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American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) / Best Friends Animal Society (BFAS) / Department of Animal Services / Grant

Council File 26-0832

Approved — the City Council has cleared a $14.22 million grant to hire 23 new animal services staff over six years, though the City will need to cover benefits costs estimated between $1.55 and $2.27 million. The Mayor still needs to sign off on the grant agreement.

Introduced
2026-06-03
Last changed
2026-06-25
Status
open
Expires
2028-06-23
Committee
Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee
Initiated by
Mayor
References
City Administrative Officer Report: 0130-02183-0000

Brief

The Mayor introduced a grant proposal involving ASPCA and Best Friends Animal Society working with the Department of Animal Services. The Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee approved it as amended on June 23 and forwarded it to Budget and Finance Committee. By June 25, both the Budget and Finance Committee and Personnel and Hiring Committee waived consideration, indicating the measure is ready for full Council consideration without requiring additional committee deliberation.

Full summary

This file authorizes the Department of Animal Services to accept a $14,220,000 grant from the ASPCA and Best Friends Animal Society, to be spent over six years funding 23 new City positions. Those positions include one Director of Field Operations, three District Supervisors, and 19 Animal Care Technicians. The grant is intended to expand shelter management capacity, grow the Citywide Cat Program, and establish a new Adoption and Return Home Program and a Foster Program. The financial structure requires the City Controller to create a new interest-bearing Animal Services Grant Fund and appropriate the full $14.22 million to it. From there, grant funds would flow into the City's General Fund to cover salaries and fringe benefits for the new hires. The City Administrative Officer flagged a projected General Fund impact of up to $2,267,370 over three years, primarily because the grant covers salaries but the City must absorb employee benefits and pension costs. That figure could drop to roughly $1.55 million if the grant agreement is amended to allow savings from other position classifications. Additional unbudgeted costs include $46,016 for computers and phones and the unquantified burden of administrative support work the agreement does not fund. The Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee approved the matter on June 23, 2026, with a 2-0 vote (Councilmember Nazarian absent). Councilmember Jurado, seconded by Councilmember Hernandez, added an instruction requiring the CAO to report annually on funding allocated, spent, and projected for the 19 Animal Care Technician salaries, along with cost-saving recommendations to minimize any General Fund impact. The committee also directed the City Clerk to place the position authority and fund-transfer actions on the Council agenda for the July 1, 2026 meeting or shortly thereafter. Following committee approval, both the Budget and Finance Committee and the Personnel and Hiring Committee waived their review on June 23 and June 25 respectively, clearing the item for a full Council vote. The grant agreement is not yet executed and requires Mayor approval after Council acts. The file carries an expiration date of June 23, 2028.

Activity (13)

  • 2026-06-25 Budget and Finance Committee; Personnel and Hiring Committee waived consideration of item .
  • 2026-06-23 Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee transmitted Council File to Budget and Finance Committee; Personnel and Hiring Committee.
  • 2026-06-23 Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee approved as amended .
  • 2026-06-23 Personnel and Hiring Committee waived consideration of item .
  • 2026-06-18 Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on June 23, 2026.
  • 2026-06-18 City Administrative Officer document(s) referred to Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee; Budget and Finance Committee; Personnel and Hiring Committee.
  • 2026-06-18 Document submitted by City Administrative Officer, dated June 18, 2026.
  • 2026-06-12 Personnel and Hiring Committee continued item to a date to be determined.
  • 2026-06-09 Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee approved the Amendment and continued the matter to June 23, 2026.
  • 2026-06-08 Personnel and Hiring Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on June 12, 2026.
  • 2026-06-04 Department of Animal Services document(s) referred to Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee; Budget and Finance Committee; Personnel and Hiring Committee.
  • 2026-06-04 Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on June 9, 2026.
  • 2026-06-03 Document submitted by the Mayor, Department of Animal Services report dated June 3, 2026.

Documents (34)

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