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Residents urge council to overhaul animal services after surge in intake and deaths
Summary
Several San Bernardino residents told the City Council on May 21 they have lost confidence in the animal shelter, citing a rise in intake from about 5,200 to nearly 8,000 since 2020, increases in euthanasia and alleged failures to enforce spay‑and‑neuter rules; speakers demanded free spay/neuter, new leadership and enforcement.
Multiple residents used the public‑comment period at the May 21 San Bernardino City Council meeting to press the council for immediate changes at the city animal shelter, alleging rising intake, increased deaths in care and failures to enforce breeding and spay/neuter laws.
Several speakers gave overlapping accounts of recent shelter performance. Georgia L. told the council that in a 20‑day period the shelter recorded 323 animal deaths, including 200 animals the speaker said were killed by staff and 93 that arrived dead. Georgia said the shelter’s annual intake rose from roughly 5,200 to almost 8,000 since 2020 and alleged a 287% increase in euthanasia over the same period.
Sharon Negrete told the council the shelter is “murdering” healthy animals through what she described as a policy of reactive killing and lax enforcement of breeding rules, and she urged aggressive enforcement, higher fines and a citywide public‑awareness campaign. Glidea (Glidea) Savala highlighted the rising costs of the department — calling out a shelter budget that has grown from under $2–3 million a few years ago to more than $11 million — and argued the city is getting worse results despite higher spending.
Other commenters requested free spay‑and‑neuter services, immediate clinic dates, clarity on relief‑veterinarian hires and changes in leadership. Clementina Pina Bernal raised concerns about unclear notices for a proposed increase in Vertech services and asked the city to make public notices and meetings more accessible to residents who work during weekday evenings. Kimberly Calvin raised separate allegations concerning council and city management oversight; her remarks referenced ongoing dispute and litigation matters in general terms.
No shelter staff or city official presented a detailed departmental response during the public‑comment block; the council moved to other agenda items and later returned to scheduled business. Multiple speakers asked the council to include enforcement, mandatory spay/neuter, and free services as part of budget decisions.
Council members did not take immediate formal action in response to the comments during the meeting, but several members later discussed homeless‑services and shelter programming in other agenda items. Residents who spoke asked for quick accountability measures and asked the city to consider leadership changes and increased enforcement to reduce intake and prevent animal deaths.
