News Summary
The San Diego Humane Society will continue providing animal control services to the city of San Diego, following financial adjustments that avert a service suspension. Despite a significant reduction in city funding, the Humane Society plans to prioritize animal welfare. They are also taking proactive measures, such as offering free microchipping services, to protect pets during the Fourth of July celebrations. This comes amid efforts to navigate a challenging budget situation, where the overall funding has declined.
San Diego — The San Diego Humane Society (SDHS) will continue to provide animal control services to the city of San Diego, avoiding the previously threatened suspension of these services. This decision comes after the city managed to make last-minute financial adjustments that allow the Humane Society to maintain some operational capacity amidst significant funding cuts. The city has decreased its contributions to the Humane Society, paying $1.5 million less than what was agreed upon in their ten-year contract.
The reduction in funding will impact specific services offered by the Humane Society, including enforcement of leash laws. Although the budget cut means that some services will be scaled back or eliminated entirely, the Humane Society expressed a commitment to prioritize animal welfare, working to minimize the effects of the funding reduction.
Accompanying the reduced funding from the city, the SDHS has gained an additional $2.1 million in funding added to the city council’s budget. This adjustment follows an earlier restoration of $2 million initiated by Mayor Todd Gloria in May. The collaboration between city officials and the Humane Society has been critical in navigating the challenging budget situation, which is currently facing a deficit of $350 million.
Humane Society officials have acknowledged the support of several city leaders, namely Councilmember Kent Lee. They plan to conduct meetings with city representatives to discuss and develop strategies that can help manage the reduced funding while still providing essential animal control services.
The specific services at risk due to the decreased funding include suspending park patrols, halting spay-neuter vouchers, and increasing public fees, even though many of these fees underwent increases recently. The overall funding for the Humane Society will now total $16.7 million, a notable decline from the anticipated $18.2 million based on the original contract.
Amidst ongoing concerns regarding budget strategies, the SDHS is hopeful that it will not experience similar funding crises in subsequent years. Currently, the Humane Society provides animal control services to 13 out of the 18 cities in the county, highlighting the importance of consistent funding for these vital services.
As the Fourth of July holiday approaches, the San Diego Humane Society is taking proactive measures to help pet owners protect their animals during the festive celebrations. The organization is offering free microchipping services and waiving reclaim fees in an effort to prevent lost pets, which is critical during a time when many animals experience stress due to fireworks. This microchipping initiative is available to local pet owners within the jurisdiction of the Humane Society and will run until July 3.
Last year, the SDHS reported taking in a total of 315 stray animals in the days surrounding the July Fourth holiday, primarily due to the stress caused by fireworks. To further support owners in reuniting with lost pets, the SDHS will extend its hours on July 5, enhancing the chances of a quick recovery of missing animals.
To ensure the safety and well-being of pets during this time, the organization continues to recommend various strategies for pet owners. This proactive approach aims to alleviate the potential anxiety and stress that fireworks can create for animals, ultimately promoting a safer environment for pets and their families during the holiday.
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