By Andrew de Souza

SPCA gets city funding

May 31, 2011 | 6:13 AM

After several years of the negotiation, the Prince Albert SPCA is now the recipient of dedicated city funding in its role as pound keeper.

For several years, the organization has been without a contract and been negotiating with the city in order to secure funding for the work it does.

On Monday city council approved funding for the organization at $140,000 for the 2011 year. That annual funding will increase for the next four years before stabilizing at $213,000 per year.

“This agreement, we’re very pleased to see it resolved,” said SPCA president Joleen McCullagh.

“We’re very excited to move forward with our partnership with the city and we’re very appreciative of the efforts made by both sides to come to an agreement.”

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It’s a substantial jump from the $80,000 the SPCA received in 2010.

Additional funds were needed to help with the more than 1,000 animals that find themselves at the pound each year and all the food, vaccination and staff time that entails, McCullagh said.

She said that without city funding the organization had been perennially fighting to keep its doors open through donations and volunteer efforts.

In addition, council also voted in favour of donating a vehicle to the organization and provide all licensing fees to them.

Negotiations took some time because originally the city didn’t want to fund the increase since it would mean the city would need to find addition revenue largely through a tax increase.

However, during the negotiations, the SPCA said that it would cost the city much more to try to act as its own poundkeeper.

adesouza@panow.com