HomeMy WebLinkAbout13.A.1. Animal Control ContractCITY OF SHAKOPEE
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Memorandum
TO: Mayor and City Council
Mark McNeill, City Administrator
FROM: Craig Robson, Captain
SUBJECT: Animal Control Contract
DATE: April 5, 2011
INTRODUCTION:
The current animal control contract for the City expired on March 31, 2011. The police
department has continued to use the services of 4 PAWS Animal Control LLC during the
interim. The police department is asking council to enter into a two -year agreement with
4 PAWS Animal Control LLC, to continue as the City's animal control service provider.
BACKGROUND:
The police department recently received two proposals for our animal control services.
Minnesota Critter Getters and 4 PAWS submitted proposals which were reviewed by
department staff.
Minnesota Critter Getters proposal included a monthly charge of $2,600, no animal
control patrol services and a kenneling location in Jordan, MN. The 4 PAWS proposal
included a $2,300 monthly charge, 8 hours of animal control patrol time and a kennel
location much closer for Shakopee residents.
It is the recommendation of the police department to continue to use 4 PAWS for the
City's animal control services.
BUDGET IMPACT:
Funds are dedicated in the 2011 police depa" twent budget for animal control services.
The RFP submitted by 4 PAWS includes language that allows the City to discontinue the
agreement with a 30 day written notice, should this be an area where the City chooses to
discontinue service.
VISIONING RELATIONSHIP:
This action supports:
Goal D — Maintain, improve and create strong partnerships with other public and private
sector entities.
Strategy 6: Provide high quality services
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City enter into a two -year agreement with 4 PAWS Animal
Control /LLC for the City's animal control services at a rate of $2,300.00 per month.
ACTION REQUESTED:
The City Council, if they concur, should by motion authorize the appropriate city
officials to enter into a two -year agreement with 4 PAWS Animal Control/LLC for the
City's Animal Control Services.
Attachments
1) Agreement and Proposal/Bid From 4 PAWS Animal Control /LLC
AGREEMENT FOR ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICES
THIS AGREEMENT is made on the 5 day of April, 2011 between the City of Shakopee, a
Minnesota municipal corporation (hereinafter "City"), whose address is: 129 South Holmes
Street and 4 Paws Animal Control Services, LLC (hereinafter "Animal Control Officer ") whose
business address is: 4110 Raspberry Ridge Road NE, Prior Lake, MN 55372..
PRELIMINARY STATEMENT
The City has adopted a policy regarding the selection and hiring of consultants to provide a
variety of services for City projects. That policy requires that persons, firms or corporations
providing such services enter into written agreements with the City. The purpose of this
Agreement is to set forth the terms and conditions under which 4 Paws Animal Control Services,
LLC will provide animal control services and act as the City's Animal Control Officer.
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the City requires the services of an Animal Control Officer for public safety
reasons; and
WHEREAS, the City's previous Animal Control Agreement terminated services to the City
on March 31, 2011; and
WHEREAS, on March 29, 2011, the City issued a request for quotations for animal
control services to two vendors, a copy of the City's letter requesting quotations is incorporated
herein and attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A; and
WHEREAS, the two firms that submitted proposals and were interviewed by the City were
Minnesota Critter Getters and 4 Paws Animal Control Services, LLC; and
WHEREAS, the City Council reviewed both proposals and decided that 4 Paws Animal
Control Services, LLC be selected to serve as Animal Control Officer; and
WHEREAS, the 4 Paws Animal Control Services, LLC proposal is incorporated herein
and attached to this Agreement as Exhibit B; and
NOW, THEREFORE, based on the mutual promises and consideration provided for
herein, the sufficiency of which is not disputed, the parties agree as follows:
1. Recitals. The Recitals set forth above are incorporated by reference as if fully set
forth herein.
2. Animal Control Officer. 4 Paws Animal Control Services, LLC shall designate
Scott Hutnik to serve as the City's Animal Control Officer. Any change by 4 Paws
Animal Control to this personnel designation must be approved in advance by the
City.
