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NSE Meeting May 8th San Jose Animal Care Center
From Christina Callahan
Date Wed 5/7/2025 10:23 PM
To Tubera, Katerina <[email protected]>; City Clerk <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>
6 attachments (3 MB)
Community Concern Marsha and 6 puppies.pdf; Guadalupe River Puppies.pdf; Proposed Ordinance San Jose City.pdf; Return to Owner Example_ Mochi.pdf; Return to Owner Example_ Yoshi.pdf; Return To Owner Examples.docx; Dear Katerina and City,
Here are my documents I would like to submit for Public Comment. Documents included:
1. Return to Owner Examples of puppies or unaltered dogs exceeding 3 dogs
2. Return to Owner: Mochi
3. Return to Owner: Yoshi
4. Marsha and her 6 puppies reported living behind the shelter
5. Puppies rescued from the Guadalupe River two years in a row.
6. Proposed Ordinance.
Thank you,
Christina Callahan
SJAC Dog Volunteer
District 6
In February 2024 San Jose responded to the severe atmospheric river storm, particularly focusing on the welfare of homeless residents. City officials declared a state of emergency to ensure safe evacuation for unhoused individuals, especially those living in flood-prone areas near Guadalupe River. A key animal welfare moment involved the rescue of four people, three dogs, and nine puppies from a flooded area, with firefighters using boats to save both humans and animals.
Link:
https://sanjosespotlight.com/san-jose-helps-evacuate-homeless-unhoused-residents-amid-rainstorm-atmospheric-river/ February 13, 2025 San Jose Fire Department Firefighters saved two people and six dogs who were trapped on an island in San Jose’s Guadalupe River. Crews used boats and drones to rescue two adults and six dogs, four of which were puppies.
Abandoned and stray animals
become the city's problem, causing
suffering for the dogs and burdening
taxpayers.This highlights a critical
need for accessible spay and neuter
programs to prevent the
overpopulation of pets, especially in
vulnerable communities. By ensuring
that animals are spayed or neutered,
we can reduce the number of
unwanted litters and improve the
lives of both pets and their owners,
ultimately making emergency
responses more effective and
resources more manageable. Unless
city council members take action,
this problem will persist. It is
essential for the city to implement
low-cost spay and neuter services.
This initiative could help prevent
unwanted litters from arriving at the
shelter. All the puppies from the
February 2025 rescue were brought
to the San Jose Animal Care Center.
Return to Owner Example:
Mochi A1352102 six year old Siberian husky came in as Stray 8/20/2024
8/23/2024 RTF (Return to Field - data error?) - 8/23 (same day) Owner Surrender
2/03/2025, a mentally unstable woman was approved for adoption.
Volunteers raised concerns after witnessing her mumbling to herself and tying Mochi to a pole outside the shelter. Shelter coordinators spoke with her and ultimately decided to allow her to adopt Mochi. 2/04/2025 Mochi found running loose on the streets of San Jose and community members posted on NextDoor and other social media networks a good samaritan kept her overnight. 2/05/2024 Found as Stray
2/11/2025 Mochi Returned to Owner
2/13/2025 Mochi found again running loose near Fruitdale Ave., San Jose and OTC intake as Stray.
Returned to Owner Example: Yoshi
Yoshi A1337578 one year old German shepard came in as Stray 4/21/2024 10/30/2024 Adopted to an unhoused man and woman with a shopping cart. According to the San Jose City Database portal Outcome condition: HEALTHY. 11/04/2024 Yoshi found injured lying on the sidewalk at Martha and 11th crossing brought into shelter by field officers as Stray. Intake condition: MED EMERGENCY.
Yoshi’s medical report indicates he suffered severe injuries to his paw pads, which hindered his ability to walk due to “ulcerated paw pads” requiring medical treatment including topical ointment and bandages.
11/07/2024 Yoshi Returned to Owners. Outcome condition: MED EMERGENCY Shelter staff waived all fees, including boarding, transportation, and medical treatment, totaling $245.
christina callahan
Community Concern
christina callahan
To: [email protected], Matthew Loesch <[email protected]> Cc: Sustain Our Shelters <[email protected]>
Dear Matt Loesch and Mayor Mahan,
I am writing you with a genuine concern about an unhoused individual living with a female German Shepherd who just gave birth to six puppies three weeks ago.
This mama dog and her six puppies live in a trailer behind the shelter. The mama dog runs loose on the street. I am concerned the individual will sell the puppies. Selling puppies is illegal with Center. Although I appreciate the animal control officer for providing the mama dog with food, I don’t understand how this is sustainable for San Jose. Is it legal for this unhoused individual to Please help prevent the sale of intact puppies on the street. This will only exacerbate the overpopulation pet crisis, result in more unwanted litters of puppies on the streets of San Jose, and b Please advise.
5/7/25, 10:05 PM Gmail - Community Concern
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ik=f797399dc3&view=pt&search=all&permmsgid=msg-f:1829620128559093927&simpl=msg-f:1829620128559093927 1/4 5/7/25, 10:05 PM Gmail - Community Concern
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ik=f797399dc3&view=pt&search=all&permmsgid=msg-f:1829620128559093927&simpl=msg-f:1829620128559093927 2/4 5/7/25, 10:05 PM Gmail - Community Concern
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ik=f797399dc3&view=pt&search=all&permmsgid=msg-f:1829620128559093927&simpl=msg-f:1829620128559093927 3/4 Christina Callahan
5/7/25, 10:05 PM Gmail - Community Concern
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ik=f797399dc3&view=pt&search=all&permmsgid=msg-f:1829620128559093927&simpl=msg-f:1829620128559093927 4/4
CITY OF SAN JOSE
MEMORANDUM
TO: San Jose City Council
FROM: Christina Callahan
SUBJECT: Proposal for a New Ordinance Regulating Intact Pets, Unauthorized Litters, and Backyard Breeding
DATE: 5.8.2025
RECOMMENDATION
I respectfully request that the City Council direct the City Attorney and the Department of Animal Care & Services to draft and return with an ordinance to:
1. Limit the number of intact (unspayed/unneutered) dogs and cats to one of each species per household within city limits.
2. Prohibit unauthorized breeding and the sale or transfer of animals from unauthorized litters.
3. Grant Animal Control the authority to confiscate unauthorized litters, spay or neuter impounded animals, and impose penalties for noncompliance.
BACKGROUND
San Jose faces a growing animal overpopulation crisis. Local shelters—particularly San Jose Animal Care & Services—regularly report hundreds of unwanted puppies and kittens entering the shelter system each month, many from unregulated backyard breeding or intact pets owned without permits. These animals strain the City’s limited resources, lead to preventable euthanasia, and undermine regional spay/neuter efforts.
Santa Clara County Ordinance §6.30.020 offers a strong model by limiting intact pets in unincorporated areas. However, it does not apply within the City of San Jose. The City must adopt an ordinance to close this enforcement gap and reduce the influx of unplanned animals into its shelter system.
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED ORDINANCE
Key Provisions:
• Limit intact pets to one dog and one cat per household. • A breeding permit is required for any intentional reproduction of dogs or cats. • Authorize Animal Control to impound unauthorized litters and parent animals. • Impounded animals are required to be spayed or neutered before release, adoption, or transfer. • Prohibit the sale or transfer of any unauthorized puppies or kittens. • Impose administrative fines (up to $1,000) and cost recovery from noncompliant owners. • Penalize repeat violators with permanent restrictions on owning intact pets.
Legal Basis:
This ordinance would be enacted under the City’s general police powers and is consistent with:
• California Government Code §37100 (municipal authority), • Food & Agriculture Code §§30503 and 31751 (local impoundment and sterilization authority), and
• Existing San Jose enforcement practices under Title 9 of the Municipal Code.
RATIONALE
This ordinance will:
• Reduce shelter intake by preventing unplanned litters; • Deter illegal backyard breeding and irresponsible pet ownership; • Ensure humane treatment by requiring sterilization and responsible rehoming; • Save taxpayer dollars spent on care and euthanasia of unwanted animals.
With the City Council’s support, San Jose can take a meaningful and enforceable step toward controlling pet overpopulation while aligning with countywide and statewide animal welfare goals.
REQUEST
Please schedule this proposal for referral to the Rules and Open Government Committee, with a directive to the City Attorney to draft the ordinance in collaboration with Animal Care & Services.
Submitted by:
Christina Callahan
District 6
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The San Jose Neighborhood Services and Education Committee Public Comment From Ann Chasson
Date Thu 5/8/2025 12:13 AM
To Tubera, Katerina <[email protected]>
Cc The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan <[email protected]>; Maguire, Jennifer <[email protected]>; Loesch, Matthew <[email protected]>; Rios, Angel <[email protected]>; Terrado, Jay <[email protected]>; District1 <[email protected]>; District2 <[email protected]>; District3 <[email protected]>; District4 <[email protected]>; District5 <[email protected]>; District 6 <[email protected]>; District7 <[email protected]>; District8 <[email protected]>; District9 <[email protected]>; District 10 <[email protected]>
My name is Ann Chasson, and I represent The Dancing Cat, a non-profit cat rescue operating in San Jose. We are dedicated to rescuing and providing care for cats in our community, and I would like to extend my gratitude for your follow-up with the City shelter staff regarding last year’s audit. Your efforts to improve the conditions at the shelter are important and necessary.
Recommendation #9: Increasing spay/neuter services
I realize that shelter staff will be reporting today on Recommendations #5, 7, and 10 from the audit.
However, I believe the root cause of many of the shelter’s issues in achieving a high standard of care stem from the explosion of the dog and cat population in San Jose.
A significant contributing factor to this ongoing crisis is the lack of affordable spay/neuter services for owned pets, and the limited availability of free or low-cost Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) appointments for community cats. This is addressed in Recommendation #9 of the audit: Increasing Spay/Neuter Services. The shelter has marked recommendation #9 as partially implemented in the current report, but the plan is still woefully inadequate. If as a community the purpose is to address what is a systemic problem, the timing to act is now. Full implementation of an inadequate plan by December is simply unacceptable.
I’d also like to request that the NSE receive an update regarding the planned community action committee which was tasked to provide input into Recommendation #9, among others. Has this committee been put into place?
Rescues struggle to support increased demand for spay/neuter At The Dancing Cat, we are overwhelmed with the needs of the community. In 2024 alone, we received over 750 calls from community members seeking assistance for more than 2,000 cats. We strive to help as many as we can, but the costs associated with spay/neuter appointments are unsustainable at nearly $200 each for friendly cats and $125 for TNR. With hundreds of cats in need of spay/neuter assistance, we cannot continue to shoulder this financial burden. Nor do we have the human resources to support this demand.
Next Steps
The City has provided these services in the past. Therefore, we respectfully request the City to step up in two critical areas:
1. Increase access to affordable spay/neuter services: Implementing affordable spay/neuter programs for owned pets will help reduce the number of litters born each year and significantly decrease the number of animals entering the shelter system.
2. Expand free TNR services for community cats: By providing more resources for TNR programs, we can help manage and stabilize the cat population, which in turn will reduce the strain on the shelter and avoid the euthanasia of unweaned kittens that is occuring now.
To increase capacity, the City should:
1. Reduce barriers for private veterinarians to provide on-site services.
2. Contract with high-volume providers increasing the focus on cats.
3. Hire vets and vet techs who have experience with high-volume spay/neuter techniques.
4. Continue to train current shelter vet staff on these techniques.
The high quality-high volume spay/neuter (HQHVSN) training that took place last weekend at SJACC was a step in the right direction. Spaying and neutering 50 cats per day would easily take care of the shelter’s backlog of unfixed cats, allowing them to move to the adoption floor and be adopted much faster.
Immediate and longer-term impact of increased availability of spay/neuter Since the shelter has decreased their capacity for housing cats by 50% this year vs last year, it is critical that adoptable cats be fixed quickly and moved to the adoption rooms. This reduces the incidence of cats giving birth to kittens in the shelter and the risk of cats contracting communicable diseases there, and moves towards the goal of lowering the overall length of stay of these pets.
We believe that with the City's support, we can make meaningful progress in addressing the root causes of animal overpopulation in our community, ultimately leading to healthier cats and a more sustainable shelter environment.
Thank you for your consideration.
Ann Chasson
Ann Chasson, Co-Founder
The Dancing Cat
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. 702 E Julian, San Jose, CA 95112
www.thedancingcat.org
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May 8, 2025
TO: Neighborhood Services and Education Committee
RE: Comments to San Jose Animal Care Services (“ACS”) Audit Implementation Status Report dated May 2, 2025 ( “Status Report”)
Dear Members of the Neighborhood Services and Education Committee:
I am writing on behalf of the companion and community animal project. We raise awareness of issues affecting animal care, facilitate communication between the community and its leaders about such matters, justify the resources needed by animal care organizations to meet the Five Freedoms standard of care and strengthen relationships among animal shelters, TNR volunteers, and rescue organizations.
Our comments and concerns with the ACS Status Report that will be presented at the Neighborhood Services and Education Committee on May 8th are as follows:
Audit Recommendations represented as implemented.
#5 Improve outreach and public education on when to intervene with stray kittens.
The Status Report only shows copies of promotional materials for one class concerning kitten care and a flyer instructing people on what to do if they find kittens. ACS does not provide information on the extent or effectiveness of ACS's outreach or education or how such outreach and education compares to what it did before the Audit.
ACS should:
➔ Provide information on where and how many times it posted the flyer and the advertisement for the kitten class or otherwise made this information available to the public, the number of views if posted digitally, the number of times it held a kitten class and the number of attendees.
➔ Conduct and provide the results of a public survey to determine if the public has seen or is aware that this information is available and understands such information. ACS should track and report on the number of views, abandonments, and submissions of the Kitten Observation Form and ACS response to submissions, e.g., the results or outcomes of any action taken.
➔ Provide a comparison of its outreach efforts before the Audit and its efforts to implement Audit Recommendation #5, including an analysis of whether such efforts have increased awareness since the Audit.
#7 San Jose Animal Care and Services should finalize the shelter's draft euthanasia protocol to:
a. Provide clear criteria on when euthanasia may be considered. b. Formalize the process for granting requests to delay euthanasia decisions.
The documentation of the euthanasia protocol in the Status Report is not complete. It does not address how staff identify animals suffering behavioral issues from the stress of sheltering and remove such animals from consideration as candidates for euthanasia, nor does it include the process for granting delay requests.
#10 ACS will update the website to reflect the current process to book a spay and neuter appointment as part of the trap, neuter and return process.
ACS’s website does not inform the public that pregnant cats can be spayed and the procedure can be done at the Animal Care Center without an appointment until the online TNR request form is accessed. This information should be made available much earlier in the section of the website addressing TNR and promoted widely so the public is aware of this option.
The Status Report does not provide any information on the public's awareness of booking an appointment, the usage of the TNR request form, or the effectiveness of the current method of booking appointments.
ACS should:
➔ Provide data regarding the usage of the TNR request form, including submissions and abandonments, conversion to appointments, and the time from submission to booking an appointment and to the date of the TNR procedure.
➔ Provide data on the number of TNR appointments/procedures resulting from using the TNR request form compared to the total number of TNR appointments/procedures. ➔ Conduct and provide the results of a public survey to determine if the public has either seen or is aware that this process is available and if the public is satisfied with this process.
4 December Focus – TNR, Low Cost
We would also like to comment on the information presented on the "December Focus" pages concerning TNR and the provision of free or low-cost veterinarian services:
The information on facility use is misleading and only provides information regarding one of the two surgical suites at the shelter. While HSSV is in one of the ACS's surgical suites on Monday and Friday, it is performing surgical procedures primarily for its own already established programs. HSSV is using one of ACS’s suites due to the loss of their surgical suite in a fire.
Procedures for ACS’s TNR program are done on Wednesday and Thursday, and only in one of the two surgical suites at ACS.
Historical data for spay and neuter procedures should start in 2017 before COVID-19 to show a complete trend analysis. This analysis will reveal that while the number of procedures has increased since January 2023, it is still well below the number of procedures before COVID-19.
ACS should:
➔ Provide a detailed breakdown of spay/neuter services by provider with yearly statistics to demonstrate what it has done to expand ACS's capacity to provide TNR/spay/neuter procedures through the use of third parties.
➔ Break out the data to differentiate between TNR and spay/neuter of shelter animals to show the increases or decreases within each category and to compare the number of procedures for each category.
The proposal to offer free or low-cost veterinarian services is too limited and is not responsive to the goal of Audit Recommendation #36, which is to increase access to underserved communities.
Offering veterinary services at a reduced rate limited to unhoused individuals and owners of unaltered reclaimed animals is too restrictive. A low-income individual who has housing should not be required to lose their pet before they can access low-cost services, and the owner of a reclaimed, unaltered pet may be able to afford to purchase veterinary services on their own easily.
Establishment of Community Group
We want to remind the NSE that ACS promised an update regarding establishing a community group in response to the Audit and during its annual report last December. To date, there has been no such update, and we request that the NSE require ACS to provide an update during its presentation on May 8th or in writing by May 30th.
