A deal to house strays in Canyon County just fell through. What of the animals?
The fate of animal shelter services in Canyon County is unknown after negotiations with a new shelter operator fell through Monday, raising the question: What’s going to happen to animals needing care?
County officials had hoped to finalize a contract with the prospective operator, Copper Quill Haven, in a meeting Monday morning, but learned that the nonprofit instead had decided to cease negotiations, according to a news release from the county. Copper Quill Haven was founded in 2024 by Natasha Laughter, a veterinarian and co-owner of Viking Veterinary Hospital in Nampa.
The move followed a dispute with the existing operator, the West Valley Humane Society, which in July asked the county and cities of Nampa and Caldwell to boost its funding dramatically. The society asked Caldwell to increase its payments 700%, the Idaho Statesman previously reported.
After a competitive bid process, the county announced in December that it would transition services to Copper Quill, citing years of concerns regarding the West Valley Humane Society’s “animal care, veterinary services and overall shelter operations,” as well as “financial instability.”
Copper Quill, in turn, was expected to bring a “demonstrated experience, organizational approach, and community-oriented service plan” to the county-owned animal shelter building at 5801 Graye Lane in Caldwell. Laughter promised to provide services including “compassionate and safe housing for stray, abandoned, and surrendered animals.”
The exact timeline and plan for the expected transition has been a source of contention and uncertainty between West Valley, Copper Quill and the cities and county, according to local reporting. A West Valley board member previously said that without being buoyed by additional funds, the organization was expected to run out of cash by February.
Aaron Williams, Canyon County’s director of constituent services, told the Statesman in an email that West Valley is still operating the shelter, though it is taking in animals only from local animal-control officers and not the public.
Officials from the county, Nampa and Caldwell met Monday to discuss a “path forward,” according to the county news release. The agencies are “working diligently to ensure continuity of services while evaluating available options to determine the best long-term solution,” the release said.
Williams did not share details about any plan for the shelter. He said more information would become available as the situation “evolves.”
“The animals are the top priority,” he said.
In a Facebook post, Copper Quill stated that it withdrew from negotiations because of “concerns related to animal welfare standards, contract structure and overall alignment among the participating entities.”
The nonprofit said the county and cities did not agree about “key expectations, timelines and standards” and said it could “not support practices it believes to be ineffective, inhumane or misaligned with its mission.”
In a comment on the post, Copper Quill said it encountered resistance to mandatory microchipping and felt pressured to take on operations too fast.
Copper Quill did not respond to an email from the Statesman requesting comment.
West Valley Humane Society Vice President Nicole Criner said in an email that the society has “begun conversations with the County following today’s developments” and is “open to exploring a long-term partnership that ensures continuity of humane, high-quality sheltering services.”
