Monrovia Police Could Eliminate Animal Control Division

The Monrovia Police Department faces the prospect of eliminating its Animal Control Division if it can't find a provider to board and care for the city's stray animals, according to Police Chief Jim Hunt.

Hunt told the City Council Tuesday that the city's current animal shelter—the Inland Valley Humane Society (IVHS)—will no longer offer shelter services to cities unless they are also contracted to provide full animal control services.

Unless the city finds a new shelter contractor, it will have to eliminate its own animal control department and turn over those services to IVHS.

"We had some great concerns in terms of what we do with our employees if we can't find someone to give us a sheltering contract," Hunt said.

The IVHS has agreed to extend its shelter contract with the city for six months while the city researches its options, Hunt said. The city will pay the same monthly rate of $4,166 through December 2013.

Councilman Tom Adams suggested that the city offer its sheltering contract to local veterinarians that already board animals. Hunt said capacity will be an issue for vets because they don't have the same base of donor groups able to aid in getting animals adopted.

"Most veterinarians don't have anything like that," Hunt said.

Monrovia created its own Animal Control Division in 2008. The department brings between 300 and 400 stray animals to IVHS each year, Hunt said.