4 Failure to Evaluate the Applicability of Industry Recommendations At this time, we also want to mention ACS's failure to evaluate the applicability of industry recommendations, given its current operating condition of crisis mode.
In line with industry recommendations, ACS recently installed portals (a device that creates a pass-through between two cat cages, allowing cats to move between them), essentially turning two kennels into one larger kennel. The portals can be beneficial by increasing space for individual cats, reducing stress, and improving cat adoptability. Still, the portals also decrease the number of kennels available for cats by half.
Installing portal cages that reduce kennel space without increasing resources for rapid intake and release hinders lifesaving efforts by limiting the number of cats admitted. The best welfare outcome for feral cats, which comprise a large share of intake, is quick admission, processing, and return to field to minimize stress and improve their survival.
Despite industry recommendations, the shelter must reassess how it allocates space to ensure that lifesaving capacity is not compromised, particularly during peak seasons. Feral cats need quick treatment and release more than they need portal cages.
We appreciate that the shelter is reporting on its implementation of the Audit recommendations.
However, more analysis needs to be done, and much more data needs to be provided to determine ACS's actual progress.
Thank you,
Catherine Valentine
Catherine Valentine
companion & community animal project
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Re: NSE Committee Meeting - SJACS Public Submission (Agenda Item #4) From M Wagner
Date Thu 5/8/2025 7:33 AM
To City Clerk <[email protected]>; Tubera, Katerina <[email protected]> Dear Chairman Ortiz and Councilmembers,
At the December 12th, 2024 NSE Committee Meeting chaired by Dev Davis, Deputy City Manager Angel Rios spoke at the end of the meeting and reiterated that Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) needs to be made a "priority" next year and that "we need to offer TNR 5 days a week, at a minimum".
Another 6 months have gone by and yet the SJACS presentation of today doesn't even remotely begin to address offering TNR 5 days a week. - - - In fact, there is very little mentioned (if anything at all) about what kind of TNR "capacity" the shelter will be offering starting in June.
Meanwhile, the presentation also states that low-cost public spay neuter will now finally be offered to the public starting in June with 5 appointments per week. This was a program that had been promised by ACS Director Kiska Icard to have been started last November. Instead, it was never implemented and got pushed out into 2025.
I'm sorry, but 5 appointments per week in June and 10 appointments per week in July isn't going to move the needle. This is literally an "insult" to the community and its residents. You're going to wind-up with "waiting" lists a mile long.
This really begs the question, why is the spay/neuter capacity at SJACS so low for a shelter with 4 full-time Vets on staff and a budget approaching $17 million dollars? That's the question that Mr. Ortiz and council need to ask Matt Loesch and his staff.
Sincerely,
Mike Wagner
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Public comment for 5/8 NSE meeting
From Amie Jan
Date Thu 5/8/2025 7:36 AM
To Tubera, Katerina <[email protected]>
Dear Mayor Mahan and Members of the City Council,
My name is Amie Jan, and I have proudly volunteered at the San Jose Animal Care Center (SJACC) for the past three and a half years. As someone who is regularly inside the shelter, I see the dysfunction firsthand. I am writing to express serious concern about the ongoing, systemic issues at the shelter— issues that persist under the same leadership that has repeatedly failed the animals, the volunteers, and the San Jose community.
The recent audit only confirmed what many of us have been raising alarms about for years. These problems stem from poor leadership and deep systemic issues. We cannot reasonably expect the same individuals who allowed the shelter to deteriorate to be the ones to fix it.
Throughout the long fight to get that audit, shelter leadership insisted everything was fine. They worked to deflect, delay, and deny rather than engage in honest self-assessment. Now that the audit has exposed serious failings, are we expected to simply trust these same leaders when they present glowing updates and congratulate themselves at Council meetings? They have lost the public’s trust and have shown time and again that they only take action when forced to by public pressure. Where is the promised oversight committee?
Volunteers and advocates are drained by the constant need to raise concerns, demand transparency, and fight for basic accountability—often under the looming threat of being dismissed without explanation for asking tough but necessary questions. Why else are dedicated volunteers in good standing being let go, especially when the shelter is in urgent need of help? Meaningful change should not require media intervention or repeated pleas before this Council. This is not how a responsible or ethical city department should function.
For a more detailed look at the issues, I encourage you to visit sjanimalpartners.weebly.com, where community members have documented these ongoing failures.
This shelter needs leadership that is not only capable but proactive—people who act out of responsibility, not because they’re under scrutiny. It is not sustainable to rely on community watchdogs just to ensure animals receive basic care and dignity.
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Sincerely,
Amie Jan
Volunteer, San Jose Animal Care Center
Resident, San Jose District 6
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San Jose Animal Care Center Agenda item CC 25-078
From Jenna Skinner
Date Thu 5/8/2025 8:04 AM
To Tubera, Katerina <[email protected]>
Cc The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan <[email protected]>; Rios, Angel <[email protected]>; Loesch, Matthew <[email protected]>
1 attachment (2 MB)
IMG_4899 4.HEIC;
Good afternoon,
As a cat rescue in San Jose I’d like to address what I believe to be the single biggest problem at San Jose Animal Care Center. The overwhelming number of cats is the biggest strain on SJACC's resources. Data from 2019-2025 shows cat intake dwarfing dog intake by 2.25 to 3.7 times. Without consistent high-volume TNR and low-cost community spay/neuter, this will escalate. We can't wait until December like the audit suggests. San Jose's lack of services and punitive enforcement have created a surge of stray cats and kittens. Ignoring help requests and using threats instead of compassionate solutions has devastating consequences, as seen in Brad's case.
Despite repeated pleas for help starting in 2019 regarding numerous unspayed/unneutered cats in his District 10 neighborhood and resulting kittens, SJACC offered no support and even issued citations. This inaction led to a severe hoarding situation and after Brad's wife passed away in December 2024 it was discovered he had over 100 cats in his home and yard and another 25 to 50 feral cats in the neighborhood. When Brad's son-in-law sought help from SJACC and showed up at intake with five crates of cats, including nursing kittens and a pregnant cat, he told intake that he had up to 100 cats in a hoarding situation and that the homeowner was leaving his home because his wife had passed away. Initially, staff suggested this was an animal control situation, and after going back into the building to ostensibly get direction from management, staff returned to tell him that AC couldn't help, that TNR was not appropriate, and that they were going to be charged surrender fees because the homeowner was feeding the cats. They took one of the litters and the pregnant cat, then turned him away with the rest and charged him $210. December is a slow time for San Jose Animal Care Center, there was plenty of room for intake. Consequently, the son-in-law, Ian, turned to rescues. Gatos de la Noche, Purrific Rescue and The Dancing Cat jumped in to help immediately.
Since January 1, 2025, I've coordinated with family and rescues, placing 107 friendly cats, with SJACC eventually taking remaining litters. SJACC has also participated in some of the TNR, but the majority of the cats have been TNR'd through our partnership with HSSV. We still need This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. plans for 17 cats and TNR for about a dozen. This massive rescue effort highlights systemic failures. Where is the support for the community members who try to help? The institution meant to protect animal welfare in San Jose failed to act, leaving this family to cope with a preventable crises.
Every year I think it can't get any worse, but this year is worse. Kitten season started early, and the kittens are everywhere. Gatos de la Noche is overwhelmed with requests for help. When the question comes up as to why rescues are not pulling cats and kittens from SJACC, it's because we are too busy helping the public that is being turned away by their municipal shelter.
If San Jose doesn't do everything it can to stop the flow of kittens by ramping up high-volume spay and neuter and TNR, we are never going to get ahead of this. You cannot adopt your way out of the enormous feral cat and kitten population on the streets of San Jose. We absolutely have to stem the flow, and there is only one way to do that. All the cute graphics and website upgrades will not replace the need for these services. Please, please prioritize spay and neuter for pets and community cats. December is far too late to implement this, and you are setting us up for another terrible year with too many kittens born outside, and the animals and your constituents suffering the consequences.
Jenna Skinner
Director
Gatos de la Noche
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Fw: NSE Committee Meeting - SJACS Public Submission (Agenda Item #4) From Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Date Thu 5/8/2025 9:05 AM
To Tubera, Katerina <[email protected]>
From: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, May 8, 2025 8:41 AM
To: Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Subject: FW: NSE Committee Meeting - SJACS Public Submission (Agenda Item #4) From: M Wagner
Sent: Thursday, May 8, 2025 7:44 AM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>; Taber, Toni <[email protected]> Subject: Re: NSE Committee Meeting - SJACS Public Submission (Agenda Item #4) Dear Chairman Ortiz and Council,
Given that the timeline for the Audit Recommendations is highly "backloaded", especially given that 16 items are coming due in June and another 40 in December, I would strongly suggest that the NSE Committee put SJACS on the agenda for their August Meeting and request Mr.
Loesch and his staff to come back and give another "update" and progress report to the Council and public.
If SJACS doesn't have to update Council and the public with a progress report until midDecember, my fear is that much of this is just going to get kicked into 2026.
The public needs to be informed as to the progress of these updates so that they can have the opportunity to address them and be able to ask additional questions and share any concerns with their councilmembers. Simply being left with the option of tracking a "spreadsheet" from today's presentation just doesn't meet an appropriate standard in my opinion.
The public shouldn't have to wait until December for another update.
Especially with 16 recommendations coming due next month.
Sincerely,
Mike Wagner
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Fw: NSE Committee Meeting - SJACS Public Submission (Agenda Item #4) From Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Date Thu 5/8/2025 9:05 AM
To Tubera, Katerina <[email protected]>
From: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, May 8, 2025 8:41 AM
To: Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Subject: FW: NSE Committee Meeting - SJACS Public Submission (Agenda Item #4) From: M Wagner
Sent: Thursday, May 8, 2025 7:57 AM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>; Taber, Toni <[email protected]> Subject: Re: NSE Committee Meeting - SJACS Public Submission (Agenda Item #4) Dear Chairman Ortiz and Council,
This is yet another horrifying example of how SJACS continues to be operated in a terribly incompetent and negligent manner but it's three highly paid directors . . . Deputy Director Jay Terrado, Director Kiska Icard, and Director Elizabeth Kather.
Apparently, intake staff are still not being trained properly when it comes to the "basics" when they interact with the public and are terribly ignorant as to the potential for kittens being bought for snake food. This is just one "example" of many over the last several years of the public having a horrid experience with the shelter and not being given proper "information" and "resources" at intake. - Mike Wagner
Note: Diane Cascia is a well-known and respected trapper that has worked with various shelters in the area.
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Fw: NSE Committee Meeting - SJACS Public Submission (Agenda Item #4) From Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Date Thu 5/8/2025 9:04 AM
To Tubera, Katerina <[email protected]>
From: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, May 8, 2025 8:41 AM
To: Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Subject: FW: NSE Committee Meeting - SJACS Public Submission (Agenda Item #4) From: M Wagner
Sent: Thursday, May 8, 2025 8:00 AM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>; Taber, Toni <[email protected]> Subject: Re: NSE Committee Meeting - SJACS Public Submission (Agenda Item #4) For Submission to the Public Record of the City of San Jose From: Michael Wagner
To: Jennifer Maguire, City Manager
Good afternoon Miss Maguire,
I would like to point out to you (and other members of City leadership) that we are now 21-days from the April 15th data-point that Matt Loesch shared with us when he offered his explanation as to why there are hardly any Cats Available for Adoption to the public.
Today is May 6th, and Pet Compass shows only 9 Cats and 2 Kittens available for adoption.
And of those 11, there are 3 in foster care.
Thus, only 8 available to the public.
I'm sorry Miss Maguire, but the reply that your Public Works Director offered on April 24th as an "explanation" as to why there are hardly any Cats available for adoption to the public just doesn't hold any "water". His narrative that adoption availability has been "limited" due to the number of Cats on stray-wait hold (120) back on April 15th is highly questionable, if not false. - - - For those that are unaware, stray-wait hold only lasts for 3 days.
Additionally, it's hard to imagine that spay/neuter capacity is somehow "limited" given that I believe you have 4 full-time Vets currently on staff.
If Mr. Loesch's explanation held any "water", one would think that we'd see some of those 120 cats that he referenced on stray-wait hold from April 15th, starting to fill-up the adoption rooms and kennels at SJACS. But here we are 21 days later and still only 8 cats are available. This, in and of itself is a prime example of what is so very wrong with the management of this animal shelter.
By the way, this is not the first time that Mr. Loesch has offered a "half-baked" answer to one of my questions.
As you well know, a similar "reply" was offered by Mr. Loesch on February 24th when I showed documentation (invoices) in which SJACS had incurred several months of outstanding (unpaid) bills with MedVet - - - for the months of September, October, and November (not to mention May and July as well). In his reply, Mr. Loesch bizarrely replied that I was "wrong" and that the shelter was all paid up as of February - - - not even recognizing the unpaid invoices marked "outstanding" from MedVet as of year-end that I had attached and highlighted in my email.
On December 12th in front of the NSE Committee, it also did not go unnoticed that Mr. Loesch was not upfront and forthcoming with NSE Chairman Ortiz when it came to the death of a pit bull from a simple neuter surgery by the name of Rufus.
It was at this meeting when asked by Chairman Ortiz if there would be a third-party alternative investigation and necropsy performed, Mr. Loesch replied, "We don't intend to. We think we understand why Rufus died." However, not only did Mr. Loesch and Dr. Kather not disclose how the dog had died and chose to instead embark along a rather circuitous "dance" regarding kennel placement which had nothing to do with the fact that the dog had gone unmonitored post-op while unconscious and most likely died of asphyxia - - - Mr. Loesch and Dr. Kather both ignored sharing with Mr. Ortiz and the NSE Committee that a necropsy had in fact been performed by one of their own vets Dr. Marissa McKinley and moreover, they both chose not to share its contents or determination of death with members of the Committee.
I believe that I was not the only one who attended that meeting that day at City Hall that felt deceived.
Miss Maguire, if SJACS is to ever improve and make significant changes for the better, your Directors have got to stop parroting false narratives and "spin" when it comes time to informing the public and elected officials about the operations of your animal shelter.
The fact that your management team repeatedly fails to answer specific shelter operations questions from a solid knowledge base is truly troubling and again, reflective of their poor skillset.
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It really begs the question why the City has not conducted job searches for professionals with the right skillset to lead and operate SJACS. The recent addition of a highly "green" and unproven Rescue/Foster Coordinator is just one more example of your Directors setting up an employee to fail - - - with more animals suffering and not getting out of the shelter in a timely manner.
The deflection and inability to be truthful and transparent when answering basic questions is puzzling at best.
Over time, the concerns of the public regarding how the City has been caring for these animals in its custody have repeatedly been discounted, dismissed, and even denied. What's perhaps even more shocking is how your Directors don't ever appear to be held accountable - - - even when a California State Law had been clearly violated by your Directors in October of 2023, the Hayden Act. - - - A violation that didn't even trigger a formal investigation by your staff.
Miss Maguire, this is an insult to the hard-working volunteers and partners of the shelter who go unpaid and give their "everything" to make SJACS a better place for the animals in its care and improve live outcomes.
This charade is growing old.
Sincerely,
Mike Wagner
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Fw: NSE Committee Meeting - SJACS Public Submission (Agenda Item #4) From Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Date Thu 5/8/2025 9:02 AM
To Tubera, Katerina <[email protected]>
From: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, May 8, 2025 8:42 AM
To: Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Subject: FW: NSE Committee Meeting - SJACS Public Submission (Agenda Item #4) From: M Wagner
Sent: Thursday, May 8, 2025 8:10 AM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>; Taber, Toni <[email protected]> Subject: Re: NSE Committee Meeting - SJACS Public Submission (Agenda Item #4) For Submission to the Public Record of the City of San Jose From: Mike Wagner
To: Jennifer Maguire, City Manger
Topic: April 2025 Cat Outcomes
Dear Miss Maguire,
These SJAC Outcome numbers for April 2025 vs April 2024 are most troubling.
Cat Adoption down from 137 to 78 (- 43.0%)
Cat Rescue down from 169 to 87 (- 48.5%)
Cat Euthanasia up from 61 to 117 (+ 91.8%)
Cat Foster down from 474 to 0
Sincerely,
Mike Wagner
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Note: Outcome Data from the monthly SJACS Kennel Statistics Report via public information request.
April 2025, April 2024, April 2023 data documents attached. [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] Outlook
Fw: SJAC - April 2025 Outcomes
From Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Date Thu 5/8/2025 9:08 AM
To Tubera, Katerina <[email protected]>
For 5/8 NSE Item 4 public comments?
From: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, May 8, 2025 9:05 AM
To: Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Subject: FW: SJAC - April 2025 Outcomes
From: M Wagner
Sent: Thursday, May 8, 2025 8:58 AM
To: Maguire, Jennifer <[email protected]>; Rios, Angel <[email protected]> Cc: Ortiz, Peter <[email protected]>; Mossing, Mackenzie <[email protected]>; City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: SJAC - April 2025 Outcomes
Good morning Miss Maguire and Mr. Rios,
I can't emphasize enough how poor these monthly numbers are.
I really can't.
