Fresno County supervisors have a plan. Tuesday, supervisors finalized a contract with a private group to help take over animal control services. Supervisors say they can provide a better service, at a lower cost.
Fresno County's broken relationship with city officials still stings.
"Well I don't think the city's out of the picture, the problem is they didn't include us in the picture."
"Considering this whole thing started at the city with an issue they had with the SPCA."
"They have their responsibilities, they've chosen to go a different way."
But county supervisors are moving on.
"We've stayed the course, we put together an action plan and we're now getting ready to execute."
Fresno County is partnering with Liberty Animal Control Services. They're helping with the transition away from the SPCA.
"The county will own the facility, the vehicles, everything about animal control, we are simply the facilitators."
Liberty says they can correct many of the things the SPCA is blamed for. They say they'll kill fewer animals. They're also promising to work with more rescue groups.
"Mr. Amundson, Mr. Pomerville, Mr. Pomaretti, these guys have turned the screws and lit the fire because it's working, it's gonna happen."
By not contracting the SPCA, the county is saving over a quarter of a million dollars.
But the work is not done. The next 90 days will be tough for dogs and cats. For the rest of the year, canines will be kept here at the old coroners office. Not in the building, but outside in tents. Until the county finds its footing, they won't be handling cats.
"I know it's not going to be perfect, I'm sure October 1, the previous vendor's been there 50 years and they have not achieved perfection."
The city manager's office did not respond to our calls for comment. Supervisors are still waiting to hear from the SPCA about what services they will continue to offer. They're also collecting data on the animals they receive, to find out how many stray animals come from within city limits.
TXT 24
Twitter
Facebook