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Lake Forest council renews five-year OC Animal Care contract amid public calls to consider Mission Viejo alternative
Summary
After a lengthy public hearing with divided testimony, the Lake Forest City Council voted unanimously to renew a five-year contract with Orange County Animal Care (OCAC) for animal services but amended the motion to keep dialogue open about transitioning services (Mission Viejo Animal Services) as part of strategic planning.
The Lake Forest City Council voted unanimously March 17 to renew a five-year contract with Orange County Animal Care (OCAC) to provide animal-control and shelter services, after a sustained public debate over service quality, costs and alternatives.
City staff presented a Baker Tilly comparative analysis between OCAC and Mission Viejo Animal Services (MVAS). Al Zelenka of Baker Tilly told the council the review considered operations, response times, fee schedules, resident satisfaction surveys and costs: OCAC's estimated net cost to Lake Forest for FY 2026-27 was approximately $674,000, while MVAS's draft proposal showed costs above $1,000,000 for the first year plus about $260,000 in start-up capital expenses.
"The services provided by OCAC to the city of Lake Forest have been meeting or exceeding the needs of the community for…
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