HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-19-2008-3bORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: February 19, 2008
Action Agenda
Item No. SUBJECT: Resolution Acknowledging February 26, 2008 as "Spay Day USA"
DEPARTMENT: Animal Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Resolution Ross Oglesbee, J.D., Chair, Animal
Services Advisory Board, 966-0599
Bob Marotto, Director, Animal Services
968-2287
PURPOSE: To approve a resolution declaring February 26, 2008 as "Spay Day USA" in
Orange County.
BACKGROUND: The Animal Services Advisory Board (ASAB) recommended at its January
meeting that the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) adopt a resolution declare February
26, 2008 "Spay Day USA" in Orange County. The Humane Society of the United States has
nationally designated the last Tuesday of each February as "Spay Day USA."
Spay Day was originally established in 1995 by the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL) and
outreach was taken over by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in 2006, when
DDAL combined operations with HSUS. Since its creation, participants have spayed or
neutered more than 1,386,000 animals, preventing millions of potential births and thus saving
taxpayers millions of dollars that may have otherwise been used to provide animal control, care
and sheltering for these animals.
The issue of pet overpopulation in Orange County is a priority for the ASAB and Animal
Services Department. The ASAB has created a subcommittee charged with developing a
strategic plan to address the issue of pet overpopulation in the County. This committee has
been meeting since fall, collecting information and researching other jurisdictions.
Among its tasks is to work with staff to formulate program plans that would best utilize the funds
for the Community Spay/Neuter Fund, collected from an increase in the license differential of
intact and sterilized dogs and cats. As of January 1, 2008, there was more than $10,000 in that
fund, and Animal Services staff is working to formulate targeted programs for pet owners that
may be in need of these services.
On Tuesday, February 26, 2008, the Animal Services Department will work with information
provided from the Department of Social Services to offer a free spay or neuter to thirty pets that
may not otherwise be sterilized. Funds for these services will be taken from the newly created
Community Spay/Neuter Fund, designed to help deliver affordable surgeries to pets with owners
that may not have the means to sterilize their pets, as well as educate the public on the problem
of pet overpopulation and how to work as a community to solve it.
The Orange County Animal Services Department has also planned outreach and educational
activities surrounding "Spay Day USA" to further inform the public of the problem of pet
overpopulation and help offer low-cost solutions to those that may not otherwise have the
means to spay and neuter their pets.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: While the resolution has no financial impacts, the events planned for
"Spay Day USA" here in Orange County will involve spaying and neutering animals through a
contractual agreement with North Carolina's Pet Overpopulation Patrol (POP NC). The base
fee will be between $1,500 and $1,934 depending on the number of animals, with additional
fees applied for dogs over 60 pounds and/or difficult surgeries. Staff does not expect the total
costs to exceed $2,500 and all expenses will be covered by funds from the Community
Spay/Neuter Fund, which was created in 2007 to address the issue of pet overpopulation in the
County.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the proposed
resolution and authorize the Chair to sign it.
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
SPAY DAY USA RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, cats and dogs provide companionship to and share the homes of thousands of
individuals in Orange County; and
WHEREAS, humane societies and shelters throughout the country have to euthanize
approximately four million cats and dogs each year, although many of them are healthy and
adoptable, due to lack of critical resources such as money, space, and good adoptive homes;
and
WHEREAS, the problem of pet overpopulation costs the taxpayers of Orange County hundreds
of thousands of dollars annually through animal control and sheltering programs aimed at
coping with the unwanted and homeless cats and dogs; and
WHEREAS, the Animal Services Advisory Board and the Animal Services Department have
made addressing pet overpopulation a priority; and
WHEREAS, the County has established a Community Spay/Neuter Fund to address the issue of
pet overpopulation in the County; and
WHEREAS, spaying and neutering cats and dogs, among other animal companions, has been
shown to drastically reduce overpopulation; and
WHEREAS, Animal Services is working with other County departments to spay and neuter thirty
animals that may not otherwise be sterilized; and
WHEREAS, spayed and neutered animals are less likely to have certain health problems or
exhibit certain undesirable behaviors that can create community-wide problems and use
community resources; and
WHEREAS, veterinarians, animal care and control organizations, national and local animal
welfare organizations, and private individuals worked together to ensure the spaying or
neutering of more than 20,000 companion animals nationally through "Spay Day USA" in 2007;
and
WHEREAS, veterinarians, animal care and control organizations, national and local animal
welfare organizations, and private individuals have joined together again to advocate the
spaying and neutering of companion animals on "Spay Day USA 2008";
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners
hereby declares February 26, 2008 as "Spay Day USA in Orange County" and calls upon the
people of the County to observe the day by having their own cats or dogs spayed or neutered or
by sponsoring the spaying or neutering of another person's cat or dog.
THIS THE 19th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2008.
Barry Jacobs, CHAIR
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS