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Residents Urge Menifee to Investigate Animal Shelter Licensing and Breeder Oversight
Summary
During public comment, residents said contracts and licensing gaps leave Menifee’s regional animal shelter contractor operating without sufficient oversight and alleged the contractor’s clinic license expired Jan. 31; council did not take immediate action and staff committed to follow up.
Three members of the public used the non‑agenda comment period on Feb. 4 to raise concerns about regional animal services and breeder oversight.
Laurie Clough told the council there are two contracts that govern the city shelter (one she described as between the financing authority and Animal Friends) and said she could not find documentation. Clough said, "At this point, with all the responses I've gotten about no one has documents, that means our shelter's running without protocol, oversight, or inspections," and added she believed the contractor had no medical license as of Jan. 31 and "cannot treat animals at the shelter because it expired." She urged inspections and oversight.
Jesse Sims, past chair of the Menifee Valley Chamber of Commerce, offered chamber organizational updates and thanked the council for support; his remarks were informational.
Lupe Jenkins presented research on backyard breeding and local licensing, citing Menifee City Code (chapter cited in transcript) governing kennels and catteries but asserting a lack of transparent breeder licensing and public reporting. Jenkins also told the council she reviewed Animal Friends of the Valley’s spay-and-neuter clinic and said its license had expired; she warned operating an animal facility without a valid license could expose the city and its contractor to fines or other legal consequences under California law.
Council did not immediately act on these public comments during the meeting. Staff representation at the meeting noted no requests to speak on the related consent calendar item; council members asked no follow‑up questions during the public‑comment period. The transcript shows the claims were made from the public‑comment podium; city staff or the city attorney did not refute the license assertions during the meeting. Councilmembers and staff should follow up to verify licensing status and contract compliance.
What’s next: City staff should verify licensing status and contract oversight and report back to council; the claims raised during public comment may prompt staff follow-up or an agenda item.
