SONOMA COUNTY
ANIMAL SERVICES
Adoption of Animal Services Fee Schedule FY23
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24 Brian Whipple
Director of Sonoma County Animal Services
Mission
• Protect the health and safety of people and animals.
• Investigate and prosecute animal cruelty and neglect. • Educate the public about responsible domestic animal ownership. • Reduce pet overpopulation through spay/neuter programs. • Provide a safe environment for animals in need.
• Place adoptable animals into caring homes.
• Contracted with DocuPet in 2022 for dog and cat licensing • Increased lobby hours from 12:00-5:30 to 10:00 to 5:00 • Created a separate phone queue for dispatch officer line • Five low or no-cost spay/neuter programs
• Three trailers for emergency response, including heating and cooling centers, and natural disasters
Day to Day Service Updates
• Determine the full cost of the services provided by Animal Services • Balance revenues and/or cost-recovery
• Improve fairness and equity
• Ensure compliance with state law
• Completed May 2023
Wohlford Consulting Fee Study Goals
Reasons for proposed fee changes
• Determination of actual costs per fee type.
• Changes to SCAS business and fee structures.
• The development of new fees to better reflect the services provided to the public.
FY22-23 Calls for Service
Call Type Number of Calls Avg Response Times
(Minutes)
Animals at Risk including dogs in cars,
cruelty, neglect 442 57
Police and Fire Assist 100 18
Animal Bites to people, in progress 15 25
Animal Bites to people, all 305 51
Public Nuisance 173 96
Stray Aggressive Animal 25 22
Animal Impounds
Impound Fee Structure FY22-23 Fees FY23-24 Fees Public FY23-24 Fees ASO Actual Service Cost Dog 1st Impound, Licensed $68.00 $80.00 $85.00 $178.89/$421.13 Dog 1st Impound, Unlicensed $85.00 $105.00 $110.00 $193.63/$435.88 Dog 2 or more Impounds $142.00 $170.00 $180.00 $178.89/$421.13 Cat, Altered $23.00 $40.00 $60.00 $152.02/$403.83
Cat, Unaltered $28.00 $50.00 $40.00 $142.02/$403.83
Livestock, Large $62.00 - -
Livestock, Small $28.00 - -
Livestock, Large/Small – 1st - $120.00 $120.00 $601.34/$623.96 Livestock, Large/Small - 2nd - $300.00 $300.00 $585.32/$601.37 Livestock, Large/Small - 3rd - $585.00 $585.00 $585.32/$601.37 Field Release Dog/Cat Free - $100.00 $219.43
Stray Livestock Assistance $275.00 - $350.00 $404.73
Animal Board
Board Units FY22-23 Fees FY23-24 Fees Actual Service Cost Dogs 1406 $23.00 $35.00 $48.59
Cats 335 $23.00 $25.00 $25.70
Livestock, per head 2 $23.00 $51.00 $51.66
Licenses
License Fee Type Units FY22-23 Fees FY23-24 Fees Actual Service Cost Altered Dogs 9158 $27.00 $16.00* $19.52
Altered Dogs, Owners 62+ 4515 $13.50 $14.00 $19.52
Unaltered dogs 1209 $28.42* $19.00* $19.52
Cats Altered 22 $6.50 $12.00 $12.78
Cats Unaltered 0 13.00 $12.00 $12.78
Replacement Tags 407 $6.00 $12.00 $12.78
Late Fee** 0 $9.00
*Courtesy reduction altered and unaltered fees to match BOS approved fees **Late Fees waived for FY22-23 because they were not included in the BOS approved fees Dangerous Dog Registration
PDD/VDD License Units FY22-23 Fees FY23-24 Fees Actual Service Cost PDD License 33 $69.35 - -
VDD License 4 $69.35 - -
Voluntary Designation Year 1 3 $28.42* $500.00 $3,359.54 Court Ordered Designation Year 1 2 $6.50 $750.00 $5,400.97 Annual Fee, Years 2+ 37 - $155.00 $1,044.48
Collar, Leash and Sign - - $100.00 $188.84
*Courtesy reduction altered and unaltered fees to match BOS approved fees Recommendation
It is recommended by the City Manager’s Office and
Sonoma County Animal Services that the Council, by
resolution, approve and adopt revised animal services
fees.
SONOMA COUNTY
ANIMAL SERVICES
QUESTIONS