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Humane Society no longer serving Oak Creek

Matt Stensland
Since the Routt County Humane Society took over the animal shelter from the city of Steamboat Springs in May 2015, the shelter has taken in about 16 animals from other communities.
Matt Stensland

Editors’s note: This story has been updated.

Oak Creek officials have decided they do not want to pay for the services provided by the Routt County Humane Society.

Town administrator Mary Alice Page-Allen said it ultimately came down to money.



“This is a very cost-driven decision, as well as a level-of-service decision,” she said.

Before the Humane Society took over Steamboat Springs Animal Shelter in May 2015, the city of Steamboat was not charging to house impounded animals brought in from Oak Creek and Hayden.



Humane Society Executive Director Alexis Pagoulatos said the organization has been subsidizing the service to Oak Creek and Hayden since taking over the shelter, and that needed to change.

“It’s my responsibility to ensure the financial health and stability of our organization,” Pagoulatos said.

In November, the Humane Society approached the town about paying for the services.

Page-Allen said the Humane Society asked for $6,000, and that was too much money, considering the town only had four surrendered dogs and five surrendered cats in 2016.

The Oak Creek town board offered to pay $3,000.

“That was not sufficient, apparently,” Page-Allen said.

But according to Pagoulatos, Page-Allen’s characterization of the fees the Humane Society requested, as well as the number of animals taken in from the town, were misleading.

Pagoulatos said the Humane Society revised its requested fee from $6,000 to $4,500 after removing animals included in the organization’s original budget whose owners or finders were not residents living within Oak Creek town limits. She supported her assertion with a follow-up memo she said was delivered to Oak Creek town officials.

She added Page-Allen’s contention that Oak Creek had taken in only four dogs and five cats in 2016 was also misleading.

“She (Page-Allen) was counting only the animals taken in by the police department and leaving out the animals brought in by Oak Creek residents who found strays in the streets and brought them in,” Pagoulatos said. “She also omitted animals surrendered by Oak Creek residents.”

Pagoulatos said the fees proposed by the Humane Society cover only a part of the actual costs incurred by the organization.

“We’re only asking to subsidize a fraction of what it costs us to house these animals,” Pagoulatos said.

Now that the Humane Society will no longer be servicing Oak Creek, the town plans to instead use the services of Bear Creek Animal Hospital in Craig.

Captured animals will be taken there if they are not claimed by owners within a reasonable period of time.

Animals with tags will be held in Craig for three days. Animals without tags will be held for five days. After that time, the animals will be available for adoption.

Page-Allen said it will cost the town about about $125 to house an animal in Craig for five days. The town will try to recover those costs from owners when they pick up their animals.

“We urge everyone to license their animals,” Page-Allen said. “We prefer to return animals to owners.”

Pagoulatos said the Humane Society hopes to bring its services back to Oak Creek residents.

“We genuinely truly, truly want to serve that community and their animals, because we believe they are better off with us,” Pagoulatos said. “It puts us in a tough position, because we know the residents really want to bring animals to us.”

The changes only impact residents living within Oak Creek town limits.

The Humane Society is currently negotiating with the town of Hayden to continue offering its services there.

Police Chief Greg Tuliszewski said Hayden town officials have asked the Humane Society for additional information.

Steamboat Today Evening Editor Jim Patterson contributed to this report.

To reach Matt Stensland, call 970-871-4247, email mstensland@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @SBTStensland


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