I track this monthly data going back years and I can't find a single month where there were MORE cats euthanized than adopted out, even during anytime in 2023 when there was the horrid panleukopenia outbreak that the shelter had great difficulty coming to terms with.
Your highly paid management team continues to perform poorly and break the public trust. - Mike Wagner
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NSE Committee, May 8, San Jose Animal Care Center, Elena Gaffney, Angel's Furry Friends Rescue.
From Elena Gaffney
Date Thu 5/8/2025 10:01 AM
To Tubera, Katerina <[email protected]>
Cc Rois, Joseph <[email protected]>
6 attachments (14 MB)
San Jose Community-Wide Spay_Neuter Initiative Proposal.pdf; Intake and spay-neuter statistics for San Jose Animal Services from 2018-2019 to 2023-2024. (1).pdf; San Jose Animal Task Force Proposition.pdf; California Public Survey_ Low Cost Spay Neuter and TNR Access Availability.pdf; Capacity, Funding, and Accountability at San José Animal Shelter (2).pdf; San Jose Spay_Neuter & TNR Availability Survey, April 07, 2025 - April 9 upload.pdf; Hello Katerina, Please could you add my notes to today's NSE Committee files.
Thank you, Elena Gaffney ( I cc: The City Auditor and Full City Council and Mayor as well, as there have been lack of response so far).
Subject: San Jose Animal Crisis: Failure to Address Root Causes and Restore Public Spay-Neuter Access Dear City Leadership and Councilmembers,
I represent a Local Animal Rescue : Angel's Furry Friends Rescue, registered in San Jose. I am also a San Jose Resident and a Taxpayer for over 20 years, and former Cat Volunteer at San Jose Shelter ( 2004-2007).
While San Jose leadership has publicly declared that the city is experiencing an animal crisis — as acknowledged on the City’s own website — there has been no meaningful effort to address the root causes of this crisis.
As a local San Jose rescue group, we have contacted the City Council multiple times over the past year. Yet our concerns have gone unanswered.
We are now afraid to post adoption ads for our rescued animals on social media. Every time we do, we are immediately flooded with hundreds of desperate messages from community members who have been denied help from the shelter. These residents report having no access to low-cost spay/neuter or vaccination services, after the city's previous support network was effectively dismantled by San Jose leadership.
Shelter Funding and Staffing
After comparing San Jose’s shelter with a similarly sized Northern California facility, we found a striking disparity: a shelter operating at half the size of San Jose’s receives equal funding, provides more comprehensive care, and maintains comparable staffing levels., while San Jose is the largest operations within Northern California - is is not adequately staffed and funded.
We shared a detailed funding and staffing analysis with the full City Council and shelter management. To date, there has been no response.
What stands out even more is that comparable shelters employ roles San Jose Animal Care Services (ACS) lacks, including CRITICAL ROLES as:
Dedicated behaviorists EXTREMELY IMPORTANT see Video OF Tug, we rescued from Euthanasia at SJ Shelter works with a trainer Multiple rescue and foster coordinators, animal enrichment staff Staffing structured around the core function of animal shelters: to be animal-centered, transparent, and accountable to the public San Jose must begin to hire functional and specialized staff in alignment with the number of animals under its care.
Currently, animals are experiencing severe stress. The majority are unaltered, held in shelter kennels for prolonged periods, and many do not receive even a 15-minute walk per day. During several hours spent at the shelter, I observed no staff attending to any of the dogs. Many of the animals we rescue require rehabilitation simply to recover from the psychological toll of being isolated — without outdoor access or human interaction.
A shelter should not be in the position of constantly seeking volunteer or “free” trainers just to meet the basic behavioral needs of animals in its care.
Our city and county must allocate Sufficient funding not only generously — but responsibly, ensuring it is directed toward essential roles and functional capacity. This must be done with full transparency, clear benchmarks, and public accountability.
Lack of Public Oversight and Follow-Through
The public community commission that was previously promised by City leadership has still not been created. This broken promise has left residents without a formal avenue to engage with city leadership or shelter management in a consistent, meaningful way.
The recent audit of Animal Services was extremely limited in scope. According to the City Auditor Joe Rois, the department does not enforce compliance, even with the few recommendations it provided. This makes the need for a permanent public oversight committee even more critical.
A public committee would offer a structured and transparent way for community members to:
Engage directly with Animal Services and City Council
Provide ongoing input on policy, priorities, and strategic direction Ensure that decisions reflect the values and needs of the broader public Right now, that connection is missing — and city Management, city Auditor and ACS leadership are clearly lacking a community-informed perspective.
Collapse of Public Spay-Neuter Services
Over the past several years, San Jose and Santa Clara County have dismantled what was once an effective and accessible public spay-neuter system.
Private clinic partnerships eliminated
Voucher programs ended
In-house public spay/neuter services cut by more than half since 2018 The same veterinary staff who once performed 10,000 sterilizations per year (2018) now focus solely on medical procedures for 200–300 animals. Meanwhile, thousands of community animals go unaltered.
This shift has turned the shelter into a $15 million veterinary hospital for a small number of medical cases — while neglecting its preventive mission. These surgeries could be outsourced to local specialty clinics, freeing city resources to prioritize public access.
We’ve asked who made this policy shift. We’ve received no answers. We submitted a detailed spay-neuter volume analysis based on city population. Still no response.
Ignored Solutions and Blocked Offers of Help
According to independent survey across 42 California counties Santa Clara County, San Jose — one of the most populated in the state — now ranks among the worst in terms of public access to spay/neuter.
Meanwhile, our rescue had offered to pay for SNIP Bus clinics to relieve community demand. No response.
Other proven, cost-effective solutions were also dismissed, some striking examples:
Animal Balance, a mobile high-volume clinic used successfully in other California counties, was blocked by San Jose city bureaucracy. They can sterilize up to 200 animals in a Qualified private veterinarians capable of performing high-volume spay/neuter have been repeatedly excluded, with no explanation. RFP’s for this work were never published The shelter continues to operate with a limited list of partner organizations in a climate of secrecy and non-transparency, actively declining outside help.
Since COVID, multiple clinics and providers have offered to assist — only to be turned away.
Who is making these decisions? And why are cost-effective, community-driven solutions being blocked — while our city shelters overflow and the public is left without support?
Shelter Social Media: Misinforming the Public?
The shelter’s current use of social media is deeply misleading to the public. While a few select animals are highlighted in curated posts, hundreds of urgent pleas from community members — who are denied help or turned away — flood social platforms, unseen and unanswered.
Why is the shelter using its social media presence to normalize abnormal practices and paint a misleading picture of success, while the core issues of access, overcrowding, and lack of transparency remain unaddressed? This platform is funded by taxpayers, yet it is being used to divert attention from real problems. Why not enlist volunteer support for basic outreach tasks — and redirect the $140,000+ in social media staffing costs toward public spay/neuter programs that would make a tangible impact? It’s time to stop the spin and start addressing the root problems. Shelter resources should be focused on solutions, not optics.
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San Jose’s residents, rescues, and animals deserve better. The City must move beyond declarations, photo -ops with a shelter animal and take meaningful steps to rebuild access to spay/neuter and restore transparency to shelter operations.
Sincerely,
Elena Gaffney
Angel's Furry Friends Founder and President
Our website || Facebook || Instagram
Attached:
1. Intake and spay-neuter statistics for San Jose Animal Services from 2018-2019 to 2023-2024.
2. San Jose Community-Wide Spay/Neuter Initiative Proposal March 31 2025
3. San Jose Action Committee/Task Force Proposal, submitted in September 2024
4. REPORT: Public Survey Results Reveal Gaps in Low-Cost Spay-Neuter and TNR Access Across California ( San Jose, Santa Clara County, are part of survey)
5. Capacity, Funding and Accountability Proposal, April 21 2025
6. Low Cost Spay-Neuter availability Survey, San Jose
Intake and spay-neuter statistics for San Jose Animal Services from 2018-2019 to 2023-2024.
Intake Total: The overall animal intake has fluctuated over the years, peaking in 2018-19 at 18,584 then declining 2021-22 to 15,670 then declining to 11,584 in 2022-23, before increasing again to 13,668 in 2023-24.
Spay-Neuter Total: The number of spay-neuter surgeries performed saw a gradual decline from 10,002 in 2018-19 to 3,480 in 2022-23, before increasing to 4,769 in 2023-24.
Misc Surgery In-House: This category was added in 2020-21, with 136 surgeries that year. The number increased slightly to 212 by 2023-24.
Spay-Neuter Offsite: This service began in 2022-23 with just 1 surgery, rising significantly to 474 in 2023-24.
Spay-Neuter TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return): The TNR surgeries started at 128 in 2018-19, declined in the following years, then surged to 846 in 2022-23, followed by a slight decrease to 769 in 2023-24.
Public Spay-Neuter ("Owned by the Public" Animals): This category saw a sharp decline from 1,916 in 2018-19 to just 2 in 2020-21, with zero entries in the last two years (2022-23 and 2023-24).
Total Spay-Neuter: The total number of spay-neuter surgeries also decreased from 10,002 in 2018-19 to a low of 4,463 in 2022-23, with a slight recovery to 6,224 in 2023-24.
Overall Trends:
There's a general decline in the total spay-neuter numbers until 2022-23, after which it starts to recover slightly. Public spay-neuter for owned animals has declined sharply and then disappeared.
Although new services like some offsite spay/neuter and some TNR efforts signal progress, the shelter has increasingly allocated its limited veterinary resources to a smaller number of complex medical procedures—many of which could be more effectively outsourced to specialized veterinary clinics. As a result, more than 50% of animals housed in the shelter remain unsterilized, with some waiting for months before receiving the procedure. This delay not only hinders timely adoptions but also negatively impacts the physical and mental well-being of the animals.
To address this, the shelter must reallocate public funding and internal veterinary capacity toward spay/neuter procedures for both in-house animals and those owned by the public.
As a publicly funded institution, the shelter has a responsibility to prioritize services that deliver the greatest community-wide benefit—and nothing is more critical to effective, humane population control than ensuring consistent, accessible sterilization services.
Proposal: Community-Wide Spay/Neuter Initiative for San Jose and San Jose Metro Area Prepared by: Angel’s Furry Friends Rescue ( San Jose), Elena Gaffney For: Mayor, San Jose City Council, and Stakeholders in Santa Clara County Animal Welfare Date: March 31, 2025
Overview This proposal outlines a targeted spay/neuter strategy to address pet overpopulation in the City of San Jose (population 1,000,000) and the greater San Jose Metro Area (population 1,800,000). By investing in subsidized sterilization programs, the region can significantly reduce the number of unaltered pets, lower shelter intake and euthanasia rates, and create long-term cost savings for municipalities and residents.
Background and Urgency. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, San Jose and Santa Clara County operated multiple subsidized spay/neuter programs that provided vital access to affordable services for residents. Unfortunately, these programs were suspended during the pandemic and have not resumed. As a result, the community is now facing a substantial backlog in unaltered pets—compounding the risk of overpopulation and shelter overcrowding.
Currently, both the San Jose Animal Shelter and the Santa Clara County Animal Shelter are over capacity and frequently decline to accept animals. This has led to a growing rate of animal abandonment, as many community members who find lost or stray animals are unable to keep them. Local rescue organizations are operating in crisis mode, overwhelmed with hundreds of unfulfilled community requests for assistance—requests that would traditionally be supported by municipal shelters.
This proposal urges city leadership to prioritize a renewed investment in prevention and to restore this critical public service.
Assumptions Used for Both Models
● Pet Ownership Rate: 41% of households own pets
● Unsterilized Pet Rate: 40% of pets are not spayed/neutered ● Stray/Feral Cat Population Estimate: 75,000 in San Jose, 135,000 in the Metro Area ● Surgery Cost: $200 per spay/neuter surgery
● Sterilization Goals: Modeled at 50% and 80% of the unsterilized pet population ● Annual Maintenance: 2% and 3% of the unaltered population need sterilization yearly to maintain progress
Cost Models:
San Jose (Population: 1,000,000)
● Households with Pets: 410,000
● Estimated Unsterilized Pets: 164,000
● 50% Goal: 82,000 surgeries | One-Time Cost: $16.4M
● 80% Goal: 131,200 surgeries | One-Time Cost: $26.24M
● Annual Maintenance (2%): $328,000 (50% goal), $524,800 (80% goal) ● Annual Maintenance (3%): $492,000 (50% goal), $787,200 (80% goal) ● Stray/Feral Cats (TNR Program):
○ Population Estimate: 75,000
○ 80% Goal: 60,000 surgeries | One-Time Cost: $12M
○ Annual Maintenance (2%): $240,000 | (3%): $360,000
San Jose Metro Area (Population: 1,800,000)
● Households with Pets: 738,000
● Estimated Unsterilized Pets: 295,200
● 50% Goal: 147,600 surgeries | One-Time Cost: $29.52M
● 80% Goal: 236,160 surgeries | One-Time Cost: $47.23M
● Annual Maintenance (2%): $590,400 (50% goal), $944,640 (80% goal) ● Annual Maintenance (3%): $885,600 (50% goal), $1.42M (80% goal) ● Stray/Feral Cats (TNR Program):
○ Population Estimate: 135,000
○ 80% Goal: 108,000 surgeries | One-Time Cost: $21.6M
○ Annual Maintenance (2%): $432,000 | (3%): $648,000
Why Invest in Spay/Neuter Now?
● Cost-Effective Prevention: A one-time investment in sterilization reduces the exponential birth rate of pets, lowering long-term sheltering and animal control costs. ● Lower Shelter Intake & Euthanasia: Reducing the unaltered pet population decreases the number of unwanted litters, which directly leads to fewer animals entering shelters. ● TNR for Stray Cats: Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the most humane and effective way to reduce stray cat populations. It prevents the birth of thousands of kittens annually and reduces community nuisance complaints.
● Public Health & Safety: Spay/neuter programs reduce stray animal populations, minimizing risks to traffic safety, public nuisance, and zoonotic disease spread. ● Community Compassion: Investing in humane solutions aligns with the community's values of animal welfare and responsible stewardship.
● Post-Pandemic Recovery: The termination of previous programs during COVID-19 has created a backlog of unaltered animals. Immediate action is needed to reverse these effects and prevent further strain on local shelters.
Conclusion A regional spay/neuter initiative represents a fiscally responsible and morally sound investment. By proactively addressing pet overpopulation, San Jose and its surrounding metro area can lead the way in creating a sustainable, humane animal welfare system. The models presented here demonstrate that targeted funding can generate measurable, long-term benefits and should be prioritized as part of broader municipal and county planning efforts.
Notably, intake data from San Jose Animal Services reveals a steady decline in animal intake between 2018 and 2022, with a slight increase in 2023-24. During the same period, the number of spay/neuter surgeries dropped significantly—from 10,002 in 2018-19 to just 4,463 in 2022-23, with a modest recovery to 6,224 in 2023-24. Public spay/neuter services for owned animals have completely disappeared, falling from 1,916 in 2018-19 to zero in the past two fiscal years.
Meanwhile, over half of the animals within the shelter do not receive timely sterilization, sometimes waiting for months.
Although new services like offsite spay/neuter and some TNR efforts signal progress, the shelter has shifted its limited veterinary resources toward complex medical procedures—many of which could be more efficiently outsourced to specialized veterinary clinics. Refocusing public funding and internal veterinary capacity on spay/neuter for both in-house and public animals is essential for sustainable population control. As a publicly funded facility, the shelter must prioritize services that have the highest community impact, and nothing is more fundamental to animal population management than accessible, widespread sterilization.
Importantly, the proposed investment represents only a small fraction of San Jose's 3 billion dollars Annual budget. Furthermore, implementation costs can be offset through a thoughtfully structured fee schedule. While $200 is used as a base estimate per surgery, the actual amount charged to residents can be adjusted based on net cost and ability to pay—ensuring the program remains accessible while recapturing a portion of municipal spending.
Spay-Neuter Demand, Costs- Population 1,000,000 people:
Scenario
Population
Size
Unsterilized
Pets (50%
Goal)
Unsterilized
Pets (80%
Goal)
One-Time
Cost
($200/surger
y)
Annual
Maintenance
Cost (2%)
Annual
Maintenance
Cost (3%)
Population 1,000,000
Households
with Pets
(41%) 410,000
Unsterilized
Pets (40%) 164,000
50%
Sterilization
Goal 82,000 $16,400,000
80%
Sterilization
Goal 131,200 $26,240,000
Annual
Maintenance
Need (2%) 1,640 2,624 $328,000 $524,800
Annual
Maintenance
Need (3%) 2,460 3,936 $492,000 $787,200
Spay-Neuter Demand, Costs- Population 1,000,000 people:
Scenario
Population
Size
Unsterilized
Pets (50%
Goal)
Unsterilized
Pets (80%
Goal)
One-Time
Cost
($200/surger
y)
Annual
Maintenance
Cost (2%)
Annual
Maintenance
Cost (3%)
Population 1,800,000
Households
with Pets
(41%) 738,000
Unsterilized
Pets (40%) 295,200
50%
Sterilization
Goal 147,600 $29,520,000
80%
Sterilization
Goal 236,160 $47,232,000
Annual
Maintenance
Need (2%) 2,952 4,723 $590,400 $944,640
Annual
Maintenance
Need (3%) 4,428 7,085 $885,600 $1,416,960
1. One-Time Costs for owned pet sterilization (comparing 50% and 80% goals).
2. Annual Maintenance Costs for owned pets at 2% and 3% of the unaltered population.
3. TNR Program Costs for stray/feral cats, including one-time and annual maintenance estimates.
TO : Honorable San Jose City Council, Mayor and Animal Shelter Executives.
