The last time I wrote about Kern’s animal overpopulation problem (back in June) I was frustrated.

At that point, things had not improved despite more than two years of meetings by the Animal Control Commission and “urgent” edicts by the Board of Supervisors.

We were still killing about 18,000 cats and dogs each year.

In fact, our kill rates had gone up after a slight decrease.

The commission was mired in arguments over a proposed county ordinance, a county-run, low-income spay/neuter program seemed permanently stalled and in August Supervisors again put off recommendations for more enforcement teams.

Well, things still aren’t “great” by any stretch.

But there has been progress and, however incremental, it should be celebrated.

Yay. (That's me celebrating.)

The commission recently OK’d, for the most part,  a draft ordinance to send to Supervisors, the low-income spay/neuter program is finally under way and Animal Control has revamped its enforcement recommendations, which it plans to take back to the board on Dec. 16.

Most importantly, our kill rates have actually declined slightly despite more animals being dumped and abandoned as the economy worsens.

Animal intake at the shelter from Jan. 1-Nov. 24, 2007, was 26,512. In the same time period this year,  28,196 animals have come to the shelter.

In 2007, we killed 66 percent of the cats and dogs for that time frame. This year, so far, we’ve euthanized 64 percent of cats and dogs at the shelter.

“We’ve been able to get more animals transferred, rescued or adopted,” said Guy Shaw, the new director of the Animal Control Department. “We’ve been working really hard.”

I applaud those efforts and the results are encouraging.

Even more encouraging is that those improvements came without an increase to Animal Control’s $4.6 million budget.

They’re moving more animals out of the shelter — alive — by relying on people who’ve been clamoring for years to help.

The shelter now has a volunteer-based foster program, works more aggressively with rescue groups, allows volunteers to handle off site adoptions and allows animals to be taken to other shelters, even out of state, that don’t have the same overpopulation problem we do.

They’re also doing a lot more marketing, education and outreach.

I’m not pointing this out because I think the department doesn’t need more money. Sure, it could use the resources.

But it ain’t gonna happen.

Considering the looming state cuts, even Resource Management Agency Director David Price III, who oversees Animal Control, didn’t hold out much hope they’d get more money for enforcement.

He and Shaw have scaled back their original proposal of funding three two-person enforcement teams at a cost of more than $400,000 to one team at about $100,000 with options to create the team out of existing staff.

“Our hope would be to see if we can generate enough money through increased licenses that it would pay the costs for the enforcement teams,” Price said.

I’m not sure supervisors will be willing to take that risk even at $100,000, and I’m not sure they should.

In a perfect world, increased enforcement would be great.

But we’re so far behind the problem, there’s no way that we can enforce our way out of it.

We have to stop it at its source  — too many unwanted puppies and kittens.

The county’s long awaited low-cost spay/neuter program just got started Nov. 10 and has already funded about 70 spay/neuter vouchers, Shaw told me.

The program was created using $80,000 from a one-time county grant and Price’s plan is to ask for more when that money runs low.

That, along with even more creative volunteer programs, should be Animal Control’s and supervisors’ focus.

If there’s no money for a second grant, supervisors should redirect a portion of Animal Control’s budget to keep the low-cost spay/neuter program going.

The reason I’m so adamant about it is research shows that’s the only way to really get a handle on the problem.

In my last column on this issue, I presented some analysis of Kern’s situation that Peter Marsh, a director of Solutions To Overpopulation of Pets in New Hampshire, did for me.
Here are those numbers again:

If we took $400,000 a year, or less than 10 percent of the Animal Control budget, and spent it on spay/neuter surgeries, assuming we spent $100 per surgery (vets would have to discount their prices) and families would have a co-pay of $10 for cats, $20 for dogs, we could do 4,000 surgeries a year.

That’s 4,000 fewer litters each year. If each litter produced only four animals, that’s 16,000 fewer unwanted dogs and cats each year.

And that would definitely be worth celebrating.

Opinions expressed in this column are those of Lois Henry, not The Bakersfield Californian. Her  column appears Wednesdays and Sundays. Comment at people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/noholdsbarred, call her at 395-7373 or e-mail lhenry@bakersfield.com

Some low cost spay/neuter options
Kern County Animal Control
Main number: 868-7100
Web site: http://www.co.kern.ca.us/ac...
To be eligible, families must be 150 percent above the federal poverty level.
 Participants must complete an eligibility application and if you are eligible, you must pay a $20 co-payment up front (cash, check or credit card).
Once the co-pay is received, the county will issue a voucher for the entire cost of the surgery.
The vouchers don’t cover “extras” such as if the pet is pregnant, or ill and follow up care is the owner’s responsibility.
Vouchers have expiration dates so you must get the surgery before it expires.
It’s important to get your pets weight right so the surgeon knows how much anesthsia is required.
The county has participating veterinarians in Bakersfield, Delano, Lebec, Ridgecrest and Wasco.
You can pick up an application at any of the shelters or call the county or go online.
Limit four vouchers per person per lifetime.


SPCA - H.O.P.E. Program
Bakersfield SPCA: 323-8353
Web site: http://www.bakersfieldspca....
The H.O.P.E. Foundation picks up pets at the SPCA, 3000 Gibson Street, twice a month, on Mondays,  and takes them to its facility in Fresno for alteration surgeries. Animals stay overnight.
Owners make arrangements and pay through the SPCA. They then drop off and pick up their animals at the Gibson Street location.
Costs:
Cats, spay $55, neuter, $45
Dogs, between $65 and $115 depending on type of surgery and weight.
Rabies vaccinations are required for all animals. If proof cannot be provided there is an additional $12 charge for a vaccination prior to transport.
Medi-Cal holders can apply to the Kern Humane Society (325-2589) for assistance.

Proposed ordinance from the Animal Control Commission
The ordinance goes back to the commission on Dec. 17 for final approval and will then be forwarded to Supervisors. There were a plethora of changes, but here are some highlights:
• Permitting
Under the proposed ordinance, Animal Control would require special permits for commercial and non commercial facilities, which are defined as any premises having a minimum of 11 animals. Permitting would include a special fee and regular inspections.
• Increased authority
This allows the department greater authority to decide if a premises has too many animals for the conditions
• Three strikes
Animals that regularly escape their yards will not be released back to the owner without first being sterilized on the third impoundment.
The commission meets at 6:00 p.m. at the First Floor Public Meeting Room of the Kern County Public Services Building, 2700 M Street, Bakersfield, California.