Unless it gets more financial support from the city, a Bismarck animal shelter will close next month.

Pet Connection Humane Society, which also acts as the animal impound for Bismarck and Mandan, sent notice to the cities that it intends to cancel its contract and close its doors "unless we are given a positive and adequate response for support from the city of Bismarck by the end of June."

Bill Kozel, president of the shelter's board of directors, said an adequate response would be about $7,000 a month from the city to run the shelter, plus a pound contract. Last year, Pet Connection received $630 a month for its impound services, plus $12.60 per animal per day. Those services are separate from the costs to run the shelter.

Bismarck's city commission has asked for bids for animal impound services. In May, it rejected a bid from Pet Connection, which was asking for $5,000 a month plus $18 a day for impound services. Additionally, its bid called for $14,000 a year to run the shelter.

At the time, Bismarck Police Chief Deb Ness said the city ought to explore other options. She is putting together those options now, and expects to have them ready by Tuesday's commission meeting, city administrator Bill Wocken said.

"This is something we need to do," Wocken said. "We need to put together all the alternatives we can for the (commissioners) so they have it all in front of them."

Wocken said the city is responsible solely for the pound, but recognizes that it makes sense to offer some type of placement service.

"Every animal we place through a shelter is one less that we have to be euthanizing," he said. "That's better for us and better for the community."

Wendy Artlip, a member of the Pet Connection board, said each of the more than 200 animals in the shelter's care came from its impound service.

"I doubt they'll find any veterinary practice that euthanizes that many animals that frequently if there is no shelter. We are currently extremely overcrowded," Artlip said.

It appears the city is addressing the idea of a shelter, however.

Wocken said continuing a contract with the Pet Connection could be one alternative, along with the city handling the duties or giving them to another group. Answers, he said, could begin to come out at Tuesday's meeting, which will be held at 5:15 p.m. in the Tom Baker Room of the City/County Building downtown.

If Pet Connection isn't in the city's plans, it will cease its impound services July 17, and also will stop taking pets in the shelter. It will remain operational only until all of the animals in the shelter can be placed in homes or other shelters in North Dakota or Minnesota, according to a letter signed by the board of directors.

Artlip and Kozel said they were frustrated by not being included in the city's discussions about its pound plans.

"They're not asking us for any information, which we could supply them with," Artlip said. "I think some of the information they're getting is actually pretty inadequate and erroneous, as far as what it takes to operate a pound."

When Ness recommended the city reject the Pet Connection's bid in May, she said she was trying to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars. The shelter's bid for a five-year contract was $47,610 more than what the city currently pays for the services.