Tuesday night’s Yucca Valley Town Council meeting included a lengthy update on the Animal Shelter, which was met with significant public comment.
The latter half of Tuesday night’s Yucca Valley Town Council meeting concerned the second update on the 90-Day Operational Review of the Yucca Valley Animal Shelter. The review was announced in March following an increase in public concern at meetings over shelter practices and policies; Town Staff provided the first interim update at the meeting on April 1.
Deputy Town Manager Shane Stueckle presented the update, highlighting actions taken in the past 60 days to improve operations. These include weekly online updates of adoptable animals, reviewing data processes, and making the animals at the impound kennel available for public viewing. Stueckle said the Town plans to schedule its first low-cost spay/neuter clinic between May and June, and has contacted over 600 rescue groups, of which there have been eight potential connections for partnership.
Stueckle said that the Town has advertised and received applications for additional staff: one full-time Animal Shelter Specialist/Animal Control Officer 1, and three part-time, temporary kennel positions. Human Resources has been evaluating a policy to create a volunteer program, with requirements such as background checks and insurance through the Town. Stueckle also addressed the lack of space and presented phasing out owner-turn-in and after-hours kennels as a potential solution, in line with several other regional shelters.
Over twenty comments from attendees followed the presentation, which extended into the general Public Comment period at the end of the meeting. Several speakers responded positively to the changes already implemented and on the horizon, especially the additional staff and support of spay/neuter programs. However, some again raised concerns about shelter management, as expressed by Pioneertown resident Greg Herring.
“I was amazed at what I heard tonight, in a good way. I was glad to hear it. One thing I didn’t hear, as part of the review process, is whether the animal shelter is staffed with the right people in the right positions. Many of us here in the community feel that the person managing this shelter will not be the right person to continue to sustain the changes — these awesome, wonderful changes that I see going on right now.”
The suggestion of phasing out owner turn-ins and the after-hours kennels was met with general disapproval from the community, as were the complexities surrounding a volunteer program, as noted by Cristie Carter.
“I volunteer at the No-Kill Shelter, and I walk dogs. It’s simple, it’s not a big deal. You show up, you sign in; the first time you go that you have to sign a waiver. It’s separate than any other volunteer stuff. It’s just walking dogs.”
Overall, the Council did not favor eliminating owner turn-in and the after-hours kennels, though they remained open to modifying the programs. Solutions presented by Mayor Pro Tem Abel included adding a keypad to the kennel and gathering more information about animals turned in, which the public responded to favorably. However, the discussion was also met with several contentious points, such as when Council Member Lombardo affirmed his support of the shelter manager.
“Everybody is redeemable. [I worked in a prison.] I think that given the right circumstances and operational instructions…I think that he should be given an opportunity, at least, to address this and make it right.”
Town Staff will present the complete Operational Review to the Council at their meeting on June 3.