Dear Mayor, Members of the City Council and San Jose Shelter Executives, We respectfully submit a proposal for the creation of a dedicated Task Force to address the critical issue of animal shelter overpopulation and its associated public health risks, which are deeply affecting Santa Clara County.
This Task Force would bring together key stakeholders, including representatives from City and Animal Services management, local animal rescues, volunteer and advocate groups, and subject matter experts such as veterinarians and animal behaviorists. We would also recommend extending invitations to Assemblymember Pellerin and Senator Cortese to participate, given the regional impact of this crisis and their vested interest in the well-being of our community.
The purpose of the Task Force would be to thoroughly examine the current challenges, including budget constraints, resource allocations, and the operational pressures facing San Jose Animal shelter.
Additionally, it would review shelter reports and data to develop a comprehensive Public and Community Action Plan aimed at mitigating shelter overcrowding and reducing the overpopulation of animals in our community.
By collaborating on this effort, we hope to generate sustainable, long-term solutions that will not only improve conditions for animals but also address the public health concerns linked to this crisis. We believe the creation of this Task Force will be a critical step in fostering cooperation between government agencies, animal welfare organizations, and community leaders.
We appreciate your consideration and look forward to your support in these following urgent matters::
1) Homeless animals Overpopulation Crisis:
1. San Jose and surrounding areas are experiencing a surge in the homeless animals population.
2.. Persistent San Jose Shelter Overcrowding , resulting in being over Capacity.
The shelter serves a total population of 1,170,000. San Jose 1,000,000 Cupertino 60,000 Saratoga 30,000 Milpitas 80,000 (According to U.S. Census Bureau)
3. According to a National Latino Outreach Campaign ran by CAPS in California regarding spay/neuter:
Most of the calls they get are from Spanish speakers in the Bay Area who want to know where to get low cost spay/neuter.
Problems:
1. Absence of Low-Cost Spay Neuter for San Jose Communities.
An unspayed female cat can produce more than 2000 offsprings in 4 years. An unspayed female dog and her puppies can produce over 500 dogs in 3 years.
Shelter has terminated Public Spay-Neuter Assistance since 2020.
2. The absence of clear laws and ordinances empowers irresponsible breeders, resulting in sick animals flooding the shelter, causing overpopulation, and costing taxpayers millions of dollars. Growing euthanasia rates will persist until decisive legislation is enacted along with enforcement support.
Solutions:
1. Restore and Expand access to these services for our community:
- Direct public funds, as a High Priority to Restore and Expand access to free and low cost Spay-Neuter services that were terminated during Covid.
- Expand low cost spay-neuter capacity to sufficient levels providing reliable access to California Communities within local jurisdiction ( utilize SNIP Bus services, costs: $ 4,000 for approximately 40-50 animals per day)
- Establish Relieve packages, Subsidizing Pet Owners experiencing financial hardships (spay-neuter, vet. care)
- Request necessary Funding through the State Government sources if needed ( CA Congress and Governor)
- Considering the lack of veterinarian staff at shelters, provide financial assistance (vouchers) to allow expanded access to spay-neuter services through private veterinary clinics - Develop a public system, so residents can transparently apply, promptly receive assistance - Provide Publicly Published Progress reports
- Post Spay-Neuter Information on Municipal Shelter home page, add spanish and vietnamese outreach (in proportion with population composition) to maximize the coverage
2. Mandatory Spay-Neuter Ordinances and Enforcement:
Issue an Ordinance Requiring all dogs over the age of six months to be spayed or neutered unless the dog qualifies for an exemption (visiting non-residents, trained law enforcement dogs, health reasons certified by a veterinarian) or the owner obtains an “unaltered animal certification.” Existing Example: Mandatory Spay-Neuter ordinance, Bakersfield
3. Mandatory Animal Identification & Registration and Enforcement Mandatory Animals Identification and Registration is essential for traceability, responsible ownership, combating illegal breeding, managing stray populations, and avoiding public health risks.
Issue an Ordinance Requiring: Expansion of Mandatory Requirement for animal identification by microchip of all animals ( including litters bred by breeders, animals owned by public) Existing Example: Breeding, Identification ordinance, Bakersfield
4. Illegal Breeding Controls and Enforcement
The lack of regulation against backyard breeding is causing overcrowding, overpopulation, and mass euthanasia in California's municipal shelters. Insufficient governance at federal and state levels allows these operations to avoid registration, worsening the problem.
Example: A proposed new law in Fresno would require people who breed and sell pets to get a breeding permit from the city, with an annual limit on litters and fines up to $1,000 for violations "If you choose to breed your pets, you are now required to obtain a breeder's permit," said Fresno City Council President Annalisa Perea.Even with the $2,000 permit, breeding will be limited to 'one litter in any household within the permit year.'"You will also be required to show your breeder's license on any advertisements. So, this is a way that we are going to hold folks accountable to make sure they are abiding by our new rules," said Perea. Violators could face a $1,000 penalty per animal. 2) Enhancing Shelter Leadership and Organization, Hiring Specialized Stuff ensuring animals in care wellbeing:
Problems:
Shelter operating at more than twice its intended capacity: measures to increase resources and support, ensuring they can effectively manage and care for the animals in their care are critically needed.
1. Prolonged waiting period for spaying/neutering dogs and cats before adoption/ rescue. - Dogs have been pulled by rescue organizations without being spayed or neutered. - Dogs in foster programs without being spayed or neutered.
2. Some dogs are not being walked at all and stay in their kennels 24/7. - Dogs are only let out of their kennels for 15 minutes once daily, mostly by volunteers. - The majority of dog walking is being done by volunteers.
3. Kennels are cleaned only once a day by contracted cleaners, leading to unsanitary conditions.
4. Shelter is operating at over-capacity 24/7.
- Inadequate staffing affecting cleaning schedules and animal care. - Surrendered/stray animals are turned away at the door. - Decreased kennel space, leading to shared kennels or kennels partitioned to half of the original size.
- Increased euthanasia and death rates of all animals.
5. Prolonged waiting period (months) on behavioral evaluation which limits:
- Walks, exercise, enrichment
- Relieving bowel and bladder outside of the kennel
- Opportunity for behavioral modification
- Socialization
6. Lack of transparency regarding euthanasia for cats and dogs. - Cats are rarely given a public final date and simply disappear. - Cats and dogs also going to “FINAL” without opportunity given for rescue or special needs adoption.
- Decisions to euthanize kittens with ringworm.
7. Infrastructure issues affecting animal welfare.
- Lack of ventilation and temperature regulation, particularly in the cat and bunny rooms. - Kennels reduced to half size.
- Placing more than one animal per kennel.
8. Lack of proactive follow up for dogs in the Foster Program. Some dogs have been in foster care for months without update on bios, pictures or posts.
Solutions:
1. Re-hire the Rescue Coordinator and possibly make it a full-time position for all animals:
dogs, cats and bunnies.
- Increase adoption and rescue rates.
2. Decrease euthanasia rates and improve transparency regarding euthanasia decisions.
3. Implement on-site spay and neuter programs. Spay and neuter all animals that come through the shelter, including animals pulled by rescue organizations.
4. Prevent overpopulation:
- Re-introduce low-cost spay and neuter programs to the public. - Advocate for mandatory spay and neuter ordinance.
- Advocate for stricter illegal breeding laws and enforcement.
5. Hire an animal behaviorist for dogs and cats to train staff. - Develop protocol to reassess and treat dogs on behavioral evaluation status.
6. Address infrastructure issues affecting animal welfare. - Consult with an HVAC company for acceptable ventilation and temperature. - Expand capacity for shelter pets for a total population of 1,170,000. San Jose 1,000,000 Cupertino 60,000 Saratoga 30,000 Milpitas 80,000 (According to U.S. Census Bureau)
7. Hire medical staff and cleaning staff to:
- Decrease medical response times
- Ensure nutrition and healthy weight of kittens
- Increase cleaning frequency to maintain sanitary conditions - Treat ringworm kittens
- RVTs to assist with spay and neuter
8. Train staff/volunteers on safety protocols to limit the spread of diseases. Ensure protocols are being followed.
Addendum:
1. Shelter Kennel Conditions:
2. INCONSISTENCY within shelter Spay-Neuter Data Reporting ( Example):
The Internal ( Chameleon Reports on animals spay-neuter ) reflect NO PUBLIC /LOW COST Spay -Neuter was performed during Period 2019-2024.
Publicly Published Reports indicate otherwise : Thousands of “Low Cost Public Spay-Neuter” have been performed over the period 2019-24.
3. Growing COMMUNITY ANIMAL PROBLEMS: Struggling San Jose Residents, Local Rescues are Overwhelmed with too many pleas from communities, since municipal shelter stopped animal intake due to overcrowding. A lot of not neutered, not spayed animals are left without help, increasing overpopulation.
Examples of multiple requests from the public, received by rescue groups in increasing volume. Emails and Voicemails:
4. Died in Care Statistics:
Cats Died in the shelter care 2020 - 2021 FY: 111
Cats Died in the shelter care: 2021 - 2022 FY: 144
Cats Died in the shelter care: 2022 - 2023 FY: 321
Cats Died in the shelter care: 2023 - 2024 FY: 493
5. Some dogs are kept at a shelter for a year, and have not been neutered.
Being confined to a small area negatively impacts big dogs' well -being, being not-neutered increases stress level and overall decline of the animals.
6. Volunteers NO LONGER ALLOWED to take photos of the animals to post to social media. They HAVE to text the Shelter manager - and receive their permission for each particular animal. This really jeopardizes the chances of animals being networked. Volunteers who directly spend time with the animals - traditionally used to be the link that connects the public, helps shelter animals be more visible and potentially Rescued/Adopted. Declining a volunteer effectively declines animals, who are confined 24/7 from human interaction. Such animals deteriorate faster, and often end up on euthanazia list. A single social media share - can be lifesaving for an animal.
7. Abandoned by Owners Animals ( some examples) - Owners should have responsibility ( possibly fine for inadequate care for their animals):
a) Linguine’s serious medical condition was not realized at shelter , he almost died at shelter. Even though the rescue was told: that he was healthy and adoptable and that he had almost finished his course of medication. When he was picked up by rescue, they were in tears over his condition and thought he might be dead. He wasn't moving and had a fixed stare. He is four months old and weighed only 1 lb 12 oz. He was EMACIATED. I rushed him to the vet immediately where a blood transfusion saved his life.
He has required around the clock care and a surgically installed feeding tube.
IT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.
b) Chucky was given away at a free give away facebook group. As it turned out it was originally adopted from San Jose Shelter. Luckily he ended up with a rescue who responsibly re-adopted Chucky.
https://angelsfurryfriends.org/chaki/
c) Spot, 2 y.o - was running around busy roads in San Jose. Compassionate people took several hours to catch the scared dog, we had determined owners ( by microchip), and the owners picked the dog up. Shortly after the same dog was picked up running on streets again, and was taken to the shelter. Owners were notified, but decided not to take the dog back. A lucky accident rescue volunteer noticed the post on facebook, and our rescue rescued him once more , now from the shelter! The dog was super stressed ,scared and shut down in a shelter environment. The rescue had pulled, neutered him, and re-adopted.
OWNERS : had Not neutered, and not serious about keeping him safe. https://angelsfurryfriends.org/spot-3/
d) Oliver 1.5 y.o : was repeatedly running with no collar from in San Jose streets.
He was captured multiple times, given back to the family through next door media posts. When he ran once more, he was taken to the shelter. The owners did not want Oliver, were not serious regarding animal ownership. The rescue had taken Oliver in their care, re-adopted to a new family.
https://angelsfurryfriends.org/oliver/
Irresponsible ownership has to have consequences.
e) DUCHESS 6 y.o : Was found tied to a fence in San Jose, she spent hours in the 90+ F Heat. She was terrified and shaken from fear. She was taken to the shelter, where she was rapidly declining, and was rescued from shelter to avoid euthanazia.
Dutchess body looks like she’s being used to breed puppies, and possibly was discarded afterwards. Duchess was NOT MICROCHIPPED, NOT SPAYED at intake to shelter. Irresponsible owners, and breeders can not be traced, since Microchipping animals is not legally required at this time. Duchess is fearful of certain circumstances ( especially men, possibly she was mistreated while owned by previous family, who ended up abandoning her)
REPORT: Public Survey Results Reveal Gaps in Low-Cost
Spay-Neuter and TNR Access Across California
Data from 42 Counties and 97 Cities – March–April 2025
Compiled April 2025
Report Summary
Between March 25 and April 7, 2025, we invited Californians to share their experiences with accessing low-cost spay-neuter and TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) services. The response was overwhelming — residents from 34 counties and 97 cities generously participated, offering firsthand insight into the current state of access across the state.
What we heard was clear, urgent, and deeply troubling.
A staggering 77% of respondents rated their access to low-cost spay-neuter as either “poor” (59%) or “nonexistent” (18%). Even among those who reported some access, many clarified that it remains inaccessible due to a lack of appointments or wait times stretching up to three months or more.
Most respondents (58%) said there is no municipally funded low-cost spay-neuter or TNR program in their area. Another 26% were unsure, and only 16% confirmed the existence of such a program — highlighting widespread gaps in local support.
A strong majority — 85% — reported that access has gotten worse in recent years, reflecting a sharp decline in service availability just as need is rising.
From struggling families to seasoned rescuers, Californians described a system in crisis: unaffordable costs, months-long delays, and entire communities with no access to services at all. The stories and statistics that emerged point not just to a logistical failure, but to a growing humanitarian and animal welfare emergency.
This report brings together the data, the voices, and the lived realities of those on the front lines — in the hope of driving meaningful, systemic change. Californians are speaking out, and it’s time we listen.
1 It’s well known that, according to the Humane Society of the United States, just one unspayed female dog and her offspring can produce over 11,000 puppies in a single year — and one unspayed female cat and her descendants can produce more than 60,000 kittens over a lifetime. Without intervention, the consequences of inaction are exponential.
Californians have made it clear: the crisis is here, and the need for urgent statewide action is undeniable.
Public Comments Summary: A State in Crisis, Voices from the Ground The public responses to the spay-neuter survey paint a heartbreaking, urgent picture of a system on the brink. Across the board, Californians — from independent rescuers to overwhelmed fosters and concerned residents — voiced the same themes: skyrocketing costs, long waits, closed programs, and a profound lack of access to low-cost services.
People are desperate to help, but they’re running into wall after wall.
Veterinary costs are now so high that spaying a cat can cost up to $800 or more.
Municipal programs, once a lifeline, are either shut down or plagued with long waitlists and limited access. Community members say they’re forced to drive hours to find care, or pay entirely out of pocket, draining personal and rescue funds. Several spoke of being “drowned” by the number of animals needing help — especially feral cats and dumped dogs. One comment read, “We are drowning with no end in sight. And no one cares. No one who makes decisions and policies cares.” But it's not just about money — it’s about the moral failure of inaction. Repeatedly, respondents called out local governments for releasing unaltered animals from shelters, failing to enforce breeding laws, and turning away from the euthanasia crisis that’s now routine. “These shelters are killing hundreds of dogs weekly. They don’t have a chance for a life,” one rescuer wrote. “California needs mandatory free or low-cost spay/neuter in areas where there's a lot of poor people and backyard breeders. Also, mandatory spay/neuter of all pets owned by the homeless community,” another Californian resident wrote.
And yet, amid the grief and frustration, there’s hope and readiness. People asked to help. They offered to lobby. They shared what’s working — from mobile clinics to school-based education — and begged for more of it. “We’re willing to get on a soapbox for this,” said one nonprofit leader. Another wrote, “We even raised $20,000 for a lobbyist. Just tell us how to help.”
From every corner of the state, the plea is the same: Make Services Affordable, Make them Accessible, and Do it Now — or the suffering will only grow. 2 Survey Insights on Spay-Neuter Services
1. Are Low Cost or Free Pets Spay-Neuter/TNR Services Available in Your City/County? Over half of respondents (51%) reported that low-cost or free spay/neuter or TNR services are NOT available in their area. 40% said Yes, and 9% were Unsure.
2. Has Access to Spay-Neuter/TNR Gotten Worse Lately?
A strong majority (85%) said access has Gotten Worse recently, with only 9% reporting No decline and 6% are Not sure.
3. How Satisfied are you with the Availability of Low-Cost Spay-Neuter/TNR in your area? (1 being LOW, 5 being HIGH)
Most respondents (84%) are not satisfied with the availability. 3 4. Is there a Municipally Funded Low Cost Spay-Neuter/TNR in Your Area? Most respondents (58%) said there is No municipally funded Low-Cost Spay-Neuter/TNR program, 26% were Unsure, and
only 16% Confirmed Availability.
