Council approves application for Rachel Ray No-Kill Excellence grant for Colony Animal Services

At the meeting (date not specified), the City Council adopted a resolution authorizing submission of a grant application (letter of interest) for the Rachel Ray No-Kill Excellence grant for Colony Animal Services; the vote was recorded as 8-0.

A staff member explained the city may apply for up to $60,000 with no required match and said Colony Animal Services would use the funding to buy a new adoption trailer to expand lifesaving efforts. Staff described the trailer the city found as having about 20–22 kennels and said it could be used for on-site adoptions at special events and to corral and transport animals during natural disasters.

On the record, staff framed the trailer as a dual-use asset: to support off-site adoption events and to assist in animal control and transport needs during emergencies should pets be loose or displaced. No additional programmatic commitments, matching funds, or operating-cost estimates were recorded in the meeting excerpt.

A council member moved and a second was given; the clerk identified the item as Resolution 25-36. The roll call recorded the motion as passing 8-0. The transcript includes a lighthearted exchange referencing celebrity chef Rachael Ray but the record indicates the council approved submission of the grant application rather than a guaranteed award.

No follow-up reporting requirements or implementation timeline were recorded in the meeting excerpt; staff did not state how long award decisions would take or what department would manage the trailer if the grant is awarded.