1. What is SCASC?

We are an all volunteer group of concerned citizens from the cities of Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Aliso Viejo, and Rancho Santa Margarita. We want to improve the quality of care for our animals.

2. What's Wrong with Animal Care Services Now?

Our four cities contract with the County of Orange to provide animal care services. The county has one facility to serve the entire county. It's located in Orange. The people at the Orange County Shelter are doing the best they can, but the plain fact is that the level of care at Orange County Shelter is limited. For example…

• At city run shelters, during a year, fewer than 1000 animals per acre are cared for. At the County shelter, there are more than 13,000 animals per acre . ¹
  
• City run shelters serve the animal care needs of fewer than 50,000 people per acre. The County shelter serves the needs of more than 700,000 people per acre . ²
  
• The County shelter has an aggressive euthanasia policy: 50% of animals admitted are euthanized. At city run shelters, fewer than 20% of the animals are euthanized. ³
  
• The County shelter has been investigated by the Orange County Grand Jury twice in the last 10 years, and these reports have seriously questioned the administration and quality of care provided there. ⁴
  
• The County shelter was designed in the 1940s and represents standards at that time. Even the County officials recognize the need for a new shelter.
  

We're not saying that the Orange County Shelter is a terrible place. We're just saying that WE want better care for OUR animals.

In addition to the issue of quality of care, the County shelter is in the city of Orange, requiring a trip of 30 minutes or more through some of the busiest intersections in Southern California. This makes it more difficult for people to search for their pets, to adopt a new pet, to volunteer to help, etc. It makes it nearly impossible for animal control offers to respond quickly when stray animals are reported. We need a shelter which is closer to us.

3. Do Other Cities Have Their Own Shelters?

Many other cities have decided they want to do better for their animals. Right now in Orange County 12 cities have their own shelters or contract with other cities to use their shelters. These cities are: Irvine, Costa Mesa, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, San Clemente, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, Seal Beach, Laguna Beach, Laguna Woods, La Palma, Los Alamitos. The other 22 cities contract with the County.

4. How Much Will It Cost?

Right now, our four cities pay an average of about $2.00 per person per year to use the Orange County Shelter. If we were to have our own shelter, estimates are that we would be spending between $4.00 and $7.00 per person per year . That's an increase of $2.00 to $5.00 per person per year. ⁵ That's about a penny a day!
Are you willing to spend a penny a day to increase the quality of care for our animals?

5. Can We Afford it?

Generally speaking, those cities in Orange County that contract with the County shelter are larger (average population = 111,000) and poorer (average household income = $60,000) ⁶ . Those cities that provide the services themselves are generally smaller (average population = 61,000) and wealthier (average household income = $65,000). How do our four cities compare? We are even smaller (average population = 51,000) and wealthier (average household income = $72,000). So if Mission Viejo, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, Los Alamitos, Laguna Woods, etc. can afford it, we can too.

6. What are the Advantages of a Local Shelter?

There are many advantages to a local shelter, which is why other cities have their own. Here's a few:

• A local shelter will be closer to our homes, making it easier for us to locate our lost animals, adopt a new animal, etc.
  
• Animal control offers will respond more quickly.
  
• Animals that are lost will not need to be euthanized due to lack of space. This means more adoptions and fewer deaths.
  
• The quality of care for our animals at the shelter will increase significantly, giving them more time with volunteers and more room.
  
• Cities will receive income from the animal license fees, as well as the adoption fees.
  

Not a single city that started its own shelter has ever closed the shelter and gone back to using the County shelter. Doesn't that tell you something?

7. How Can I Help?

Visit our website and sign-up. Go to http://www.socoanimalshelter.org
Attend City Council meetings and express your support for the multi-city shelter.

Write letters to your City Council members and let them know that you support this effort.

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^{1 , 2, 5}   Based on 2005 figures

³  Based on 2006 figures

⁴  A copy of the Grand Jury report is available at http://www.socoanimalshelter.org Based on 2005 figures.

⁶  Population figures from 2005. Average household income figures from 2000 census data.