As contract nears end, shelters future unsure

The plan for an animal shelter in Madras remains unknown as a contract between the current operators, Rockn EZ Rescue, is up June 30.

“I have no idea what their plan is,” said Rockn EZ Rescue director Cindy Fisher, who has run the shelter since their contract began in July 2023. “I’m just trying to get as many animals out of there as possible before we have to close.”

Fisher says she worries about what will happen after they leave. The county has discussed closing the shelter to the public, moving to a euthanasia model, or closing the shelter entirely.

The county has said they’re working on a plan for the shelter, but provided no details about what that plan might look like. “Staff is currently working on a new partnership,” said county commissioner Kelly Simmelink.

For Fisher, it’s a sad reality that’s left her in limbo, as she works to find homes for the 90 dogs and many cats currently at the shelter. “I’m trying to connect with other rescue partners and get them homes or to a different rescue if I can. I don’t want to leave them there.”

The contract between Rockn EZ Rescue Ranch and Jefferson County fell apart after contract negotiations failed in February of this year. Rockn EZ asked the county for $360,000 a year to run the kennel. The county rejected that request, and the contract will now expire.

In February, county commissioner Wayne Fording said “The county is unable to justify $360,000 per year for kennel operations. The county owns the kennel building and property. We will continue to operate a kennel. The commissioners need time to discuss with county staff our different options before we can announce details.”

Rockn EZ took over the kennel after Three Rivers Humane Society director Steve Drynan left the position. They inherited a shelter in what the Three River parent organization, Central Oregon Animal Friends, board member Lisa Erland said “was, and is, in significant financial distress.”

Before Rockn EZ took over, the county paid $34,000 a year for the services of the facility. The initial contract between Rockn EZ and the county granted them $20,000 a month to operate the shelter. At $360,000 a year, Rockn EZ was looking to bump that to $30,000 a month.

Part of the efforts Rockn EZ is putting towards adopting out or finding new shelter spots for the animals in the shelter involves a large adoption event, being held at Grocery Outlet in Madras Memorial Day Weekend.

The event runs all weekend, Friday, May 24 to Monday, May 27 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Madras Grocery Outlet to raise funds and hopefully find homes for many of the animals.

Fisher says that the breakdown of the relationship with the county has made it difficult to plan for the contracts to end. Besides the many supplies and other items, the rescue itself brought to the shelter, the rescue has also used its nonprofit funds to buy kennels and other large shelter items.

“I worry that the shelter will go to a euthanasia model, where dogs aren’t given a chance,” said Fisher. “All they’re legally required to do it keep dogs without ID for three days, and with ID for a week before they can euthanize them. I don’t want that to happen here.”

Fisher recalls when the shelter building was built in 2018, moving dogs from outdoor kennels to an internal shelter. There was a significant fundraising effort then. “People raised money and campaigned to build that shelter in this community,” said Fisher. “People here want a shelter for local animals. We have to have a solution; we get over 40 strays in a month. I can’t even take cats anymore.”