council.
That action is now the big hang-up in the shared spirit of cooperation.
"We really need that to be repealed and then we can move forward on resolving these disputes," Simmons told council.
The ordinance was passed September 25. It prohibits SCRAPS from putting down animals for lack of space by amending city code. It only applies to animals impounded from within the city, but Simmons said it's not only not binding on the county, but it violates the contract between the county and Spokane.
The county initiated arbitration shortly afterward the ordinance passed.
"I don't think it serves anyone's best interest to go through dispute resolution, but it's something we had to trigger," Simmons said.
He reiterated a common refrain: SCRAPS does not euthanize for capacity reasons as a matter of operation policy. However, it is allowed per county code. He says city code needs to be "substantially identical" to the county's per the SCRAPS contract.
"Couldn't we just fix the county's side that says the same thing, so they're both saying the same thing? If you're not doing it -- does that make sense," Stratton asked.
Simmons said that may put SCRAPS in a bind in the future, if the region's shelters couldn't take excess animals.
He also clarified a common misconception he says is adding to SCRAPS' issues with capacity: it's not primarily a shelter.
Simmons said the main role of the service is animal control and protection. That means, of the 7,000 animals they take in annually, a portion of them are not adoptable because of behavioral issues or violence. He said many dogs they see are trained for protection in drug rings, making them dangerous toward other dogs and people.
SCRAPS policy is to euthanize animals that are too dangerous or ill to be adopted out.
However, council member Cathcart took issue with the fact that county code reserves the right to put down animals if space is lacking.
"I think that absolutely has to be changed," he said.
Council president Lori Kinnear cut off Thursday's discussion to move on to other agenda items, but encouraged Stratton and Cathcart to meet with the county to continue the discussions and report back.
Simmons urged council to repeal the ordinance before they move forward. Cathcart said legal counsel will need to be present for those discussions and look further into whether the ordinance actually needs to go.
City attorney Lynden Smithson said they're trying to set up times for those discussions, including the dispute over the city's code.
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