DATE:
May 2, 2023, and May 23, 2023
03
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT:
Title
ADMINISTRATIVE ITEM:
SECOND CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE:
NOTICED PUBLIC HEARING: COST RECOVERY PROPOSAL TO AMEND ARTICLE XX OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY CODE OF ADMINISTRATIVE ORDINANCES, SECTION 364.8 RELATING TO FEES CHARGED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SERVICES EFFECTIVE FISCAL YEAR 2023-24 (5/2/2023 - FIRST READING; 5/23/2023 - SECOND READING UNLESS ORDINANCE IS MODIFIED ON SECOND READING) (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
On May 2, 2023 (23), the Board of Supervisors took action to further consider and adopt the Ordinance on May 23, 2023.
The Department of Animal Services (DAS) protects the public from dangerous animals, protects animals from abuse and neglect, and saves the lives of thousands of unwanted, abandoned or lost pets each year. Historically, approximately 6,500 animals from the unincorporated area of the county enter DAS' two shelters annually. DAS provides animal-related law enforcement, sheltering, medical and pet adoption services to the unincorporated area of the county. For some of the services it provides, DAS charges fees. Today's action requests that the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) approve amendments to Article XX Fees and Charges.
The Board of Supervisors' (Board) Policy B-29, Fees, Grants, Revenue Contracts - Department Responsibility for Cost Recovery, directs departments to recover the full cost of services provided to agencies or individuals. The Board has historically waived Policy B-29 as it applies to dog license and animal services fees, based on the recognition that increasing fees to full cost recovery would deter some residents from licensing their dogs and from adoption or claiming animals. This would likely contribute to unnecessary euthanasia of sheltered animals and impair DAS' ability to maintain the County goal of zero euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals.
To determine the proposed changes, DAS c...
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