Fort Dodge will continue to have someone available to respond to complaints about loose dogs and other animal problems, despite a pending lapse in the previous contract for those services.

On Monday the council unanimously approved an interim agreement with Webster County Animal Protection.

The agreement will keep the company on the job until June 30, and city officials expect to have a new contract with the company in place on July 1.

Under the interim agreement, the company will be paid $5,321.50 per month.

The council approved the agreement unanimously without discussion.

The interim agreement became necessary because a contract between the company and the Webster County Board of Supervisors, which included coverage of the city, is apparently being allowed to expire. That contract actually expired Jan. 18, but had been extended through April 19. Last week, the county supervisors took another proposed extension of it off their agenda and did not discuss it.