Read and Considered

Conclusions 2

• CL1 Page 15
  a Most Sonoma County residents are receiving animal services that approach, achieve, or even exceed industry standards. However, this is not the case for the over 20%o aflected by city contracts with NBAS. The existing decentralization of animal control and shelter services and the lack of oversight by the county, the four Sonoma County cities with NBAS contracts, or by the agency's board ofdirectors, has allowed unacceptable performance by NBAS to persist without intervention. The NBAS proposals on which its contracts are based promise an extensive range of services for a cost that is far below the budgeted costs of either SCAS or RPAS. The result is that NBAS is inadequately funded to fulfill its responsibilities. In recent years, as an underfunded and underperforming non-profit agency, NBAS has failed to provide animal services which are compliant with state mandates and contract provisions. The 2012 DHS report cautioned that insufficient oversight could lead to this situation. The existing fragmentation of services is inefficient and confusing for members of the public. It makes it difficult to know where to call in an emergency, or how to access needed services. Fees for licensing and services vary as does the range and quality of information available on websites and the ability to contact a shelter or animal control officer. The lack ofshared data and communication channels poses unique challenges for animal control agencies, the County Deparunent of Health Services, and the Ofiice of Emergency Management. lt hampers compliance with legally mandated management and reporting of licensing data and the quarantine and tracking ofpotentially dangerous animals. It makes it more difficult for owners to locate lost pes. It can delay or disrupt response to emergency situations. Following a series of disastrous fires and floods, the County appointed the SCAS Director as animal liaison to participate in development of the Sonoma County Emergency Operations Plan. ln 2018, it added an animal disaster response plan with t4
• CL2 Page 5
  Sonoma County CiYil Grand Jury Animal Services in Sonoma County defined procedures and established MOUs to define roles for key NGOs. NBAS is not among these partners and not all cities have developed such plans. . Funding constraints and a lack ofcoordination among agencies leaves most municipal and non-profit shelters struggling to accomplish support functions that are essential to all such as timely license renewals and invoicing for fees, staff and volunteer Eaining, and maintenance of websites to provide effective public outreach. Thoughtful centralization ofsome or all these functions could lead to improved, cost-efficient solutions, and increased revenue collection. . Rabies control efforts are undermined by failure to achieve high levels ofpet licensing and implement spay/neuter programs for population control. Failure to collect license and shelter service fees results in the loss of revenue to support animal services.

Commendations 1

• CM1 Page 16
  The Grand Jury recognized the steady progress achieved by SCAS to comply with best practices, and other recommendations contained in the 2012 DHS report. This progress is acknowledged in subsequent reports to the Board of Supervisors and is, in part, due to the Board's on-going oversight and support of improved animal services. The exceptional volunteer and financial support provided to the Rohnert Park Animal Shelter by its community is testimony to the value of well-run, conveniently located facilities. At the Humane Society ofSonoma County, we experienced an independent non-profit shelter with minimal public funding whose public engagement and service on behalf of animals extends across city and county boundaries. While our investigation did not extend to the dozens of private and non-profit programs caring for Sonoma County animals, we would be remiss not to call out the outstanding shelter and adoption services provided by Pets Lifeline and Dogwood and the exemplary work of Forgotten Felines to control populations ofpet and feral cats. These non-profit organizations depend on the generosity and volunteer support ofthe community. Our hats are offto all those who care for the county's companion animals. 15

Agency Responses 5

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

No Responses Found 7

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.