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Tulare County animal services warns shelter capacity strained, seeks kennel expansion and staffing
Summary
Animal Services staff told the Tulare County Board of Supervisors that intake has doubled since 2022, the county clinic has expanded services through outside partners, and planned kennel and security upgrades are needed to cope with rising dog and puppy intakes.
Cassie, an animal services staff member, told the Tulare County Board of Supervisors that county animal services is handling far more animals than its facilities were built for and highlighted plans and funding needs to address the surge.
The presentation summarized operations across field services, shelter operations and a clinic added in 2021. Cassie said field officers often drive long distances — sometimes four hours one way — to respond to calls and that the shelter averages 6,000 to 7,000 calls a year. “We average 6,000 to 7,000 calls for service per year,” she said. She described a recent day the shelter took in 53 animals within a two‑hour period and said current shelter population includes 155 dogs, 109 of them puppies under four months.
Why it matters: staff said the county’s intake has risen sharply since 2022 and the shelter lacks space and veterinary capacity to meet current demand, creating operational strain and urgent needs for capital improvements and staffing.
Staff described three program areas. Field services includes four animal control officers, a supervisor and two dispatchers who answer about 80 calls per day; shelter operations has nine full‑ and part‑time staff who care for thousands of animals annually; and clinic operations — opened in 2021 — provides spay/neuter and other surgeries. Clinic staff have performed nearly 10,000 spay/neuter surgeries to date and over 10,000 vaccinations, the presentation said. Cassie noted partnerships with San Francisco SPCA for veterinary staffing and said the SPCA has provided about $200,000 in clinic support this fiscal year.
Cassie said COVID‑era reductions in spay/neuter services created a regional backlog of intact animals. “Part of what happened was during COVID, spay and neuter was not considered an essential service,” she said. The department estimates it has done roughly 2,000 dog intakes this year so far and projected about 6,000 dogs in 2025 — up from about 3,500 in 2022.
Planned investments and challenges: staff said three new field trucks are expected in August with one‑time funding, security camera and electrical upgrades are budgeted for fall, and a kennel expansion design is underway to replace 12 temporary kennels with 20 permanent runs (construction estimated in summer 2026). The county also reported roughly $160,000 in recent grants, about $19,000 in donations for spay/neuter and more than $200,000 in partner staffing support for clinic functions. A vacant veterinarian position has been open for more than a year amid a nationwide shortage.
Board reaction and next steps: supervisors praised staff and outside partners and asked about timelines for kennel work and opportunities to accelerate projects. Board members pressed staff to return with options to speed construction, and Supervisor Vanderpool said the board would consider invoking emergency provisions if warranted. Cassie said shelter adoption fees are capped at $100 and are reduced over time to move animals more quickly; she urged residents to consider adoption and the shelter’s walk‑in microchipping program.
Ending: the county is pursuing capital and operational changes and continuing partnerships with organizations such as the San Francisco SPCA and local rescues to increase capacity and move animals out of the shelter quickly. Staff said they will continue working with capital projects and county IT on security and kennel design and will update the board on timelines and costs.
