NAMPA, Idaho — After months of negotiations to take over operations at West Valley Humane Society ended earlier this year, Copper Quill Haven is now partnering with Operation Community Cats to open a low-cost spay and neuter clinic for cats and dogs in Nampa.
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The clinic's location is planned to be near Happy Valley and Amity roads and organizers say they hope to open to the public in July.
Copper Quill Haven was previously expected to take over operations at West Valley Humane Society before withdrawing from contract negotiations with Canyon County in February.
Shawna Jaggar with Copper Quill Haven says the organization wanted to continue helping the community, even after the shelter agreement fell through.
“I really want this to grow, um, responsibly, transparently, and I just, I really want to try to be the bridge,” Jaggar said.
Organizers say the clinic will focus on affordable care and helping address overpopulation across Canyon County.
WATCH: Copper Quill Haven shifts focus to a new low-cost spay and neuter clinic in Nampa after West Valley negotiations ended.
The partnership will also include Operation Community Cats, a nonprofit dedicated to Trap-Neuter-Return programs aimed at reducing overpopulation and improving the lives of cats.
Jaggar says partnering with the organization will help speed up the process of opening the clinic.
“Partnering with them helps us move faster, toward opening, and so it's really, an amazing way for us to start because they already have a massive wait-list of like, 1000 cats or something like that. So it gives us something to really like, dig into,” Jaggar said.
Jaggar says Copper Quill Haven ultimately withdrew from the county agreement because the contract terms were not the right fit at the time.
Instead of operating as a shelter, the organization says the new clinic will focus on low-cost services for both cats and dogs.
“There are a lot of pet owners that don't have access to cheap spay neuters for dogs, and they can get like crazy, crazy expensive, like, especially in comparison to cats, and so that was like a priority is making sure that if we're serving the community, we have to serve the whole community,” Jaggar said.
The clinic will not take in animals or operate as a shelter. Instead, appointments will be scheduled online with health and weight requirements before surgeries are approved.
Jaggar also says rebuilding trust in the community is part of the organization’s focus moving forward.
“It's important for us to really establish that relationship and that trust because, like, at the end of the day, we didn't take over West Valley,” Jaggar said.
Meanwhile, West Valley Humane Society will continue operating under its current contract through Sept. 30 of this year.
The shelter says it continues to provide services in Canyon County, including adoptions through PetSmart and intake services for stray dogs, while only sick or injured stray cats are currently accepted.
In a statement to Idaho News 6, West Valley Humane Society Board Vice President Nicole Criner said the organization “Remains committed to serving Canyon County, providing quality animal care,” and is optimistic about the future.
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