5. Is there a Privately Run Low-Cost Spay-Neuter/TNR Clinic in Your Area? 42% said there is a Privately run clinic, 33% said No, and 25% were Unsure.
6. Where are these Private Services Offered? (multiple choices question) Private services are most frequently offered by
Nonprofits (37%), followed by Mobile Vans (32%),
Shelters (31%), and Vet clinics (29%).
4 7. What is the Typical Wait Time for a Spay-Neuter/TNR Appointment in your Area? Most common wait time is 1-3 months (34%),
with 27% waiting 2-4 weeks, 18% Over 3
months, and 18% saying appointments are Not
available.
8. Typical Costs for Spay-Neuter/TNR in your Area?
Nearly half (42%) reported costs exceed $200-400. 15%
reported costs $500-700, 23% said $100-$200, 7% reported $800+ and only 1% had access to free services.
9. What Cost Would Make Spay-Neuter/TNR More Accessible? 43% said services Under $50 would improve accessibility, followed by 27% for $50-$100 and 27% preferring Free
services.
5 10. Rate Your Access to Low Cost Spay-Neuter/TNR
77% rated their access as either ‘Poor’ (59%) or ‘Nonexistent’ (18%). Only 6% said it was ‘Good’ and 1% ‘Excellent’.
11. Is Lack of Affordable Spay-Neuter/TNR Services a Single Most Import Driver to Pet Overpopulation?
86% believe that lack of affordable services Is the primary driver of pet overpopulation. 5% Disagreed, and 9% were Unsure.
12. Have You or Someone You Know Been Unable to Access Spay-Neuter/TNR Services Due to Any of the Following Barriers? (multiple choices question) Top barriers include High Costs (73%), Unavailable
Appointments (68%), Long Waits (64%), and Lack of Local Providers (51%).
6 Voices from the Front Lines
Below are direct quotes from survey respondents across California — rescuers, fosters, community members, and advocates who care deeply about the animals in their regions. Their words reflect the urgency, heartbreak, and determination behind this crisis.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who took the time to respond. Your voices matter, and they must be heard. Please share these stories far and wide — California’s animals are counting on us.
“I love Sammie's Friends but we are overwhelmed up here in Nevada County- crazy amount of puppies lately..dumped dogs..help.”
Tamar S
Grass Valley, Nevada County
Assembly District 1, Senate District 1
“Our clinic does wonderful work but they are only open on weekends and this is due to the lack of vets available. We desperately need more vets that can just do spay and neuters in large numbers.”
Suzanna M
Chico, Butte County
Assembly District 1, Senate District 3
“The only available services are vouchers from the humane society for spay and neuter assistance, $120 females and males $80 but the bill for a spay can still be around $250 after the voucher. The humane society had a grant last year for $150k which helped with 1300 procedures. This year will rely solely on our fundraising efforts and will have to dramatically reduce services.”
Breanna G
Westwood —
Assembly District 1, Senate District 1
“There is definitely a vet shortage. As a local Humane society, we drive hours to clinics out of our area for spay/neuter.”
Danielle L
Crescent City, Del Norte County
Assembly District 2, Senate District 2
“Dogwood Animal Rescue has 18 affordable spay/neuter partnerships throughout California and last year alone we funded 11,182 surgeries. We need more help, more 7 resources and more funding to curb this overpopulation crisis. We are willing to get on a soapbox for this issue.”
Colleen B
Santa Rosa, Sonoma County
Assembly District 2, Senate District 2
“There used to be limited programs for spay/Neuter pre-covid and wait times were minimal. The colonies I managed were mostly under control. Now there is nothing in Tehama County and TNR trappers like myself are seeing the effects. There are so many feral cats in the community and simply no help. The dog situation is not much better.
Our shelter is always over capacity. Puppies are being dumped on the sides of roads.
Dogs are being abandoned and some have started attacking livestock. It is becoming a dangerous situation.”
Marnie B
Corning, Tehama County
Assembly District 3, Senate District 1
“Municipal shelters should spay and neuter all trapped cats whether they have an appointment or not. Trappers do not know when exactly they will trap a stray cat” Christina C
San Jose, Santa Clara County
Assembly District 6, Senate District 28
“Low cost accessible spay and neuter would save pets from suffering and money in the long run by not having to deal with so many homeless and unwanted animals. Better, cheaper, more humane to be proactive than reactive to the problem of pet overpopulation.”
Kevin M
North Fork, Madera County
Assembly District 8, Senate District 4
“We have only 2 programs, both private, for the entire county: ICARE and Feral Cat Care of Owens Valley. ICARE pays for dogs and cats so dogs seem to get the fastest response time. FCCOV was started by a private individual in a smaller town 60 miles away and she works to support her cause - she does only cats so her response times are better but the number of slots is quite limited. Also, neither of our two vet clinics accepts drop in cases unlike Dr. Sexton of Sierra Veterinary Clinic - she understood the unpredictability of trapping.”
Susan O
Bishop, Inyo County
Assembly District 8, Senate District 4
8 “There are only 2 in the county. ACT is a little cheaper but long wait, Pet Advocate is still too expensive especially if you're bringing in feral cats.” Linda W
Tracy, San Joaquin County
Assembly District 9, Senate District 5
“Long wait times and availability seems to be a barrier. If you trap a cat, there is no way you will know when you will get it. I was shocked to be turned away from the sspca because they had a limit per day. There needs to be other options rather than the limited number of clinics.”
Linda S
Herald, Sacramento County
Assembly District 9, Senate District 6
“Like I stated above, rescues and private citizens should not be finamcially responsible for the over abundance of unwanted cats in our community. Municipal shelters are collecting tax dollars yet. They are turning people away at the door. Every day I get emails from people telling me they have a pregnant cat and the shelter told them to let it loose. Who in their right mind would ever give that kind of directive? Especially someone in the animal community! They are even telling people to let dogs go if they find them. It is the most archaic backwards, Third World country way of thinking. I can't believe it. I’ve been doing rescue over 40 years and I have never seen anything as bad as what we are experiencing now. It’s getting worse every day. We are drowning with no end in sight. And no one cares! No one who makes decisions and policies cares!” Barbara D
Sacramento, Sacramento County
Assembly District 10, Senate District 8
“Our county shelter tries to help but needs a veterinarian on staff.” Nicole L
Fairfield, Solano County
Assembly District 11, Senate District 3
“Before Covid we had more options available, now they are almost non-existent. There is no way to keep populations down when neighbors won’t fix the animals they feed. If I can trap it, it gets fixed. When they get injured/killed no one will come out to pick them up, so I don’t bother to try.”
Yvonne
Oakley, Contra Costa County
Assembly District 11, Senate District 3
9 “First I want to say is, laws must be passed for TNR community cats to be treated as a protected species and neighborhoods educated about living with community TNR cats .
Otherwise the cats are sitting ducks. With clipped ear tips made them a target for torture and killing by sick adults and sick teenagers who hate cats , or want to have fun by unleashing their dogs on cats . It’s obvious that veterinary services are becoming a racket with the wrong ppl, with the wrong goal making health decisions . Not giving the consumer treatment options . Spending less time ordering the most expensive tests . A routine vet visit has turned into an emergency room visit . How can a procedure for spay and neuter be no more than $100.00 one day and overnight become $1,000.00 the next day with all vets in the same areas ? The procedure is the same , unless complications set in , the amount of time should be the same spent doing the procedure as usual .
One of my greatest concerns with TNR and mandatory spaying when adopting is , when is enough , enough . Before we extinct a species or make a pet rare and too expensive to have and care for ? In this county you can pay as much as $800.00 to $1,000 to spay or neuter one cat, at corporate operated vets that the insurance companies working with big pharma and pet food stores are taking over private vet practices Along with all pet related medical and treatment services at these places . They charge 3× more for any medications. The county shelter has spay and neuter for a price . It Was on a scale from
60.00 on up . They had TNR with a small private 501.c group , for a short time , that was managed very well by Julie Linford and her partner Cathy . Some sort of stupid dispute (not animal related )between them and the shelter administrator . The administrator shut the entire TNR program down. Now the shelter picks up the strays and ferals, if not claimed in three days , they're euthanized . They might even be sold to labs , who knows ? I hope not. I personally believe all the government funding that goes to these horrifying animal experimentation labs should be directed toward animal welfare .Funding shelters to non kill animals and build ranch style no kill rescues for ferals and cats that have been on the adoption circuit for a lengthy time that haven't had the luck or right location exposure to find a forever home , instead of being euthanized . 3 or 4 ranches for cats in larger states .and 3 or 4 separate ranches in the larger states for dogs .we spend billions a year funding cruel , torturous and murdering innocent puppies ,kittens, cats and dogs making some of them spending a lifetime enduring the suffering in medical testing and experimentation in labs psychotic deprived researchers, and other cruel deprived ideas and intentions toward these animals. Seems we have tax dollars that could be better spent other than wasted on bs.” Renee
El Sobrante, Contra Costa County
Assembly District 14, Senate District 7
“CoCo County is a huge county. A mobile clinic that comes to different areas across the county would be AMAZING. Also more appointments at Animal Fix Clinic and at CCAS 10 or subsidized appts at vets throughout the county would be fantastic. Please make it happen, for the love of animals. We are drowning here.” Alina C
Richmond, Contra Costa County
Assembly District 14, Senate District 7
“Pet owners need to be educated about proper animal care. Irresponsible pet owners need to be held accountable for their actions. Veterinary schools should be more affordable and plentiful.There is a severe shortage of veterinarians.” Yvonne P
Lake Isabella, Kern County
Assembly District 15, Senate District 12
“I'm also very close to Los Angeles, Kern county, San Bernardino, Riverside And that is where the help is really needed! I think they need to follow what Ventura and Santa Barbara are doing!”
Melissa G
Oxnard, Ventura County
Assembly District 22, Senate District 38
“I have done rescue work in several areas of California and was appalled by the lack of services here. All of the shelters in this area are full most of the time and have to start euthanizing. There are several rescue groups, but they are small and can't handle the animals that are regularly dumped. There are many people doing backyard breeding and they aren't being regulated. There are many cat colonies, but no TNR, and those that have tried to get funding for it, have been turned down. It needs to change. The entire system needs to change. No animal should have to spend more than 30 days in an animal shelter, they should be going to rescues that have space, fosters, and Veterinary help. We need to be helping to fund those that want to start rescues and sanctuaries! It was my dream to start a sanctuary, but without funding, I cannot.” Rebecca F
Gustine Merced, County
Assembly District 22, Senate District 14
“I think that lack of affordable Spay-Neuter/TNR services is a *second* Most important driver to Pets Overpopulation: the first one is EDUCATION on the topic. So many people don’t even know that they should do spay and neuter. This gets passed on generationally especially amongst non native speakers or low income homes. Children should be taught in school about how to properly care for pets which includes spay neuter.”
Amanda F
Campbell, Santa Clara County
11 Assembly District 23, Senate District 13
“The stray and feral overpopulation is out of control! It is unreasonable and unfair to expect private citizens and rescues to cover all the costs. The euthanasia rate is also off the charts, offering free TNR and low cost spay/neuter for pets works!” Kathy P
San Jose, Santa Clara County
Assembly District 24, Senate District 10
“There is only one high volume SX clinic in Fremont and it is not very cheap. The city shelter offers no TNR or spay neuter for the community.” Yurika V
Fremont Alameda County
Assembly District 24, Senate District 10
“I would love to be involved in lobbying for this. Please contact me.” Julianne O
San Jose Santa Clara County
Assembly District 25, Senate District 15
“Lack of good management at city shelters has also caused vet’s to leave shelters causing lower power for TNR and other services.”
Faatemeh L
San Jose, Santa Clara County
Assembly District 25, Senate District 15
“There needs to be availability to very low cost spay/neutered for all And information to use the service advertised to all. There used to be a $25 voucher you could take to certain vets to get animals either feral or your own for low income families. This has disappeared and the burden is on the shelters who are severely understaffed. I am a foster to neo kittens so am familiar with the shelter but have a feral male cat to get fixed and I do not have a place available to take him. It's sad. There needs to be a change so ANYONE can get their animal fixed quickly, low cost or even free, and that everyone is aware of the service. Only this will help stop this overpopulation.” Joleen D
San Jose, Santa Clara County
Assembly District 26, Senate District 15
12 “It has to stop in the field through robust TNR/spay neuter programs to decrease the animals in the shelter. It has to stop in the field before we can decrease the animals in the shelters”
Diane F
Sunnyvale, Santa Clara County
Assembly District 26, Senate District 10
“We don’t have enough resources. My nonprofit probably does the most pet spay/neuter of any nonprofit or shelter in the South Bay Area (300-400 pet cats per year). We do not charge but ask people to donate $50-100 and we pay over $200 per cat. Without us there are zero resources for pets under $300 within hours. Besides a few cities that can use SVACA for $200. We need to fund the little organizations that do spay/neuter to ensure money is actually going to spay/neuter. Large shelters here do not prioritize spay/neuter and do not have pet programs, so giving them more money is not going to help the availability of spay/neuter appointments. People have lost hope to try to TNR cats they feed because of too many hurdles. We need open intake shelters, pet spay/neuter programs, and TNR programs with every day drop off for feral cats.
Ignoring the problem through managed intake means every year we need more and more spay/neuter.”
Vanessa F
Sunnyvale, Santa Clara County
Assembly District 26, Senate District 10
“I'm an independent rescuer -I pay all expenses out of pocket, and I rarely charge an adoption fee that covers much of what I spend on each rescue- so low cost is just vital to me! But the low cost in my area is still pretty high , I have to drive an hour or so to get better pricing.”
Sue
Los Gatos, Santa Clara County
Assembly District 28, Senate District 15
“I recently found out that our local vet charges $585 for a cat spay. The shelter has a “low” cost of $150 which even that people can’t afford. They no longer offer any no cost options except a privatenon-profit provides free spay/neuter for feral cats. Given that Santa Cruz County has had mandatory spay/neuter for over 20 years but no services to ensure it happens.”
Annette H
Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County
Assembly District 30, Senate District 17
13 “We need FREE SPAY AND NEUTER STATEWIDE IN CALIFORNIA. The overpopulation problem has overwhelmed our shelters, rescues, and community members. Dogs and cats are dying in our shelters, dying in the streets, in our deserts, whole packs of dogs are forming and attacking farms and livestock. This problem is so invasive, studies have shown even with free spay neuter it will take us 13 years to get it under control. The lack of attention to this matter is blatant and Heinous. Taxpayers are footing the bill towards a failed system that will never work without free access to spay and neuter.”
Gail V
Ridgecrest, Kern County
Assembly District 32, Senate District 32
“There is virtually none here I was barely able to get in to spca it cost me 120$ for a feral kitten I found I am on Ss I barely scratch by”
Janet S
Ivanhoe, Tulare County
Assembly District 33, Senate District 12
“Please help. The problem is becoming overwhelming. Just driving to work I see animals that are clearly suffering and abandoned here in the Antelope Valley.” Heather W
Lancaster, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 34, Senate District 23
"Low cost spay/neuter is not necessarily the answer to overpopulation. FOLLOW THE MONEY! Just look at Craigslist and you'll see the majority of pet sales are NOT
ACCIDENTAL LITTERS AND HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH LACK OF SPAY/NEUTER RESOURCES. Overpopulation is actually based on INCOME TAX EVASION! People are purposefully breeding for tax free income. Go after the income tax evasion and you'll solve the problem."
Andria W
Santa Clarita, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 34, Senate District 23
“This is a country wide problem, but funding for programs would help” Donna L
Barstow, San Bernardino County
Assembly District 34, Senate District 19
14 “Overpopulation , people don’t have enough affordable care vets.” Casme M
Indio, Riverside County
Assembly District 36, Senate District 18
“TNR services are excellent. Services for owned pets could be much improved through the municipal shelter. The program is almost always on hold.” Emma H
San Diego, San Diego County
Assembly District 38, Senate District 77
“I am hoping there will be more of an emphasis to pet overpopulation in the near future.
It is unbelievably heartbreaking to watch how many dogs get loose, go to the shelter, and have to be put down to the population in our area. This is a massive issue and it’s horrible to watch from afar. If access was easier and more affordable for most families in the AV, the issue may be able to be addressed.”
