After months of negotiations, and threats of a split, the city of Davenport and Humane Society of Scott County have agreed to continue working together. Last week, the city council approved a new three-year contract for animal control and shelter services.
The society's executive director, Pam Arndt, says her six animal control officers handle about 400 calls per month from all across Scott County, with most of the calls from Davenport.
"Someone who knows what they're doing has to be able to go out and handle these animals, you know sometime they're dangerous or vicious. We're trying to serve and protect just like the police department, only we do it on the animal side."
Recently, the humane society has sheltered about 3,000 animals per year, at cost of about 12 dollars a day for each dog or cat.
Arndt says the city and humane society have worked together since 1902, but it wasn't until the last 35 years or so that they've had an actual contract.