The Marion County Board has unanimously agreed to end its contract with the City of Centralia to house dogs picked up in unincorporated parts of the county. The decision comes when Centralia doubled the cost to $6,000 a month and dogs no longer being accepted when the pound is full.
Community Relations Committee Chair Bill Henson says the contract with Centralia ends on December first.
“At this time we don’t have a contract with the city of Centralia, but we do have options,” Henson said. “We’re either going to do home confinement, or right now the animal control warden is taking animals and confining them at his home. We’re moving forward and trying to find a facility as soon as possible that’s more permanent.”
The committee has been asking for suggestions on buildings that could be converted into a dog pound. Henson says there is no timetable to get a facility up and running. However, he notes with Centralia often refusing dogs their current situation will not change much. Having their own facility will also allow the county to meet state law that they handle animal control both within incorporated and rural areas.
