Tired of Fresno’s stray dogs and cats? Shelter construction due for completion next year
Fresno will have a new, $22 million, state-of-the-art animal shelter next year, and city leaders are working to fund its operations and programming.
Mayor Jerry Dyer, his rescued Shih Tzu Stitch and Councilmembers Garry Bredefeld and Luis Chavez responded Wednesday to the constant stream of concerns from residents about the number of stray animals on city streets.
Their message: Help is on the way, and there’s a way you can help.
The Fresno City Council will vote Thursday to create a donation fund where residents can pitch in for the efforts to save Fresno’s stray dogs and cats.
“People want to be a part of the solution,” Bredefeld said. “They want to help, and they want to support our operations, and that’s what any donation that comes to the city of Fresno specifically for the animal shelter will do. It will go solely for the operation of that facility.”
About the animal shelter
Fresno officials last year brokered a deal with San Francisco-based Gap to purchase 5.1 acres for $1 near Airways Boulevard and Gap Drive. The city initially sold the land to Gap in 1997 for $2. That land will be used for the new animal shelter.
The four-building, no-kill facility will house somewhere around 12,000-15,000 animals, including 8,000-12,000 dogs and 1,000-3,000 cats.
Dyer estimated construction will be complete in spring and the facility will be operational July 1, 2022. Construction stalled this year because of the coronavirus pandemic and supply chain issues, he said.
The goal is for the shelter to be a one-stop shop for veterinary services, housing the animals, an adoption center and administrative space, Dyer said.
Once the shelter is up and running, Dyer would like to see it operated by the city. He also hopes the city will take over animal control services.
Because there are so many stray cats in the city, city officials will pursue a trap, neuter and release program, Dyer said.
Overall, the goal is to reduce the number of animals who are euthanized and promote responsible pet ownership and adoption, he said. Dyer acknowledged sometimes vicious or violent animals must be euthanized, but that should be a last resort.
“None of us want to see an animal put to sleep,” he said.
City’s history with Central California SPCA
The Central California SPCA’s relationship with the city of Fresno has been tumultuous for a decade.
In 2011 and 2012, animal advocates criticized the agency for its high euthanasia rates. The county of Fresno cut ties with the organization and found another service provider, but the city continued to contract with the CCSPCA.
Since then, the CCSPCA reduced the number of animals euthanized, but the number of reported dog bites doubled.
City leaders remained unhappy with the organization’s services, especially since each year it sought more and more money. One city official called it the “worst contract the city has, hands down.”
City leaders and the CCSPCA agreed to continue its relationship until the city’s new animal shelter was complete.
So far, city officials haven’t decided which organizations it will partner with once the new animal shelter is complete, Dyer said, but it’s his preference that the shelter be city-operated.
The city currently spends about $6.3 million on animal control and shelter services, City Manager Tommy Esqueda said. The hope is the new shelter will reduce that price tag a bit, he said.
Bipartisan issue
Both Dyer and Bredefeld joked that their pets trained them, not the other way around.
Dyer rescued his dog Stitch after the white Shih Tzu suffered abuse and endured a number of surgeries and rounds of stitches. That’s how he got his name. Now, Stitch lives a plush life. Stitch sleeps with Dyer and his wife, Diane, and receives a bacon treat each morning.
“This is one of the most, I would say, bipartisan issues,” Chavez joked. “Here we have Democrats, Republicans, cats and dogs coming together to solve a problem.”
This story was originally published October 13, 2021 at 2:14 PM.