Fort Smith animal shelter defends business with the city
After an audit from the city of Fort Smith recommended terminating the contract with a nonprofit animal shelter, the board president of the shelter said there has been no wrongdoing involving euthanasia of animals and all billing issues have been resolved.
Animal Haven, formerly known as Kitties & Kanines, is contracted with Fort Smith to provide an animal shelter. Fort Smith, a city of about 90,000, does not have its own animal shelter.
An internal audit released Friday states that Animal Haven has overbilled the city. It also states that there have been undocumented euthanasia cases.
James Calvert, president of Animal Haven's board of directors, said Fort Smith continues to have an animal crisis that needs to be met, and the shelter is overcrowded. There are plans to build a new facility on land donated by the Arkansas Colleges of Heath Education.
In a prepared statement he responded to the audit.
"Many of the findings could have been resolved more efficiently through a discussion between the shelter vets, shelter employees, and city administrator ( Carl ) Geffken. Instead the auditor met with former employees of the shelter and members of the public."
Calvert talked about the audit in an interview with Times Record. He said he had previously submitted the response to the audit with the internal city auditor's office in Fort Smith.
In 2019, the city of Fort Smith contracted with Kittens & Kanines. A dispute within the nonprofit led to the opening of the Kittens & Kanines Veterinary Clinic, which offers low-cost spay and neutering at a nearby location. The original Kittens & Kanines changed its name to Animal Haven.
"There is a lot of discrepancy that we have found," Calvert said. "There are a lot of major discrepancies. Anything that is found, we are more than willing, more than committed to correcting that as far as any overbillings, or under-billings, or mischarges, whatever you want to call them, we're more than willing to correct that. We've done that in the past."
He said in 2021 an audit found that transport employees were driving to shelters out of state. They were paid by cash by the shelter. The shelter credited the city $14,291 "to correct that mishap and that finding," Calvert said.
"I'm not saying that this is OK, I'm saying that things happen, mis-billings happen. If it is brought to our attention we are willing to fix it."
In the audit, undocumented euthanasia is cited.
Calvert said there has been no wrongdoing.
"All euthanasia is documented, that is a controlled drug," Calvert said.
"From what I've seen I have seen no wrongdoing or inaccurate euthanasia. That's something we take very seriously. You know, national standards to be considered a no-kill shelter you have to be at 10% and we are currently at 3%," Calvert said.
"We have never put a dog down for space in the shelter, to make room for another animal," Calvert said.
He said all cases have been of those involving medical necessity for the animal. A committee ― consisting of the director of operations, a shelter veterinarian, a caretaker, or kennel technician and a veterinarian technician ― makes each decision. If the decision isn't unanimous, the animal is not euthanized, Calvert said.
Future of Animal Haven in Fort Smith
Overcrowding continues to be a problem at Animal Haven.
"We are very much overcrowded. Today we have 220 dogs in the shelter. I say shelter, we are currently in an office building that has been converted into a shelter," Calvert said.
The current facility is at 4800 S. 46th. The shelter has been offered 8 acres of land in the Chaffee Crossing area.
"Going forward, the future is very bright. We will get everyone on the same page as far as the audit goes," Calvert said.
The plans are to build a new facility on the 8 acres, about $2 million worth of land.
"We are still trying to nail down the exact piece of property. It will be off State Highway 255 in that area," Calvert said. He said an architect has donated work, and donations have been committed for more than $1 million over the next five years to help pay for it.
Calvert said he has enjoyed working with the city and hopes to continue to do so.
"I think we've done a pretty good job with what we've got. We've got a great partnership with the city that we would can continue to grow," Calvert said.
Meanwhile, Fort Smith board directors will consider the findings in the audit and discuss the future of the contract. Board member Neal Martin said the city has looked at the idea of building its own animal shelter.
Board member Christina Catsavis said a city animal shelter has not been discussed recently. The city has also contracted previously with Hope Shelter as well.
"But it is something I would certainly like to look into," Catsavis said. "From my research, the city was spending $600,000 per year when we ran the Hope Shelter, and we were told going with a private vendor would save money, but we've spent roughly $2.1 million over two years."
She said she is concerned about the future work with Animal Haven.
"We've been told numerous times that the issues with the current shelter are due to sloppy bookkeeping, but my concern is that if their books are that sloppy that they need two months to go through them and respond to our audit, should we be doing business with them?" Catsavis said.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Animal Haven denies any wrongdoing with euthanasia cases
