Compliance Reviews

Recommendations 7

• R01
  states: R-01. The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Ventura County Animal Services Commission review, reevaluate and revise Commission by-laws to facilitate better communication and nurture stronger collaboration between the Ventura County Board of Supervisors, the Commission and VCAS. This needs to be completed by December 31, 2025. The BOS, the Commission and VCAS responded as follows: “Your Board and the County’s proposed response to the Grand Jury Report states that Recommendations R- 01, R-02, R-05 and R-06 will be implemented with anticipated completion in 2026.”
• R02
  states: R-02. The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Ventura County Animal Services Commission enhance accountability by establishing a transparent process and structured procedure to fulfill its core advisory role with the Ventura County Board of Supervisors. This needs to be completed by December 31, 2025. The BOS, the Commission and VCAS responded as follows: “Your Board and the County’s proposed response to the Grand Jury Report states that Recommendations R- 01, R-02, R-05 and R-06 will be implemented with anticipated completion in 2026.” The Civil Grand Jury found that recommendations 01 and 02 have been addressed by way of a “Change of Culture.” The hiring of a new VCAS director and his direct approach to tackling communication and collaboration issues have resulted in better cooperation. Continued face-to-face contact with all the rescue shelters around the county could improve the ability for VCAS to address countywide issues and outline them for the BOS.
• R03
  states: R-03. The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Ventura County Animal Services Commission support Ventura County Animal Services in developing proactive strategies and implementing community-targeted spay/neuter, licensing, and micro-chipping programs. This needs to be completed
• R04
  states: R-04. The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Ventura County Animal Services Commission support Ventura County Animal Services’ re-engagement with local rescue and foster groups and other effective and proven methods that lead to long-term decreases in shelter population. This needs to be completed by December 31, 2025. The 2024-2025 Ventura County Civil Grand Jury did not receive a response to Recommendations 03 or 04 However, the purchase of a mobile medical unit in 2026, via grants, allows VCAS to go to places and communities traditionally seen as too far away to service. It delivers four full-time surgeons and technicians to whatever event or clinic it is directed. This unit is a large tow-along trailer, smartly wrapped in multiple languages to welcome everyone. This unit requires a truck, equipped with a generator to power everything, to tow it. It is one of two new mobile units. The second unit was donated to the County and is smaller, but self- contained. This second unit allows VCAS to visit remote “Feral Pack” locations and perform capture and spay/neuter services onsite. (Exhibits 1 to 4)
• R05
  states: R-05. The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Ventura County Board of Supervisors, Ventura County Animal Services Commission, and Ventura County Animal Services review, re-evaluate, and revise the Contract City Animal Services Agreements to better conform to 2025 Best Practices for animal welfare, control, shelter, and field services. This needs to be completed by December 31, 2025. The BOS, the Commission and VCAS responded as follows: “Your Board and the County’s proposed response to the Grand Jury Report states that Recommendations R- 01, R-02, R-05 and R-06 will be implemented with anticipated completion in 2026.” The 2025-2026 Ventura County Civil Grand Jury found that the VCAS Director decided to leave all contracts in place for the current year and possibly the next. The reasoning behind this was to better understand exactly where things stood and therefore better understand what new Contracts would need to address. If contracts were to be renewed based on current 120% capacity numbers, they would not reflect nor address the changes seen in, for example, an 80% capacity operation. This approach allows the VCAS to test varied solutions before settling on one way forward through a new binding Contract.
• R06
  states: R-06. The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Ventura County Board of Supervisors and Ventura County Animal Services implement mental health programs specifically targeted to address the effects of compassion fatigue on the staff and volunteers working at Ventura County Animal Services. This needs to be completed by December 31, 2025. The BOS, the Commission and VCAS responded as follows: Your Board and the County’s proposed response to the Grand Jury Report states that Recommendations R- 01, R-02, R-05 and R-06 will be implemented with anticipated completion in 2026. The 2025-2026 Ventura County Civil Grand Jury found that while no new programs to address Compassion Fatigue had been currently implemented, the changes in Culture and Public Contact Practices, aimed at a community supported animal population reduction, will also reduce the pressure felt by staff when faced with overwhelming numbers of housed Animals. This is one major contributor to Compassion Fatigue: feeling Compliance Reviews 3 overwhelmed and unable to provide proper care and comfort to housed animals. Here again, better communication from the counties Rescue Shelters would greatly enhance the overall functionality of the VCAS.
• R08
  states: R-08. The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Ventura County Animal Services Commission assist Ventura County Animal Services in securing grants for special care, education, and training programs not covered in the Ventura County Animal Services annual budget. This needs to be completed by December 31, 2025. The 2025-2026 Ventura County Civil Grand Jury finds that VCAS has pursued and secured numerous grants: • In April 2025, Animal Services Foundation of Ventura County awarded $1,700,000 to cover three years of staffing for the Mobile Vet Clinic, and an additional $201,000 for purchasing the unit. (Exhibits 1 to 4) • In December 2025, Ventura County Community Foundation contributed $125,000 to help fund the spay, neuter, and vaccine clinics. • Also in December 2025, Wings of Rescue provided $10,000 to support spay/neuter services, and a private donor generously contributed $21,000 to assist with spay, neuter, and vaccine clinics. • In February 2025, Animal Services Foundation of Ventura County provided another grant of $1,350,000 to help the VCAS add six additional staff members. • VCAS also retained and has been able to spend down the remaining $180,000 from Humane World, which was allocated to VCAS for our Pets for Life Program. • Altogether they have raised a total of $3,587,000 to be used over the next two years to support ongoing programs and strengthen their community. Exhibits 1-4 Exhibit 1: Mobile Vet Clinic (Photos provided by Ventura County Animal Services 3/4/2026) Exhibits 2, 3, and 4: Interior of Mobile Vet Clinic Compliance Reviews 5