Ponderay police ends agreement with animal shelter due to rising costs [Video]

PONDERAY, Idaho — The Ponderay Police Department said that they will no longer accept dogs found at-large by the public, following the dissolution of its longstanding agreement with the Better Together Animal Alliance (BTAA) due to financial constraints.

According to a Facebook post written by Ponderay Police Chief Jimmy Cornelius, the department paid $1,000 annually to the BTAA to shelter dogs found by police officers and citizens within the city limits. In 2023, this covered 11 dogs brought in by officers, averaging roughly $90 per dog. However, BTAA also accepted additional dogs brought in by members of the public, raising the total number to 30 for the year.

The Ponderay Police Department said that their decision comes after BTAA proposed an increase in the cost of services for the 2024-2025 budget year. The proposed cost of $19,184 would have represented a 1,818.4% increase over the previous year, or about …