Canyon County, Nampa, Caldwell, and West Valley Humane Society Announce Partnership

The new agreement will ensure continuity of animal care services in the region.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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In a surprising move, Canyon County, the cities of Nampa and Caldwell, and the West Valley Humane Society (WVHS) have announced a new partnership to continue providing animal care services for the county. This comes after another group, Copper Quill Haven, backed out of negotiations with the county on February 9, 2026. The new agreement will have WVHS continue operations starting next month, with the entities coordinating monthly meetings to discuss collaborative solutions to improve animal welfare in the region.

Why it matters

The partnership is crucial to maintaining stable and responsive animal welfare services in Canyon County, which is experiencing unprecedented growth. The announcement comes as a relief to concerned citizens who had expressed worries about animal welfare on talk radio and social media after the previous plans fell through.

The details

Under the new agreement, WVHS will continue operating the county's animal care facility starting in March 2026. Originally, WVHS was set to leave the facility on Friday, but the county and cities agreed that maintaining continuity of services with WVHS is in the best interest of the community and the animals. The entities will coordinate monthly meetings to discuss collaborative, community-focused solutions to improve animal welfare services throughout the county.

  • On February 9, 2026, Copper Quill Haven backed out of negotiations with Canyon County.
  • The new partnership between Canyon County, Nampa, Caldwell, and WVHS will begin in March 2026.

The players

Canyon County

The county government that oversees animal care services for the region.

City of Nampa

One of the cities partnering with Canyon County and WVHS on the new animal care agreement.

City of Caldwell

Another city partnering with Canyon County and WVHS on the new animal care agreement.

West Valley Humane Society (WVHS)

The non-profit organization that will continue operating the county's animal care facility under the new partnership.

Copper Quill Haven (CQH)

The group that originally planned to partner with Canyon County on animal care services but backed out of negotiations on February 9, 2026.

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What they’re saying

“This decision comes after recent discussions regarding the transition of services to Copper Quill Haven (CQH). After CQH backed out of negotiations on February 9, 2026, the County and cities agreed that maintaining continuity of services with WVHS is in the best interest of the community and the animals served in the short term.”

— Canyon County (liteonline.com)

“Canyon County appreciates WVHS's willingness to continue this partnership through FY2026. The Board of County Commissioners, City of Nampa, and City of Caldwell are committed to working in good faith with each other and non-government partners to ensure animal welfare services remain stable, responsive, and adaptable to the unprecedented growth occurring county-wide.”

— Canyon County (liteonline.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This partnership demonstrates the commitment of local governments and non-profit organizations to ensuring the continuity and improvement of animal welfare services in the face of challenges and growth in Canyon County. It highlights the importance of collaborative, community-focused solutions to address complex issues.