EVERETT — It’ll cost more in 2016 to reclaim cats or dogs lost in most parts of Snohomish County.
The Everett animal shelter reviews rates annually, and upped the amount by $30 for next year. What people pay to reclaim pets is set individually by Snohomish County and a dozen other jurisdictions that contract with the city for shelter services.
“This is the fee that’s charged to owners on redemption,” said Vicki Lubrin, manager of Snohomish County’s licensing and animal control services. “It’s for the care of the animal while it’s at the animal shelter. That fee covers for known owners up to 10 days.”
For stray cats and dogs from unincorporated areas, the 2016 fee will be $195, compared to $165 in 2015.
If a cat or dog is impounded by county animal control staff, the 2016 fee will be $375, compared to $340 in 2015. That amount also includes the animal control officer’s time and transport costs.
“Our ordinance requires us to recoup our costs from known owners, when possible,” Lubrin said.
Also contracting with Everett for shelter services are: Bothell, Gold Bar, Granite Falls, Index, Lake Stevens, Lynnwood, Marysville, Mill Creek, Monroe, the city of Snohomish, Stanwood and the Tulalip Tribes. Fees charged for animals from those areas differ.
“Even with that, it’s not going to fully cover our cost of operations,” Everett city spokeswoman Meghan Pembroke said.
The county chipped in $2.5 million of the $6.2 million construction costs for shelter on 333 Smith Island Road. The facility opened in 2009.
Fees are lower for Everett residents: $55 plus a $15 per-day boarding fee. Additional charges apply for licenses and if an officer brings in the animal.
The shelter receives roughly an equal number of cats and dogs. Of the 5,399 animals brought in during 2014, 2,621 were cats and 2,539 dogs, shelter director Glynis Frederiksen said. There were 239 other types of critters.
Animals from unincorporated areas accounted for a little over a third of the total.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465; nhaglund@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @NWhaglund.
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