Placer County Animal Shelter fees will take a bigger bite out of wallets
Pet pick-ups to cost 23% more
Bailing Fido out of the Placer County animal shelter will cost their human companions 23 percent more starting next month. The increase in the penalty for picking up a spayed or neutered dog after a first-time stay at the North Auburn shelter is rising from $43 to $53 starting Aug. 6. An unaltered dog impounded at the shelter will cost $88 to get out – up from the current $86. The increases are part of a sweeping revision in animal services fees approved Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors. It follows a study intended to align fees more closely with actual costs. A study by the county found that better matching costs to fees would eliminate up to $75,000 taxpayers now subsidize for everything from animal adoption fees to pound redemptions to dog license renewals. Mark Starr, director of the county Health and Human Services Department’s animal services division, said that the county’s new fees are “pretty much in the ballpark” of those being charged in neighboring counties. Dog license renewal rates, for instance, will rise from $11 to $18 per year for altered pets in Placer County. Licenses for unaltered dogs will go from $23 to $36 a year. That compares with rates of $15 (altered) and $150 (unaltered) in Sacramento County, $15 and $35 in El Dorado County and $10 and $25 in Nevada County. Leilani Viera, CEO of the Placer SPCA, said her organization was particularly pleased that the unaltered license fee was increasing because those dogs are the major contributor to problems in the county with a rise in unwanted canines. The higher licenses encourage spaying and neutering, which increases the health of pets while preventing unwanted dog-population growth, she said. At $107, dog adoption fees would be below both the Placer SPCA ($125-$175) and Sacramento County ($121-$147) but above El Dorado County’s $90. Cat adoptions would be $88. Mike Winters, animal services manager, said that the adoption fees will be consolidated to reflect several costs, including vaccinations, spaying or neutering, micro-chipping, leukemia or heartworm testing, collar, cat carrier or dog leash. Community and breeder groups, including the SPCA, were apprised of the new fee schedule before it was brought to the board. Winters said the county was playing catch-up after basing yearly increases on a state consumer price index since the last cost-recovery study in 1996. The Journal’s Gus Thomson can be reached at gust@goldcountrymedia.com.
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Sounds like someone is doing their job. I just hope it doesn't make an increase in the number of animals that will be euthanized
Good its time fees are increased to take care of the services needed...
What a great way to make it so no one will adopt any pets. Price it out of existence.
If someone doesn't like the increases then make sure your dog doesn't run loose and gets picked up and don't adopt animals.
Petty simple and avoidable, I would say.
increased fees not an increase in the quality of care or the facilities for the animals. Placer County's Animal shelter is in need of serious updating. I do not mind paying the increased fees but I will not pay the City's fees as well. That is double dipping if you live with in a City's limits that is still in Placer County that city also expects you to pay their fees which in Rocklin's case is twice the County's Fee's, and your animal will still end up being placed at the shelter in Auburn if lost. As far as Rocklin is concerned for those licensing fees and no facilities that I can take my dogs to be off leash than there is no justification for licensing fees. I will continue to license my dog with the county but the city's fee (Auburn and Rocklin) should not be paid by anyone because they still are using the county's facilities & services.
loomis: that is pretty heartless: adopting animals spay & neutering are neccassary services. Pets deserve a second chance they can't help it if they get stuck with an irresponsible owner. Why should they be punished for human stupidity? oh thats right you are a horse person?? You know what they say about horse people LOL
localgirl, no I don't know what they say about horse people, please tell me. I also have one dog, she is spayed and right as I type this she's snoring at my feet.
My comment was pointed at those that would complain about the increases, not about the animals. BTW, the sleeping princess at my feet came from the pound as the last four dogs we've had.
You know what they say about people that assume.
Loomis: Yes, I do know what they say about people I am on the same page. PS all our animals where either from the pound, free from an ad in the penny saver(people that would not put the time in for her to become a wonderful dog) or found. They were all in need of a loving home that have/will provide them with a lifelong commitment.
If you can't afford the cost of adopting the animal then you certainly can't afford the price to keep the animal healthy, fed, and safe. And if you don't do right by the animal and get it vetted and fixed you are part of the problem...
My last dog is a poud pup and cost me roughly $165 to rescue, spay, get vetted properly, etc. She's worth every penny though.
And Localgirl, I, too am waiting for your "you know what they say about horse people" comment.