City to Partner with Pet Rescue Group

A pet rescue group and the city took what Councilman Derek Reeve called “baby steps” in the direction of a formal relationship at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

The city contracts with the county for animal control services, according to a report from Reeve. Abandoned pets are often euthanized, but the nonprofit Ark of San Juan’s purpose is rescue pets from the shelter, foster them if necessary and adopt them out.

Volunteer Jean Molnar said that the county euthanizes 50 percent, or 11,464 dogs a year.

“The county is doing the best they can with the 18 cities they serve," she said. “As the population grows the situation will only get worse. … We have great empathy for the daunting task they face every day.”

Reeve said he wanted to see more of a partnership so that the Ark could take advantage of the city’s email alerts, offer more educational programs to encourage responsible pet ownership and maybe even build an informational kiosk at the city’s under-construction dog park.

The rest of the council agreed.

“I applaud the Ark, because you’ve done a fabulous job, especially with the rescue of dogs, which I’m more partial to,” said Councilman Sam Allevato, although he expressed concerns that too formal of a relationship could mean the city could be financially on the hook for animal mishaps.

Reeve said he the partnership should start small and focus on education.

“Whether it’s called a formal partnership, to me that’s semantics,” Reeve said. “I don’t care what we call it. I don’t’ think the members of Ark care. Certainly the dogs and cats don’t care.”

Several volunteers with the Ark of San Juan spoke Tuesday, urging the council to join them in their efforts.

Formed in 2008, each year, the Ark has rescued 100 pets originally from San Juan Capistrano, Molnar said.

Last year alone, San Juan Capistrano was responsible for 103 reports of animal cruelty and 300 strays were picked up by animal control officers, said volunteer Yvonne Tschaikosvsky.

“In my opinion, the ark does a brilliant job of what they do with zero dollars from the public,” added Shirley Stewart her appeal for establishing the formal relationship.