3. Scope of Work. The Scope of the Work is set forth in two documents, the City's
letter requesting quotations dated March 1, 2006, which is attached to this
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Agreement as Exhibit A and 4 Paws Animal Control Services, LLC's Proposal
dated March 29, 2011, which is attached to this Agreement as Exhibit B. Exhibits
A and B are incorporated by reference herein as if fully set forth. Read together,
Exhibits A and B, and this Agreement collectively constitute the "Contract
Documents" and define the work the Animal Control Officer shall perform on behalf
of the City pursuant to this Agreement. If there is a conflict between any of the
provisions in the Contract Documents, the discrepancy shall be resolved by
utilizing the provisions most favorable to the City. The Animal Control Officer shall
perform all the work as set forth in and required by the Contract Documents (the
"Work ") in strict accordance with the Contract Documents, including, but not limited
to, the following:
a. Provide a dedicated phone line for animal control service requests. The
Animal Control Officer must answer the dedicated phone line 24 hours a
day and 365 days a year. Any missed phone calls must be returned by the
Animal Control Officer immediately.
b. Operate an animal impound facility. The facility shall be open to the public
from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekdays and from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
on weekends. The Animal Control Officer shall also allow animal owners
and the City to schedule appointments outside of these times to drop off or
retrieve an animal from the facility.
c. Transport animals in need of medical treatment or euthanasia to the
veterinarian.
d. Pay for any veterinarian services that are incurred by the animal during the
impound period (including euthanasia). The Animal Control Officer may
require the animal's owner to reimburse it for these services. However,
under no circumstances shall the City be responsible for payment of these
services.
e. Send or give notification to animal's owner that his or her animal has been
brought in or picked up (when the owner is known). Notification shall be
within 24 hours of receipt of the animal by the Animal Control Officer.
f. Pick up and dispose of dead animals on City roads and property. The
Animal Control Officer shall be responsible for any disposal costs.
g.
Provide the City with at least eight hours per month of additional animal
control services which are not included services pursuant to the Contract
Documents.
h. Respond to all emergencies within the City involving animals.
Quarantine animals in the impound facility when required by the City. The
Animal Control Officer may charge the animal's owner for these services.
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Provide the City with a monthly report of all animal control enforcement
activities that occurred during that month, including: incident information,
animal owner information, final disposition of the animal and any fees
collected.
k. Pick up sick or injured wild animals.
I. Collect any license or other fees on behalf of the City from animal owners.
All fees collected shall be remitted by the Animal Control Officer to the City
on a monthly basis, no later than the last day of the month.
m. Transport unclaimed animals to a shelter or to a veterinarian for euthanasia.
n. Pick up nuisance domestic animals that are in violation of the City's
Ordinances.
o. Advise the City on animal control regulations and standards.
p. Prepare notices, letters, waivers, etc. and perform other work as directed by
the City pertaining to dangerous dogs and potentially dangerous dogs.
4. Time for Performance of Services. The Animal Control Officer shall perform the
services described in the Contract Documents within the timeframe specified
therein unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties in writing.
5. Standards. All Work performed pursuant to this Agreement shall be in
accordance with the standard of care in Scott County, Minnesota for services of
the like kind.
6. Term. The term of this Agreement is from April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2013.
7. Compensation for Services.
a. Annual Amount. The City agrees to pay the Animal Control Officer $27,600
for the period April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012 and $27,600 for the period
April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013. The annual amount shall constitute full
compensation by the City for all of the services set forth in the Contract
Documents.
b. Method of Payment. The annual amount will be paid by the City to the
Animal Control Officer in monthly installments of $2,300 no later than the
15 of each month for the preceding month.
c. Compensation for Additional Services and Expenses. In addition to the
above compensation, the Animal Control Officer may perform additional
services or incur expenses that are not included in the scope of work
pursuant to the Contract Documents, such as retaining special consultants.
The Animal Control Officer will be compensated for this additional work or
expenses so long as work and expenses are approved by the City in writing
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in advance. For work to be paid on an hourly basis, the Animal Control
Officer shall indicate for each employee: his or her name, job title, the
number of hours worked, his or her rate of pay, and a computation of
amounts due along with the total amount due for each project task. For
expenses, the Animal Control Officer shall provide such documentation as
reasonably required by the City. If any additional work is performed by the
Animal Control Officer and it is abandoned or suspended in whole or in part
by the City, the Animal Control Officer shall be paid for any services
performed on account of it prior to receipt of written notice from the City of
such abandonment or suspension.
d. The Animal Control Officer shall submit to the City, on a monthly basis,
itemized bills for animal control services that were provided that month.
The Animal Control Officer shall verify all statements submitted for payment
in compliance with Minnesota Statutes Sections 471.38 and 471.391.
8. City's Responsibilities. The City is responsible for the following:
a. Property Access. Depending on the nature of the work, the Animal Control
Officer may from time to time require access to public or private property. As
may be necessary, the City shall obtain access to and make all provisions for
the Animal Control Officer to enter upon the property as required for the Animal
Control Officer to perform such services necessary to complete the work.
b. Review of the Animal Control Officer's Work. The City shall review all reports
and other documents presented by the Animal Control Officer, and shall inform
the Animal Control Officer of all decisions required of City within a reasonable
time so as not to delay the work of the Animal Control Officer.
c. City's Representative. The City's Police Chief, or his or her designee shall
communicate with the Animal Control Officer with respect to the work to be
performed under this Agreement. The Police Chief or his or her designee shall
have complete authority to transmit instructions, receive information, interpret,
and define the City's policy and decisions with respect to the services to be
provided by the Animal Control Officer pursuant to this Agreement.
