While discussions on nuisance dogs have often been emotional and contentious, Tuesday’s discussion at the Crow Wing County Board had neither bark nor bite. 

Commissioners agreed to extend the county’s contract for an impound facility with Heartland Animal Rescue Team for Unorganized Territory. 

The county doesn’t have a dog ordinance but does contract for services for Unorganized Territory. The board serves as the township board for Unorganized Territory, which is the highly populated area north of Brainerd and Baxter. 

HART reports it hasn’t had an increase since 2005 and is increasing the daily impound fee from $12 to $14. In 2005, the impound rate was $10. The administrative fee of $683.33 per month was unchanged. The cost to hold dangerous dogs is $50 per day. 

Administrator Tim Houle said it was better for the county to consider the administrative fee as an appropriation to ensure there was an impound facility because to look at is as a per dog fee meant an astronomical number. 

Houle noted most dog owners go to pick up their pets. Dogs that aren’t picked up are either adopted by HART or euthanized. Houle noted the number of dogs taken in from Unorganized Territory hasn’t changed even without the services of an animal control officer, which the county no longer contracts with for dog catcher services.