Animal Shelter Proposals Are Abandoned
The latest proposal to privatize the city’s animal services department or share services with another agency failed to get out of the kennel this week.
The City Council agreed Tuesday to not pursue a merger with other agencies, after examining letters from the Orange County Animal Shelter in Orange, Ground Pet Care Centers in Santa Ana and the Orange County Humane Society in Huntington Beach.
Council members said the level of animal care in Irvine is already much better than many other communities.
“I don’t think anyone wants to do anything that compromises the level of care for the animals,” City Councilman Greg Smith said.
The idea of privatization to save money has been brought before the council before without success, officials said.
Still, council members said they would not rule out combining services in the future with Mission Viejo, which also has a high level of care.
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