Sussex County Council voted unanimously at its Dec. 1 meeting to enter into a one-year dog-control contract with the Kent County SPCA, at a cost of approximately $671,000. The contract will mean eight dedicated Sussex employees working 16 hours per day.

Kent County SPCA, which has handled dog control for the state the last three years, was one of two organizations - the other being the Delaware SPCA - to submit proposals for the contract, which includes an option to negotiate an additional two years.

"This is a first for us," said councilman George Cole (R-Ocean View). "We'll take a look a year from now, and if we haven't caught enough dogs, we'll make adjustments."

[Kent County SPCA] has a good reputation for providing quality service," said county administrator David Baker, part of a committee which recommended the upstate agency's proposal to council.