Joint Special Council/BFPD
06/3/25 06:00 PM
City Manager Department
Matthew Summers
Contract
Doc ID: 5977
COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
AGENDA MATTER:
APPROVAL OF AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BARSTOW
AND BARSTOW HUMANE SOCIETY FOR ANIMAL SHELTERING AND ANIMAL CONTROL
SERVICES
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City previously contracted with the Barstow Humane Society to provide animal sheltering services only, including the construction of kennels to assist with providing services to the City of Barstow. The proposed Amended and Restated Agreement includes animal control services effective July 1, 2025. The proposed agreement continues sheltering services and adds field response, enforcement, and public safety services related to animals.
DISCUSSION:
DISCUSSION:
California requires cities and counties to provide animal control and shelter services to protect public and animal safety, care for lost or neglected animals, and support rabies prevention and licensing.
Local jurisdictions meet these obligations either by operating their own services or partnering with nonprofits or other entities to reduce costs.
In December 2024, the City entered into an agreement with the Barstow Humane Society for animal sheltering services, including a line of credit for renovations to improve animal services for the City, including the addition of 40 open-air, temperature-controlled kennels. At the time, the City retained control of animal control services. The City now desires to have the Barstow Humane Society take over animal control services.
Under the amended agreement, the Barstow Humane Society will provide comprehensive animal control field services within City limits. Key service components include:
Field Response: Response to public safety threats involving dangerous animals, impound strays, rescue injured or abused animals, remove deceased animals, enforce local and state animal laws, and assist law enforcement in relevant investigations. Public Safety and Education: Animal control officers will educate the public, issue citations for violations such as leash law infractions or nuisance noise, and participate in administrative and legal proceedings as needed.
Joint Special Council/BFPD
06/3/25 06:00 PM
City Manager Department
Matthew Summers
Contract
Doc ID: 5977
COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
Emergency Response: Assistance in animal rescue and care during natural or manmade disasters.
Staffing and Availability: Services are available daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with two fulltime animal control officers and administrative staff handling dispatch and citation processing.
The City is responsible for animal control coverage outside these hours. Training and Equipment: All staff are to be adequately trained and properly uniformed. It will maintain all necessary software, vehicles, and field equipment at its own cost.
The Amended and Restated Agreement was reformatted to accommodate animal control services and animal sheltering services. The cost of animal control services is $250,00 per year, subject to an annual cost of living adjustment (“COLA”) beginning one year after construction on the kennels ends.
The term of animal control services is proposed for the same term as the animal sheltering services, which is for an initial term while construction of the kennels is complete. Then the contract will be for a 5 year term.
As negotiations between the City and the Barstow Humane Society have progressed, additional revisions have been made, resulting in the current draft attached hereto as Attachment 1. The current version of the Amended and Restated Agreement includes the following new or modified terms worthy of note:
Service Start Date: Animal Control Services will start on July 1, 2025 instead of the originally contemplated June 1, 2025. The term of the Amended and Restated Agreement otherwise remains the same.
Veterinary Care: Barstow Humane Society is responsible for ensuring that impounded or captured injured or sick animals receive appropriate animal care. The City will reimburse the Barstow Humane Society for its reasonable and necessary veterinary costs incurred in providing services under the Amended and Restated Agreement. The City Manager must approve reimbursement requests for non-standard veterinary services. Animal Control Truck: Barstow Humane Society donate the City’s animal control truck to Barstow Humane Society for use in providing animal control and animal sheltering services to the City.
Cat Cages: The number of cat cages that Barstow Humane Society will maintain and reserve for the City has been changed from four to two.
Licensing Fees: Barstow Humane Society will retain all licensing fees it receives in the course of licensing animals.
Generally Applicable Terms: Terms and conditions were previously located within the Animal Sheltering Scope of Services but that are generally applicable to the animal sheltering and Joint Special Council/BFPD
06/3/25 06:00 PM
City Manager Department
Matthew Summers
Contract
Doc ID: 5977
COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
animal control services have been relocated to Section 7. Surrendered Animals: Animal owners must prove their and their animal’s residency within the City of Barstow in order to surrender an animal to the Barstow Humane Society. Coordination with Police: For field responses on private property, Barstow Police Department will escort Barstow Humane Society’s animal control officers as needed, subject to police operation needs and officer availability.
Subcontractors: Barstow Humane Society rather than the City will be primarily responsible for supervising and monitoring any subcontractors.
Potential Modification of Hours: The Amended and Restated Agreement contemplates that the City and Barstow Humane Society may modify Barstow Humane Society’s hours based on services needs, subject to the provision of additional funds for increased service hours. Customer Service: Barstow Humane Society will work with the City to resolve any written complaints and negative online reviews so as to promote courteous and efficient service and good public relations.
City Kennels: The term “City Animal Shelter” has been replaced with “City Kennels.” Attachment 1 - Amended and Restated Agreement for Animal Sheltering and Animal Control Services
Attachment 2- Original Agreement for Animal Sheltering Services Only FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost for animal control services is an additional $250,000 per year (plus a cost of living adjustment in the second and subsequent years of the Initial and Renewal Terms) installments. This is in addition to the existing animal sheltering services already covered under the current agreement. The City will also reimburse Barstow Humane Society for necessary and reasonable veterinary costs incurred in providing animal sheltering and control services. The City will also be donating an animal control truck to Barstow Humane Society that was procured by the City for approximately $12,000.00.
Under current agreement for animal sheltering services, the City pays Barstow Humane Society $423,000.00 per year (plus a cost of living adjustment in the second and subsequent years of the Initial and Renewal Terms) for animal sheltering services. The City also pays Barstow Humane Society Joint Special Council/BFPD
06/3/25 06:00 PM
City Manager Department
Matthew Summers
Contract
Doc ID: 5977
COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
$60,000.00 per year for capital improvements to Barstow Humane Society’s animal shelter for five-years.
The City also provided Barstow Humane Society with up to $310,000.00 as a line of credit to be repaid over 60 months through deductions from the City’s monthly payments to Barstow Humane Society.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the Amended and Restated Agreement with the Barstow Humane Society, which expands the City’s existing contract for animal sheltering services to include animal control services, and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement.