[ SHOWGSD-L ] LA City demands return of spay/neuter vouchers
- From: stormy435 <stormy435@xxxxxxx>
- To: "showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 13 Mar 2009 08:53:32 -0700
Show this to all the states/counties/cities who want to mandate dog/cat/rabbit
castration. Part of the program is always that low cost funding for the
surgery will be available. It doesn't work anyway and especially not in this
economic turndown. Also not that the Amanda Foundation, which is highly funded
privately, is the only rescue group that is having the LAAS funds honored.
Stormy
From Los Angeles Animal Services website
http://www.laanimalservices.com/PDF/Economic%20Impact%20on%20spay%20neuter%20programs.pdf
March 2009 Update on Economic Impacts to Spay/Neuter Programs
ECONOMIC IMPACTS ON SPAY/NEUTER PROGRAMS
LA Animal Services is not immune to the current economic downturn. The City of
Los Angeles is facing a $500 million deficit. Every department is being asked
to consider severe budget cuts ? cuts that may amount to as much as 30% before
the ongoing Fiscal Year 2010 budget process is over.
The Department started to feel the pain last year when City Council approved a
$200,000 reduction to the spay/neuter coupon and mobile programs in the ?08 FY
Budget. Then in response to many dire economic forecasts the City Council cut
another $100,000 from this year?s programs in December ?08. Most recently, the
City Council directed the Department to make up a deficit in our Salaries
Account understanding this would require further reductions to our spay/neuter
funding. The salary deficit is the result of a $414,000 budget cut that was
paid for by a City plan requiring employees to take six mandatory furlough days
this fiscal year. However, the mandate was rescinded and the funding was not
restored. Instead we are being asked to make up this deficit through our own
expense and spay/neuter funds.
The Department has saved over $100,000 of this shortfall to date. Another
$150,000 has been identified through belt-tightening in our expense accounts.
With an alarming increase in the number of dogs and cats entering the City's
system in 2008 we need to maintain staffing levels to ensure the health, safety
and welfare of animals and people in the City of Los Angeles. Since we cannot
afford to lay any employees off and our attrition rate is very low our only
recourse is to make up the remaining $150,000 deficit through another reduction
in our spay/neuter coupon and mobile programs.
This being the case, the Department is suspending the distribution of all $30
discount and $70 free coupons at this time. We are taking this step because
there is a reasonable expectation that the City may cut our spay/neuter funding
for some or all of the remaining fiscal year.
Coupons already distributed will be honored. However, to ensure we do not issue
coupons for which we may not have funding, we have asked our animal care
centers and rescue partners to stop distributing coupons as of March 10,
2009.All unused coupon books must be returned to the Department for auditing
purposes. We have notified the Sam Simon Foundation to cease sterilizations
that depend on City reimbursement. We will, however, continue to fund The
Amanda Foundation?s efforts on behalf of the City..
Once we know what the final funding cut is we will be in a position to better
assess available revenues and resume distribution of coupons to the extent that
we are confident we have funds.
Spay/neuter funding for the next fiscal year is unknown at this time. The
Department maximizes every opportunity to express the importance of spay/neuter
programs to reduce pet overpopulation and the long term cost of animal
services. However, the City is facing a daunting challenge that will
undoubtedly result in significant service reductions and even layoffs. As is
the case at all levels of government at this time emergency measures must be
taken.. More than ever before it is important for all of us to pull together as
a community to ensure our animals are not left behind.
--
Stormy Hope
www,carpoc.org
AKC Legislative Liaison, GSDCA
GSDs, and more, clubs
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