Greater Palm Springs Animal Allies reports intake surge, high live‑release rates in 2024

At the Palm Springs City Council meeting on March 12, 2025, representatives of Friends of the Palm Springs Animal Shelter — now operating as Greater Palm Springs Animal Allies — presented their 2024 annual report, saying the shelter took in 2,688 animals last year and achieved live‑release rates of 91.2% for cats and 97.6% for dogs.

The presentation, delivered by a shelter representative identified in the transcript only as Dan, laid out why intake has exceeded the shelter’s original design and how the nonprofit and city funding combine to operate programs. "We never, ever, ever euthanize for time or space," Dan said, describing the shelter’s no‑kill policy and noting euthanasia was used only for medical or extreme behavior reasons.

Council members who questioned Dan underscored the role of volunteers and the city partnership. Council member Gardner thanked staff and volunteers, and Council member Bernstein said she appreciated the shelter’s transparency on humane euthanasia and urged broader recognition of volunteers’ work.

Shelter data presented to the council shows: - Total intakes in 2024: 2,688 animals. The facility was designed for roughly 1,000 intakes annually. - Outcomes recorded for 2024: 2,870 (the presenter explained some animals remaining in care at the start of 2024 and transfers contributed to output exceeding that year’s intakes). - Live‑release rates: 91.2% for cats and 97.6% for dogs. - Euthanasia for behavior: five dogs (deemed unsafe), with other euthanasia limited to medical or extreme behavioral cases. - Deaths in care: 103 animals (about 60 cats, 10 dogs, and 31 wildlife). - Community programs: trap‑neuter‑return (TNR) of 1,464 cats in 2024; more than 6,000 low‑cost vaccinations provided; a community food bank that served 5,936 pets. - Volunteer contribution: roughly 85,000 volunteer hours from about 600 volunteers (the presenter gave a dollar valuation based on federal volunteer rates). - Financials: total operating costs for all programs in 2024 were reported at about $5.8 million; the city contract contribution was stated as about $1.2 million (about 20% of that total).

Dan told the council the shelter had expanded services beyond intake and adoption, including regional transfers to help communities in emergencies (examples cited: Hawaii and Los Angeles wildfires), a public vaccine clinic, and pending new facilities: a wildlife center in Indio and a proposed standalone wellness center in Desert Hot Springs. He said some wraparound services are partially city‑funded.

Council members pressed for detail on capacity and building constraints. The shelter representative said the facility opened in 2011 was designed to handle roughly 98 cats and 72 dogs at a time; councilmember Reddy and others noted current daily population was approximately 301 animals and that large‑dog capacity is frequently doubled up. The shelter representative confirmed there is adjacent land and that an originally value‑engineered portion of the large‑dog ward could be added in the future because the infrastructure exists.

On funding and staffing, the shelter explained a sizable increase in personnel costs in 2024 — partly from raising the base pay to $20 an hour and adding a second veterinarian, an additional registered veterinary technician, TNR support and a transport coordinator. Animal supply costs were reported to have risen from about $475,000 to $533,000 year over year.

Council discussion noted the city contract with the nonprofit expires in 2026; the shelter said they expect to begin review this year. Councilmembers and the mayor thanked staff, volunteers and the board and encouraged public tours and support through adoption, donations or volunteering.

The council did not take formal action on the presentation; it was provided for information and for reference during the forthcoming contract renewal process.