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APPROVE MOTION TO ADOPT STANDARD AGREEMENT AMENDMENT BETWEEN ALL CREATURES VETERINARY CLINIC AND THE CITY OF STOCKTON IN THE AMOUNT OF $90,000
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that City Council approve a motion to:
1. Authorize the City Manager to approve the Standard Agreement Amendment No. 2 between All Creatures Veterinary Clinic (All Creatures) and the City of Stockton, increasing the Compensation subsection by a maximum not to exceed amount of $90,000.
2. It is further recommended that the City Manager be authorized and directed to make any and all expenditures and appropriations on behalf of the City as appropriate and necessary to carry out the purpose and intent of this motion.
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Summary
The Stockton Animal Shelter (the Shelter) does not operate on a 24-hour basis, requiring provision for alternate arrangements for the care of injured animals. By contracting with after-hours and veterinary hospitals, the City better manages its obligations to provide emergency after-hours care and respond to sick or injured animals when staff at the Shelter are unavailable. For the last few years, the Shelter has contracted with service providers using a tiered veterinary care service schedule and associated fee structure. Council approved two contracts with Family Pet Hospital and All Creatures, Resolution 2018-10-16-1107.
DISCUSSION
Background
Prior to 2016, the Shelter lacked the ability to control veterinary charges because there was no set standard of care and pricing. In 2016, Shelter staff designed a tiered veterinary care service schedule and associated fee structure. Two veterinarian businesses responded to the City’s request to provide emergency, and after-hours care and contracts were established for a three-year term. With the set fee structure and services to be provided, expenditures were easier to predict and control.
The Stockton Police Department (SPD) receives calls of stray, sick, and injured animals after hours. Since law enforcement officers are required by law to respond to sick and injured animals, there could be a significant impact to their calls-for-service, which also results in lengthy wait times for citizens standing by with the sick or injured animals, without the ability to transport the animal to an after-hours emergency clinic.
Present Situation
To ensure that the Shelter can send sick and injured animals to off-site veterinarians for monitoring after-hours, the Shelter has adopted a three-tiered care structure for outside services with Family Pet Hospital and All Creatures, Resolution 2018-10-16-1107. All Creatures was originally approved for a three-year agreement with a maximum not to exceed amount of $240,000 and an option to extend for an additional two years. In 2021, the contract extension of two additional years was approved along with increased funding not to exceed $85,800, making the total maximum not to exceed amount for the entire contract $325,800. With the lack of services provided, the contract with Family Pet Hospital was closed. This termination resulted in a higher intake of animals for All Creatures, so additional funding is being requested for the remainder of the contract. Staff seeks approval of additional funding in an amount not to exceed $90,000, so that the total maximum not to exceed amount for the entire contract would now be $415,800.
It is important not to have a lapse in after-hours veterinary services. Without providing adequate medical care, the vast improvements made to the Shelter’s Live Release Rate over the years would suffer. The 2022 Live Release Rate finished the year at 86%. The ability to maintain this level of live release is due, in part, to the accessibility of after-hours emergency veterinary care. There is continued public support to increase the Live Release Rate and continually improve humane care and outcomes at the Shelter. However, this support must be balanced with the available funds to operate the Shelter.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
The proposed cost of this amendment is not to exceed the amount of $90,000. Funding is included in the FY 2022-23 Police Department Animal Services Account.
Attachment A - All Creatures Standard Agreement Amendment 2