IBERIA PARISH, La. (KLFY) — Iberia Parish plans to end its animal control contract with the city of New Iberia when it expires on March 1, 2026, potentially leaving the city to find its own solution for managing stray animals.

The parish has been handling stray animals for New Iberia since 2018 under a contract that pays over $170,000 annually and guarantees kennel space for the city’s use. However, the parish’s shelter is currently over capacity with city animals.

“We’re doing the best we can trying to help the city, but since 2018, we’ve been doing this until they can get their, you know, their stuff in order,” said Parish President Larry Richard.

Richard noted that the current agreement is not yielding results and that the parish is seeking “a path forward that is constructive and beneficial to all involved.”

New Iberia’s police chief has previously warned that packs of stray dogs pose a public safety risk, highlighting the city’s lack of staff, equipment, and facilities to manage animal control independently.

The parish’s decision to end the contract was formally communicated through letters from Richard to Mayor Freddie DeCourt.

Richard emphasized that the arrangement was meant to be temporary until New Iberia could establish its own animal control facility.

With the contract set to expire in 2026, New Iberia faces the challenge of developing its own animal control solutions to address the ongoing issue of stray animals.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KLFY. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KLFY staff before being published.

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