Opinion: Fill the Council Chambers, Let the City Know Your Animal Shelter Concerns

By Sharon Andrews | November 10, 2014 | I'm writing to notify Elk Grove residents about an upcoming meeting this Thursday on...



By Sharon Andrews | November 10, 2014 |

I'm writing to notify Elk Grove residents about an upcoming meeting this Thursday on the city’s proposed Animal Shelter study. I can't leave anything to chance in getting the word out about this crucial follow-up meeting.

At the last meeting, I learned belatedly that the only notices the city was able to publicize were on its website and the placement of a few flyers by Animal Control officers at places like Petco, PetsMart, and the dog parks.  I personally did a little more than that, but it was not nearly enough. 

What's so galling about our current situation is that when the City contracted with Sacramento County in December 2013 to the tune of $495,000 per year to care for Elk Grove's animals, the county retained the right to refuse animals when its personnel determined the shelter was full.  It wasn't long afterwards that the contract was amended, adding an additional $100,000 per year to the bill, but our city is not getting the level of services it needs.  And the problems are compounded by the fact that the county facility is open on a part-time basis only due to budget cuts.

At the last meeting the City Council chambers were at capacity, and after the study team's presentation, the audience spent at least an hour making statements of need and asking probing questions.  The atmosphere in the room was so intense that City personnel finally had to shoo everyone out or the meeting would have gone another hour. 

Many things were discussed in addition to construction of a new facility: residents complained vociferously about the feral cat population around Grant Line Road, specifically, and about taking animals to the Sac County shelter facility on Bradshaw and having those same animals turned away.  One woman was told if she left her kittens at the shelter, they would be euthanize for lack of room.  There were also numerous comments about public safety issues, and city personnel doesn't deny the public safety risks. 

Because this project doesn't have the pizzazz of a professional soccer stadium or a fancy water park, the only way we can impress upon the City Council how badly an animal shelter facility is needed, is an overwhelming show of resident concern.  It will take another full house -- SRO, if possible -- and we need to get the word out so that residents can attend. 

We need you



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6 comments

D. Newton said...

So what makes you think the same problems won't occur with an Elk Grove facility? Animal over-population is a problem for every municipality. Idealism of a "no kill" shelter is laudable, but unrealistic. Animals will be turned away and/or euthanized.

The City of Elk Grove needs to reset their priorities. Get rid of Davis, and now Detrick, MLS soccer debacle. Get rid of Davis' Olympic dream pool. Any structure the City of Elk Grove builds will cost 10 times what any other entity would pay because Davis and Detrick would insist on a "world class" Olympic scale structure.

Save the money and use it to pay for the special election that is needed to full Mr. Cooper's seat. Protecting the democatic process right now is way more important in this city than an animal shelter.

Connie said...

Unfortunately, it all comes down to money. Gone are the days when the city of Elk Grove had tens of millions in reserves. The Elk Grove City Council made some very bad decisions in the living large days. I am sure many of us would like the millions back spent on the used buses that were purchased and then dumped.

The Council just borrowed money from the city’s drainage fund to buy land for the so-called soccer stadium. Though Pat Hume tried, the three votes weren’t there to dump that idea in favor of a youth soccer stadium which is tied to the agreement with Fabian Núñez and Northern California Soccer, LLC So that is going nowhere anytime soon until that agreement is voided.

Bottom line, where is Elk Grove going to get the money to build an animal shelter? A bond measure?

Capt. Benjamin Willard said...

Although there is truth in Gandi's quote when he said that a nation's greatness can be measured in how well it treats its animals, there are unfortunately limits.

I agree with Ms. Andrews assertion that the animal shelter does have the razzle-dazzle of a 10-meter diving platform or hob-nodding with Don Gerber and Fabian Nunez. Perhaps all that money wasted on feasibility studies could have funded an animal shelter.

Anonymous said...

My thoughts exactly Connie. To date and I have probably missed some are...

$1M. Railway Property
Olympic Aquatics Center
Sports Complex
MLS
$4M+ for 100 acres on borrowed money..now leasing it out for $2500.
Veterans Hall Facility
Senior Center
Whitelock Interchange

We have spent millions the last few years and have nothing to show for any of it to date. Animal Shelter just isn't going to happen..no $$$$. Just a feel good meeting for the animal lovers, of which I am one.

Lynn said...

And the other monies spent on Sphere of Influence application; 1 million....so our city can expand outside our current limits and pave over the farmland....some of our leaders say that this application was/is about long term planning.. So how much bigger do we need to get? How many more homes? Of course one leader said that we need to get the homes built to bring the jobs.
Once the decision making body of LAFCo quickly denied the city's SOI application the city quickly withdrew the application so the EIR would be preserved for future use.....and my quess indeed it will be in the very near future.... But what the heck...the new economic tag line; "It's Grow Time"... My quess is someone of a mature age came up with this.....For young people this interprets as; let's grow pot/weed...Well with all the recent pot house busts.... some thought Elk Grove is the "grow time" place.

Anonymous said...

.


"It's Grow Time" ????? !!!!

Good tagline for POT Grove, home of the indoor marijuana palaces.




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