TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute contracts, and any related documents, with The Michelson Found Animals Foundation, Inc., of Los Angeles, CA, and the Stray Cat Alliance, of Los Angeles, CA, to allow Long Beach Animal Care Services to provide a variety of services to decrease shelter euthanasia of cats, from April 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017, with annual renewal options through March 31, 2020, at the discretion of the City Manager or his designee. (District 5)
DISCUSSION
Spay and neuter procedures continue to be one of the most effective methods of reducing shelter euthanasia, especially for cats. Nonprofit organizations, The Michelson Found Animals Foundation, Inc. (Found Animals), and Stray Cat Alliance (SCA), and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine, Long Beach Animal Care Services Bureau (ACS), propose to partner through a contract to provide two programs to decrease the number of cats euthanized at ACS.
Found Animals is a privately-funded nonprofit organization dedicated to reversing the outcome for the three-four million animals euthanized each year in the United States. Found Animals provides microchips and registration, adoption initiatives, and low-cost spay and neuter programs that deliver practical solutions to ensure the health and safety of dogs and cats. SCA is a nonprofit organization with a mission to educate and empower the community to advocate for the health and safety of cats.
Two programs are being proposed to decrease the number of cats impounded and euthanized at ACS. The programs are the Return to Field program (RTF) and Found Animals’ Kitten Foster program.
RTF is designed to reduce the number of cats and kittens in the community and reduce the number of kittens impounded at the shelter. It will return qualifying ACS-impounded cats that have been examined, altered, vaccinated and microchipped back to their location of origin in order to reduce the kitten and cat population over time. The Kitten Foster program will pull up to 400 underage and underweight kittens from ACS for the purpose of caring for them until they can be adopted out by Found Animals.
The proposed contract will contain the following provisions:
• ACS: Will provide up to 25 spay and neuter surgeries per week, as well as microchip, vaccinate and flea-treat stray cats. ACS will release to SCA requested stray cats that are over three months of age and have received ACS services, unless ACS has the capability to provide the cats with a live outcome or has identified an issue preventing inclusion in the programs. All ACS-provided services and charges have been previously approved in the ACS fee schedule and are currently in effect.
• Found Animals: Will provide funding to SCA to implement the RTF program.
• SCA: Will obtain and release ACS-treated cats back into the community as part of the RTF program.
• Term: One year, April 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017.
• Renewal Options: Annual renewal options would be available through March 31, 2020, at the discretion of the City Manager or his designee.
• Notice of Cancellation: The contract is binding; however, any party may cancel the contract if the cancelling party provides a 30-day written notice to the other two parties.
• Insurance: Insurance will be provided as required and approved by the City’s Risk Manager.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Arturo D. Sanchez on February 25, 2016 and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on February 26, 2016.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on March 22, 2016, in order to allow the execution of the contracts that will save the lives of numerous stray cats.
FISCAL IMPACT
It is estimated that the recommendation will result in a small revenue increase through requested spay/neuter and vaccine services, depending on the number of services requested. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
STEPHEN P. SCOTT
INTERIM DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER