Saginaw animal services reports higher intakes, details enforcement and finances

Saginaw Animal Services staff reported higher intake and field-activity numbers for the most recent fiscal year and walked the advisory committee through enforcement practices, microchipping procedures and the shelter’s donation accounts.

Jose, the staff member presenting the update, gave month-by-month and year-to-date totals by city. He said, “Impounded dogs in Blue Mound, we impounded 1. We did 31 in Saginaw,” and provided comparable figures for impounded cats, other intakes, transfers to rescues and adoptions. For the year Jose reported totals including 417 impounded dogs, 417 impounded cats, 137 animals euthanized and 230 adoptions for the fiscal year being discussed, and he compared those figures to the prior fiscal year to show trends.

The committee pressed staff on enforcement. When asked what a “spay/neuter follow-up” entails, Jose said the city’s ordinance gives owners 30 days to comply with sterilization or microchipping requirements after an impound, and staff follow up; “If they don’t, then citations are issued,” he said. Jose described the enforcement workflow: many matters start as notices of violation with five working days to comply for registration and rabies vaccination; repeat offenders are more likely to be cited on first contact.

The presentation covered microchipping and data management. Jose explained that when the shelter issues a chip the shelter records it in its local shelter program and also registers the chip with the national database HomeAgain to avoid delays finding owner information. He noted the shelter offers free microchips on Fridays for Saginaw residents.

On finances, Jose said the shelter collected $2,330 in pound fees for the month and $28,745 for FY2025; pound fees include boarding, impound fees, microchips, registrations and testing. He described two donation accounts: a spay/neuter donation account (starting balance reported as $13,005.27, net receipts and medical expenditures leaving an ending balance of $13,325.27) and an ANSHE account funded through utility-billing donations that had an ending balance reported as $71,973.52. Jose said the ANSHE account is used for emergency or unbudgeted shelter expenditures and staff may set aside specific annual amounts for contingencies.

Committee members asked whether pound fees could be banked year-to-year for vehicle replacement. Lee (city staff) and Jose explained council approval is required for larger purchases; some ANSHE funds are routinely set aside for emergency use and smaller purchases can be made without council approval, but larger expenditures must go before council for authorization. Lee said vehicle replacement decisions are made case-by-case based on age, mileage and repair history.

The meeting concluded this agenda item after members asked questions about volunteer hours (Jose said court-ordered community service and extra manpower are included in volunteer totals) and other operational clarifications.

Actions taken: the committee approved minutes from its Oct. 8, 2025 meeting and later adjourned; there were no public comments recorded.