9. Audit Disclosure. The Animal Control Officer shall allow the City or its duly
authorized agents reasonable access to such of the Animal Control Officer's books
and records as are pertinent to all services provided under this Agreement. Any
reports, information, data, etc. given to, or prepared or assembled by, the Animal
Control Officer under this Agreement which the City requests to be kept
confidential shall not be made available to any individual or organization without
the City's prior written approval. All finished or unfinished documents, data,
studies, surveys, drawings, maps, models, photographs, and reports prepared by
the Animal Control Officer shall become the property of the City upon termination
of this Agreement, but Animal Control Officer may retain copies of such
documents as records of the services provided.
10. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated by either party by 30 days'
written notice delivered to the other party at the address written above. Upon
termination under this provision if there is no breach of any of the terms of this
Agreement by the Animal Control Officer, the City shall make certain that the
Animal Control Officer is paid a prorated amount of the annual amount of
compensation until the date of termination and is paid for any additional services
rendered or expenses incurred that were approved in advance by the City.
If however, the City terminates the Agreement because, in the City's opinion, the
Animal Control Officer has failed to perform in accordance with this Agreement, no
further payment shall be made to the Animal Control Officer and any remaining
annual installments to be paid by the City will be forfeited. However, the City will
pay the Animal Control Officer for any additional services that were rendered or
expenses incurred that were approved in advance by the City.
11. Subcontractor. The Animal Control Officer shall not enter into subcontracts for
services provided under this Agreement except as noted in the Contract
Documents, without the express written consent of the City. The Animal Control
Officer shall pay any subcontractor involved in the performance of this Agreement
within the 10 days of the Animal Control Officer's receipt of payment by the City for
undisputed services provided by the subcontractor. If the Animal Control Officer
fails within that time to pay the subcontractor any undisputed amount for which the
Animal Control Officer has received payment by the City, the Animal Control
Officer shall pay interest to the subcontractor on the unpaid amount at the rate of
1.5 percent per month or any part of a month. The minimum monthly interest
penalty payment for an unpaid balance of $100 or more is $10. For an unpaid
balance of less than $100, the Animal Control Officer shall pay the actual interest
penalty due to the subcontractor.
12. Independent Consultant. At all times and for all purposes herein, the Animal
Control Officer is an independent contractor and not an employee of the City. No
statement herein shall be construed so as to find the Animal Control Officer an
employee of the City. The City shall not assume any liability and shall not be
responsible for the direct payment of any of salary, wage, workers' compensation,
income tax withholding and health insurance or any other type of compensation to
any of the Animal Control Officer's employees.
13. Non - Discrimination. During the performance of this Agreement, the Animal
Control Officer shall not discriminate against any employee or applicants for
employment because of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital
status, status with regard to public assistance, disability, or age. The Animal
Control Officer shall post in places available to its employees and applicants for
employment, notices setting forth the provision of this non - discrimination clause
and stating that all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.
The Animal Control Officer shall incorporate the foregoing requirements of this
paragraph in all of its subcontracts for work to be performed pursuant to this
Agreement, and will require all of its subcontractors for such work to incorporate
such requirements in all subcontracts for work to be performed pursuant to this
Agreement.
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14. Assignment. Neither party shall assign this Agreement, or any interest arising
herein, without the written consent of the other party.
15. Services Not Provided For. No claim for services furnished by the Animal
Control Officer not specifically provided for herein or approved by the City in writing
in advance shall be honored by the City.
16. Compliance with Laws and Regulations. In providing services hereunder, the
Animal Control Officer shall abide by all statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations
pertaining to the provisions of services to be provided. The Animal Control Officer
and City, together with their respective agents and employees, agree to abide by
the provisions of the Minnesota Data Practices Act, Minnesota Statutes Chapter
13, as amended, and Minnesota Rules promulgated pursuant to Chapter 13. Any
violation of statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations pertaining to the services to
be provided shall constitute a material breach of this Agreement and entitle the
City to immediately terminate this Agreement.
17. Waiver. Any waiver by either party of a breach of any provisions of this
Agreement shall not affect, in any respect, the validity of the remainder of this
Agreement.
18. Indemnification. The Animal Control Officer agrees to defend, indemnify and
hold the City, its officials, employees, agents and contractors harmless from any
claim brought or actions filed against the City for property damage, bodily injury or
death arising out of or relating to the Animal Control Officer's work pursuant to this
Agreement, including from and against all losses incurred by the City by reason of
the failure of the Animal Control Officer to fully perform, in any respect, any of its
obligations pursuant to this Agreement.
