Bakersfield interns press council for spay-and-neuter incentives; councilmember refers matter to committee

High-school and college interns working with Councilmember Andre Gonzales urged the Bakersfield City Council on July 23 to fund a public education campaign and a low-cost or free spay-and-neuter mobile clinic to address a growing stray-dog problem. Councilmember Andre Gonzales said he would refer the students' recommendations to committee for further consideration.

The interns told the council that shelter intake and euthanasia rates have strained local animal-care systems and that many pet owners do not spay or neuter because of cost and misinformation. “We have collaborated with nearby shelters that would help us from a publicity perspective,” one intern said. Another said the Kern County Animal Shelter took in 6,133 dogs last year and that 2,971 of those dogs were euthanized; she said the Bakersfield Animal Shelter was promised $100,000 a year for three years but received only the first year because of subsequent budget cuts.

Gonzales, who identified the speakers as part of a project-based summer internship he supervises, told the council he would make a referral to study pilot incentives and other measures to build on ordinances the city adopted in recent years. City Manager Clegg suggested the matter be placed with the Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods committee; staff agreed to clarify the committee assignment offline and return recommendations to council.

City staff, councilmembers and the interns framed the proposal as a pilot program that could include incentives paid by the city for limited periods and outreach to increase compliance with the city’s spay-and-neuter requirements. The interns requested funding for an awareness campaign and a mobile clinic, and said average spay/neuter costs in the area range from about $250 to $1,000, which they identified as a barrier for many owners.

The referral creates a staff action item rather than an immediate funding commitment. Gonzales said the referral would allow committee review and then a return to the full council with options. City staff did not provide a timeline for committee review or a specific funding source during the meeting.

The interns’ presentations were part of a summer project-based internship program that assigns students to research local problems and propose policy solutions. Gonzales said the group of interns will continue to work with staff and stakeholders as the referral moves through the committee process.