The Yucca Valley Town Council meeting had a notably large turnout over concern on the town animal shelter’s operations.
The Yucca Valley Town Council meeting began with the discussion of an initial farmer’s market concept. Clayton Rardon of the Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Commission presented various items for consideration, including scope, location, schedule, and operational management.
The Council agreed to propose forming a certified farmer’s market with a 70/30 ratio of produce vendors to other food and craft items. All members agreed that utilizing a third-party operator with limited town sponsorship would be ideal. The Old Town parking and event space currently in development on Elk Trail was designated as the intended location. Council Member Dennison noted that the residents are the driving force behind the event.
“We have the ability to fluctuate as we see demand or desire from the community. They have their hands on the rutter. That’s how we got here, and we want to make sure that we allow them to be participants in it.”
Cayton Rardon also presented the PRCC’s recommendation for the 2025 art installation at Library Plaza. The Commission proposed the piece “Where is My Mind” by Chad La Fever be chosen, an approximate nine-foot-tall sculpture crafted from bronze and wax. The Council approved the recommendation; following installation, the sculpture will be displayed through November.
The meeting had a noticeably large turnout , with over 35 attendees. During the Public Comment period, it became clear that many were in attendance regarding concern over the Yucca Valley Animal Shelter’s operations. Over nearly an hour, approximately 15 individuals spoke, with other attendees raising hands to signify agreement. Some speakers told personal stories of negative experiences with the shelter; others spoke solely about policy, particularly in comparison to the Joshua Tree No-Kill Shelter and the Paws-N-Palms shelter in Twentynine Palms, which is aiming for no-kill status this year.
Some of the most commonly raised concerns include high euthanasia rates, the lack of a volunteer program, irregular postings of found and adoptable animals online, and classifications of dogs as “unadoptable.” Ultimately, there was an overall request for increased transparency and change, as noted by attendee James Porter.
“I’m going to echo what everyone else says behind me. I don’t know what the solution is, but I know what the solution isn’t. The solution isn’t what we’re doing today. That is not working. That’s working in terms of getting anizmals out of our society that are troublesome, I guess. We can do better. Whether it’s a volunteer program, or oversight, or new adoption methods, or expanded outreach on Facebook, we need to do it.”
All members of the Town Council thanked attendees for voicing their concerns and highlighted the importance of civic engagement to mitigate community issues. All iterated that the Town Council would formally address shelter operations at a future meeting.