19. Insurance.
a. General Liability. The Animal Control Officer shall maintain commercial
general liability insurance with a limit of not less than $1,500,000 each
occurrence. The policy shall cover liability arising from premises,
operations, independent contractors, products - completed operations,
personal injury and advertising injury and contractually- assumed liability.
The insurance shall be on a primary and non - contributory basis. The City
shall be named as an additional insured under the policy.
b. Workers' Compensation. The Animal Control Officer shall provide a
certificate of insurance showing evidence of workers' compensation
coverage or provide evidence of qualification as a self- insurer of workers'
compensation.
c. Automobile Liability. Throughout the term of this Agreement, the Animal
Control Officer shall maintain automobile liability insurance with a limit of not
Tess than $1,500,000 each occurrence. The insurance shall cover liability
arising out of the Animal Control Officer's patrol vehicles, and any other
automobiles, including owned, hired, and non -owned automobiles.
Certificates of insurance for all insurance policies required above shall be filed with
the City prior to the commencement of the Work. The certificates and the required
insurance policies shall contain provisions that the coverage will not be canceled
or allowed to expire until at least 30 days' prior written notice has been given to
the City.
20. Entire Agreement. The entire agreement of the parties is contained herein. This
Agreement supersedes all oral agreements and negotiations between the parties
relating to the subject matter hereof as well as any previous agreements presently
in effect between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof. Any alterations,
amendments, deletions, or waivers of the provisions of this Agreement shall be
valid only when expressed in writing and duly signed by the parties, unless
otherwise provided herein.
21. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be controlled by the laws of the State of
Minnesota.
22. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement are severable. If any portion
hereof is, for any reason, held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be contrary to
law, such decision shall not affect the remaining provisions of this Agreement.
Executed as of the day and year first written above.
4 PAWS ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICES, LLC CITY OF SHAKOPEE
By:
Scott Hutnik
Its: President
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By:
John J. Schmitt
Its: Mayor
By:
Mark McNeill
Its: City Administrator
By:
Judith S. Cox
Its: City Clerk
EXHIBIT A
City Letter Requesting Quotations
[to be attached]
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4 Paws Animal Control
12848 Chestnut Blvd.
Shakopee, MN 55372
March 31, 2011
Shakopee Police Department
475 Gorman St.
Shakopee, MN 55379
RE: Request for Proposal 2011 -2013
City of Shakopee:
I'm writing to inform you that 4 Paws Animal Control agrees to the terms of
the attached contract. We hereby give permission to formalize the contract in
its current form. We will continue to provide the City of Shakopee animal
control service as outlined in the contract. Attention to specific duties as
discussed will be carried out effectively thereby servicing all needs of the
City for animal control.
Regards,
Scott Hutnik
952 -894 -9065
EXHIBIT B
4 Paws Animal Control Services, LLC Proposal
[to be attached]
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PROPOSAL /BID
FOR PROVIDING
ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICE
FOR:
THE CITY OF SHAKOPEE
Submitted by
4PAWS ANIMAL CONTROL, LLC
4110 RASPERRY RIDGE ROAD NE,
PRIOR LAKE, MN 55372
952 - 894 -9065
Fax: 952- 707 -6967
March 29, 2011
WRITTEN INFORMATION REQUESTED BY RFP
Chapter 1. Introduction.
A. Introduce your firm by including the owners and employees of the service, contact person(s),
the address of your animal control facility, an office phone and fax number and email address
for the owners /operators of the service.
B. Include background information about the owners and employees of the animal control
service.
4PAWS is dedicated to providing quality animal control service for the cities and counties it
contracts with, for the people who call us with their complaints, for the owners of the animals
we come into contact with, and for the pets and animals we find and protect every day.
Everyone who works at 4Paws is a part owner of the company and we all take pride in the
quality of service we provide.
Our owners include:
Scott Hutnik
Chris Hutnik
We also have several volunteers who come in and help us with our animals. Our staff can be
reached at our main office at 952 - 894 -9065 or we can be reached by fax at 952- 707 -6967. You
can also contact us by email at hutnikenterprise@hotmail.com and our website is www.4paws-
Scott-ctv-ac.com
Chapter 11. Historical Information
B. Identify in your proposal what sets your animal control service apart from others.
March 29, 2011
A. Historical information about your firm should be provided. Include information about
how long your firm as been in business and the number of employees in the company.
4Paws has been in the animal control business since December 21 1991. Our goal is to
provide quality service which is available 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. We currently
have four co- owners providing animal control service in the Scott County area.
