Maureen Moe Mendoza
Chino, CA 91710
January 20, 2026
Members of the City Council
13220 Central Avenue
Chino, CA 91710
RE: Request for Quarterly Agenda Item on Animal Resource Center of the Inland Empire, ARC I am respectfully requesting that a standing quarterly informational agenda item be placed on the agenda for the Chino City Council regarding animal shelter intake and outcome statistics for the Animal Resource Center of the Inland Empire, ARC operating under contract with the City.
Specifically, l am requesting that the quarterly report be presented publicly and include, at minimum, the following data for dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, reptiles/amphibians, small mammals, and horses:
• Total intake
• Adoptions
• Returns to Owner
• Transfers (in-state and out-of-state)
• Euthanasia totals, clearly categorized by reason (medical, behavioral, space/capacity, owner- requested, etc.)
• Average length of stay (if this data is not time consuming to gather) • Compliance with California's Hayden Act requirements
As this organization performs a public function funded by taxpayer dollars, routine public reporting of these statistics is essential to transparency, accountabllity, and informed public trust.
This request is for an informational agenda item only and would allow the public to better understand shelter operations, outcomes, and trends over time.
Thank you for your consideration. Please let me know if additional information is needed to facilitate this request.
Respectfully,
M. My
Maureen Moe Mendoza
Maureen Moe Mendoza
Chino, CA 91710
January 20, 2026
Members of the Chino City Council
13220 Central Avenue
Chino, CA 91710
RE: Written Public Comment for the Record Regarding Maverick ID#A004301 Received the CPRA from ARC on Maverick ID#A004301. The report contains chronological inconsistencies, inconsistent descriptions of the bite, and an incorrect quarantine date. While the narratives vary, the only consistent facts are that the dog was on the couch and the individual approached the dog's face to give it kisses. The bite occurred on December 31, and the quarantine should have begun on that date. The report classifies the incident as a Level 2 on the commonly used Level 1-6 bite severity scale, which is generally considered amenable to intervention and training. One of the adoption forms outlining Maverick's medical and behavioral history was not signed by any ARC employee, leaving it unclear whether it was ever reviewed with the adopter.
Maverick is currently working with a trainer. The trainer reports no signs of aggression, no history of growling just that he is a goof ball. I am paying for this training in good faith in hopes that Maverick's 30-day fostering period will be extended, rather than him being euthanized as currently planned, which does not meet the criteria for euthanasia under the Hayden Act. The ARC is only allowing me to foster Maverick for another 30 days, even though when I originally received him, the fostering period could have been longer. Limiting the foster period to 30 days does not provide adequate time to find a rescue willing to take him.
I am urgently requesting the assistance of the Chino city Council and the City Attorney to intervene on behalf of Maverick, to ensure that ARC complies with the Hayden Act and that he is not euthanized.
Respectfully submitted,
m.n
Maureen Moe Mendoza
Chino, California
Maureen Moe Mendoza
Chino, CA 91710
January 20, 2026
Members of the Chino City Council
13220 Central Avenue
Chino, CA 91710
RE: Written Public Comment for the Record
My name is Maureen Moe Mendoza. I am a local animal advocate who believes deeply in transparency and public accountability. For that reason, I submit Public Records Act requests to ensure that decisions affecting our community and its animals are made openly and responsibly.
Since the transition from Inland Valley Humane Society, IVHS, to a temporary Animal Resource Center of the Inland Empire, ARC, the public has repeatedly been told to "give it time" because the facility is new. I believe that position is fundamentaliy flawed. A shelter should not open unless it is properly built, properly funded, and fully equipped to meet the needs of the animals it serves. Staff should be provided the tools, resources, and staffing necessary to operate at least as effectively as the prior shelter, if not better.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, spay and neuter services were widely unavailable, contributing to a sustained increase in animal intake across the region over the past three years. Rising contract costs during that period were not unexpected; they reflected increased demand, rising wages, and real operational pressures. These realities were foreseeable and should have been accounted for during planning and implementation.
Instead, we are now operating a temporary facility, ARC, that Director, Client Thacker, acknowledged it cannot handle current intake levels, while euthanasia rates remain alarmingly high. Animals are paying the price for systemic failures that should have been addressed before the shelter ever opened.
It is unethical that Maverick, a dog I fostered who was adopted and then returned, is now facing euthanasia at ARC while I am actively advocating for transparency. Animals should never be used as punishment or collateral in response to advocacy or public accountability.
There are clear, achievable solutions:
• The shelter must be adequately staffed, equipped, and funded to match current intake, or intake must be reduced through expanded rescue partnerships and foster placements rather than euthanasia.
• Spay and neuter access must be expanded immediately through low-cost and mobile services, particularly in high-intake areas. Prevention is both humane and cost-effective. • Transparency must be mandatory, including regular public reporting on intake, outcomes, euthanasia rates, and capacity.
• Trap-Neuter-Return and community cat programs must be fully funded and supported, as these programs are proven to reduce intake and euthanasia when properly implemented. • Independent oversight committee must be established so that decisions affecting animal lives are subject to public review and accountability.
Accountability should not be delayed, and animal lives should never be the cost of inadequate planning or insufficient transparency. Our community deserves openness, and our animals deserve better.
Respectfully submitted,
m.
Maureen Moe Mendoza
Chino, California