County considering outsourcing of Department of Animal Services functions

San Diego County will be evaluating the possibility of outsourcing some of its Department of Animal Services activities.

A 5-0 San Diego County Board of Supervisors vote March 14 authorized the director of the county's Department of Purchasing and Contracting to issue a request for interest to determine whether private or public entities are potentially willing to provide animal welfare, enforcement, or other services to fulfill county functions and to issue a competitive solicitation if interest in providing such services exists. The supervisors also directed the county's Chief Administrative Officer to prepare potential changes to county code to reflect the potential transition.

"The item is simply a first step to see if we can do better for the animals and better for the taxpayers," said Supervisor Dianne Jacob. "The whole goal is to make sure we're providing the best services possible at the least cost."

The Department of Animal Services provides animal welfare, public protection, enforcement, adoption, sheltering, and other services both for unincorporated San Diego County and for six cities which contract with the county for animal services.

The contracts with the cities of Carlsbad, Del Mar, Encinitas, San Diego, Santee, and Solana Beach all expire on June 30, 2018, and all of those contracts include a termination provision which requires written notice one year in advance. Since those cities would need to be notified by June 30, 2017, the county is utilizing the timing to determine whether an outsourcing agreement which would include a termination notice for the contract cities would be the county's best option.

"We have an opportunity to explore alternative service delivery options and improve the economy and efficiency of these services," said April Heinze, the deputy chief administrative officer for the county's Community Services Group which includes the Department of Animal Services.

The county has previously outsourced its solid waste and information technology operations.

"This board has very successfully outsourced some of our services," Jacob said.

An outsourcing proposal does not need to be adopted prior to June 30, but a decision to terminate the contracts with the cities must be made soon enough to notify those cities by June 30. The county can terminate those contracts without making a decision on outsourcing services.

While the county is required to provide certain animal welfare and enforcement services to the unincorporated area either directly or through a qualified third party, the county is not required to provide such services within the territorial limit of any city within the county.

During fiscal year 2015-16, the Department of Animal Services responded to approximately 25,000 calls and only 26 percent of those were in the unincorporated county.

The county also subsidizes adoption and licensing fees since charging the county's full cost would deter adoptions and thus be counterproductive to the goals of an animal shelter which does not euthanize animals other than for health or public safety reasons.

"My concern is about the sustainability of the program that we're currently operating," said Supervisor Kristin Gaspar. She and her family have a dog, a cat, two rabbits, and a bird. "It's a great business decision to look at options," she said.

The 2016-17 budget for the Department of Animal Services is $17,604,133. Contract cities provide $11,548,863 of that, license and shelter fee revenues account for $2,110,000, the general fund amount is $3,078,378 and another $508,553 was derived from a previous-year fund balance, and various other revenues provide $358,339.

Public speakers provided opinions both for and against outsourcing.

"We believe the timing is appropriate," said San Diego Humane Society president Gary Weitzman.

The San Diego Campus for Animal Care is a private-public partnership between the county and the San Diego Humane Society.

"We can add value to the region in a number of ways," Weitzman said.

Adelle Schmitt represented the Dogs Fur Days non-profit dog rescue program and spoke against the potential outsourcing.

"We have groups of people who have been working together for decades to establish long-term relationships," she said. "There is no replacement for the kinds of relationships that exist."

County worker Gerrell Howard requested that the county retain the animal services functions. "The risks are very real in outsourcing animal control," Howard said.

"Animal control is a public safety issue," said Service Employees International Union Local 221 president David Garcias.

If only one entity expresses interest in taking over some or most of the Department of Animal Control functions, the Department of Purchasing and Contracting has the authority to negotiate a potential contract to be ratified by the Board of Supervisors at a subsequent hearing. If more than one qualified entity expresses interest a future Board of Supervisors hearing will approve a competitive solicitation.

The county would also provide transition services and placement assistance to Department of Animal Services staff.