Humane Society of Scott Co. says Davenport is not paying their fair share

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - Funding for animal protection and control services is at the center of a dispute between the Humane Society of Scott County and the City of Davenport.

Last year, both parties agreed to a deal through June of 2025. The city says the Humane Society is terminating the contract because they believe the city is not paying their fair share.

The agreement made in 2022 sets Davenport’s contributions at around $400,000, annually. The city says they also provide fuel, radios and a vehicle for the Humane Society’s use.

The Humane Society says $400,000 is not enough, and have requested that it be raised to one million dollars per year to help cover their annual costs of around $1.3 million. At the current rate, Davenport would be paying about 30 percent of the Humane Society’s costs despite representing almost 60 percent of Scott County’s population.

The City of Davenport released this statement on the matter:

The City of Davenport values the animal protection and control services currently provided by the Humane Society of Scott County. The current three year contract, negotiated last year, between the City of Davenport and Scott County Humane Society runs through June 2025 with an annual contribution of approximately $400,000. Although the monetary contribution is $400,000, the City also provides fuel, radios and a vehicle for the Humane Society’s use.
The Humane Society is terminating the newly negotiated agreement and requesting an increase of $1M annually to their contract with the City, a nearly 250% increase from their current funding level. The Humane Society of Scott County serves the entirety of Scott County and not just the City of Davenport. They also receive funding from other municipal entities throughout Scott County, which they do not make mention of on the website they are promoting.
The City of Davenport understands the importance of animal protection and control services in our community and will continue to ensure these services are continued, regardless of provider, should we not be able to come to terms with the Humane Society.
City of Davenport

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Humane Society, Erika Gunn, also released the following statement:

The Humane Society is a nonprofit organization that can receive private monetary donations from residents and other private donors. It will be up to Davenport’s city council to decide whether or not they increase their contributions to the Humane Society, or choose a different third-party organization for the same services.

Earlier this week the Humane Society said they are at “crisis capacity” and are in “desperate need” for blankets to keep animals warm in their care.

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