THEBACHA/FORT SMITH - An agreement has been signed between the Town of Fort Smith and the society operating the community's animal shelter.

The memorandum of understanding, signed on Dec. 21, deals with some long-standing concerns of the Fort Smith Animal Society, which felt it had too much responsibility for maintaining the shelter.

Dixie Penner, the society's treasurer, said there had even been talk that one day the society and frustrated volunteers would walk away from operating the shelter.

"I don't know if we ever would have," she said.

That possibility is now eliminated with the signing of the agreement.

Mayor Janie Hobart is pleased there is an agreement.

"I think it's a good idea so both organizations know what their roles and responsibilities are," she said.

Hobart also praised the work of the society at the animal shelter.

"We consider ourselves very, very fortunate that we have such dedicated volunteers that are willing to look after the animals so that they are treated in a humane way," she said.

Penner noted the animal society had tried without success to get an agreement from previous councils.

The shelter has operated in the town-owned building for about 10 years without any agreement.

Penner said the animal society and its approximately 35 volunteers had been taking care of the building.

"There was no clear definition before and we were doing it all," she said. "If we ran out of money or needed help, we'd go beg the town for some help."

The town had been paying for heating oil, the water bill and garbage removal.

"Finally, they're taking responsibility for the building maintenance and they're providing the heat, hydro, water, sewer, garbage removal, plowing, snow removal, cutting the grass and weed control, all the sort of building-related things," Penner said. "And then we are providing all the care and feeding and that kind of thing for the animals."

As a group, the volunteers average about 20 hours a week at the shelter.

Since the signing of the agreement, the town has installed a new video surveillance system, sealed a garage door that had been letting in mice and cold air, fixed some pens and installed a new hot water heater.

Penner especially welcomed the video surveillance equipment, adding the shelter had to stop boarding dogs for local residents because of several break-ins over the last year.

"This means that we can start boarding dogs again and this means that we can start making money again," she said.

Penner said the society needs to raise about $25,000 a year for its work at the shelter, including for veterinary expenses.

"I'm hoping that's going to come down a bit here, because they're going to pick up a few more expenses," she said of the new agreement with the town.

The society hopes to put any money it saves into its spay and neuter program.

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