DATE: April 23, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Public Works Department
TITLE: ANIMAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH THE SAN DIEGO HUMANE SOCIETY AND S.P.C.A. TO PROVIDE ANIMAL SHELTER AND ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICES
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends that the City Council approve an Animal Services Agreement with the San Diego Humane Society and S.P.C.A. for animal shelter and animal control services throughout the City of Oceanside from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028 at a cost of $2,329,260 for the first year and a total amount not to exceed $7,635,547 over the three-year term; appropriate $46,530 from Unassigned General Fund to the Humane Society account; and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement upon receipt of all supporting documents.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
North County Humane Society who merged with San Diego Humane Society and S.P.C.A. (Humane Society) in 2010, has been providing animal sheltering and animal control services to the City of Oceanside (City) since 1963, pursuant to a number of previous Animal Service Agreements. The Humane Society provides proactive, timely responses to animal control issues and addresses residents' concerns, while providing for the humane treatment of animals, and maintaining a suitable animal shelter in accord with applicable laws.
On June 17, 2020, the City entered into the most recent Animal Services Agreement (2020 Agreement) with the Humane Society for animal services at 2905 San Luis Rey Road and at 572 Airport Road. The 2020 Agreement was for a term of five years from July 1, 2020, and is set to expire on June 30, 2025.
At this time, Humane Society has requested to enter into the proposed Animal Services Agreement (Agreement) for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028, with two optional one-year extensions. The Agreement provides that either party has the right to terminate with or without cause upon providing a one-year prior written notice. All other terms remain the same.
Over the past five years, the Humane Society has helped or cared for over 25,000 Oceanside animals; provided over 26,000 community services including vaccines, microchips, and community spay/neuter, and responded to over 17,000 humane law enforcement calls for service. Officers issued over 1,000 written warning and citations, took over 1,100 bite reports, patrolled parks over 1,600 times and investigated over 1,000 barking dog reports.
The Humane Society has demonstrated the competence and professional qualifications necessary to perform animal sheltering and animal control services required by prior agreements with the City. The terms of the proposed Agreement include adjustments to the average response times for Humane Law Enforcement calls to better align with neighboring organizations and Humane Society’s staffing capacity, along with additions to the community services provided at no additional charge to reflect new programs and services available to Oceanside residents.
Although the Humane Society is partially donor-supported, the City’s compensation will assist in covering costs to provide necessary animal services to the City. The cost of the proposed Agreement for Year 1, FY 2025-26, is $2,329,260. Thereafter, the cost of the Agreement may increase annually, on July 1, by up to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 2%, with a combined cap of 9%. In the event the cap of 9% is exceeded due to the CPI increase, the Parties have agreed to meet related to the compensation amount. In addition, in the event the Humane Society determines that, for efficient and effective operations, the compensation as calculated is insufficient to operate, then the Humane Society is required to communicate to the City by February 15 of each year, and provide the new proposed compensation. Any increase to compensation must be agreed upon by both Parties and will require the Agreement to be amended by Council action. Total projected costs for the three-year term are not to exceed $7,635,547, without Council approval.
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost of the proposed Agreement for Year 1, FY 2025-26, is $2,329,260 and will be charged to the Humane Society account 170180101.5395 which has $2,282,730 programmed in FY 2025-26. An appropriation of $46,530 will be needed in order to cover the shortage. Staff is requesting to use reserves in the amount of $46,530 and appropriate to the Humane Society account 170180101.5395. Funding source is Unassigned General Fund balance account 101.3100.0001 which has a current available balance of $2.1M; therefore, sufficient funds are available. Thereafter, the cost of the Agreement may increase annually, on July 1, by up to the CPI plus 2%, with a combined cap of 9%. This will increase the ongoing general fund future year budgets as shown in the table below.
|
Term |
Annual Cost |
Appropriation |
Account |
Funding Source |
Available Funds |
|
Year 1 FY25/26: |
$2,329,260 |
$46,530 |
170180101.5395 Humane Society Contract |
101.3100.0001 Unassigned General Fund |
$2,282,730 |
|
Year 2 FY26/27: (Not to exceed 9%) |
$2,538,893 |
$210,509 |
|
|
$2,328,384 |
|
Year 3 FY27/28: (Not to exceed 9%) |
$2,767,394 |
$392,442 |
|
|
$2,374,952 |
|
TOTAL |
$7,635,547 |
|
|
|
|
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
Does not apply.
CITY ATTORNEY’S ANALYSIS
The City Attorney has reviewed and approved the Agreement as to form.
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Prepared by: Candice Diaz, Property Agent I
Reviewed by: Hamid Bahadori, Public Works Director
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Staff Report
2. Animal Services Agreement
3. Agreement Payment Calculations