City moves animal sheltering from San Jacinto to Wildomar
Update: The Riverside County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a budget that includes massive cuts to the county's Animal Service...
http://www.menifee247.com/2020/06/city-moves-animal-sheltering-from-san-jacinto-to-wildomar.html
Update: The Riverside County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a budget that includes massive cuts to the county's Animal Services Department, which may result in the closure of the San Jacinto animal shelter.
By Doug Spoon, Editor
The City of Menifee has taken action to consolidate its animal services into one provider, meaning stray animals within the city limits will be transported to the Animal Friends of the Valleys shelter in Wildomar beginning this Friday, June 26.
The City Council on June 17 approved contracts with Animal Friends of the Valley for both field services and sheltering services on July 1. For the last 10 years, the City had contracted with AFV for field services and with Riverside County for sheltering services. Stray animals picked up by AFV employees in Menifee have been transported to the County animal shelter in San Jacinto.
The completion of the current contracts on June 30 prompted city officials to evaluate their options. During a May special meeting, a majority of the council members expressed a desire for putting all animal services under one entity and avoiding the longer trip to San Jacinto (19 miles as opposed to 8 to Wildomar) for residents to pick up sheltered animals.
In addition, concern was voiced about the possibility of County budget cuts affecting services at the County shelter.
Julie Bank, executive director of Riverside County Animal Services, said during that meeting that “there are no plans to close the shelter. We do see the value of the shelter and we’ll do everything to keep it thriving, but we have been asked to look at every dollar we’re spending.”
In above photo, Animal Friends of the Valleys officers handle a desert tortoise).
Cost of field services through AFV for the coming fiscal year will by $225,000, according to city documents. In addition, the City has applied to join a Joint Powers Authority that manages the AFV shelter and includes most neighboring cities.
The cost of that JPA membership for sheltering services will be about $37,600 per month, including the City’s share o fbond debt payments for the previous construction of the Wildomar shelter. Because the JPA doesn’t meet again until October to consider the City’s membership, the City Council approved a three-month nonmember contract with AFV for $27,670 per month from July through September.
Council member Greg August asked at last Wednesday’s meeting whether the council would have the opportunity to review the JPA contract before agreeing to it. City Manager Armando Villa assured him the JPA proposal would be brought back to council for review.
A motion by August to direct staff to seek a backup plan from the County if there were concerns about the JPA failed to get a second. A motion by Liesemeyer to approve the contracts with AFV as stated passed 4-1, with August casting the lone dissenting vote.
The official announcement was made in a news release today from the City of Menifee, AFV and Riverside County Animal Control Services. The Animal Friends of the Valleys shelter is located at 33751 Mission Trail in Wildomar.
Until Friday, AFV’s animal control officers will continue to transport stray pets from Menifee to the County animal shelter at 581 S. Grand Ave. in San Jacinto. During the transition period, officials from the County, the City of Menifee and AFV urge pet owners to check both the county’s website and Animal Friends of the Valleys’ website for their lost pets.
Riverside County’s website is www.rcdas.org
The Animal Friends of the Valleys website is https://animalfriendsofthevalleys.com
By Doug Spoon, Editor
The City of Menifee has taken action to consolidate its animal services into one provider, meaning stray animals within the city limits will be transported to the Animal Friends of the Valleys shelter in Wildomar beginning this Friday, June 26.
The City Council on June 17 approved contracts with Animal Friends of the Valley for both field services and sheltering services on July 1. For the last 10 years, the City had contracted with AFV for field services and with Riverside County for sheltering services. Stray animals picked up by AFV employees in Menifee have been transported to the County animal shelter in San Jacinto.
In addition, concern was voiced about the possibility of County budget cuts affecting services at the County shelter.
Julie Bank, executive director of Riverside County Animal Services, said during that meeting that “there are no plans to close the shelter. We do see the value of the shelter and we’ll do everything to keep it thriving, but we have been asked to look at every dollar we’re spending.”
In above photo, Animal Friends of the Valleys officers handle a desert tortoise).
Cost of field services through AFV for the coming fiscal year will by $225,000, according to city documents. In addition, the City has applied to join a Joint Powers Authority that manages the AFV shelter and includes most neighboring cities.
The cost of that JPA membership for sheltering services will be about $37,600 per month, including the City’s share o fbond debt payments for the previous construction of the Wildomar shelter. Because the JPA doesn’t meet again until October to consider the City’s membership, the City Council approved a three-month nonmember contract with AFV for $27,670 per month from July through September.
Council member Greg August asked at last Wednesday’s meeting whether the council would have the opportunity to review the JPA contract before agreeing to it. City Manager Armando Villa assured him the JPA proposal would be brought back to council for review.
A motion by August to direct staff to seek a backup plan from the County if there were concerns about the JPA failed to get a second. A motion by Liesemeyer to approve the contracts with AFV as stated passed 4-1, with August casting the lone dissenting vote.
The official announcement was made in a news release today from the City of Menifee, AFV and Riverside County Animal Control Services. The Animal Friends of the Valleys shelter is located at 33751 Mission Trail in Wildomar.
Until Friday, AFV’s animal control officers will continue to transport stray pets from Menifee to the County animal shelter at 581 S. Grand Ave. in San Jacinto. During the transition period, officials from the County, the City of Menifee and AFV urge pet owners to check both the county’s website and Animal Friends of the Valleys’ website for their lost pets.
Riverside County’s website is www.rcdas.org
The Animal Friends of the Valleys website is https://animalfriendsofthevalleys.com
