| Sumario: | Over the past twenty years, public/private partnerships have been a growing method for delivery of local government services, particularly in the area of utilities. Such partnerships frequently succeed in measures of service quality, cost containment and innovative service provision. This case reviews the strengths and limitations of partnering when a third partner, a nonprofit entity, is added to the partnership mix and when the locus of service moves beyond traditional municipal government services. Through a multi-sectoring partnership dedicated to municipal animal control services, the elements of and impediments to successful partnering are studied. Despite early success of the partnership in increasing pet adoptions and decreasing animal euthanasia, the partnership studied in this case ultimately failed. The contributing factors to the partnership's demise are identified and include inattention to strong contractual obligations, mutual accountability, and mission and goal alignment, as well as limited communication and an ambiguous governance structure. Lessons for future multi-sectoral partnering arrangements are offered.
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