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Politics & Government

Healdsburg Approves Extended Contract with County for Animal Care

Bridge contract reached with Animal Care and Control, pending approval by Board of Supervisors June 25

After 40 minutes of public comment on the touchy issue of animal care in Healdsburg, the City Council approved without dissent the extended contact with the County of Sonoma to pick up animal care responsibilities for the next six months, until a permanent solution can be found.

As reported Friday, the City and County entered into an amended agreement to extend county coverage of animal care and control in Healdsburg from the pre-existing after-hours and weekend support that Animal Care and Control, a division of the Department of Public Health, to cover the dissolution of the Healdsburg Animal Shelter announced just a short time ago.

The agreement was hammered out in the wake of the failure of the HAS to meet its obligations to the city, and to abandon its efforts to regain city and community support. The new (and last) chairman of the Board of Directors of HAS, Art Feagles, spoke briefly before the City Council, confirming that HAS was bailing out of its responsibility to the City -- which was to run through November 2013 -- by this Friday, June 21.

Between now and the negotiation of a new contract with whatever organization in chosen in response to the Request for Proposal currently being prepared,  the County of Sonoma will assume animal care and control responsibilities for Healdsburg, if the County Supervisors validate the agreement at their next meeting, June 25. (See attached document)

It was a somber and emotionally hurt audience in City Council chambers Monday night, coming to grips with the sudden failure of the Healdsburg Animal Shelter. Several speakers who were formerly volunteers for HAS, such as Robin See and Jennifer Cadd, spoke of the "heart" of animal care in Healdsburg being taken away with the closure of the Westside Road shelter.

Supervisor Jim Wood spoke openly of the city's disappointment of the HAS "meltdown" that prevented them from fulfilling their contracted obligation.

There are currently no animals remaining at the HAS shelter, and according to Police Chief Kevin Burke, both that shelter and the new building across the road are "inadequate."

Still, the disappointment soon gave way to a faint hope that the fate of the animals in Healdsburg was not being similarly abandoned, as the terms of the agreement with the County of Sonoma were revealed.

The County ACC will extend and expand its arrangement with the City to cover all animal care needs, at no extra cost that that already budgeted. 

Special attention was given to the special needs of animals on the Fourth of July holiday, when fireworks often traumatize house pets and strays, escapees and troubled animals multiply. 

"Fourth of July should be a time of joy," said Councilmember Wood. "But I know, as a pet  owner, it is a time of terror."

Douglas Keane of Green Dog offered to take any animals that were not able to be otherwise placed, and the Human Society's executive director Kiska Icard reassured the council and public that special attention would be given to the holiday. 

County Supervisor Mike McGuire, a former Healdsburg City Council member, also reassured the assembled public and city officials of the County's concern, and made it a point to thank a number of officials involved in the temporary solution, including City Manager Marjie Pettus, Police Chief Kevin Burke, Lt. Jenkins of the Police Department, and Rita Scardaci, director of the Sonoma County Department of Health Services, and Dan Taylor of Public Health.

McGuire also announced the commitment to carry on with the previously scheduled fundraiser for the Healdsburg Animal Shelter, on Aug. 10. Half the funds will go to ACC, the other half will be held for whoever else can fill the need of Healdsburg for its own animal control program.

Said Councilman Wood, "Not having [an animal care facility] is just not 'Healdsburg,' finally."

A RFP is expected to be announced shortly, and over the next six weeks  the City Manager has been asked to make updates at every Council meeting on the progress of the effort to find a new animal control organization for Healdsburg.

EDITOR'S NOTE - An earlier version of this article overstated the role of Sonoma Humane Society in the agreement under discussion. This has been corrected.

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