Ashley
Lancaster, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 39, Senate District 23
“There should be mobile free services going to homeless encampment providing free spay and neuter to all..vets should do pro bono spay and neuters to do business in the AV...for homeless or low income.. this is going to help, but a mobile clinic is a MUST to see population drop”
Laura S
Pearblossom, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 39, Senate District 23
“Theres too many dogs being killed at the shelters especially where i live times are tough alot of people cant afford the surgery”
Rosa P
Lancaster, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 39, Senate District 23
“It must be more widely available and affordable to ALL communities” Gina M
Newhall Los AngelesCounty
Assembly District 40, Senate District 23
15 “It’s practically impossible to access low cost spay/neuter in the entire Los Angeles area. Last year I rescued a dog that was part of a hoarding situation in Fawnskin. The dog was taken to Devore Animal Shelter and surprisingly this public shelter adopted him out without neutering him first. They got away with it by offering a refund of $150.00 if we provided paperwork proving that we neutered him. After exhausting all of our options trying to find the so called free or low cost spay neuter, we ended up paying around $700.00 for his surgery and trust me we tried everything and this was the least expensive we could find. Despite the fact that we paid for it we understand the vast majority of people cannot afford to do that! It’s unbelievable that public rescues are allowed to adopt pets out without fixing them first offering a ridiculous refund that doesn’t even begin to cover the costs while knowing of course that the vast majority of people will not fix their pets or will at least postpone it prompting accidents to occur. This way even the public shelters know that they are contributing to the pets overpopulation problem. It is shameful that being part of a State that is so rich and that charges the most expensive taxes in the entire USA the amount of money destined for companion animals is so low. I urge the State and the legislators to do their jobs specially considering that fixing pets are way less expensive than dealing with the consequences of not fixing them, not to mention all the pain and suffering that the poor pets are enduring, spending days locked in a kennel only to end up being euthanized after some days. What’s happening in this country is unacceptable and killing adoptable innocent pets, including pregnant mommas and puppies cannot be the only solution that this country has to offer. I urge you to act on their behalf and on behalf of so many of your constituents that are also distraught watching the slaughter of companion animals.
Thank you.”
Reneta
Pasadena, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 41, Senate District 25
“Please look into Los Angeles City/County as there are many issues especially homeless abusing animals”
Kim S
Pasadena, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 41, Senate District 25
“I have been in animal rescue and TNR work for over 20 years - specifically with the homeless cat population in Los Angeles County. When the city put a ban on TNR for feral cat colonies to "save the birds" - it made our rescue work even harder and the number of cats living on the street increased but an alarming amount. TNR is this area is the ONLY way option for population management and if more veterinarians offered LOW COST spay/neuter services to the public we would not have this crisis.” 16 Michele G
Woodland Hills Los Angeles County
Assembly District 46, Senate District 27
“California needs mandatory free or low cost spay/neuter in areas where there's alot of poor people and backyard breeders. Also, mandatory spay/neuter of all pets owned by the homeless community.”
Cindy E
Reseda Los Angeles County
Assembly District 46 Senate District 20
"As founder of the spay neuter imperative project California, I spoke with so many people, young and old, that had no idea about the euthanasia rates. I sat down at a bar with a woman that appeared to be over 80 and wealthy. I started speaking to her about the spay neuter project and the amount of animals being destroyed weekly. She said, "are they still doing that?". The words " Shelter" and "euthanasia" mask the problem.
Once I informed them of the situation, they immediately understood. I think it's a fallacy that Mexican people like testicles on their dogs. They are intelligent people." Carole H
Palm Springs, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
“It saves money in the longer term!”
Lori
La Quinta, Riverside’’ County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
“I am a foster mom for dogs at Coachella Valley Animal Campus (CVAC) with the budget they have ALL animals in their care should be spayed or neutered upon entry into the shelter system. I had to advocate in order to get my foster dogs neutered. That should have been a service freely offered.”
Jenny V
La Quinta, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
“Need free clinics with plenty of access, especially in low income areas. Need mandatory spay/neuter laws.”
Jackie J
La Quinta, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
17 “These shelters are killing hundreds of dogs weekly. They don't have a chance for a life.”
Mary H
Cherry Valley, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
"Yes please! We are a dog/cat advocate organization with well over 100 members in Riverside County who want to help you get the California Spay Neuter Fund passed! Please tell us how we can help you to get this passed! We even collected funds for a lobbyist, but were told that this would not help. Please contact me so we can discuss and you can advise us how we can help you to get this passed. They advised me about your petition and proposed legislation and encouraged me to contact you to offer our help in any way we can. We will wait with enthusiasm to hear from you as soon as possible. Regards, No Name Animal Gang, Palm Desert, California (we are still working on an official name)"
Chris J
La Quinta, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
“Though I do not require this service, many in Riverside County do based on the amount of surrenders or dumped animals that rescue groups take in.” Kathy M
La Quinta, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
“California the highest Euthanasia of shelter animals in the country” Macaria B
La Quinta, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
“I am the director of a 501c dog/cat rescue. This rescue regularly holds fundraisers to be able to help local residents afford spay/neuter. In addition to rescues/adoptions, raising money for alterations is what occupies our time.” Janice M
Idyllwild, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 32
“People in my town are poor and uneducated. I think culturally they don’t spay and neuter, and let their pets roam freely to some extent. It’s a real problem. I wish there were more educational opportunities to share with them.” 18 Rebecca C
Banning, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
“Glad this is being addressed way past due and the greed of vets is astounding in the face of this crisis.”
Cynthia L
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 51, Senate District 24
“There are many options available, but your survey is confusing because some free or very low-cost options are available to owners/residents that aren't available to us in the rescue world. So when you ask me what the typical cost is, the amount varies from a private vet for $750, to a non-profit clinic we use (CAMPLA.ORG) that costs $225, to a free voucher program from LA Animal Services, that is only available to low-income owners, also other clinics that do $50 s/n for owners only. We need more availability to move faster, and more facilities that are closer to where the people are. CAMP LA has a great setup and they should be funded to open more locations and increase capacity.
Also, I recently learned that some govt shelters release animals intact! This should not be allowed. No matter how an animal got to the shelter, it should be required to s/n before release, to anyone. I thought this was already the law but I guess that's only LA City. Also backyard breeding should be illegal everywhere, and funding and resources made available to enforce it. Also animal abuse must be easier for the public to report and get enforcement.”
Andy P
Marina del Rey, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 55, Senate District 28
“We need to have low cost spay/neuter as the cost is outrageous. We as a rescue only have so much money and this limits what we can do. Even if the vet offers rescue discounts it’s still almost $200. And individuals owners don’t so it cause it cost so much.
A spay can run almost $400 at the low end at some places” Kristen M
Anaheim, Orange County
Assembly District 59, Senate District 37
“Need a Mobile Clinic in the South Bay Area - Harbor Park parking lot would be ideal.” Fina
Torrance, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 65, Senate District 35
19 “Educate in schools about animal husbandry and animal advocacy” Ewa
Long Beach, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 69, Senate District 33
“It is mostly the city residents that don't bother to sp/n feral or stray cat population especially. There needs to be a unifying process for all to take part in. Not just the few that care”
Jasmine
Carson, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 69, Senate District 35
“I really wish there was more spay and neutering services for feral cats and even domestic cats and dogs it will help with the population problem . Nearby places I’ve called want $220 for a feral cat. Even with a voucher you still have to pay out of pocket.
Long Beach gives $100 vouchers but the cheapest place is camp clinic in San Pedro and the price just went up 2025 ($40) there’s to many feral cats to pay for and feed.
They should do this service to take away the problem”
Melanie P
Long Beach, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 69, Senate District 33
“Orange County Animal Control GOT RID OF THE TNR PROGRAM” Daniela H
Huntington Beach, Orange County
Assembly District 72, Senate District 36
"Low-cost spay/neuter services are non-existent in South Orange County. As a rescue organization, our vet costs have more than tripled since 2021. We've had to cut back on the amount of felines we can take in due to rising vet costs. We have nowhere to send people to spay/neuter community cats. The one low-cost spay/neuter clinic in our area was sold to new owners 2 years ago and the new owners changed their model and did away with the previous owner's low-cost spay/neuter clinic. We've tried working with our local shelter to see if we could get spay/neuter discount vouchers for the felines we pull from their facility but they only directed us to a supposed low-cost spay/neuter clinic they partner with. That clinic does not work with rescues, and for owned pets the clinic requires current vaccinations and exam before spay/neuter which jacks up the price and is essentially unaffordable for Pet owners and unfeasible for community cats. Some rescues in our area have the resources to drive to Mexico for spay/neuters." Amber H
20 Laguna Niguel, Orange County
Assembly District 74, Senate District 74
“We are San Diego county. They contract with SDHS. Who do not offer S/N. They follow the UcDavis Community Cat Model which is abuse. SDHS is for the most part a money grubbing organization who does care about S/n. A low or no cost will help. I pay to help local families who find pets who cannot afford to have them. They are happy to take them to the appointments and do the work, even when appointments end up overbooked and they need to come back a second time as a priority. I believe in my heart that low or (no cost in middle to low income) is one of the major ways out of this crisis. I know it is worse in San Bernardino. SBC is adopting unsterilized dogs with 100 credits and no follow up. I will follow you and see how I can help” Judith S
Ramona, San Diego County
Assembly District 75, Senate District 40
21 Urgent Action Needed: Restore Capacity, Funding, and Accountability at San José Animal Shelter
April, 17 2025
Dear Mayor, City Council, San Jose Shelter Management Team, As the founder and representative of a local rescue organization Angel’s Furry Friends Rescue, I am deeply concerned by the ongoing decline in performance and capacity at San José Animal Care & Services—our city’s municipal animal shelter.
It is troubling to learn that, despite managing the highest intake volume of animals in Northern California, the shelter is under serious strain and appears to be moving in the wrong direction.
Recent updates suggest that the City shelter may Reduce foster program support, and shelter management has been seeking unpaid behavioral and training assistance from the community rather than securing professional help. At the same time, operations remain heavily reliant on unpaid volunteer labor, which is invaluable but inconsistent and unsustainable as a primary workforce.
This shelter is severely underfunded, receiving roughly half the operational support of neighboring counties like Contra Costa, despite serving nearly twice the animal intake volume. We are witnessing a decline in public services: increased refusal to accept animals, delays or inadequacies in field response, lack of in-house behavioral care for high-needs animals, and a general deterioration of service quality—all while the community’s needs continue to grow.
San José is one of the wealthiest cities in the nation, with one of the highest taxpayer contributions per capita. Yet our city shelter—an essential public service—has not kept pace. It lacks sufficient funding, professional staffing, and space to adequately serve the community or maintain public trust.
This document outlines critical corrective measures the City must take to restore humane, effective, and responsive sheltering for the animals and residents of San José.
Historical Intakes Total: The overall animal intake has fluctuated over the years, peaking in 2018-19 at 18,584 then declining 2021-22 to 15,670 then declining to 11,584 in 2022-23, before increasing again to 13,668 in 2023-24.
1. Lack of Staffing compared to Neighboring Animal Services. 📊 San José Animal Services Staffing: Actual vs. Recommended Category Current
Staff
Recommended
(10-Day Stay)
Recommended
(30-Day Stay)
🐶 Shelter Care Staff 29 ~13 ~38
👮 Field Officers (ACO) 17 53–64 (FTE*) 53–64 (FTE*)
🩺 Veterinarians 3 (Not specifically
calculated)
(Not specifically
calculated)
Supervisory/Support
Staff
11 N/A (supporting roles
vary)
N/A
📦 Total Staff Count ~72+ ~66–77 ~91–102
FTE*: Full-time equivalent count adjusted for year-round 24/7 field coverage, based on NACA’s model (~1.6 staff per full-time position). https://www.nacanet.org
2. San José Animal Services Recommended Staffing Summary 📍 Based on Population: ~1,000,000 residents
📍 Based on Average Annual Intake: ~14,877 animals
📦 Shelter Care Staffing (Basic Daily Animal Care Only)
Average Length
of Animal Stay
Avg. Daily Shelter
Population
Daily Hours of Care
Needed
Full-Time Shelter
Staff Needed
10 days ~408 animals ~102 hours/day ~13 full-time staff 30 days ~1,223 animals ~306 hours/day ~38 full-time staff ⏱ Assumes 15 minutes of care per animal per day and 8-hour work shifts.
This does not include:
● Medical/veterinary staff
● Administrative staff
● Adoption or outreach coordinators
● Volunteer management or education teams
👮 Animal Control Officer (Field) Staffing
Using standard ratio of 1 officer per 25,000–30,000 residents, adjusted for 24/7 year-round coverage:
Ratio Base Officer
Count
24/7 Adjusted (FTE)
1 per 25,000
residents
40 officers ~64 full-time
officers
1 per 30,000
residents
33 officers ~53 full-time
officers
📌 FTE = Full-Time Equivalent (each 24/7 position needs ~1.6 people to cover all days)
✅ Total Operational Staff Estimates
Scenario Shelter
Staff
Field Officers
(Range)
Total Full-Time Staff
10-Day Stay ~13 53–64 66–77
30-Day Stay ~38 53–64 91–102
3. REFERENCE Methodology USED NACA Staffing Model
Overview:
Organization: National Animal Care & Control Association, NACA Official Guide to Field Staffing:
https://www.nacanet.org/determining-field-staffing-needs Purpose: To help municipalities determine appropriate staffing levels for animal shelter and control services using a workload-based approach.
🏠 Shelter Care Staffing Model
Guiding Principle: Each animal requires a minimum of 15 minutes of care per day.
Care Activities Covered:
● Feeding
● Cleaning
● Health checks/observation
Calculation Formula:
1. Estimate average daily population of animals
2. Multiply by 0.25 hours (15 minutes) per animal
3. Divide total care hours by 8 (hourly shift length) to determine required full-time staff Example:
● 400 animals × 0.25 hrs = 100 care hours/day
● 100 ÷ 8 = 12.5 full-time shelter care staff
Assumptions:
● Only basic care is considered
● Does not include vet, adoption, admin, enrichment, etc. ️ Animal Control Officer (Field) Staffing Model
Guiding Principle: Use workload or call-volume based planning, not population size alone.
Planning Estimate (in absence of call data):
● 1 ACO per 25,000 to 30,000 residents
Year-Round Coverage Factor:
● One 24/7 position = 2,920 hours/year needed
● One officer typically works ~1,832 hours/year (after vacation/sick leave) ● Therefore, 1.6 FTEs needed per full-time field position Example for 1,000,000 population:
● 1 officer per 25,000 = 40 officers × 1.6 = ~64 FTEs
● 1 officer per 30,000 = 33 officers × 1.6 = ~53 FTEs
🔍 Why It Matters
This model:
● Reflects actual service demand
● Provides realistic staffing targets
● Supports humane care and public safety
4. Budgeting Considerations
San José Animal Services vs. Contra Costa Animal Services: A Clear Funding Disparity
Despite serving a significantly higher volume of animals, San José Animal Care & Services operates with far fewer resources than its neighboring counterpart in Contra Costa County. ● Contra Costa Animal Services (CCAS) reported 7,100 animal intakes in 2023 ● CCAS operates with a $14.7 million annual budget and a staff of 83 full-time employees (FTEs)
● In comparison, San José Animal Services handled 13,668 animal intakes in 2023–24 — nearly double the volume
● Yet San José operates with roughly the same budget and fewer staff This stark contrast highlights the severe underfunding of San José Animal Services. With nearly twice the workload and fewer resources, San José’s shelter is being asked to perform the impossible — a systemic gap that puts both animals and public safety at risk.
If we expect humane, effective, and responsive care in our community, we must provide the staffing and funding that matches the scale of the need. ______
5. Key Staffing Critically Needed at San José Animal Services
1. MORE Foster and Adoption Coordinators
Given the shelter’s high intake numbers and large foster base, a single current staff member cannot reasonably coordinate hundreds of animals in foster care, maintain ongoing communication with rescue organizations, and facilitate adoptions. These functions are critical to saving lives and ensuring positive outcomes for animals. At least 2–3 dedicated staff ( or contracted/temp) members are needed to manage this High volume efficiently and responsibly: Cats - Rescue/Foster; Dogs - Rescue/Foster coordination is essential to the effective and functional shelter.
2. ADD Animal Behaviorist / Trainer
San José Animal Services, despite having the highest intake volume in Northern California, currently operates without a dedicated animal behaviorist or trainer. This is especially concerning given the high number of large-breed dogs in the shelter—many of whom require behavioral support, decompression, and enrichment. As a rescue partner that has taken in numerous euthanasia-listed animals from this shelter, I can attest to the growing behavioral needs that remain unaddressed. The lack of a behaviorist severely limits the shelter’s ability to support at-risk animals and prepare them for adoption or transfer.
6. Increased Shelter Space Needed
The shelter was constructed in 2004 when San José’s population was significantly smaller.
Since then, the city’s population has grown by over 200,000 residents, but shelter capacity has not expanded accordingly. As a result, the shelter increasingly turns away animals from the public due to space constraints—forcing more people to abandon pets or seek help from overwhelmed rescues, increasing animal overpopulation in the area. Addressing space limitations is essential to meeting the current needs of the community.
The City should urgently evaluate options to expand capacity, including adding additional outdoor kennels, repurposing underutilized municipal facilities, or constructing a satellite shelter in a different part of the city. These improvements are not just overdue—they are critical to ensuring that no healthy, adoptable animal is turned away due to lack of space.
7. Reliance on Volunteer Labor, Not Reliable, Not Sustainable While the contributions of volunteers are deeply appreciated, the shelter currently relies heavily on unpaid labor to cover core operational needs. Volunteer support is invaluable—but by nature, it is supplemental and inconsistent. It cannot and should not be used as a substitute for properly funded, trained, and accountable staff positions.
