The Humane Society of the Ochocos in Crook County may soon get a crematorium to dispose of euthanized and dead animals.

The Crook County Court is expected to vote today whether to give the nonprofit organization $38,000 in county money to buy a crematorium. The county court will vote on the matter at 11 a.m. at its meeting at the Crook County Library.

The county plans to use $28,500 from fees generated at the Crook County Landfill, where many of the Ochoco Humane Society’s animals ended up, since the crematorium will save landfill space, said Crook County Judge Scott Cooper.

The county’s environmental health department is expected to kick in about $5,700 because burying animals at the landfill is a public health issue, Cooper said. Video poker funds will also help cover costs, he said.

If the crematorium is approved, the Ochoco Humane Society will use it primarily as a way of disposing its euthanized animals, said Executive Director Talena Smith.

But the organization also plans to take in dead animals from local veterinarians and to cremate pets for pet owners for a fee, she said. The fees have not yet been determined, she said.

The Ochoco Humane Society had previously taken its euthanized animals to crematoriums operated by Bend or Redmond’s humane societies, when there was capacity. There was no charge. The organization paid between $5 and $10 per animal to take carcasses to the landfill, she said.

Opening the crematorium to the public could help supplement the humane society’s finances, she said.

”And it will help with that stomach-churning feeling of dumping the animals with all the human trash,” Smith said.

The Ochoco Humane Society takes in stray or abandoned animals brought in by individuals and law enforcement agencies. Last year, the Ochoco Humane Society took in 900 cats and 725 dogs, she said.

About 90 percent of the dogs are adopted and 40 percent of its cats are given a second home, she said. The rest, who usually remain at the organization because of age, health or temperament issues, are euthanized, she said.

Vote today

* The Crook County Court will vote at 11 a.m. today at its meeting at the Crook County Library.

* The county will decide whether to give The Humane Society of the Ochocos $38,000 to purchase a crematorium.