THOUSAND OAKS : City, L.A. County Sign Animal-Control Deal

A year after spurning Ventura County’s animal-control services, the Thousand Oaks City Council has authorized a three-year contract with Los Angeles County, saving tens of thousands of dollars.

“They seem to be an extremely well-managed organization, and we’re getting many more services than we did with Ventura County,” said Brenda Young, a management assistant for the city.

Among its services, Los Angeles County provides low-cost spaying and neutering at its Agoura Hills shelter. Ventura County offers vouchers for discount procedures at participating clinics.

Los Angeles inspectors also canvassed Thousand Oaks on a dog-licensing campaign, something Ventura County had not done for two decades, Young said. Finally, Los Angeles responds more quickly to complaints about barking dogs or other nuisances.

“People are very happy,” Young said.

Thousand Oaks residents adopted 736 animals from the Agoura Hills shelter last year--compared with only 279 from the Camarillo shelter in 1991.

The bill for last year’s services from Los Angeles County came to just under $85,000--about half the cost of Ventura County’s program.

Kathy Jenks, director of Ventura County’s Animal Regulation Department, said she had no idea why Los Angeles County’s rates were so much lower.

“It’s comparing apples and oranges,” she said.

Jenks’ department serves the nine other cities in Ventura County, but she doesn’t mind Thousand Oaks’ decision to turn eastward for animal control. “Thousand Oaks is happy and I’m happy that they’re happy, and that’s all there is to it,” she said.