While our goal at 4Paws is providing a quality service, we are dedicated to helping the
animals who need us the most -the unclaimed ones. We keep our impound facility clean and
safe for our visiting pets, and if a pet is not claimed by its owner, we work with more than a
dozen rescue groups to find a new and better home for these pets. We have been
extremely successful in saving these animals in the past and we will continue our efforts in
the future.
Chapter III. Previous Work Experience.
March 29, 2011
A. List public or private entities that you have or currently provide animal control services to
the Twin Cities metropolitan area and /or adjacent surroundings. Please provide contact
information for these entities so that we can contact them about your companies'
performance.
We currently provide animal control service to over 20 separate government entities,
ranging from small townships to whole counties.
Animal Control References:
City of Savage - Colleen Johnson -Code Enforcement 952 - 882 -2600
City of Shakopee
City of Prior Lake: Police Department /Randy Hofstad - 952 - 447 -9862, 952 - 445 -0005
Scott County -Chief Deputy: Dean Opatz 952 - 496 -8304
City ofJordan
City of Belle Plaine
City of Elko /New Market
City of Farmington: Police Department -Sandy or Marilyn 651 - 463 -3333
City of Mendota Heights- Officer Scott Patrick
City of Chaska -CSO Marelia Garcia 952 - 448 -4200
City of Excelsior -Cheri Johnson - Administrative Assistant- 952 - 474 -5233
We also provide a roadkill pick -up service for the following areas:
Scott County - (roadkill deer pickup) -Gene Busacker- Highway Department
Washington County - Highway Department -Doug Johnson or Nick -PH 651 - 303 -1811
Dakota County (roadkill) -Mary or Petty- 952- 891 -7900
City of Eagan (readkill) -Kurt- Street Department
City of Lakeville
City of Apple Valley
City of Grant
City of Oakdale
West Lakeland Township
Baytown Township
Credit River Township
Chapter IV. Scope of Work
A. The proposal should respond to the following questions:
March 29, 2011
1. Will one phone number be dedicated to animal control service requests for the above
communities?
Yes. We do use a dedicated phone line for animal control for the Scott County area. We
also use several cell phones to provide back -up service for our land lines. Calls are
automatically forwarded to cell phones whenever we leave the pound or office. We
want to make sure that we are available to answer every call for the convenience of
callers and to facilitate a rapid response.
2. Will the phone number be answered by a human between 7a.m. and 6p.m. Monday
through Friday and 10a.m. -4p.m. Saturday and Sunday?
Our phones are answered by a real -live person 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. That
way, after getting all pertinent information from the caller, we can respond
immediately. Meanwhile, some of the other animal control guys are still waiting for one
of their people to listen to their messages. For us, that delay is unacceptable. We also
believe that callers become frustrated when they are not able to talk to a human. We
take the time to assure the caller that we understand the problem and that we are
responding right away.
3. How is telephone service provided for the following:
After hours?
When it comes to animal problems, there aren't any "after hours." That is why we work
24 hours per day, every day. And that is why our phones are answered at all hours. We
respond in person to every call for service at all hours.
Holidays?
Animal problems occur every day, even on holidays. In fact, more calls are expected on
holidays because more owners are home and more complainants are home. An animal
will act like an animal every day, even holidays. We answer our phones and respond in
person 24 hours per day, every day of the year. Even on holidays.
When the phone is busy?
We have several phone company "features" to enhance our phone service to make sure
we get our calls. We have call waiting to let us know when another call is coming in and
we are on the line. Whenever possible, we politely bring our first call to an end or ask to
put the first caller on hold to check on the nature of the second call. If it is not a call
that requires immediate attention, we return to the first caller and complete that call.
When we leave the office, our calls are automatically forwarded to a cell phone and just
to be sure, we also forward our calls to an additional cell phone. That way, the first call
rings to the first cell phone and if we are already on the line and we can't break away for
the call waiting signal, the call will go to the second cell phone number. If we are unable
to break away from the first call for a short time, than we do have voice messaging on
all phones.
March 29, 2011
4. Will callbacks be made within 30 minutes of the initial call after hours or in the event of a
busy signal?
If we do miss a call it is because we were not able to break away from our original caller in a
polite manner. In that case, voice messaging immediately notifies us that there is a
message. We have call waiting notification as well. If a caller leaves a number or if the
number is on caller ID, we will return calls immediately.
5. Where will animals be boarded for pick -up by owners?
We operate our own impound facility. Our pound is a clean and safe place for lost pets to
wait for their owners to come looking for them and bring them home. Many of our visiting
owners comment on how clean our facility is and how relieved they are after having a
negative experience with other animal services. Several owners have called back later and
asked if our pound was available for boarding for their pets. The Chief of Police in Jordan
has boarded his dog at our facility in the past.
