Wodonga Council staff recommends city's animal pound not re-open and new deal be struck with Albury Council

City councillors have been presented with a recommendation from staff to advise those fighting for the facility to re-open that such a move wasn't "cost effective" and council strike a deal with Albury Council for the latter to provide pound services for Wodonga for an initial three-year period commencing July 1.

A 102-page petition pleading for the pound to re-open was presented to council in January.

A concession agreed to by councillors at the time was assessing the viability of its return being considered as part of 2021-22 draft budget deliberations.

The pound shut in 2016.

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The present five-year contract with Country Canine Kennels to provide pound services from the Albury facility is due to expire on June 30.

In the past four years about 350-400 dogs and 200-250 cats have been impounded per year and of those, about 90 per cent of dogs and 50 per cent of cats have been re-united with their owners or re-homed.

Around eight per cent of dogs and around 50 per cent of cats are euthanised .

The estimated cost to upgrade Wodonga's pound to a "short stay facility" could be as high as $2 million, according to a report to be considered by councillors.

The cost estimate is crunched on increasing the floor area from approximately 350 to 550 square metres and taking about 18 months to design, tender and construct, leading to an interim solution with Albury still being required.

Pound services are expected to be taken over by Albury Council at the end of the current contract.

A proposed management fee advised by Albury is $120,000 (plus GST) per annum with a proposed daily operational fee being $40 per dog and $25 per cat, representing an increase of $61,000 for Wodonga ratepayers.

"Entering into the (service level agreement) with Albury Council is cost efficient, provides impounded animals with a well-designed and managed facility and is a good example of shared services with an adjoining council," the council staff report concludes.

"Albury Council has the capacity and capability, and with reasonable annual management and operations fees, can provide Wodonga Council with the best value for money option."

Wodonga Dog Rescue's Peta McRae said the staff recommendation was predictable.

"It's a poor excuse," she said.

"They are not listening to the community, they've made up their minds and won't change.

"There is a population here (Wodonga) that is growing all the time and I can't see how it can't be made viable."

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