Kern supervisors proclaim April as child-abuse-prevention, Donate Life and financial-literacy months; honor longtime animal-services employee

The Kern County Board of Supervisors on April 8 adopted proclamations designating April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention Month, Donate Life Awareness Month and Financial Literacy Month and approved a resolution honoring Animal Services dispatcher Tara Osborne on her retirement after 25 years with the county.

Supervisor Jeff Flores introduced the retirement resolution for Tara Osborne, and the board read and adopted the resolution during the morning session. Supervisor Flores said Osborne started with Animal Services in 1999 and, over her career, “provided daily care for over 23,000 animals” and “responded to 11,668 calls” as an animal control officer before serving as a dispatcher. Tara Osborne addressed the board and recounted starting through a Welfare-to-Work program and later working as an animal care worker, officer and dispatcher before retiring on March 21, 2025.

The board also…