From Santa Maria Times:
“Santa Barbara County Animal
Services' ‘new vision’ de-emphasizes shelters”
A “new vision” for Santa Barbara
County Division of Animal Services that will move away from shelters toward
community foster care won the unanimous support of the Board of Supervisors
after adding a “clear policy” that no animal would be turned away from a
shelter due to lack of an appointment. Supervisors on Tuesday also approved a
“status quo” option for contract services with the cities that calls for a 2%
across-the-board increase for the coming year with the caveat that a new
full-cost-recovery plan is on the horizon that could raise contract fees by as
little as 19% for Santa Barbara to as much as 37% for Guadalupe.
Angela Yates, the new director of
Animal Services, told the board the old shelter system that grew out of the
need to control rabies is no longer viable or efficient, and the Santa Barbara
and Lompoc shelters built in the 1970s require major upgrades that would not be
cost-effective or meet the county’s needs. She said the county is now shifting
to what’s called the Hass model that is designed to reduce the number of
animals taken in, move animals through the shelter system faster and reallocate
resources to serve more people and animals outside the shelter walls. The
Lompoc shelter might be closed to the public permanently, and services will be
provided at county shelters by appointment. “The primary goal is to keep
animals with their people and out of the shelters,” Yates said, with residents
taking care of homeless pets in a foster-type system.
Some services will be provided by
community partners like C.A.R.E.4Paws, she said, adding, “Different does not
mean less.” She said that at a recent one-day clinic with C.A.R.E.4Paws in
Guadalupe, services were provided to 361 animals, including 53 licenses, 70
microchip implants and 189 vaccinations. “These numbers far exceed the
capability in a single day at the shelter,” Yates said. She said as a result of
the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the divisions services have been moved online,
but realizing not everyone has access to technology, help boxes have been
placed outside shelters for people to request assistance.
New smart license tags now
include QR codes that anyone with a cellphone can scan and return a lost dog
directly to its owners without having to go through the Animal Services
shelter. Supervisors didn’t like the idea that an animal might not be taken in
if someone showed up with one at a shelter without an appointment. “Personally,
I don’t believe we should turn away any animal that comes to the shelter,” 1st
District Supervisor Das Williams said. Fifth District Supervisor Steve
Lavagnino gave credit to his wife for picking up loose animals, but added, “If
I have to make an appointment or take an animal home, that’s where I draw the
line.” Yates assured supervisors that no animal would be turned away from a
shelter for not having an appointment. Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann
said it’s going to be important for the public and Animal Services’ community
partners to understand the changes that are coming. “This is a lot of change at
one time,” Hartmann said. “I think we need a campaign for people to understand
… because these are huge changes in an area that has been relatively stable for
decades.” She also said there must be some kind of communication center where
people can obtain more information and to get questions answered. “I just strongly
believe that someone has to answer the phone,” she said.
^ I like the idea that shelters
will move more towards a fostering system as long as there is language that
says that no matter what (ie. no foster family can be found, etc.) no animal
will be turned away. ^
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