DEVELOPING STORY: Fort Morgan Humane Society gets 60-day eviction notice from the city - Shelter will NOT close, according to police chief

Last week, the Fort Morgan Humane Society received a 60-day eviction notice from the building they occupy at 900 East Railroad Avenue in Fort Morgan. According to a social media posting by the Humane Society, the building is owned by the City of Fort Morgan, and no reason was given for the eviction notice.

The Fort Morgan Humane Society has been a NO-KILL animal shelter serving the area for the last 18 years. During that time, they have helped over 13,000 animals find safe homes.

In a separate social media posting from Fort Morgan Police Chief Loren Sharp, regarding the animal shelter, Chief Sharp stated: The City of Fort Morgan has chosen not to renew its contract with the Fort Morgan Humane Society and will resume operation of the animal shelter in late March. I want to take a moment to assure our community that the animal shelter will continue to operate and remain available to all residents of Morgan County. The shelter is not closing. We will continue to care for animals and facilitate the adoption of dogs and cats into loving homes throughout the county.

While the overall operation of the shelter will transition back to the City of Fort Morgan, with the Fort Morgan Police Department overseeing its management, our commitment to humane and compassionate animal care remains unwavering. The shelter will be properly licensed, fully compliant with all legal requirements, and operated with the highest standards of care. We will also be actively seeking individuals in the community who share a passion for animal welfare to fill both paid and volunteer positions to support shelter operations.

He later stated in the same posting: Over the next 60 days, we will be working diligently to implement policies and procedures, secure appropriate staffing, and collaborate with partner agencies in preparation for this transition. We are confident in our ability to meet the needs of the citizens of Fort Morgan and to provide high-quality, compassionate service to animal lovers throughout the region.

There was an executive session at the end of the January 20^th City Council meeting held at City Hall in downtown Fort Morgan. According to the information on the agenda schedule for that meeting, the topic was ‘Animal Shelter contract with the Humane Society’. Since these executive sessions are exempt from public inspections, no information about them can be provided. Whether or not board members of the Humane Society will be able to state their case in a future meeting has yet to be determined.

At this time, there are no public comments from any other member of the City of Fort Morgan. The next City of Fort Morgan City Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 3, at 6 pm at City Hall in downtown Fort Morgan.