Title
Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Accept the 2025 American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) California Wildfire & Disaster Preparedness Fund grant in the total amount of $180,000 with no match requirement, and approve and authorize the Chair to sign the ASPCA Funding-In Agreement 10019 for this award, for the retroactive term of October 29, 2025, to November 30, 2027;
2) Delegate authority to the HHSA Director or Chief Assistant Director to execute future amendments to this agreement that do not increase Net County Cost, contingent upon County Counsel and Risk Management approval as applicable, and subsequent administrative documents or required fiscal or programmatic reports; and
3) Authorize the Chief Administrative Office Facilities Division and HHSA to explore the temporary use of county-owned parcel 329-240-0555, a parcel across Industrial Drive from the Sheriff’s Office Facility, as an enclosed evacuation site that will accommodate large animals and livestock during local emergencies.
FUNDING: 2025 ASPCA California Wildfire & Disaster Preparedness Fund.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
The Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act of 2006 mandates that local emergency preparedness plans include provisions for household pets and service animals before, during, and after major disasters. This includes planning for evacuation, sheltering, and veterinary care. Importantly, compliance with the PETS Act is also tied to eligibility for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster relief funding.
On January 13, 2025, ASPCA released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the CWDP grant inviting animal welfare organizations responding to animal needs due to wildfires to apply. The purpose of this grant is to support animal welfare organizations in disaster response and preparedness initiatives. As outlined in the NOFO, grantees are allowed to expend funds on building capacity for future direct response to cover costs including (but not limited to) the following: training, emergency shelter, veterinary equipment, and other supplies necessary for temporary sheltering, field rescue gear and supplies, animal transport equipment (such as crates) and supplies (but not vehicles), pet supply caches for disaster-related community distribution, and generators.
HHSA Animal Services (AS) worked closely with the Chief Administrative Office (CAO) Facilities Division (Facilities) to create its application and budget for the ASPCA grant, which focused on the development of County-owned land to create an enclosed evacuation site that will accommodate large animals and livestock during local emergencies. Staff’s initial plan is for a site to be created on county-owned parcel 329-240-0555, a parcel across Industrial Drive from the Sheriff’s Office Facility.
On October 31, 2025, AS received formal notification that its ASPCA grant application was awarded in the amount of $180,000, contingent upon acceptance and execution of the funding-in agreement presented in this agenda item. AS proposes to allocate 100% of these ASPCA-awarded funds toward the development of an animal evacuation site to accommodate large animals and livestock on County-owned property.
HHSA recommends that the Board accept the grant and authorize the Chair to execute the funding-in agreement. Staff also recommends the Board authorize the Chief Administrative Office Facilities Division and HHSA to develop a plan for a proposed animal evacuation site, on county-owned parcel 329-240-0555, funded by these grant resources. As a plan is developed a more accurate cost of the project can be estimated. This effort will ensure compliance with emergency preparedness and evacuation regulations while enhancing operational efficiency during emergencies. AS will return to the Board in the coming months with a detailed proposal outlining the animal evacuation site and project scope for consideration and direction.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to approve this recommendation, the County would be ineligible to participate in the ASPCA grant program and would not receive the grant award in the amount of $180,000. AS would continue to provide evacuation support at the main West Slope or South Lake Tahoe shelters, which are prone to rapid overcrowding during emergencies, and will continue to seek out alternative locations for animal evacuation shelters; however, AS would be unable to apply the grant funds presented herein towards those costs.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel, Risk Management, and CAO Facilities.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with this agenda item. HHSA will recognize the grant funds and project expenses in the FY 2026-27 Budget, as well as future budgets for the term of the Agreement.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS:
Obtain the Chair’s signature on Funding-In Agreement 10019.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
N/A
CONTACT:
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Director, Health and Human Services Agency