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Animal shelter wants to raise fees
It may soon be more costly to adopt Fido or Fluffy into your home.A county budget marked by sluggish revenues means Loudoun's animal shelter near Waterford will have to raise most of its fees -- some significantly – so it can hire someone to operate a new mobile adoption vehicle.
Under the proposal, a resident would pay a total of $125 -- which includes adoption and spaying fees -- to take home a female puppy, $50 more than the current price.
Among the fees that make up that difference, the shelter's biggest proposed price hike is in animal sterilization, something the state requires of shelters before dogs and cats can be adopted.
On July 1, the shelter hopes to raise the price it charges customers for neutering male dogs from $40 to $65 and for spaying female dogs from $45 to $75. The same procedures for cats would go up by $10 to $50 and $60, respectively.
"That's still less than what veterinarians charge us," said shelter spokeswoman Laura Rizer, who added the shelter picks up the rest of the cost.
The shelter also intends to raise many of its adoption and license fees.
All told, the changes would generate about $100,000 in revenues each year. The money, shelter officials say, would go toward manning a vehicle that will transport animals up for adoption to festivals, businesses and shopping malls. One complaint the shelter has heard from residents in the east, especially, is that the Waterford facility is too isolated.
"I think this is a really good compromise to a building [in the east]," Supervisor Kelly Burk (D-Leesburg) said at a recent meeting with shelter officials.
A public hearing and approval by the Board of Supervisors must occur before the fee changes can take effect, Rizer said.
The shelter is not the only service residents may pay more for under Loudoun's fiscal year 2009 budget, according to Loudoun's Budget Office.
"I've been pushing for fees everywhere," said Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling), a supporter of charging more for county services to take pressure off taxpayers.
Parks, Recreation and Community Services will raise its preschool fees by about 5 percent and facility usage fees by about 10 percent. It also will increase what it charges to take part in its middle school-age after-school program from $20 a year to $25 a month.
Taxes on business licenses and the cost for data from the county's Office of Mapping and Geographic Information also will go up under the new fiscal plan, which begins July 1.
Contact the reporter at jjacks@timespapers.com
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