First State to terminate animal control contracts throughout Delaware

STATEWIDE — A new state office has two months to take over animal control duties in Delaware after the board of First State Animal Center and SPCA voted to terminate its four animal control contracts for services across the state.

The nearly two-year-old state Office of Animal Welfare was poised to take over from First State as county and city contracts expired, but the First State board decided July 13 to cancel contracts as soon as possible. A clause in its contracts with each county and the City of Wilmington allows either party to end the agreement with 60 days' notice.

FSAC Executive Director Kevin Usilton said the decision to terminate contracts ahead of schedule came after the center's employees began seeking new jobs.

More