6. Describe the boarding facility, its capacity, amenities and location. When is the facility
open for pick -up?
Our Scott County pound is located at 12848 Chestnut Blvd, just off Highway 169 and County
Road 41/78 intersection.
Our pound is open from 3pm until 7pm on weekdays and until noon on weekends. In
addition, we are always willing, within reason, to schedule a time to meet animal owners
before or after regular hours to release an animal.
Our facility and our procedures are designed to provide our animals with a pleasant
experience during their time at the dog pound. All of our dog kennels are at least 25 square
feet in size and we do have areas for the dogs to get some exercise indoors. We also have a
playpen area for our four - legged guests.
7. Will you provide inoculation /medical services? Please describe.
Animals requiring medical services are transported to an area veterinarian for treatment. In
most cases, animals are stabilized until an owner is located and can authorize additional
treatment by the vet. In the case of an after hours emergency, pets would be transported
to an emergency vet if the injuries were life threatening. We pay for all vet costs unless the
owner is identified. All vet service costs would then be recovered from the animal owner.
We do not give inoculations when animals arrive at the pound. In two years of operation we
have never had any outbreaks of health problems because we keep our facility clean ad
sanitized. Animals need to be seen by a vet for inoculations and other health problems. We
do not encourage owners to avoid visiting their local vet. Unclaimed animals, which we give
to Last Hope and the Carver /Scott County Humane Society, or any of the other shelters we
work with, are given inoculations and routine medical care prior to adoption or placement in
a foster home.
March 29, 2011
8. Will you provide euthanasia and disposal services? Describe your policy for informing
owners, including timelines.
We use a vet for all euthanasia services. We encourage owners to bring their animals to
their own vet for euthanasia and disposal. We will transport animals to the vet for owners,
but we do charge owners for that service. We will provide these services for owners who
just can't deal with the situation, but again, we do charge for our services as well as for the
cost of the vet service.
Fortunately, almost all of our unclaimed animals are given to Last Hope, the Carver -Scott
Humane Society, or one of the several shelters we work with for adoption, so our
euthanasia needs are minimal. We do make use of vets for our pet disposal needs.
We always try to notify owners immediately in every situation where an owner is
identifiable.
9. Will you pick up dead animals of all kinds and sizes (domestic, farm, wild or exotic) in the
right of way or public property?
In most cities we do pick up dead animals on all city roads and private property under our
current contracts. Several cities did request that our pick -up service not be included. The
county has a contract with a private company to remove dead animals from county roads
and the state also removes animals from state roads. State regulations mandate that the
"road authority" is responsible for animal pick -up and removal. We give the road authority
every opportunity to clean up dead animals on their roadways. If they do not respond in a
reasonable time and /or the animal is in a location which generates nuisance calls to
dispatch or the animal is located in a high traffic area, we will remove it and dispose of it
regardless of what road the animal is on.
We pick up all domestic dead animals no matter where they are located. When an owner of
a dead domestic animal is identified, we make every effort to recover disposal const from
the owner.
Farm animals are removed if the owner cannot be identified within a reasonable time and
depending on the location of the animal. Again, we make every effort to identify the owner
so that the person who is ultimately responsible for the animal does pay for the pick up and
disposal costs.
10. Will you provide patrol services? Can individual units of government select the amount of
patrol hours desired per month?
We are always willing to work with any city to set up any type of extra patrol system the city
wants. Patrol and visibility are very important deterrents to potential violators and so we
encourage patrol hours in every city and are willing to do whatever the city asks us to do!
We would be more than willing to increase our patrol hours beyond the current levels if
requested to do so.
March 29, 2011
11. Will owners be charged for boarding, pick up, disposal and quarantine?
Absolutely! Charging these fees to owners means that we can charge the city less for the
remainder of our services. The people who use a service should be the ones to pay for the
costs.
12. Will you provide response for public safety emergencies as identified by the cities /county?
Response to all emergencies involving animals would be included in our proposal. We
respond to accidents, arrests, fires, bites, search warrants and any other possible
emergency. We also respond to remove injured and sick wild animals when there is a
possibility that the animal will come into contact with human and not run from them -as a
healthy wild animal would do.
We just hope you won't cry wolf! We have a variety of wild animals everywhere. Healthy
wild animals interact with humans in many ways and that interaction is not a public safety
emergency. People who have wild animal problems need to deal with these problems on
their own and within legal limits (most fur - bearing animals are protected by the State.) We
are happy to give advice and make referrals -but we do not assist with the removal of
healthy wild animals. If people choose to live in Scott County, they will need to learn to live
with the many varieties of wild animals we are lucky enough to have living here with us.
