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Council approves separate shelter and veterinary contracts as animal-care costs rise
Summary
Garden Grove approved an amendment and a new veterinary-services contract to continue sheltering and medical care for impounded animals; staff said the change separates shelter and veterinary services and increases city expenditures to reflect post-pandemic costs.
Public Works Director Bill Murray told the City Council on Feb. 11 that the city is updating contracts that govern animal-sheltering and veterinary care for the city’s animal control program. The council voted unanimously to approve Amendment No. 6 to the Orange County Humane Society contract and to authorize a separate contract with Triple A Animal Hospital for veterinary services.
The council was told the change splits sheltering services from veterinary services at the request of the providers and to reflect increased costs. Public Works Director Bill Murray said the proposed shelter contract amount will be raised from $290,000 to $310,000 and would provide services for up to 3,000 animals; the agreement includes a provision to increase to $350,000 should that threshold be exceeded. Murray said the veterinary contract with Triple A Animal Hospital is for $190,000 per year. He said both contracts will sunset in 2027 and be competitively bid at that time.
During council questions, staff said last year the city impounded about 1,455 animals and that the return-to-field program has released 190 trapped cats so far this fiscal year after approximately 220 trap calls. Animal control staff said return-to-field procedures — including vaccination and ear‑tipping — will continue under the revised arrangements and that the city will keep service logs and detailed records and can provide those numbers to council on request.
Council members asked about service reporting and program details. Councilmember Joseph Dovin, who made the motion to approve the Humane Society amendment and later seconded the veterinarian contract, encouraged colleagues to visit the shelter. Staff said the Orange County Humane Society will continue to provide shelter services and that Triple A will provide on‑site veterinary care; return-to-field veterinary work formerly provided by the Stray Cat Alliance will be handled under the new veterinary contract and by city staff when appropriate.
The staff presentation and council discussion noted that, when the various costs are combined, the city’s total annual cost for animal-care services will be higher than under the previous combined contract. Murray said staff estimate an overall increase of roughly $140,000 across the contracts compared with prior combined arrangements, driven by inflationary and operational costs the shelter has borne since the pandemic.
Council approved both items by voice vote; the record shows seven yes votes for each motion. Staff said they will send detailed service figures to the council and that the contracts will be competitively rebid when they sunset in 2027.