Current Jobs Performed by Shelter Volunteers:
DOG Volunteers Jobs:
Dog Volunteers Job/Function Volunteers perform ACS Personnel Performs
1 Walk and socialize dogs, keep/maintain a log 100 % 0 % 2 Coordinate dogs' walks and socialization. 100 % 0 %
3 Animal enrichment in kennels ( develop
activities plans, coordinate)
100 % 0 %
4 Enrichment equipment purchase ( kongs,
toys, etc) — Shelter Does Not Provide
Enough
80 % 20 %
5 Created training materials for new volunteers
classes
100 % 0 %
6 Run classes for new volunteers 100 % 0 %
7 Assess dogs for volunteers. Come up with
solutions for behavioral issues for volunteers'
safety. Maintain dogs assessment records.
A. Kennel exit; B. Kennel return; C. Leash
biting; D. ext.
100 % 0 %
8 Buy treats. Shelter doesn't provide enough
treats
50 % 50 %
9 Drive dogs to Hollister for spay-neuter
surgeries ( this takes all day)
30-50 % 50-70%
10 Doing Adoptions to public ( seasoned
volunteers)
varies Most of work
11 Spot Clean kennels 10 % 90%
12 Run weekend playgroups - public event Most of Work
13 Help with off-site eventsvaries
14 Test and promote volunteers to the next level. 100 % 0 % 15 Write Animals Adoption Bios 100 % 0 %
17 File medical, behavior, and kennel tickets. 90 %
18 Create videos for dog promotion for dogs on
euthanasia list.
100 % 0 %
19 Photography for Pet Compass on the shelter
website. All dog profile pics are taken by
volunteers.
100 % 0 %
20 Manage Bloomerang (dog walking and
classroom opportunities) , the tool to log
volunteers hours.
100 % 0 %
21 Find rescues and work with them to save
euthanazia listed dogs
varies
CAT Volunteers Jobs:
Cat Volunteers Job/Function Volunteers perform ACS Personnel Performs
1 Refill Water and sometimes Food Bowls 50 % 50 %
2 Socialize cats
100 % 0 %
3 Clean kennels and change litter as needed.
varies
4 Rotate Visiting Rooms cats, keep/maintain a
log, so all cats get this opportunity
100 % 0 %
5 File medical tickets varies
6 Help with events varies
7 Perform adoptions ( more seasoned
volunteers)
varies
Take adoption photos, write animals
personality Bios
100 % 0 %
Train New Volunteers 100 % 0 %
8. Conclusion
The San José Animal Shelter is operating under outdated conditions that no longer reflect the size, expectations, or values of our city. It is failing to meet basic community needs—not due to a lack of care or effort from those working within it, but due to chronic underfunding and systemic neglect.
As a local rescue group on the front lines, we see the consequences every day: animals turned away, volunteers burned out, and urgent life-saving efforts falling to unpaid individuals and nonprofit organizations.
The City must act now. We urge you to prioritize the shelter’s recovery by investing in:
● Increased funding and staffing for critical roles
● Expanded shelter capacity and infrastructure
● Professional behavioral, animal evaluation, stress management ● A structured, adequately supported foster and rescue coordination team This is not just an animal issue—it is a public responsibility issue. It’s time to rebuild community trust and align San José’s animal services with the needs of its people, pets, and future.
We are ready to be part of the solution. We ask the City Council to lead with urgency and commitment.
Sincerely,
Elena Gaffney
Angel’s Furry Friends Rescue
[email protected] 408 206 5348
REPORT: Public Survey Results Reveal Gaps in Low-Cost
Spay-Neuter and TNR Access Across California
Data from 42 Counties and 97 Cities – March–April 2025
Compiled April 2025
Report Summary
Between March 25 and April 7, 2025, we invited Californians to share their experiences with accessing low-cost spay-neuter and TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) services. The response was overwhelming — residents from 34 counties and 97 cities generously participated, offering firsthand insight into the current state of access across the state.
What we heard was clear, urgent, and deeply troubling.
A staggering 77% of respondents rated their access to low-cost spay-neuter as either “poor” (59%) or “nonexistent” (18%). Even among those who reported some access, many clarified that it remains inaccessible due to a lack of appointments or wait times stretching up to three months or more.
Most respondents (58%) said there is no municipally funded low-cost spay-neuter or TNR program in their area. Another 26% were unsure, and only 16% confirmed the existence of such a program — highlighting widespread gaps in local support.
A strong majority — 85% — reported that access has gotten worse in recent years, reflecting a sharp decline in service availability just as need is rising.
From struggling families to seasoned rescuers, Californians described a system in crisis: unaffordable costs, months-long delays, and entire communities with no access to services at all. The stories and statistics that emerged point not just to a logistical failure, but to a growing humanitarian and animal welfare emergency.
This report brings together the data, the voices, and the lived realities of those on the front lines — in the hope of driving meaningful, systemic change. Californians are speaking out, and it’s time we listen.
1 It’s well known that, according to the Humane Society of the United States, just one unspayed female dog and her offspring can produce over 11,000 puppies in a single year — and one unspayed female cat and her descendants can produce more than 60,000 kittens over a lifetime. Without intervention, the consequences of inaction are exponential.
Californians have made it clear: the crisis is here, and the need for urgent statewide action is undeniable.
Public Comments Summary: A State in Crisis, Voices from the Ground The public responses to the spay-neuter survey paint a heartbreaking, urgent picture of a system on the brink. Across the board, Californians — from independent rescuers to overwhelmed fosters and concerned residents — voiced the same themes: skyrocketing costs, long waits, closed programs, and a profound lack of access to low-cost services.
People are desperate to help, but they’re running into wall after wall.
Veterinary costs are now so high that spaying a cat can cost up to $800 or more.
Municipal programs, once a lifeline, are either shut down or plagued with long waitlists and limited access. Community members say they’re forced to drive hours to find care, or pay entirely out of pocket, draining personal and rescue funds. Several spoke of being “drowned” by the number of animals needing help — especially feral cats and dumped dogs. One comment read, “We are drowning with no end in sight. And no one cares. No one who makes decisions and policies cares.” But it's not just about money — it’s about the moral failure of inaction. Repeatedly, respondents called out local governments for releasing unaltered animals from shelters, failing to enforce breeding laws, and turning away from the euthanasia crisis that’s now routine. “These shelters are killing hundreds of dogs weekly. They don’t have a chance for a life,” one rescuer wrote. “California needs mandatory free or low-cost spay/neuter in areas where there's a lot of poor people and backyard breeders. Also, mandatory spay/neuter of all pets owned by the homeless community,” another Californian resident wrote.
And yet, amid the grief and frustration, there’s hope and readiness. People asked to help. They offered to lobby. They shared what’s working — from mobile clinics to school-based education — and begged for more of it. “We’re willing to get on a soapbox for this,” said one nonprofit leader. Another wrote, “We even raised $20,000 for a lobbyist. Just tell us how to help.”
From every corner of the state, the plea is the same: Make Services Affordable, Make them Accessible, and Do it Now — or the suffering will only grow. 2 Survey Insights on Spay-Neuter Services
1. Are Low Cost or Free Pets Spay-Neuter/TNR Services Available in Your City/County? Over half of respondents (51%) reported that low-cost or free spay/neuter or TNR services are NOT available in their area. 40% said Yes, and 9% were Unsure.
2. Has Access to Spay-Neuter/TNR Gotten Worse Lately?
A strong majority (85%) said access has Gotten Worse recently, with only 9% reporting No decline and 6% are Not sure.
3. How Satisfied are you with the Availability of Low-Cost Spay-Neuter/TNR in your area? (1 being LOW, 5 being HIGH)
Most respondents (84%) are not satisfied with the availability. 3 4. Is there a Municipally Funded Low Cost Spay-Neuter/TNR in Your Area? Most respondents (58%) said there is No municipally funded Low-Cost Spay-Neuter/TNR program, 26% were Unsure, and
only 16% Confirmed Availability.
5. Is there a Privately Run Low-Cost Spay-Neuter/TNR Clinic in Your Area? 42% said there is a Privately run clinic, 33% said No, and 25% were Unsure.
6. Where are these Private Services Offered? (multiple choices question) Private services are most frequently offered by
Nonprofits (37%), followed by Mobile Vans (32%),
Shelters (31%), and Vet clinics (29%).
4 7. What is the Typical Wait Time for a Spay-Neuter/TNR Appointment in your Area? Most common wait time is 1-3 months (34%),
with 27% waiting 2-4 weeks, 18% Over 3
months, and 18% saying appointments are Not
available.
8. Typical Costs for Spay-Neuter/TNR in your Area?
Nearly half (42%) reported costs exceed $200-400. 15%
reported costs $500-700, 23% said $100-$200, 7% reported $800+ and only 1% had access to free services.
9. What Cost Would Make Spay-Neuter/TNR More Accessible? 43% said services Under $50 would improve accessibility, followed by 27% for $50-$100 and 27% preferring Free
services.
5 10. Rate Your Access to Low Cost Spay-Neuter/TNR
77% rated their access as either ‘Poor’ (59%) or ‘Nonexistent’ (18%). Only 6% said it was ‘Good’ and 1% ‘Excellent’.
11. Is Lack of Affordable Spay-Neuter/TNR Services a Single Most Import Driver to Pet Overpopulation?
86% believe that lack of affordable services Is the primary driver of pet overpopulation. 5% Disagreed, and 9% were Unsure.
12. Have You or Someone You Know Been Unable to Access Spay-Neuter/TNR Services Due to Any of the Following Barriers? (multiple choices question) Top barriers include High Costs (73%), Unavailable
Appointments (68%), Long Waits (64%), and Lack of Local Providers (51%).
6 Voices from the Front Lines
Below are direct quotes from survey respondents across California — rescuers, fosters, community members, and advocates who care deeply about the animals in their regions. Their words reflect the urgency, heartbreak, and determination behind this crisis.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who took the time to respond. Your voices matter, and they must be heard. Please share these stories far and wide — California’s animals are counting on us.
“I love Sammie's Friends but we are overwhelmed up here in Nevada County- crazy amount of puppies lately..dumped dogs..help.”
Tamar S
Grass Valley, Nevada County
Assembly District 1, Senate District 1
“Our clinic does wonderful work but they are only open on weekends and this is due to the lack of vets available. We desperately need more vets that can just do spay and neuters in large numbers.”
Suzanna M
Chico, Butte County
Assembly District 1, Senate District 3
“The only available services are vouchers from the humane society for spay and neuter assistance, $120 females and males $80 but the bill for a spay can still be around $250 after the voucher. The humane society had a grant last year for $150k which helped with 1300 procedures. This year will rely solely on our fundraising efforts and will have to dramatically reduce services.”
Breanna G
Westwood —
Assembly District 1, Senate District 1
“There is definitely a vet shortage. As a local Humane society, we drive hours to clinics out of our area for spay/neuter.”
Danielle L
Crescent City, Del Norte County
Assembly District 2, Senate District 2
“Dogwood Animal Rescue has 18 affordable spay/neuter partnerships throughout California and last year alone we funded 11,182 surgeries. We need more help, more 7 resources and more funding to curb this overpopulation crisis. We are willing to get on a soapbox for this issue.”
Colleen B
Santa Rosa, Sonoma County
Assembly District 2, Senate District 2
“There used to be limited programs for spay/Neuter pre-covid and wait times were minimal. The colonies I managed were mostly under control. Now there is nothing in Tehama County and TNR trappers like myself are seeing the effects. There are so many feral cats in the community and simply no help. The dog situation is not much better.
Our shelter is always over capacity. Puppies are being dumped on the sides of roads.
Dogs are being abandoned and some have started attacking livestock. It is becoming a dangerous situation.”
Marnie B
Corning, Tehama County
Assembly District 3, Senate District 1
“Municipal shelters should spay and neuter all trapped cats whether they have an appointment or not. Trappers do not know when exactly they will trap a stray cat” Christina C
San Jose, Santa Clara County
Assembly District 6, Senate District 28
“Low cost accessible spay and neuter would save pets from suffering and money in the long run by not having to deal with so many homeless and unwanted animals. Better, cheaper, more humane to be proactive than reactive to the problem of pet overpopulation.”
Kevin M
North Fork, Madera County
Assembly District 8, Senate District 4
“We have only 2 programs, both private, for the entire county: ICARE and Feral Cat Care of Owens Valley. ICARE pays for dogs and cats so dogs seem to get the fastest response time. FCCOV was started by a private individual in a smaller town 60 miles away and she works to support her cause - she does only cats so her response times are better but the number of slots is quite limited. Also, neither of our two vet clinics accepts drop in cases unlike Dr. Sexton of Sierra Veterinary Clinic - she understood the unpredictability of trapping.”
Susan O
Bishop, Inyo County
Assembly District 8, Senate District 4
8 “There are only 2 in the county. ACT is a little cheaper but long wait, Pet Advocate is still too expensive especially if you're bringing in feral cats.” Linda W
Tracy, San Joaquin County
Assembly District 9, Senate District 5
“Long wait times and availability seems to be a barrier. If you trap a cat, there is no way you will know when you will get it. I was shocked to be turned away from the sspca because they had a limit per day. There needs to be other options rather than the limited number of clinics.”
Linda S
Herald, Sacramento County
Assembly District 9, Senate District 6
“Like I stated above, rescues and private citizens should not be finamcially responsible for the over abundance of unwanted cats in our community. Municipal shelters are collecting tax dollars yet. They are turning people away at the door. Every day I get emails from people telling me they have a pregnant cat and the shelter told them to let it loose. Who in their right mind would ever give that kind of directive? Especially someone in the animal community! They are even telling people to let dogs go if they find them. It is the most archaic backwards, Third World country way of thinking. I can't believe it. I’ve been doing rescue over 40 years and I have never seen anything as bad as what we are experiencing now. It’s getting worse every day. We are drowning with no end in sight. And no one cares! No one who makes decisions and policies cares!” Barbara D
Sacramento, Sacramento County
Assembly District 10, Senate District 8
“Our county shelter tries to help but needs a veterinarian on staff.” Nicole L
Fairfield, Solano County
Assembly District 11, Senate District 3
“Before Covid we had more options available, now they are almost non-existent. There is no way to keep populations down when neighbors won’t fix the animals they feed. If I can trap it, it gets fixed. When they get injured/killed no one will come out to pick them up, so I don’t bother to try.”
Yvonne
Oakley, Contra Costa County
Assembly District 11, Senate District 3
9 “First I want to say is, laws must be passed for TNR community cats to be treated as a protected species and neighborhoods educated about living with community TNR cats .
Otherwise the cats are sitting ducks. With clipped ear tips made them a target for torture and killing by sick adults and sick teenagers who hate cats , or want to have fun by unleashing their dogs on cats . It’s obvious that veterinary services are becoming a racket with the wrong ppl, with the wrong goal making health decisions . Not giving the consumer treatment options . Spending less time ordering the most expensive tests . A routine vet visit has turned into an emergency room visit . How can a procedure for spay and neuter be no more than $100.00 one day and overnight become $1,000.00 the next day with all vets in the same areas ? The procedure is the same , unless complications set in , the amount of time should be the same spent doing the procedure as usual .
One of my greatest concerns with TNR and mandatory spaying when adopting is , when is enough , enough . Before we extinct a species or make a pet rare and too expensive to have and care for ? In this county you can pay as much as $800.00 to $1,000 to spay or neuter one cat, at corporate operated vets that the insurance companies working with big pharma and pet food stores are taking over private vet practices Along with all pet related medical and treatment services at these places . They charge 3× more for any medications. The county shelter has spay and neuter for a price . It Was on a scale from
60.00 on up . They had TNR with a small private 501.c group , for a short time , that was managed very well by Julie Linford and her partner Cathy . Some sort of stupid dispute (not animal related )between them and the shelter administrator . The administrator shut the entire TNR program down. Now the shelter picks up the strays and ferals, if not claimed in three days , they're euthanized . They might even be sold to labs , who knows ? I hope not. I personally believe all the government funding that goes to these horrifying animal experimentation labs should be directed toward animal welfare .Funding shelters to non kill animals and build ranch style no kill rescues for ferals and cats that have been on the adoption circuit for a lengthy time that haven't had the luck or right location exposure to find a forever home , instead of being euthanized . 3 or 4 ranches for cats in larger states .and 3 or 4 separate ranches in the larger states for dogs .we spend billions a year funding cruel , torturous and murdering innocent puppies ,kittens, cats and dogs making some of them spending a lifetime enduring the suffering in medical testing and experimentation in labs psychotic deprived researchers, and other cruel deprived ideas and intentions toward these animals. Seems we have tax dollars that could be better spent other than wasted on bs.” Renee
El Sobrante, Contra Costa County
Assembly District 14, Senate District 7
“CoCo County is a huge county. A mobile clinic that comes to different areas across the county would be AMAZING. Also more appointments at Animal Fix Clinic and at CCAS 10 or subsidized appts at vets throughout the county would be fantastic. Please make it happen, for the love of animals. We are drowning here.” Alina C
Richmond, Contra Costa County
Assembly District 14, Senate District 7
“Pet owners need to be educated about proper animal care. Irresponsible pet owners need to be held accountable for their actions. Veterinary schools should be more affordable and plentiful.There is a severe shortage of veterinarians.” Yvonne P
Lake Isabella, Kern County
Assembly District 15, Senate District 12
“I'm also very close to Los Angeles, Kern county, San Bernardino, Riverside And that is where the help is really needed! I think they need to follow what Ventura and Santa Barbara are doing!”
