To: Board of Supervisors
From: Ben Winkleblack, Animal Services Director
Report Title: Standard Form Foster Agreements for Volunteers
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Animal Services Director, or designee, to execute standard form foster agreement for the voluntary fostering of animals under the care of the Animal Services Department, as recommended by the Animal Services Director.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact.
BACKGROUND:
Contra Costa County Animal Services Department (CCAS) would like to continue to operate its Animal Foster Program as three distinct programs designed to reduce the number of animals physically housed in the facility, allowing resources to focus on sheltered animals while providing a comfortable and safe place for fostered animals. Through these foster programs, volunteers care for animals in their homes, providing enrichment, reducing stress, and sharing observations on animal behavior outside of the shelter environment. The foster programs are an essential part of CCAS’s operational strategy to enhance animal care and maximize the use of available resources.
The Shelter-Animal Foster Agreement would allow community members to house and care for shelter-owned animals in their homes, providing a less stressful environment for the animals and creating additional capacity at the shelter for other animals.
The Finder-Foster Program would allow willing and able finders of stray animals to house and care for found animals in their homes while fulfilling the County’s obligations to hold impounded animals for a specific period of time, pursuant to FAC §§ 31108, 31752, and 31753.
The Owned-Animal Foster Agreement would allow specially trained community members to house and care for “special circumstance” animals in their home. “Special circumstances” include animals considered evidence for criminal prosecution, animals whose owner is the victim of domestic violence and requires temporary housing, and similar statuses where the owner is known but unable to have custody of the animal.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Failure to approve the continuation and expansion of the animal foster programs would significantly limit Contra Costa County Animal Services’ ability to manage the shelter population, reduce euthanasia rates, and provide appropriate care for vulnerable animals. Impacts include the possibility that animals may remain in the shelter environment where space and resources are limited, potentially leading to increased stress, illness, and reduced adoptability. The department would also be less able to engage the community in animal welfare efforts, may face higher costs associated with prolonged in-shelter care and medical treatment, and may negatively impact goal targets related to live release rates.