West Valley Humane Society Opinion Editorial

Op-Ed: A Call for Collaboration: Securing the Future of West Valley Humane Society

By Nick Lippincott, President, Board of Directors West Valley Humane Society

Every day at West Valley Humane Society (WVHS), we open our doors to some of the most vulnerable members of our community—abandoned pets, lost animals, and those in desperate need of care. These animals don’t have a voice, but they do have us. And right now, we are at a crossroads. Change is never easy, especially when it affects the communities we care deeply about.

The Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to notify the City of Caldwell and the City of Nampa of our intent to end our current contracts. This is not a rejection. It is an invitation. An appeal for partnership. A call to come together and build something more sustainable for a collaborative future. Canyon County Partnership We sincerely appreciate Canyon County’s willingness to engage in good faith and agree to our adjusted contract terms.

Their partnership reflects a shared commitment to responsible animal care and community service. This decision does not reflect a lack of appreciation for Canyon County’s support; in fact, we hope to continue building on this strong foundation in the future. The Cost of Compassion For over a decade, WVHS has operated under contracts with our municipal partners that have not kept pace with rising costs, increased animal intake, population growth, and evolving standards of care. Our requests for substantial increases are not a luxury; they are the minimum needed to continue serving our municipal partners responsibly.

In return, our municipal partners receive a full-service shelter, staffed by professionals and supported by over 375 volunteers who give their time, energy, and hearts to this mission. Despite repeated requests for meaningful adjustments, the cities have continued to insist on adherence to an outdated contract, resulting in ongoing financial hardship for the shelter.

To ensure transparency and fairness, we encourage the cities to pursue a Request for Proposals (RFP) process. This would allow them to fully evaluate whether the requested increases are, in fact, the most effective and economical option for meeting their legally required animal sheltering services.

However, WVHS firmly believes that the only way to make contracted animal sheltering sustainable and equitable for all jurisdictions is for every municipal partner to enter into a unified joint service agreement.

A joint agreement would establish:

● A clear, shared understanding of the true cost of care

● Consistent expectations across all municipalities

● Fair distribution of funding responsibility

● Long-term stability that protects both taxpayers and the animals

Without such an agreement, funding gaps and conflicting expectations will continue to jeopardize the future of animal sheltering in our community. Humane Societies Are Part of Vital Community Infrastructure Humane societies are not a luxury.

They are a vital part of a functioning, compassionate community, especially now. With the rising costs of food and housing and Canyon County welcoming thousands of new residents, more families are struggling to make ends meet. And when people struggle, their pets struggle too.

Studies show that people who are food insecure will often go hungry themselves to keep their pets fed. Without a humane society, the burden of sheltering animals falls on individuals who may already be struggling to care for themselves. This can impact their ability to find employment, maintain stable housing, and maintain good health. Clarifying Misconceptions:

Throughout this budgeting process, there have been several public statements and communications that do not accurately reflect the facts of our negotiations:

● The City of Caldwell expressed surprise at WVHS’s proposed budget increase from $63,000 to $540,000. However, we began raising concerns about funding as early as November 2024, including hosting an open house to start a transparent dialogue.

Although the mayor did not attend or respond to follow-ups, we continued engaging with city staff. In March 2025, we submitted a detailed pro forma budget to Finance Manager Rae Lynn North, who arranged a meeting with the City Council.

Unfortunately, the city did not inform the Council of the proposed increase in advance, thereby limiting the opportunity for meaningful discussion.

● On June 24, Mayor Wagoner stated on Boise State Public Radio that the City had offered to increase WVHS’s funding to $125,000. No such offer was ever communicated to us. This discrepancy between public statements and actual negotiations has made it difficult to move forward in good faith.

● The City Council has framed our request as an ultimatum. In truth, $540,000 is the minimum required to continue operating under the current contract and expectations. As of June 30, 2025, WVHS has incurred a loss of over $305,000. Payroll is our largest expense, with current salaries totaling nearly $1.2 million, even while operating with multiple vacancies. Fully staffing the shelter would require $1.97 million in payroll, with total 2026 expenses projected at $2.42 million. We are asking municipal partners for $1.5 million and will raise the remaining $945,000 through adoptions and fundraising. Our 375+ volunteers help offset costs, but without adequate funding, we will be forced to reduce staff, putting animal welfare at risk.

● Some have suggested that increasing shelter funding would hurt the police department. Yet, at a recent Chamber luncheon, Captain Ingram noted the department ended 2024 nearly $1 million under budget—funds that could be reallocated. He also cited a per-animal cost of $16,000 based on our request, but this figure is misleading. As of July 10, Caldwell has brought 907 animals to WVHS, resulting in an actual cost of approximately $310 per animal, which is far below the $500 charged by the Idaho Humane Society in Ada County.

● The City Council has raised concerns about WVHS’s financial management but has not invited us to respond. In 2024, our Board hired new CFO to review our practices and retained a professional accounting firm to prepare and review the financial statements. We also shared these records with the Idaho Post-Dispatch, whose reporting found no evidence of wrongdoing—only a lack of sufficient funding. In response, we’ve implemented stronger financial controls, including a days-cash-on-hand covenant and tighter spending oversight.

● Mayor Wagoner has acknowledged that the City has no contingency plan for animal sheltering and depends on WVHS to meet its legal obligations. Yet, the Council has suggested that funding changes can be delayed until October 2026. Without additional support, WVHS will be forced to close by January 2026 due to a lack of funds. Comparative Analysis and Value to the Community WVHS’s funding request is both reasonable and cost-effective for taxpayers across all three jurisdictions.

● Canyon County currently contributes just $4.23 per resident each year, despite county-wide population growth continuing to drive more animals into the shelter. The proposed adjustment would bring that to $4.79 per capita, still far below the costs of alternative sheltering models.

● Caldwell’s current contribution is less than $1 per resident annually, despite bringing in more than 900 animals so far this year. The proposed adjustment to $540,000 would raise Caldwell’s per-resident cost to $7.90, which remains significantly lower than what similar cities spend.

● Nampa contributes the least per resident, just $0.72 annually. Even with the proposed $720,000 adjustment, Nampa’s per-resident cost would be only $6.30, a fraction of the actual cost of running an in-house municipal shelter. For context, Pocatell, similar in size to Caldwell, spends $1.14 million annually on its municipal-run shelter. Meridian determined that building and operating its own shelter would cost over $127 million over 30 years, more than double the cost of outsourcing to the Idaho Humane Society. Even at the proposed funding levels,

WVHS would continue to provide high-quality, legally required sheltering services at one of the lowest per-resident costs in Idaho. A Path Forward While we sincerely appreciate the City of Nampa’s willingness to propose a significant funding increase from $80,000 to $483,000.

WVHS must also acknowledge our responsibility to ensure that any agreement we enter into is financially sustainable over its full term. Committing to another year of service under current terms, without a long-term solution in place, risks future service disruptions that would be unfair to the City, its residents, and the animals in our care.

We remain fully committed to working with Nampa in good faith and are hopeful that continued dialogue will identify a mutually viable path forward. Resolving these complex issues requires open, direct communication between WVHS and municipal leaders.

While some opportunities for dialogue have been missed, we remain committed to working collaboratively to find solutions that benefit both the community and the animals in our care. Despite the challenges and politicization of budget discussions,

WVHS continues to offer high-quality, cost-effective services. Few alternatives exist for Caldwell, Nampa, or Canyon County that wouldn’t result in higher costs or reduced care. The Board believes that by moving beyond rhetoric and engaging in good faith, we can reach an agreement that reflects our shared values and ensures animal sheltering remains a shared, sustainable responsibility.