Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Animal Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Animal Care director: calls and surrenders rising; licensing push and foster program helping reunifications
Summary
Animal Care leadership told the committee 2025 call volumes already exceed 4,000, owner surrenders have been high, and a new licensing push and foster program are increasing reunifications; the department plans microchip and community events to further reduce shelter stays.
Michelle Robertson, presenting for Animal Care, told the Davis County Budget Committee that field services and shelter services are the department's two main areas and that 2025 call volumes have already passed 4,000, likely exceeding 2024 totals.
Robertson said the department switched software vendors from Chameleon to Animals First, which she said produces more accurate reporting. She highlighted the foster program and proactive reunification efforts: "Our proactive return to owner efforts have resulted in 671 pets at the September adoptions" and she credited fosters for intensive care work such as bottle feeding small kittens.
On licensing, Robertson described a new licensing vendor (DocuPet in the transcript) and an aggressive mailing push; Speaker 4 reported $38,000 in licensing fees collected in May, and staff said later months produced additional revenue (June was cited as producing as much as $57,000 in the transcript when late fees were included). Robertson said she would provide city-level breakdowns of call volumes and licensing data to commissioners.
Robertson said a major focus for the coming year will be microchipping and licensing as the fastest route to reunification, through community microchip events supported by operating dollars or grants. She also reported reductions in shelter euthanasia (a 27% decrease from 2023 to 2024 tied to the addition of an animal behavior and training coordinator) and said owner surrenders remain a significant, nationwide trend.
What happens next: staff will provide requested city‑by‑city data and more complete licensing revenue figures in a follow-up.