Melissa G
Oxnard, Ventura County
Assembly District 22, Senate District 38
“I have done rescue work in several areas of California and was appalled by the lack of services here. All of the shelters in this area are full most of the time and have to start euthanizing. There are several rescue groups, but they are small and can't handle the animals that are regularly dumped. There are many people doing backyard breeding and they aren't being regulated. There are many cat colonies, but no TNR, and those that have tried to get funding for it, have been turned down. It needs to change. The entire system needs to change. No animal should have to spend more than 30 days in an animal shelter, they should be going to rescues that have space, fosters, and Veterinary help. We need to be helping to fund those that want to start rescues and sanctuaries! It was my dream to start a sanctuary, but without funding, I cannot.” Rebecca F
Gustine Merced, County
Assembly District 22, Senate District 14
“I think that lack of affordable Spay-Neuter/TNR services is a *second* Most important driver to Pets Overpopulation: the first one is EDUCATION on the topic. So many people don’t even know that they should do spay and neuter. This gets passed on generationally especially amongst non native speakers or low income homes. Children should be taught in school about how to properly care for pets which includes spay neuter.”
Amanda F
Campbell, Santa Clara County
11 Assembly District 23, Senate District 13
“The stray and feral overpopulation is out of control! It is unreasonable and unfair to expect private citizens and rescues to cover all the costs. The euthanasia rate is also off the charts, offering free TNR and low cost spay/neuter for pets works!” Kathy P
San Jose, Santa Clara County
Assembly District 24, Senate District 10
“There is only one high volume SX clinic in Fremont and it is not very cheap. The city shelter offers no TNR or spay neuter for the community.” Yurika V
Fremont Alameda County
Assembly District 24, Senate District 10
“I would love to be involved in lobbying for this. Please contact me.” Julianne O
San Jose Santa Clara County
Assembly District 25, Senate District 15
“Lack of good management at city shelters has also caused vet’s to leave shelters causing lower power for TNR and other services.”
Faatemeh L
San Jose, Santa Clara County
Assembly District 25, Senate District 15
“There needs to be availability to very low cost spay/neutered for all And information to use the service advertised to all. There used to be a $25 voucher you could take to certain vets to get animals either feral or your own for low income families. This has disappeared and the burden is on the shelters who are severely understaffed. I am a foster to neo kittens so am familiar with the shelter but have a feral male cat to get fixed and I do not have a place available to take him. It's sad. There needs to be a change so ANYONE can get their animal fixed quickly, low cost or even free, and that everyone is aware of the service. Only this will help stop this overpopulation.” Joleen D
San Jose, Santa Clara County
Assembly District 26, Senate District 15
12 “It has to stop in the field through robust TNR/spay neuter programs to decrease the animals in the shelter. It has to stop in the field before we can decrease the animals in the shelters”
Diane F
Sunnyvale, Santa Clara County
Assembly District 26, Senate District 10
“We don’t have enough resources. My nonprofit probably does the most pet spay/neuter of any nonprofit or shelter in the South Bay Area (300-400 pet cats per year). We do not charge but ask people to donate $50-100 and we pay over $200 per cat. Without us there are zero resources for pets under $300 within hours. Besides a few cities that can use SVACA for $200. We need to fund the little organizations that do spay/neuter to ensure money is actually going to spay/neuter. Large shelters here do not prioritize spay/neuter and do not have pet programs, so giving them more money is not going to help the availability of spay/neuter appointments. People have lost hope to try to TNR cats they feed because of too many hurdles. We need open intake shelters, pet spay/neuter programs, and TNR programs with every day drop off for feral cats.
Ignoring the problem through managed intake means every year we need more and more spay/neuter.”
Vanessa F
Sunnyvale, Santa Clara County
Assembly District 26, Senate District 10
“I'm an independent rescuer -I pay all expenses out of pocket, and I rarely charge an adoption fee that covers much of what I spend on each rescue- so low cost is just vital to me! But the low cost in my area is still pretty high , I have to drive an hour or so to get better pricing.”
Sue
Los Gatos, Santa Clara County
Assembly District 28, Senate District 15
“I recently found out that our local vet charges $585 for a cat spay. The shelter has a “low” cost of $150 which even that people can’t afford. They no longer offer any no cost options except a privatenon-profit provides free spay/neuter for feral cats. Given that Santa Cruz County has had mandatory spay/neuter for over 20 years but no services to ensure it happens.”
Annette H
Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County
Assembly District 30, Senate District 17
13 “We need FREE SPAY AND NEUTER STATEWIDE IN CALIFORNIA. The overpopulation problem has overwhelmed our shelters, rescues, and community members. Dogs and cats are dying in our shelters, dying in the streets, in our deserts, whole packs of dogs are forming and attacking farms and livestock. This problem is so invasive, studies have shown even with free spay neuter it will take us 13 years to get it under control. The lack of attention to this matter is blatant and Heinous. Taxpayers are footing the bill towards a failed system that will never work without free access to spay and neuter.”
Gail V
Ridgecrest, Kern County
Assembly District 32, Senate District 32
“There is virtually none here I was barely able to get in to spca it cost me 120$ for a feral kitten I found I am on Ss I barely scratch by”
Janet S
Ivanhoe, Tulare County
Assembly District 33, Senate District 12
“Please help. The problem is becoming overwhelming. Just driving to work I see animals that are clearly suffering and abandoned here in the Antelope Valley.” Heather W
Lancaster, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 34, Senate District 23
"Low cost spay/neuter is not necessarily the answer to overpopulation. FOLLOW THE MONEY! Just look at Craigslist and you'll see the majority of pet sales are NOT
ACCIDENTAL LITTERS AND HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH LACK OF SPAY/NEUTER RESOURCES. Overpopulation is actually based on INCOME TAX EVASION! People are purposefully breeding for tax free income. Go after the income tax evasion and you'll solve the problem."
Andria W
Santa Clarita, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 34, Senate District 23
“This is a country wide problem, but funding for programs would help” Donna L
Barstow, San Bernardino County
Assembly District 34, Senate District 19
14 “Overpopulation , people don’t have enough affordable care vets.” Casme M
Indio, Riverside County
Assembly District 36, Senate District 18
“TNR services are excellent. Services for owned pets could be much improved through the municipal shelter. The program is almost always on hold.” Emma H
San Diego, San Diego County
Assembly District 38, Senate District 77
“I am hoping there will be more of an emphasis to pet overpopulation in the near future.
It is unbelievably heartbreaking to watch how many dogs get loose, go to the shelter, and have to be put down to the population in our area. This is a massive issue and it’s horrible to watch from afar. If access was easier and more affordable for most families in the AV, the issue may be able to be addressed.”
Ashley
Lancaster, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 39, Senate District 23
“There should be mobile free services going to homeless encampment providing free spay and neuter to all..vets should do pro bono spay and neuters to do business in the AV...for homeless or low income.. this is going to help, but a mobile clinic is a MUST to see population drop”
Laura S
Pearblossom, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 39, Senate District 23
“Theres too many dogs being killed at the shelters especially where i live times are tough alot of people cant afford the surgery”
Rosa P
Lancaster, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 39, Senate District 23
“It must be more widely available and affordable to ALL communities” Gina M
Newhall Los AngelesCounty
Assembly District 40, Senate District 23
15 “It’s practically impossible to access low cost spay/neuter in the entire Los Angeles area. Last year I rescued a dog that was part of a hoarding situation in Fawnskin. The dog was taken to Devore Animal Shelter and surprisingly this public shelter adopted him out without neutering him first. They got away with it by offering a refund of $150.00 if we provided paperwork proving that we neutered him. After exhausting all of our options trying to find the so called free or low cost spay neuter, we ended up paying around $700.00 for his surgery and trust me we tried everything and this was the least expensive we could find. Despite the fact that we paid for it we understand the vast majority of people cannot afford to do that! It’s unbelievable that public rescues are allowed to adopt pets out without fixing them first offering a ridiculous refund that doesn’t even begin to cover the costs while knowing of course that the vast majority of people will not fix their pets or will at least postpone it prompting accidents to occur. This way even the public shelters know that they are contributing to the pets overpopulation problem. It is shameful that being part of a State that is so rich and that charges the most expensive taxes in the entire USA the amount of money destined for companion animals is so low. I urge the State and the legislators to do their jobs specially considering that fixing pets are way less expensive than dealing with the consequences of not fixing them, not to mention all the pain and suffering that the poor pets are enduring, spending days locked in a kennel only to end up being euthanized after some days. What’s happening in this country is unacceptable and killing adoptable innocent pets, including pregnant mommas and puppies cannot be the only solution that this country has to offer. I urge you to act on their behalf and on behalf of so many of your constituents that are also distraught watching the slaughter of companion animals.
Thank you.”
Reneta
Pasadena, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 41, Senate District 25
“Please look into Los Angeles City/County as there are many issues especially homeless abusing animals”
Kim S
Pasadena, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 41, Senate District 25
“I have been in animal rescue and TNR work for over 20 years - specifically with the homeless cat population in Los Angeles County. When the city put a ban on TNR for feral cat colonies to "save the birds" - it made our rescue work even harder and the number of cats living on the street increased but an alarming amount. TNR is this area is the ONLY way option for population management and if more veterinarians offered LOW COST spay/neuter services to the public we would not have this crisis.” 16 Michele G
Woodland Hills Los Angeles County
Assembly District 46, Senate District 27
“California needs mandatory free or low cost spay/neuter in areas where there's alot of poor people and backyard breeders. Also, mandatory spay/neuter of all pets owned by the homeless community.”
Cindy E
Reseda Los Angeles County
Assembly District 46 Senate District 20
"As founder of the spay neuter imperative project California, I spoke with so many people, young and old, that had no idea about the euthanasia rates. I sat down at a bar with a woman that appeared to be over 80 and wealthy. I started speaking to her about the spay neuter project and the amount of animals being destroyed weekly. She said, "are they still doing that?". The words " Shelter" and "euthanasia" mask the problem.
Once I informed them of the situation, they immediately understood. I think it's a fallacy that Mexican people like testicles on their dogs. They are intelligent people." Carole H
Palm Springs, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
“It saves money in the longer term!”
Lori
La Quinta, Riverside’’ County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
“I am a foster mom for dogs at Coachella Valley Animal Campus (CVAC) with the budget they have ALL animals in their care should be spayed or neutered upon entry into the shelter system. I had to advocate in order to get my foster dogs neutered. That should have been a service freely offered.”
Jenny V
La Quinta, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
“Need free clinics with plenty of access, especially in low income areas. Need mandatory spay/neuter laws.”
Jackie J
La Quinta, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
17 “These shelters are killing hundreds of dogs weekly. They don't have a chance for a life.”
Mary H
Cherry Valley, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
"Yes please! We are a dog/cat advocate organization with well over 100 members in Riverside County who want to help you get the California Spay Neuter Fund passed! Please tell us how we can help you to get this passed! We even collected funds for a lobbyist, but were told that this would not help. Please contact me so we can discuss and you can advise us how we can help you to get this passed. They advised me about your petition and proposed legislation and encouraged me to contact you to offer our help in any way we can. We will wait with enthusiasm to hear from you as soon as possible. Regards, No Name Animal Gang, Palm Desert, California (we are still working on an official name)"
Chris J
La Quinta, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
“Though I do not require this service, many in Riverside County do based on the amount of surrenders or dumped animals that rescue groups take in.” Kathy M
La Quinta, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
“California the highest Euthanasia of shelter animals in the country” Macaria B
La Quinta, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
“I am the director of a 501c dog/cat rescue. This rescue regularly holds fundraisers to be able to help local residents afford spay/neuter. In addition to rescues/adoptions, raising money for alterations is what occupies our time.” Janice M
Idyllwild, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 32
“People in my town are poor and uneducated. I think culturally they don’t spay and neuter, and let their pets roam freely to some extent. It’s a real problem. I wish there were more educational opportunities to share with them.” 18 Rebecca C
Banning, Riverside County
Assembly District 47, Senate District 19
“Glad this is being addressed way past due and the greed of vets is astounding in the face of this crisis.”
Cynthia L
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 51, Senate District 24
“There are many options available, but your survey is confusing because some free or very low-cost options are available to owners/residents that aren't available to us in the rescue world. So when you ask me what the typical cost is, the amount varies from a private vet for $750, to a non-profit clinic we use (CAMPLA.ORG) that costs $225, to a free voucher program from LA Animal Services, that is only available to low-income owners, also other clinics that do $50 s/n for owners only. We need more availability to move faster, and more facilities that are closer to where the people are. CAMP LA has a great setup and they should be funded to open more locations and increase capacity.
Also, I recently learned that some govt shelters release animals intact! This should not be allowed. No matter how an animal got to the shelter, it should be required to s/n before release, to anyone. I thought this was already the law but I guess that's only LA City. Also backyard breeding should be illegal everywhere, and funding and resources made available to enforce it. Also animal abuse must be easier for the public to report and get enforcement.”
Andy P
Marina del Rey, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 55, Senate District 28
“We need to have low cost spay/neuter as the cost is outrageous. We as a rescue only have so much money and this limits what we can do. Even if the vet offers rescue discounts it’s still almost $200. And individuals owners don’t so it cause it cost so much.
A spay can run almost $400 at the low end at some places” Kristen M
Anaheim, Orange County
Assembly District 59, Senate District 37
“Need a Mobile Clinic in the South Bay Area - Harbor Park parking lot would be ideal.” Fina
Torrance, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 65, Senate District 35
19 “Educate in schools about animal husbandry and animal advocacy” Ewa
Long Beach, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 69, Senate District 33
“It is mostly the city residents that don't bother to sp/n feral or stray cat population especially. There needs to be a unifying process for all to take part in. Not just the few that care”
Jasmine
Carson, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 69, Senate District 35
“I really wish there was more spay and neutering services for feral cats and even domestic cats and dogs it will help with the population problem . Nearby places I’ve called want $220 for a feral cat. Even with a voucher you still have to pay out of pocket.
Long Beach gives $100 vouchers but the cheapest place is camp clinic in San Pedro and the price just went up 2025 ($40) there’s to many feral cats to pay for and feed.
They should do this service to take away the problem”
Melanie P
Long Beach, Los Angeles County
Assembly District 69, Senate District 33
“Orange County Animal Control GOT RID OF THE TNR PROGRAM” Daniela H
Huntington Beach, Orange County
Assembly District 72, Senate District 36
"Low-cost spay/neuter services are non-existent in South Orange County. As a rescue organization, our vet costs have more than tripled since 2021. We've had to cut back on the amount of felines we can take in due to rising vet costs. We have nowhere to send people to spay/neuter community cats. The one low-cost spay/neuter clinic in our area was sold to new owners 2 years ago and the new owners changed their model and did away with the previous owner's low-cost spay/neuter clinic. We've tried working with our local shelter to see if we could get spay/neuter discount vouchers for the felines we pull from their facility but they only directed us to a supposed low-cost spay/neuter clinic they partner with. That clinic does not work with rescues, and for owned pets the clinic requires current vaccinations and exam before spay/neuter which jacks up the price and is essentially unaffordable for Pet owners and unfeasible for community cats. Some rescues in our area have the resources to drive to Mexico for spay/neuters." Amber H
20 Laguna Niguel, Orange County
Assembly District 74, Senate District 74
“We are San Diego county. They contract with SDHS. Who do not offer S/N. They follow the UcDavis Community Cat Model which is abuse. SDHS is for the most part a money grubbing organization who does care about S/n. A low or no cost will help. I pay to help local families who find pets who cannot afford to have them. They are happy to take them to the appointments and do the work, even when appointments end up overbooked and they need to come back a second time as a priority. I believe in my heart that low or (no cost in middle to low income) is one of the major ways out of this crisis. I know it is worse in San Bernardino. SBC is adopting unsterilized dogs with 100 credits and no follow up. I will follow you and see how I can help” Judith S
Ramona, San Diego County
Assembly District 75, Senate District 40
21 [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] Outlook
Re: NSE Committee Meeting - SJACS Public Submission (Agenda Item #4) From M Wagner
Date Thu 5/8/2025 10:34 AM
To Tubera, Katerina <[email protected]>
Dear Chairman Ortiz and Council,
In all my years tracking monthly Animal Shelter OUTCOMES via public information requests, I have never seen Cats euthanized exceed Cats Adopted.
Reportedly, shelter staff is now euthanizing un-weaned kittens at Kitten Intake anytime the number of bins on the shelves are exceeded. I believe the current number of bins is 20.
Per the City Auditor as well as the industry standards that he referenced in his audit from UC Davis and Maddie's Fund on pages 27 - 28, why isn't shelter management diverting kittens away from intake and into foster homes or rescue partners? Sincerely,
Mike Wagner
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.