May 24, 2022
Contra Costa Animal Services
Richmond Animal Services Agreement
The top activities CCAS responded to in the City of Richmond in 2021 are as follows:
Stray Animal Activities: 1,187 (1,127 in 2020)
Includes aggressive stray animals, confined stray animals and stray animal patrols.
Investigation Activities: 767 (579 in 2020)
Includes bite investigations and inhumane investigations.
Deceased Animal Activities: 440 (500 in 2020)
Includes wild and domestic.
TOP ACTIVITIES IN RICHMOND
CCAS Agreement
The current Animal Services Agreement is outdated and has long required an update to define service levels and performance metrics.
The current Animal Services agreement, which has been in place since 2006, is approximately one page in length and provides little detail with regards to what specific services will be provided.
The updated agreement and fee structure are the result of numerous meetings and touch points with city officials (predominantly City Managers and Police Chiefs) from each of our contract cities over the last two years.
The agreement reflects the feedback that was provided to us through that process by the City Managers and Police Chiefs during individual meetings, regional meetings, and multiple presentations and listening sessions at the Public Managers Association and Police Chiefs Association.
The updated agreement and fee structure clearly describes the services CCAS will provide to your City and defines a funding structure to ensure the Department is able to cover the costs of providing those services.
AGREEMENT HISTORY
The updated agreement provides much greater detail regarding service levels, including:
• Detailing specific services provided under the agreement for all areas of operation. • Creating accountability by listing target response times for each activity type. • Defining what is covered under deceased animal services. • Describing which services are not included under the agreement. • Codifying performance reporting within the agreement, including an annual review and needs assessment.
UPDATED AGREEMENT
UPDATED AGREEMENT – SERVICES California Food and Agricultural Code Sections 30801, 30802, 30803, 30804, 30805, 30952, 31105, 31107, 31108, 31252 and 31254. Health and Safety Code Section 121690. Also, by reference Contra Costa County Code Division 416. 8 Dangerous/Potentially Dangerous Animals
Investigations
Impoundment & Sheltering
Hearings
Permits & Enforcement
Other State & Local Laws
Animal Noise Enforcement and Hearings
Inhumane Activities
Spaying/Neutering of Impounded Pets for Owner reclaim and Adoption Animal transfer programs to 501c3 organizations
Rabies Control
Licensing & Enforcement
Bite Investigations
Patrols
Quarantine of Potential Rabies Suspects
Testing
Animals At Large/Impoundment of Stray Animals
Stray & Aggressive Animal Patrols (Inc. Livestock)
Impoundment of Stray dogs, aggressive Animals and
sick/injured cats
Lost and found support
Sheltering/Care of Impounded Animals (Inc.
vaccination, food, basic care, veterinary care,
spay/neuter etc.)
UPDATED AGREEMENT - SERVICES
9 Deceased Animal Impoundment
- Deceased animals located on the public right of way. - Deceased animals on private property.
Low Cost Spay and Neuter and Vaccine services for owned animals & community cats Officer Hours
- Current officer hours are from 8am – 9pm daily.
Contra Costa County Animal Response Team (CART)
– set up and staff temporary animal shelters in a time of disaster or emergency Local Agency Assists
- Police
- Fire
- Code Enforcement
Wildlife Assistance Calls
- Any potential rabies concern due to human or domestic contact/bite - Deceased pick up public property, plus private property for a “at cost” fee. - Sick and injured referred to CA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, Vector Control or citizen may transport directly to Wildlife Rehabilitation Agency such as Lindsey Wildlife Experience Shelter Services
- Adoption Services
- Foster Programs
- Owner Surrender/Pet Assistance Programs
- Humane Education
- Animal Enrichment Program
The updated agreement includes a defined fee structure for FY 22/23 and FY 23/24, which converts to a formula-based fee structure that will commence in FY 24/25.
AGREEMENT FEE STRUCTURE
• For fiscal year 2022-2023, $7.97 for each person residing within the City limits as of January 2022. For example, Richmond’s population is 110,130. Therefore, Richmond’s Annual Fee for FY 22/23 is $877,736. • For fiscal year 2023-2024, $9.11 for each person residing within the City limits as of January 2023. For example, if Richmond’s population remained the same (110,130), the Annual Fee for FY 23/24 will be $1,003,284.
For each fiscal year thereafter, the per capita rate for the Annual Fee shall be calculated using the following formula:
(A) The County’s budgeted cost to provide Animal Services throughout the County in that fiscal year, minus the sum of animal licensing fees and user fees projected to be received from all County residents in that fiscal year, minus the budgeted County general fund contribution for that fiscal year, divided by (B) the sum of the population of the unincorporated area plus the population of all cities for which the County provides Animal Services.
Each year, the County will prepare a reconciliation report of actual costs incurred by the County to provide Animal Services during the preceding year.
This will ensure the Annual Fee paid by Richmond covers only actual costs incurred to provide Animal Services.
The reconciliation report will be completed and sent to your City Manager in the month of August for each fiscal year. Any cost savings for that fiscal year will be applied to the following fiscal year.
AGREEMENT FEE STRUCTURE CONT’D
Responses to Public Comments & ARC Presentation
PUBLIC COMMENTS
“The agreement is inadequate and does not include feedback from the cities.” FACT: The updated agreement provides much greater detail regarding service levels, includes performance metrics, and reflects the feedback provided to us by each city manager and police chief over a two-year planning period. “The agreement does not include services for injured wildlife.” FACT: The updated agreement focuses on the services CCAS is mandated to perform in your community as your animal services provider. Injured wildlife calls fall within the jurisdiction of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife. “Agreement does not include spay/neuter services, adoption program, pet retention, etc.” FACT: Those services have never been included in the city agreements, they are funded through the County’s contribution. If those services were included in the agreement, they would likely cost well more than what cities are able to fund.
PUBLIC COMMENTS CONT’D
“CCAS did not apply for Measure X funding.”
FACT: CCAS was advised by the County Administrator’s Office to not submit a request for Measure X funding. CCAS drafted a proposal for Measure X funding, but ultimately was not permitted to submit the proposal for consideration. “The cities per capita rate increases while the County contribution remains stagnant” FACT: The County is committed to partnering with cities and supporting animal services. However, the County does not have an obligation to subsidize city animal services under state law. The alternative to providing mandated animal services is for a city to take on these responsibilities themselves. Though contracting with the County to provide services generally ends up saving cities money. That said, in FY 22/23, the County’s contirubtion will be increasing by $270,000.
Pinole Shelter Closure
PINOLE SHELTER CLOSURE
16 In September of 2020, the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors voted to close the Pinole Animal Shelter due to financial impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
CCAS supported this decision since we have long lacked the necessary financial resources and staffing to adequately run the shelter.
The primary services utilized by West County residents at the Pinole Shelter included: adoptions, stray animal impounds and return to owner services.
CCAS will continue to provide these services to West County residents through current practices, mobile events and strategic partnerships.
Field Services response times were not affected because our Animal Services Officers have always been dispatched from our Martinez facility.
CCAS veterinarian speaking with residents at 3/13/21 West County Microchip Clinic
Thank You & Questions
We appreciate our city partners!