Prairie Paws Sole Bidder for Salina Animal Shelter; $462,000 Proposal Goes to City Commission

The Salina City Commission will consider Monday whether to move forward with Prairie Paws Animal Shelter to take over management of the Salina Animal Shelter beginning in 2027.

Prairie Paws, based in Ottawa and currently operating facilities in Ottawa, Manhattan and Emporia, was the only organization to submit a proposal after the City issued a request for proposals Aug. 19. Proposals were due Sept. 10.

The proposal calls for the City to pay Prairie Paws $462,000 in 2027 to operate the shelter.

This would not transfer all animal-related City operations to Prairie Paws. The City would continue operating Animal Control, while Prairie Paws would manage the shelter itself.

About $28,000 difference in first-year cost

The City's 2027 budget currently lists Animal Control and shelter operations together at approximately $1.02 million in expenses, offset by $162,000 in anticipated revenue. The staff report lists the City's resulting net cost at $858,117.

Under the Prairie Paws proposal, the City's projected costs would be:

Prairie Paws: $462,000
City Animal Control: $352,000
One-time transition costs: up to $16,000
Total projected first-year cost: $830,000

Based on those figures, the difference between the City's current budgeted operation and the Prairie Paws model is approximately $28,000 during the first year.

The proposal therefore represents a change in who operates the shelter more than a major immediate reduction in the City's overall animal-services spending.

The City's $352,000 Animal Control estimate also includes one budgeted position that is currently vacant.

City employees would have to apply for Prairie Paws jobs

The proposal includes an approximately eight-week transition process.

Current City shelter employees would not automatically become Prairie Paws employees.

According to Prairie Paws' transition plan, job descriptions would be published and existing employees could apply for positions that interest them. Prairie Paws would then interview applicants before making employment offers.

The proposed process calls for interviews during weeks three and four, employment offers during weeks five and six and training during the final weeks before Prairie Paws assumes operations.

City staff says it anticipates the formal transition occurring during December, with the goal of completing the handover by Jan. 1, 2027.

City Manager Jacob Wood told commissioners at the Sept. 14 meeting that Prairie Paws was the sole respondent and that its proposal appeared workable. At the time, Wood said the anticipated transition would take roughly eight to 10 weeks after an agreement was approved and signed.

Local emergency veterinarian still to be determined

Prairie Paws has veterinarians on its staff and its proposal identifies veterinary resources available through the organization.

However, one local component has not yet been identified.

For emergency and after-hours veterinary care in Salina, the proposal states:

“A local vet clinic to be determined.”

That would presumably be resolved as part of contract negotiations and the transition process.

Prairie Paws CEO previously ran Salina's shelter

Prairie Paws CEO Vanessa Cowie has previous experience with the Salina operation.

In its proposal, Prairie Paws states that Cowie directed Salina's municipal animal shelter for four years before later leading Prairie Paws.

The organization also identifies Brandon Sokol, director of its Manhattan shelter, as having previous experience as a humane officer in Salina.

Prairie Paws says its Manhattan operation would primarily support the Salina shelter, rather than Salina operating as an isolated facility.

Proposal gives two different intake projections

One item in the proposal may need clarification before a final agreement is approved.

In its discussion of overcrowding and expected intake, Prairie Paws says that based on population estimates and recent data, the Salina shelter should prepare to admit approximately 900 animals annually.

Later, in its cost analysis, Prairie Paws says its financial calculations anticipate 1,400 animals in 2027.

The proposal calculates a total operating cost of approximately $602,674 for 1,400 animals, or about $430.48 per animal. Prairie Paws' proposed $462,000 City payment would amount to approximately $330 in public funding per animal under that 1,400-animal assumption.

The difference between the 900-animal operating projection and the 1,400-animal financial assumption is not reconciled in the proposal.

Contract would increase 2% in following years

Prairie Paws is proposing an initial one-year agreement for 2027 with two additional one-year renewal options.

The proposed City payments would be:

2027 — $462,000
2028 — $471,240
2029 — $480,664.80

Each renewal represents a 2% increase.

Prairie Paws also proposes a one-time transition charge of up to $16,000 for computers and hardware, software licensing, signage, administrative work, uniforms, utility connections and web work.

Monday's vote would not finalize the contract

Commissioners are not being asked Monday to approve a finished management contract.

Staff is recommending that the Commission accept Prairie Paws' proposal and authorize staff to negotiate a contract. That contract would then return to the City Commission for another vote.

Commissioners could instead reject the proposal and keep the shelter under City management or direct staff to issue another RFP.

The decision follows months of uncertainty surrounding Salina Animal Services. The City publicly confirmed in August that it was considering privatization and had issued an RFP for shelter operations. The City's current Animal Services page also says the shelter is operating at a reduced service level because of staffing and space limitations.

The Prairie Paws proposal is Item 5.1 on Monday's City Commission agenda.