Within reason and good taste, we will try to recover fees from owners whenever an owner
is identifiable.
13. What is your procedure for dog bites including timeline and notifications?
A quick response in bite cases is absolutely essential. In almost every city we currently
provide service for, the police respond to bite calls to take an initial report because they can
usually respond the quickest. In most cases, the bite involves an animal which is already
held and our response would be to pick up animals which are not current on vaccinations
and hold them for quarantine for from 10 to 14 days depending on the ordinance. If an
animal is still at large, the police notify us and we immediately begin searching for the
animal. If necessary, live traps would be set up. If requested, we would respond and take
reports on animal bites before beginning our search or impounding an animal already held
for quarantine.
Depending on the ordinance, quarantines are 10 to 14 days in duration. If an animal is at
the stage where he can transmit the rabies virus then it would develop symptoms within
that timespan. When animals are in our pound for quarantine, we watch them closely for
symptoms and report any symptoms to victims immediately so that they could begin the
shots, or so we can get the animal tested by the State Health Department. We are
authorized to submit animals for testing at the University of Minnesota Vet Diagnostic Lab.
Wild animals involved in bites that are known as possible rabies carriers are euthanized
immediately and tested for rabies. There is no effective quarantine period for wild animals.
If the dog or cat passes the quarantine period without exhibiting any symptoms of rabies,
we notify the police department and the victim of the results at that time.
March 29, 2011
Quarantines for animals with owners are at the expense of the owner and fees would be
recovered. Unclaimed animals would be euthanized and disposed of by our vet. We do not
give animals with bite histories to shelters for adoption.
Animals with current rabies vaccinations are usually quarantined at home under strict rules.
If required, we make mid and post quarantine inspections of the animal and report our
findings immediately to the police and the victim. Quarantined animals that do not have
current vaccinations and which pass quarantine will be required to be transported to a vet
immediately upon release and be vaccinated for rabies. Verification from a vet would be
required.
14. What monthly reporting will you provide uniformly to all governmental units? What
forms of communication will you use?
Our reports include all significant dates and times as well as incident information,
enforcement activities and a final disposition. We also include all animal information and
descriptions, as well as owner information whenever an owner is identified.
We submit our paperwork as soon as reasonably possible after the end of the month. We
either hand deliver paperwork directly to the city or we mail the paperwork to the city.
15. Describe any licenses or certificates held by persons providing the above services.
During the course of 30 years of animal control experience, we have earned a new
certifications and licenses. But we rely more on what our years of experience have taught
us. Our experience combined with a lot of common sense make the handling of animals a
much more pleasant and successful event. We also try to always be courteous and serious
about the importance of what we are doing. We do continually read and study publications
for additional understanding and knowledge.
16. Do you warrant that you are and will remain in full compliance with any and all codes,
regulations or laws related to the services outlined above?
We are in compliance and will remain in compliance with all regulations. We currently have
all insurances and coverage's for our vehicles and our business as required by Scott County
and all of the cities we service.
17. Describe the patrol vehicle to be used.
We currently use several patrol vehicles, including pick -ups, small utility vehicles, and vans.
The vehicles are marked for identification and safety. All of our vehicles re equipped with
kennels, animal stretchers, leashes, nets, control poles, and other capture equipment. We
always operate our vehicles in a safe manner to protect the public, ourselves and all
animals.
18. Describe the employee(s) who will provide the above services. Provide references.
4Paws is dedicated to providing quality animal control service for the cities and counties it
contracts wit, for the people who call us with their complaints, for the owners of the
animals we come into contact with and for the pets and animals we find and protect every
day. Everyone who works at 4Paws is a part owner of the company and we all take pride in
a quality service we provide.
March 29, 2011
19. Describe your availability and capacity to provide the above services based upon the
individual needs of each government unit.
We have been providing animal control service as a business for more than 15 years. Every
day we are in business, we prove that we can provide quality service. We have the
equipment and the personnel and we can get the job done. We are always willing to
structure our service to meet the needs of any city. We are happy to work with cities to get
things set up to their specifications.
20. Will you provide nuisance animal removal when contacted by a participating city or
cities? Does that include catching the animal? This would include nuisance animals that
may pose a threat to public safety and /or include sick or injured wild animals that may
have access to the public.
Catching nuisance domestic animals is what animal control is all about. That's why we
proudly call ourselves "dogcatchers."
21. Will you provide boarding of large animals such as horses, cows and sheep?
During the last ten years in Savage and now the rest of Scott County, we have been called up
on to respond to "horses at large" on more than twenty occasions. We have picked up,
transported and boarded more than a dozen horses.
