Residents urge Menifee to study a municipal animal shelter and expand spay/neuter clinics, accusing private shelter of profit motives

Menifee — Several residents used the public‑comment period on March 4 to press Menifee officials to authorize a feasibility study for a municipal animal shelter and to expand accessible spay/neuter services, saying the current system is overwhelmed and that Animal Friends of the Valleys (AFV) is contributing to an overpopulation crisis.

"We need our own animal shelter," Lori Kluff told the council, summarizing months of local research and saying long‑standing volunteer models were replaced by a system that now rewards volume. Kluff recalled the area's volunteer roots and urged the council to sponsor an independent feasibility study and affordable, accessible spay/neuter clinics for Menifee residents.

Lupe Jenkins said rescue networks and foster homes are at capacity and asserted the city has the highest number of unaltered breeder licenses from 2023–2026. "Menify has the highest number of unaltered breeder licenses for those three years, 2,443," Jenkins said, and asked the city to work with rescues and county partners to pause unaltered breeding licenses while enforcement and clinic capacity are expanded.

Speakers described rescues overwhelmed by dumped animals, foster shortages and the need to make spay/neuter services more accessible. They urged the city to examine alternatives including a municipally operated shelter, expanded low‑cost clinics, and stricter enforcement of breeder licensing rules.

The comments were delivered during the council's public‑comment period; the council did not take immediate formal action on the requests during the meeting and did not direct staff to begin a study at that time.

Reported speakers and sources: Lori Kluff; Lupe Jenkins (public commenters).