The council will consider a contract with a new organization, Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center, S.P.A.R.C., which hopes to open what would be the only no-kill shelter Ventura County. The facility would first be located at the corner of 7th and Santa Barbara streets, and has a projected January opening date. The council will be asked to contract S.P.A.R.C., which would be used in lieu of the County of Ventura Animal Shelter in Camarillo.
According to Police Chief Steve MacKinnon, utilizing a local shelter would save the city board and care service fees as well as eliminate personnel and transportation costs to the county’s Camarillo-based shelter. In addition, such a facility would ensure that owners of lost pets would more easily be able to be reunited with their animals.
The city now pays approximately $90,000 to $100,000 annually to the county for such annual services. Last year Ventura County Animal Services impounded 561 animals - 356 dogs and 205 cats - in Santa Paula, and according to S.P.A.R.C. 120 of the dogs and 129 of the cats were euthanized.
