By Martin Espinoza
CLEARLAKE>>> The city of Clearlake has terminated its contract with North Bay Animal Services, citing poor management, shelter overcrowding and a lack of communication with city residents.
The termination of the 10-year deal, which dates back to 2022, comes on the heels of a Sonoma County Civil Grand Jury report that blasted NBAS for repeatedly running afoul of state law governing animal services, as well as industry standards meant to protect pets and maintain public safety. Shortfalls in municipal oversight have allowed those problems to fester, the grand jury found in its investigation.
In Sonoma County, the nonprofit is the shelter and animal control operator for Petaluma, Windsor and Sebastopol. In Napa County, it provides animal control services in Calistoga.
In Clearlake, the City Council voted Aug. 7 to direct the city manager to notify NBAS that it is terminating the 10-year contract in 60 days.
Clearlake Mayor Russ Cremer cited a 2023-24 Lake County Grand Jury report that highlighted overcrowding and unsanitary conditions in the city’s NBAS-run shelter, as well as poor communication with the community.
NBAS has been getting $375,000 a year from Clearlake taxpayers.
“This is not something I have taken any pleasure whatsoever in,” Cremer said after the council voted in favor of terminating its contract with NBAS. “A change needs to be made, and I believe we’re doing the right thing.”
NBAS Executive Director Mark Scott did not attend the council meeting, and his absence was noted by the council and some in the audience.
Scott, in a statement this week to The Press Democrat, said his organization was “disappointed in the City Council’s decision to terminate the contract — particularly without broader community input” but that “we respect their authority to move in a different direction.”
Cremer and Councilmember Tara Downey spearheaded the move to cancel the deal.
“The decision to terminate the City’s contract with North Bay Animal Services (NBAS) was not made lightly. It followed considerable input from our community, findings from both the Sonoma County Civil Grand Jury and the Lake County Grand Jury, and months of discussion and observation regarding the quality of service being provided to Clearlake residents and animals,” said Councilmember Downey who had been active volunteering at animal clinics and who, during her election campaign for council, advocated for an animal control that housed animals, and “not one that just turns people away when they call for help.”
“Our primary responsibility is to the health, safety, and well-being of both our residents and the animals in our city,” she said. “This decision reflects a broader commitment to accountability and improvement, and we are now focused on transitioning to a model that better meets those needs.”
Councilmember Jessica Hooten joined them in voting to do so, while Vice Mayor Dirk Slooten opposed. Councilmember Mary Wilson abstained, citing concerns about “the process.”
During discussion, Slooten asked that NBAS be given time to take corrective actions and make improvements. Cremer and Hooten argued that NBAS had not met the contract terms.
“In 2023-24, it began to receive complaints from the citizens,” Cremer said. “The dog numbers in the shelter were increasing. There was a slow responsiveness and a lack of communication was cited repeatedly by citizens in the city.”
During the meeting, several attendees spoke in favor of NBAS and praised the nonprofit’s local staff. Council members made clear their issues were with NBAS management and not shelter and animal control staff.
In his statement, NBAS’ Scott said NBAS has been serving the Clearlake community since the COVID-19 pandemic, sometimes at its own expense, providing both animal shelter operations and animal control services.
He said that over the past three years, NBAS’s Clearlake shelter has maintained a “no-kill, 99%+ live release rate,“ while providing hundreds of free vaccinations and microchips. He said the organization has also operated pet food pantries that have distributed thousands of pounds of food.
“We remain grateful for the relationships we’ve built in Clearlake, for the support of its residents, and for the collaboration with city staff,” Scott said in the statement. “We will continue to provide quality care and services during this transition period and wish the City success in whatever path it chooses next.”
Clearlake’s is one of two animal shelters in Lake County. The other, in Lakeport, is run by the Lake County government.
—Lake County Record-Bee reporter William Roller Contributed to this report.
