Charleston County and Charleston Animal Society work to create new contract

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Charleston County and the Charleston Animal Society are working to create a new contract after the county terminated the agreement last month.

The county terminated its part of the contract in November, giving the animal society a 30-day notice. Charleston Animal Society said they had given a notice to the county last summer, concluding their part. Charleston County said they sent over a new proposal last week.

“Well, the biggest thing is that we need to know what we are paying for,” Herb Sass, county councilman, said. “We need to know, we need to make sure the animals being brought up there are being brought up there by the Charleston County’s Sheriff Office. And how many of them of them are being brought up there, and what we’re paying for. We paid a monthly amount scheduled by that contract and that’s a pretty substantial amount of money.”

Officials said they had been paying over $200,000 flat fee to the shelter since the initial contract began in 2019. The county ran an audit and is looking to itemize where their funds are going to.

However, Charleston Animal Society said the pay discrepancy is also something they are looking to work on their side as well.

“We cannot continue to subsidize what is the government’s obligation on these animals. So I’m encouraged, I’m optimistic that the elected officials can come together,” said Joe Elmore, president and CEO of Charleston Animal Society.

The county is working with Pet Helpers to hold space for the animals as they are negotiating the contract.

Both sides noted they are hoping to come to a compromise, as they’ve been working together since 1979.

“What we would like to see is we would like to get our contract which makes it very clear that the animals we’re responsible for are in unincorporated areas,” Sass said. “Hopefully the other municipalities work out a similar deal with the Charleston Animal Society. They’ve been a good organization for a long time.”

“We are the provider, we just need to be paid for the services we provide fairly and fully. Even with the tremendous discounts we provide the government. So that’s the real issue.”

The Charleston Animal Society is expected to continue working on the received proposal this week.