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CONSENT CALENDAR
City of San Bernardino
Request for Council Action
Date: September 18, 2024
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
From: Rochelle Clayton, Acting City Manager;
Kris Watson, Director of Animal Services
Department: Animal Services
Subject: Accept Grant Funds from Best Friends Animal Society (All Wards)
Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California, Adopt Resolution No. 2024-202:
1. Accepting grant funding in the amount of $25,000 from Best Friends Animal Society; and
2. Authorizing the Director of Finance and Management Services to amend the FY 2024/25 budget in both revenues and expenses and appropriate $25,000 to be used towards animal shelter programs and services.
Executive Summary
On July 31st, 2024, Best Friends Animal Society offered a grant of $25,000 to the Department of Animal Services to provide a monetary incentive to rescue groups. The Department anticipates these funds will assist rescue organizations in pulling at least 125 animals from the Department of Animal Services. Approved rescue organizations can receive a stipend of up to $200 per animal they pull from the shelter. This funding will ease the financial burden on rescue organizations that must pay for rabies vaccinations, wellness exams, and spay or neuter surgery for animals rescued from the Department
Background
On July 1st, 2024, the City of San Bernardino Department of Animal Services began housing animals from the cities of Colton, Fontana, and Rialto. Due to the increased number of dogs in the shelter, the Department started looking for creative solutions to move more animals from the shelter into permanent housing. The community of San Bernardino and surrounding areas face increasing challenges to owning large breed dogs, including breed restrictions that limit apartment and rental residents from adopting large dogs. Large dogs are more expensive to care for than smaller dogs, 2 3
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and the cost of veterinary care has increased exponentially over the past several years, impacting both large and small dogs. Providing a financial incentive to rescue organizations to pull dogs from the shelter will benefit the animals by moving animals quickly through the system and easing overcrowding at the facility.
Discussion
In July 2024, the Department applied for a $25,000 grant from Best Friends Animal Society to provide a financial incentive for rescue organizations to pull dogs from the City of San Bernardino Department of Animal Services. This incentive benefits current rescue partners and will attract additional rescue organizations that have not yet partnered with the Department. Year-to-date, rescue organizations have pulled 971 dogs and cats from the Department of Animal Services. The Department is hopeful this funding will increase the number of rescue partnerships as well as the number of animals leaving the shelter to rescue organizations.
2021-2025 Strategic Targets and Goals
The acceptance of this grant is consistent with Key Target No. 1: Improved Operational & Financial Capacity, through the opportunity for increased live outcomes to rescue organizations, which will reduce animals' length of stay in the shelter, further reducing the cost of care per animal.
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund for this grant. The budget for Fiscal Year 2024/2025 will be amended by $25,000 in both revenue and expenditures to account for the generous grant from Best Friends Animal Society. The funding will be utilized for stipends to be paid to rescue groups who have pulled animals from the shelter.
Conclusion
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California, Adopt Resolution No. 2024-202:
1. Accepting grant funding in the amount of $25,000 from Best Friends Animal Society; and
2. Authorizing the Director of Finance and Management Services to amend the FY 2024/25 budget in both revenues and expenses and appropriate $25,000 to be used towards animal shelter programs and services.
Attachments
Attachment 1 Best Friends Animal Society Grant Agreement Attachment 2 Resolution 2024-202
Ward:
All Wards
Synopsis of Previous Council Actions:
On May 5, 2021, the Mayor and City Council adopted Resolution No. 2021-102, accepting a grant award in the amount of $45,000 from Best Friends Animal Society.