Jefferson County commissioners give their side of dog kennel dispute, set open house, tours, public comment

MADRAS, Ore. – Jefferson County commissioners said Friday they are pleased to announce an open house and tour of the county's dog kennel facility on Monday, July 22 from 5-7 p.m. This event marks the first opportunity for the public and community partners to explore the facility since the previous contractor, Rockn EZ Rescue Ranch, vacated on June 30.

Commissioners also provided more information on the sequence of events before and since Rockn EZ Rescue Ranch's contract with the county ended at the end of June. The county reached an agreement with Redmond's BrightSide Animal Center to take in seized animals, while Street Dog Hero and partners had taken in the 50 dogs remaining at the Madras shelter.

Here's the rest of the county commissioners' statement:

The kennel complex includes two structures. The original kennel building, constructed in the 1980s, features 10 kennels and a small office.

In 2013, the County entered into an operational contract with the Three Rivers Humane Society, part of Central Oregon Animal Friends. In 2018, Three Rivers Humane Society inaugurated a new 5,600 sq ft facility on the property, funded by community contributions, which included 41 kennels.

The County granted Three Rivers a 20-year building lease for this new structure; however, the operational agreement with Three Rivers expired on June 30, 2023, and they opted not to extend it. Additionally, Three Rivers terminated the land and building lease on that same date. Rockn EZ Rescue Ranch (RezRR) was awarded a one-year, $240,000 contract to operate the facility starting July 1, 2023.

On February 12, 2024, RezRR's Board of Directors informed the county in writing that it would not renew the contract expiring on June 30, 2024.   Chair Fording requested a meeting with RezRR representatives to clarify that negotiations had not yet occurred and to determine if further discussions were necessary. During a meeting on February 23, RezRR representatives stated they would only accept a contract extension at $360,000 per year for five years and refused further negotiation.

RezRR subsequently informed the County that it purchased the kennels from COAF for $5,000 in June 2023.  Prior to the contract termination, the county communicated to RezRR that it had no rightful ownership of these fixtures as they were affixed to the foundation during construction as indicated in the building plans and the County’s ownership of the kennels is clearly addressed in the building lease with Three Rivers.

Furthermore, RezRR's operational contract explicitly states that all fixtures on the premises will remain the property of the county.  In the course of vacating the premises, RezRR removed all indoor kennels from both buildings.

The County Commissioners will include a specific public input session on their July 31 agenda at 10:00 AM for citizens to provide feedback on their observations from the open house and suggestions for future use of the property.

Facility Location:  1694 SE McTaggart Rd, Madras, OR  97741

For more information contact:          Chair Wayne Fording   541.350.3734

                                                            Commissioner Kelly Simmelink   503.730.6573

                                                            Commissioner Mark Wunsch  541.419.9944

Rockn EZ Ranch's contact information can be found here:

https://justice.oregon.gov/Charities/Charity/GetCharityReport?rptId=944136153

https://justice.oregon.gov/Charities/Charity/GetCharityReport?rptId=497330624