Windham renews contract with Animal Refuge League

The Windham Town Council has
renewed its annual contract with
the Animal Refuge League of 
Greater Portland to provide
shelter services for stray and
lost pets found in the town. 
Windham has contracted with 
ARL since 1990 and the new
Contract runs through the end
of June 2023.
COURTESY PHOTO  

By Ed Pierce

The Windham Town Council has unanimously approved the renewal of a contract for services with the Animal Refuge League for strays and surrendered pets.

During a meeting of council members on Feb. 8, councilors voted to renew the contract from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023.

In a memo to the council, Windham Town Manager Barry A. Tibbetts said that councilors needed to review the contract as state statutes  require municipalities to provide shelter at a state- licensed animal control shelter for stray and lost dogs, cats, and domestic pets that are a problem in the community and undomesticated animals that pose a threat to public health or safety, and requires that the municipality also must provide services relating to the humane disposition of said animals in the event they are not claimed by their owners.

Tibbets briefed councilors that the town has contracted with the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland for such services since 1990 and that the rate the town is charged remains unchanged under terms of the new annual contract.

The Animal Refuge League currently collects and reimburses the town a $25 impound fee the first time a pet owner claims a lost animal brought to the shelter by the town animal control officer. A $50 impound fee is imposed for a second offense and a $100 impound fee is charged for repeated housing of lost pets.

In 2021, the Animal Refuge League accepted 102 surrendered pets from Windham, including 79 cats, 18 dogs, four rabbits and a goat. Nine pets were returned to the shelter from Windham after adoption including five cats and four dogs. Some 89 stray animals picked up in Windham were housed at the ARL shelter in 2021, including 68 cats and 21 dogs.

Statistics compiled by the Animal Refuge League show that 131 pets were adopted by residents of Windham in the last year. That includes 89 cats, 34 dogs, two rabbits and six other animals.

The shelter also reported that 26 pets were determined to be dead upon arrival at the Animal Refuge League facility after transport there by a town animal control officer. That figure included 20 deceased cats and six deceased dogs.

From its shelter in Westbrook, the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland provides temporary care and shelter for stray, abandoned, confiscated, and relinquished animals, veterinary services, and places as many pets as possible into responsible and caring homes. It creates awareness and support for the humane treatment of all animals and strives to end animal overpopulation through education and the promotion of spaying and neutering.

In addition to animal care services and adoptions, the Animal Refuge League also offers dog training and hosts humane educations programs through the year.

Animal control services in Windham are administered by the Windham Police Department through an annual budget of $73,104. That amount includes the annual salary for the animal control officer, animal control unforms, equipment and supplies, and the services provided by the shelter. 

Under the terms of the new contract, the town will pay the Animal Refuge League $26,360.64 or about $1.43 per capita for those shelter services.  That amount is based upon the total number of residents of the town as determined by the 2020 census and remains unchanged from the amount charged in the previous annual contract, which expires June 30. <