Update on Animal Services

The primary goal of Placer County’s Animal Services Program is to serve the citizens and animals in our County through educational and support services that insure the well being of animals. In recent months there have been several significant enhancements to our Animal Services program, including:

• Upgrading the shelter software system to new Chameleon Shelter Software. This software allows shelter animals to be photographed on entry and stray and adoptable animals to be viewed on line. It also allows us to better correlate field and shelter services data.
• Improving real-time access to after-hours license and ownership information by installing laptop computers in five Animal Control vehicles, thus, increasing the number of stray animals returned to owners without needing to be impounded at the shelter.
• Increasing the shelter capacity for housing large livestock by constructing a new 6-stall modular horse barn on the Auburnshelter property. The 36’ x 36’ metal frame barn can house six to eight horses in comfortable conditions during wet weather. Construction is currently under way and is expected to be completed in the near future.
• Granting $30,000 in spay and neuter grants to four local nonprofit animal welfare groups resulting in over 300 low-cost spay and neuter surgeries to Placer County animals. These voucher and low-cost spay and neuter programs have a direct impact on the number of unwanted animals entering area animal shelters. Additionally, these programs attract owners with unlicensed animals to area veterinarians where they can be rabies vaccinated and licensed.
• Working with the Office of Emergency Services to complete the Animal Control emergency evacuation plan for the Foresthill Divide – Iowa Hill Divide Emergency Plan for 2006.Within days of completion of the plan, Placer County Animal Services assisted the Foresthill Fire Department in rescuing dogs, cats, horses and birds during the 2006 Ralston Fire.
• Completing a comprehensive update of the Animal Services Policy and Procedure Manual to include programmatic updates as well as recommendations provided in the 2006 program audit performed by Animal Legal Veterinary Medical Consulting Service.
• Hiring a new Senior Supervising Animal Control Officer, Tim Goffa, to supervise our dedicated Animal Control Officers in both Auburnand Tahoe Vista. Tim brings over 30 years of experience in Animal Services to our team.
• Hiring a new contract veterinarian, Dr. Roberta Peterson, to provide professional veterinary services to shelter animals.