Sacramento County Residents for Improved Animal Care

WHEREAS the County of Sacramento's Animal Care & Regulation shelter has been plagued for years with problems related to: disease management, data reporting, overpopulation, staffing, animal care, volunteer retention, animal disposition, euthanasia rates and community collaboration. WHEREAS despite hiring a new director in 2003 and promises of improvement, the shelter continues to languish far behind comparable facilities. It has now come to light that the County got the message - in writing - from a sheltering expert that the shelter was in dire need of reform. That report never saw the light of day and now the County's engaged in a more expensive - but still piecemeal - effort that is destined to fail the animals and the taxpayers. WHEREAS the County plans to build a new $10 million animal shelter, primarily using tobacco litigation settlement funds. The new shelter is slated to open in 3 years. We do not want to import all of these problems into the new facility. BE IT RESOLVED THAT we, concerned residents of Sacramento County and/or members of the local animal welfare community, hereby request that the County of Sacramento participate in a comprehensive shelter consultation, as provided by experts working with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT we feel that this evaluation will provide a blueprint for improved shelter policies and management and expect it to help the County proceed toward building a future that will greatly reduce animal suffering, mobilize community support and utilize taxpayer funding efficiently.