LAKEPORT — In a move to reduce the county”s high pet euthanasia rate, specifically in the cat population, the Lake County Board of Supervisors (BOS) approved a plan to add an in-house medical clinic at the County Animal Care and Control shelter.
Animal Care and Control Director William Davidson first presented the plan at the Sept. 6 BOS meeting, at which time, the supervisors indicated support for the plan but asked Davidson to return with some goals of reducing the county”s euthanasia rate.
Middletown veterinarian Jeff Smith, who coordinated with Davidson on adjusting the proposal, said Lake County”s cat euthanasia rate is 500 percent above average, making it the highest in the state.
In a June presentation, veterinarian Richard Bachman, who also worked with Davidson, estimated the county”s euthanasia rate for cats is 37.2 per 1,000, compared to the state”s feline euthanasia rate of 11.2 per 1,000. Davidson said approximately 80 percent of the cats brought in by the department are euthanized.
The clinic would allow the department to perform services that are currently outsourced, such as spay/neuter surgeries for local rescue groups, pre-adoption exams and daily evaluations. Davidson estimated the clinic would be able to perform as many as 23 spay/neuter surgeries a week.
The clinic would cost approximately $33,000 in one-time start up fees, according to the proposal. Annual revenues for the department are predicted to increase by $5,000 to $122,000 with the addition of medical services. Davidson predicted adoptions would increase by 25 percent with reduced costs. He also predicted the euthanasia rate would decrease by 6 percent after the first year.
District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown said there has always been a plan to have a clinic at the county shelter. Brown wanted to make sure the proposal moved forward with monitoring and regular updates to make sure the county won”t be taking business away from private veterinarians.
The proposed clinic plan was unanimously approved along with a resolution to amend the department”s 2011-2012 budget to include the additional revenues from the clinic.
In other business, the BOS approved a recommendation from the Lake County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee to provide funding for services performed by two organizations.
Committee chair Greg Giusti asked the BOS to support the High Sierra Volunteer Trail Crew by providing them with $3,800 for cleaning up illegal marijuana grow sites in the Lake County portion of the Mendocino National Forest.
Giusti said the committee thought $3,800 was a good amount for the group”s cleanup activities. District 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing said the group had approached her about finding funding to help with cleaning up grow sites. The money would cover things such as supplies, food, water and assistance.
Giusti also asked the BOS to provide the committee with $4,300 to give to the Water Resources Department to support the purchase of new signage in the ongoing prevention against quagga mussels.
The signs would be placed along the highways and in public parks where there is a lot of public access and would improve boater awareness about quagga mussels, according to Giusti.
The BOS unanimously approved providing the funds to the two groups.
Kevin N. Hume can be reached at kevin.n.hume@gmail.com or call directly 263-5636 ext. 14.
