Title
Supervisor Ranalli recommending Board:
1) Receive and file presentation provided by Henry Brzezinski, Chief El Dorado County Animal Services, Community Services Division, Health and Human Services Agency, recognizing the community volunteers who dedicate their time and knowledge to support Animal Services and the Shelter; and
2) Approve and authorize the signatures of all five Board members on Proclamations recognizing these volunteers for their service. (Est. Time: 30 Min)
Body
Animal Services provides mandated services for both the Western Slope and South Lake Tahoe areas of the County that include services such as rabies control, impoundment of animals at large, investigations of aggressive
dogs threatening humans and livestock, investigations of animal cruelty cases, sheltering stray animals, veterinary treatment for sick or injured animals, animal licensing, and enforcement of State and local animal laws.
Animal Services operates two animal shelters, one located on the West Slope in Diamond Springs and another in South Lake Tahoe, that house and care for stray, unwanted, or displaced animals. Animal Services also coordinates foster and volunteer programs, educates the community on pet overpopulation, and helps people who have lost or found a pet. Every effort is made to place healthy, adoptable animals into new permanent, loving homes.
Dedicated community volunteers donate their time, energy, compassion, and specialized knowledge and experience to support the programs and services provided by Animal Services.
Community volunteers provide a myriad of services through the animal shelters that include: dog exercising, cat socializing, assistance with adoptions, assistance with lost and found animals, grooming, training, cleaning, laundry, social media outreach, special events, humane education, office support, and fund raising to assist the shelter in their mission of ensuring that treatable animals become adoptable.
Community volunteers also open their homes to serve as foster families. The volunteers who serve as foster families provide foster care to dogs, cats, other small animals and sometimes large animals such as horses, burros, goats and pigs. Animals needing foster care are those that are: too young to be adopted, unsocialized, having a difficult time adjusting to a shelter environment, having a medical need that can be better treated in a foster home, or needing to be moved out of the shelter when it becomes overcrowded.
The Friends of the El Dorado County Animal Shelter is a non-profit organization comprised of community volunteers dedicated to supporting the El Dorado County Animal Services animals and community. Their programs include low- to no-cost spay neuter vouchers for cats, kittens, dogs and puppies. They also strive to provide medical pet aid, training and sponsorship for shelter animals in need, and other projects and needs as they come up. In addition to raising funds to provide training, spay/neuter services, and assistance with veterinary expenses, the Friends of the El Dorado County Animal Shelter recently raised $1,200 in funds to provided a "hugger" that is utilized in the Animal Shelter's clinic during surgery recovery.
The Friends of the El Dorado County Animal Shelter has also teamed up with the El Dorado County Sheriff's Homeless Operations Team to help provide basic medical care and licensing for companion animals belonging to the homeless at low or no cost. They launched a sweater and food drive in December that successfully secured the donation of dozens of dog sweaters, food and blankets. Homeless residents unable to care for their pets have the option of surrendering the animal to the County Shelter. However, all attempts are made to keep the pet with his or her owner, as long as sufficient care is provided.
For Fiscal Year 2017-18, approximately 165 community volunteers donated over 7,549 hours to support Animal Services successfully provide shelter, care and secure permanent, loving homes for the stray, unwanted or displaced animals in our County. This does not include the thousands of hours donated each year by the community volunteers who provide foster care and the efforts of the Friends of the El Dorado County Animal Shelter that further enhance the care provided through the El Dorado County Animal Services.