Butte County Grand Jury • 2009-2010

Butte County Grand Jury Report 2009-2010 Butte County Animal Control and Shelters

Published: June 10, 2010 10 pages
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Findings and Recommendations 11 findings

F1
In Butte County, 90% of calls for service are generated by 10% of the population, who are habitual offenders.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
Owners of animals who are habitual offenders should be subject to increased fees for repeat violation.
F2
Animal control has a much easier time identifying the owners of animals with implanted micro chips.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
Owners not wishing to have a microchip placed in their animal should be subject to additional fees.
F3
Gridley Animal Haven does not have adequate separate accommodations for new intakes and quarantined animals. Currently they are in the same area with adoptable animals.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The City of Gridley should take immediate action to completely separate new intakes and quarantined animals.
F4
Gridley Animal Haven does not have an alternate, reliable contact phone number posted when the officer is not available.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
The City of Gridley should post reliable contact numbers when an officer is not on site.
F5
Gridley Animal Haven is still in need of improvement to the facilities. Currently the animals remain in a cage where they eat, sleep, and defecate. They are only exposed to exercise when taken for a walk if someone is available or to a portable caged area in the asphalt parking lot. The caged area is small, the size of one parking space, and has no grass.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
If the City of Gridley wishes to continue operating an animal shelter, it should research an available location for Gridley Animal Haven more conducive to animal care and availability of animals to the public for adoption.
F6
The Butte County Animal Control is a division of the Department of Public Health.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
The Butte County Board of Supervisors should consider placing Butte County Animal Control under the jurisdiction of the Sheriff’s Department or Butte County Animal Control should be dispatched through the Sheriff's Department for increased officer safety.
F7
The Town of Paradise needs a separate intake and quarantine area for the animals.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7
The Town of Paradise should provide the Paradise Animal Shelter with an area for new intake animals as well as a separate, secure quarantine area.
F8
The facility currently being utilized by the Butte Humane Society, which is owned by the City of Chico, is old, inadequate, outdated, and in poor repair.
Related Recommendations (1)
R8
The City of Chico should acquire property and build a new animal shelter facility. The City is encouraged to consider using the Northwest SPCA as a model. We strongly feel this should be a priority project.
F9
The City of Chico does not have a low-cost spay and neuter clinic.
Related Recommendations (1)
R9
The City of Chico should establish a much needed low-cost spay and neuter clinic. This clinic will lower the expenses being incurred by the city for so many unwanted animals.
F10
Most facilities have expressed a desire to be able to accept credit cards for payment of all imposed fees and fines.
Related Recommendations (1)
R10
The Grand Jury recommends that all agencies not currently accepting payment of fees and fines by credit card should do so.
F11
Butte County does not allow the Northwest SPCA to collect imposed fees and fines. Animal owners must make payment of county fees and fines directly to the Butte County Animal Control, thereby precluding owners from retrieving their pets whenever county offices are closed.
Related Recommendations (1)
R11
Butte County should develop a mechanism to enable Northwest SPCA to collect county fees and fines.

No Responses Found 6

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

Butte County Board of Supervisors Elected County Office
Butte County Sheriff Elected County Office
Chico City
County of Butte Agency
Gridley City
Paradise City