The City of Sioux Falls has a new animal shelter to take its strays. Sioux Falls Police confirmed Wednesday that the city contract has been awarded to the Sioux Falls Humane Society. Second Chance Rescue Center had the contract for the past three years, but it's bid was nearly 660 thousand dollars more than the Humane Society's bid.

The Sioux Falls Humane Society had been the facility where animal control officers with the Sioux Falls Police Department took strays for decades. But, three years ago when Second Chance Rescue opened its doors they were awarded the city contract.  Now, the contract is back in the hands of the Humane Society, and it's saving the city hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

"This last three years we haven't had it, but before that we had it for a very long time. We're really pleased and we're really ready to serve the city of Sioux Falls," Sioux Falls Humane Society Executive Director Kori Baade said.

The Humane Society will charge Sioux Falls 584 thousand dollars for its services over the next five years. Second Chance offered to do it for $1.2 million.

"We both have the same missions, we all care for animals, and so when the bid came out we just put in our bid we thought was fair to do the services that they wanted and this is how it came out," Baade said.

Officials with the Humane Society will take over the city contract in January and are getting a building ready to house all the strays.

"We have another whole building that we'll be using for that purpose, and it does have heated floors and it's a very nice building," Baade said.

And they are ready to take over the contract again, and help save the city money.

The Humane Society says this contract isn't like the last one. The last contract included cruelty and neglect investigations, this contract is just for housing the animals. 

KELOLAND News could not reach Second Chance Rescue for comment Wednesday.