We have also caught and boarded a number of goats and sheep over the years. Most
recently we boarded the famous Belle Plaine painted sheep last year.
We have picked up a couple of dead calves on the roads over the years but we have never
had to board a cow before. On one occasion in Prior Lake we did respond to a call of 50 to
60 cows on the loose in a residential front yard. We were able to contain the cows and we
were able to trace their path to herd them back home. Cattle herding is not an easy task
when you are on foot and dealing with several dozen cows. Still it is probable easier than
herding cats! If necessary, we do have agreements in place to board cattle at several farms.
22. Any additional information you believe is relevant to this RFP.
We have provided animal control service in Scott County for two years. Our original bid was
flawed and it resulted in a needed restructuring. Unfortunately, we had to suspend service
to Jordan, Belle Plaine and New Prague, which was done within the provisions of the
contracts we had with those cities. Eventually, we were able to renegotiate our bids and
continue serving the Scott County area.
23. Have you ever been investigated for code violations? If so, please explain.
Many years ago we briefly allowed our State boarding permit to lapse because we started
using vets to board our animals rather than keeping our own pound. After a year, we did
start up our own pound again, but we never re- applied for our boarding permit. When we
were reminded by the State that we still needed the permit, we paid our $15.00 and we
were re- certified.
We are proud to say that we have never had any complaints on the really important we do;
providing a clean and safe place for pets to live until their owner finds them. We have never
had a single complaint claiming that our pound was not clean or that animals have ever
been mistreated at our facility, or by any or our crew. In fact, every rescue group we work
with remarks that the animals we give them are always well adjusted and well cared for.
They can tell that we give the animals love and attention which makes the animals much
more social than the animals from some other pounds and thus much more suitable for
adoption.
Chapter V. Cost for Services.
March 29, 2011
A. Please specify all fees uniformly for each government unity by service provided and type
of animal it applies to including the following and specifying who will pay the fee (city or
pet owner):
Our proposal for animal control service would be a flat fee and a continuation of our current
arrangement with the cities. Under the flat fee proposal, all terms and conditions for
service which currently exist for a city would be carried over under the new agreement (this
would include all existing arrangements for patrol, dead animal pick up, ect.)
The cities would not be charged for any board, disposal, or anything else under this
proposal except for services which clearly fall outside the agreement and arrangements
made to provide the service. Sales tax does apply to this service and may be paid directly to
us or paid by the city as a use tax. All charges and fees collected from owners would be paid
directly to 4Paws and 4Paws would also collect any additional fees for the city at the cities
request. These fees would be paid to the city at the end of each month.
d. Boarding (day)
Included /No additional
charge
Dogs: $15.00 day
Cats: $12.00 day
e. Inoculation
(rabies /distemper)
Not given
n/a
f. License fees
Collect fees for city
As per ordinance
g. Late fees
Not applicable
n/a
h. Emergency response
(by call per hour)
Included /No additional
charge
Impound fees & board fees
where applicable
i.Patrol (per hour)
Included
n/a
j. Dead animal pick up
Included /No additional
charge
Large dog -$75
Small dog -$60
Cat -$45
k. live animal pick up
Included /No additional
charge
$45.00 impound fee
I. Cost for quarantine
Included /No additional
charge
Impound fees & board fees
where applicable
m. Monthly retainer fee
(what is included)
All services included /No
additional charge
n/a
n. Euthanasia /disposal cost
Included /No additional
charge
Large dog -$95
Small dog -$80
Cat -$65
LOCATION
Monthly flat fee proposal
Shakopee
$2,300.00
Elko /New Market
$400.00
Belle Plaine
$675.00
Jordan
$825.00
New Prague
$850.00
Le Sueur
$775.00
PROPOSAL
FLAT fee (a continuation of the service we now provide
Fees would be collected from owners according to the following schedule:
Costs to city
Chapter VI. Estimated Animal Counts for Participating Cities.
Owners pay
A. In 2006, the cities seeking proposals had animal calls in a range from 0 -150.
March 29, 2011
The City of Shakopee had 361 calls in 2006. In 2010 the City of Shakopee had 256 animal
control calls for service.
Chapter VII.
A. Insurance: An effective insurance policy evidencing general liability coverage in the
amount not less than one million dollars ($1,500,000.00) and proof of workers
compensation insurance is required to be submitted with the proposal.
We currently have the required insurance coverage and a copy of our policy is attached.
All of our service providers are owners in this company.
B. Proposal Signature: Your proposal must be signed by an authorized representative of
your firm who can legally represent your firm.
Proposal submitted by:
Scott Hutnik
Owner 4 Paws Animal Control, LLC
March 29, 2011