An all-volunteer registered charitable organization dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating animals that official agencies will not help. A pound contract is a contractual obligation to dispose of excess dogs for money.
Pounds have no inherent moral or ethical agenda.
Poundkeeping is simple. It's that simple. Some municipalities run their own pound, staffed with their own city-paid employees, as in Vancouver and New Westminster. But most municipalities contract out animal control, as a cost-saving measure, just as they do many other services, such as garbage collection. Anyone may bid on the pound contract, and if their bid is lowest and they are deemed qualified, they get the contract.