DANA POINT : Pleas Prompt Delay of Animal Shelter Vote

After listening to pleas from a local animal rights group, the City Council will wait another month before deciding whether to shift animal services from the county.

Council members were scheduled to vote Tuesday night on a proposal that would have created a joint powers agreement between San Clemente and Dana Point to house and care for stray animals.

The decision to delay the vote came after Animal Rights Foundation (ARF) members said they heard of possible renewed interest from Mission Viejo to invite Dana Point to use the city’s shelter.

Dana Point City Manager Stephen B. Julian said Mission Viejo had closed the door on Dana Point joining the shelter last October.

Mayor Judy Curreri directed city staff to contact Mission Viejo again and arrange for a series of meetings between City Hall and ARF members.

Councilman William L. Ossenmacher said the council should take care of the issue as soon as possible.

“I was told a solution was around the corner . . . 2 1/2 years ago,” Ossenmacher said.

Ossenmacher and Councilman Harold R. Kaufman will sit in on the meetings between city staff and ARF.

Expressing interest in the Mission Viejo shelter, ARF President Bill Bergh said the group had questions about the “extra layer of administration that a JPA (joint powers authority) would mean” and the cost of a director for the group.

ARF has pushed to have Dana Point strays brought to a non-kill shelter for almost three years. Currently, the group has an arrangement with the county for unclaimed pets to be returned to ARF rather than be euthanized.

However, several members told the council Tuesday that they have heard reports that some animals have been euthanized in the county shelter without notifying ARF.