Allowing a company to handle animal tags could mean savings and more thorough health and recovery services.
By WILL VAN SANT
Published October 4, 2003
BROOKSVILLE - Commissioners Tuesday will consider whether to privatize the county's animal licensing program.
Staffers are recommending the county enter into a contract with Irving, Texas-based PetData Inc., which would handle the bulk of the county's animal licensing chores electronically. The aim is to promote pet sterilization and vaccination while decreasing the number of pets that are euthanized, officials said.
"We have done background checks with other communities they are dealing with," Jim Varn, county animal services director, said of PetData. "They have been very successful."
In Florida, the company handles licensing for Martin County and the city of Jacksonville. Elsewhere in the nation, PetData performs animal licensing for Dallas and Kansas City, Mo.
Under the terms of the contract, the company would process all requests for licenses by mail and the Internet; manage the accounts of Animal Services and area veterinarians who offer licensing services, ensuring they have adequate forms on hand; collect data on all licenses issued and rabies vaccinations performed in the county; and handle all licensing payments.
The company will collect $3.50 for each license sold. All pets in the county must be vaccinated for rabies annually. The cost for licensing a spayed or neutered dog or cat will remain $10. In an effort to promote spaying and neutering, license costs will increase to $30 from $20 for an unsterilized animal.
According to county officials, the company's interactive Web site will allow those who find licensed animals to simply go to a computer, type in the number on the animal's tags and find the owner.
Also, the company will mail out reminders to pet owners when it's time to renew licenses.
"They are doing a lot of work for us for $3.50," said Frank McDowell III, the county's code enforcement director.
Built into the agreements are changes to licensing procedures meant to promote spaying, neutering and rabies vaccinations. For example, if an animal is licensed, has its rabies shot and is sterilized, animal services officers will deliver a lost pet home free of charge the first time it is found.
The PetData contract will save the county enough money to reduce the charge for three-year licenses, which require a three-year rabies shot, to $27 from $30, McDowell said. The savings will go into a fund to pay for rabies vaccination clinics, sterilization rebates and animal adoption campaigns, McDowell said. Officials hope the adoption campaigns will decrease the number of animals euthanized at shelters.
Should county commissioners approve the contract, officials hope to start using PetData's services Nov. 1.
- Will Van Sant covers Hernando County government and can be reached at 754-6127. Send e-mail to vansant@sptimes.com
