HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-06-2023_Special Meeting_Open Session_Item 1_Lykouretzos, GeorgiaFrom:Georgia L
To:CityClerkDepartment
Subject:Public comment 12.06.23 City Council meeting
Date:Wednesday, December 6, 2023 1:57:18 PM
Attachments:Benchmarks of a Good Shelter.pdf
Council meeting comment 12.06.23.docx
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Please add this comment, which is also attached in word, for inclusion to the public record for
the meeting today regarding the Partnership with Colton, Fontana and Rialto for Animal
Services. There are also attachments included with this record. Thank you.
Mayor Tran, Council, and members of the community,
There is concern regarding a pending Partnership contract with the cities of Fontana, Rialto
and Colton on today’s agenda. It is recommended that the Council authorize the City Manager
to “finalize and execute” this contract. I am surprised, as are others, that this has NEVER been
discussed at any of the Animal Control Commission (ACC) meetings. The meetings held
between March 2023 and September 2023, were not made public, depriving our citizens of
any participation, and giving feedback on this contract if discussed during this period.
I have been active with our community animals since 2018 and became more involved with
the happenings at the city shelter last year when I adopted an animal listed as "fearful" and
extremely emaciated. I was told these dogs are not held very long and killed due to their fear. I
have also seen that Animal Services (AS) classifies many of them as ‘unadoptable’.
Attached is an excerpt from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(ASPCA) regarding “Benchmarks of a Good Shelter”, if we are not already meeting these
benchmarks why do you believe you will convince us we can handle thousands more without
increasing the killing of these animals? Where is the guarantee we won’t become the killing
center of the Inland Empire though we are not far from it.
Our facility fails on most of those benchmarks. These deficiencies must be identified and
addressed before consideration of any contract bringing in so many more animals and an
evaluation of those hired to take us where our city needs to go. I have been speaking out
against these conditions for almost a year at all our council meetings. I have ZERO confidence
in management and that any moves to correct them now are too little and too late because they
clearly have not and will not prioritize saving them. It is clear that they cannot handle what we
are currently dealing with.
In the last 3 years, the meetings reported the implementation of programs and initiatives that
never really came to fruition even with funding from grants. This is a lot of money and can’t
seem to find enough to show how this money has been spent, 2.6 MILLION from a generous
grant from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and more from other organizations yet
our animals are still suffering. What are we doing? I don’t hear or see anything at our
Commission meetings of value to make a difference.
How has this money been spent to improve the conditions at our shelter or the animals in our
community? When was the last time there was a well publicized adoption event showcasing
all the adoptable animals at the city shelter? Or an event supporting all our Rescue Partners
that have tirelessly saved more than HALF of the animals from our city streets? And we want
to start a nonprofit to get more money, to use for what because we don’t seem to be spending
the money for those it is intended, the animals.
How are we supposed to trust that anything will change by adding thousands more animals on
our shoulders? I see nothing to support that any new facility will be properly managed, it
would be irresponsible and reckless to continue business as usual with our crisis and please do
not be misled by the figures and percentage of the shelters “Statistic Reports” we are given,
they do not include the many animals that are left to roam our streets.
On many days Animal Control vehicles are parked in the back lot at different times of the day.
These vehicles should be on the street canvassing, at the very least, the well-known dumping
areas in our communities! Most times, AC doesn’t respond to calls of loose dogs as they are
considered low priority and why policies or lack of, MUST also be reviewed and evaluated.
The city site for Animal Services recommends our own citizens to step up and take on the
burden of finding an owner or new home for these strays. That doesn’t even make sense, our
citizens aren’t trained to take on the role of Animal Control and only exacerbating our
situation as animals are given away without any assurance of vetting or confirmation the
animals have been scanned for a microchip.
We have so many employees in administration, which has often been referred to as ‘customer
service’, these people are not dealing with ‘customers’, and we are not selling a product or
service. Or are we? They are adopters and citizens of the community.
Our facility has continued to decline over the last 3 years with no effort to put in some
cosmetic work like murals and flowers to appear more inviting. No efforts are made to address
irresponsible breeding or enforcing the spay/neuter mandate. Many of the animals entering the
shelter are juveniles that are 3 years or less. The number of puppies and kittens entering the
system are a clear indicator of failed policies and decisions as we are killing many juveniles
merely for space. Imagine how many more juveniles will be crossing our threshold as they all
continue breeding.
And finally, where are we going to find all these people to fill these open positions when we
haven’t been able to fill the positions that have been available for an extended period, like a
staff veterinarian. If we are to move forward, let’s do this informed and prepared because if we
can’t get it right now, I have no faith we ever will.
Georgia Lykouretzos