Over the last several months, it’s become apparent that rescue groups have had to pick up slack by the Antioch Animal Services Department. Most recently, another agency has had to come into Antioch to complete a job that should otherwise be the responsibility of the city.
A few days ago, a stray Cane Corso mix dog had been running the streets of Antioch for over 5-weeks. The animal was reported to Antioch Animal Services several times by many people, yet no response or urgency was given. After calls and messages to Antioch Animals Services went nowhere, rescue groups decided, like they have many times in the past, to take things into their own hands and came up with a plan for the stray.
The first step was should the dog be caught, where would it go? Volunteers lined up a foster home and came up with medical funds once the dog was caught. Catching the animal had been problematic as the dog was running scared for more than a month.
Rescues took a shot and contacted Contra Costa Animals Services and right away they sent out an Animal Control Officer to set up a trap in a city they are not responsible for. It’s rather amazing that in the time it takes Contra Costa County to set up a trap for an animal, the city of Antioch can’t even return a phone call, let alone show any urgency or come up with a solution within its own city.
I would encourage the citizens of Antioch to ask the City what exactly the level of animal service they are receiving when phone calls are not even returned. After all, what are the taxpayers of the city even paying for? If that Department is not capable of executing its most basic of duties of returning a phone call, then what are they capable of achieving?
I do recognize that the department is understaffed and the facility is bursting at the seams but at what point will the City Council recognizes there is a problem and begin to fix it. I for one and tired of hearing the same old canned response of “they are doing the best with what they have”. Sometimes ones best is not good enough and changes need to be made.
After all, the lack of urgency in the department is no comfort to stray animals who are lost, sick, or left on the street after being hit by vehicles. I am sure there is no comfort to the many citizens who call, leave messages and do not even get a courtesy phone call or no resolution to an issue. Citizens deserve better customer service and better communication.
During the most recent city council meeting, nearly a dozen rescue groups spoke out against the lack of service being provided by the Antioch Animal Services. It’s become clear that they need outside help or the county should take it over.
Antioch Chief of Police Allan Cantando stated “in order for county to take over we would have to pay them $648,000 and that does not include the revenues we would lose with dog licensing, an approximate amount of 160-180 thousand per year”.
What Cantando did not say was the Fiscal Year Budget is $872,108. Plus, the City just approved an additional $73,000 to hire 4 new kennel attendants and $57,852 for new office staff person which increases the budget to over a million dollars.
It would appear to me that if some math calculated, by turning Animal Services over to the county, it would save the city $174,000 per year.
If you do the math, turning Animal Services over to county would save the city around $174,000 per year. After all, isn’t it better to save money when the money you are paying is not actually providing adequate service?
It’s time for the City Council to begin fixing the problem or being transitioning the services to the county.
By Kristy Keusch
She regularly writes about animal stories around Contra Costa County and is an animal advocate working in shelters and helping find pets forever homes.
6 comments
Shut it down. Hire more cops and clean up this city.
Pets outnumber the children in our city. Poverty and culture will continue to drive a pet explosion. This is our present and our future. And animal services will continue to add to the reason for bankrupting ourselves.
You bring these no tax paying low income low life welfare section 8 bottom feeders and you get no tax revenue to hire animal service officers. This is happening in all departments in the City of Antioch! Yet they keep bringing in these losers by the busload and dumping them into our small town. Giving them free housing, food, cars, cell phones, etc… Until these liberal democrats are voted out this will continue and get worse!! The major who is another socialist Obama like and city counsel are all aware but could care less! The feds need to investigate Antioch’s leadership
I have asked since the inception of the animal shelter that it be turned back over to the county. If it isn’t returned to the county, at a comparable cost, we need to can every individual who works there from the top down. Start over. This supervisor is incompetent. This has been the worst run of all departments in this city. It shouldn’t be under APD it should stand alone if we must have it. I have had trouble with the licensing company also who blames the city. Whose relative owns the licensing company? We must close this department down and I know the cost will probably go up but turn it over to the county.
Actually Nancy…the supervisor for animal control (Monika) is doing a great job. It’s her resources that hinder.
Actually Nancy…Monika (supervisor at animal control) is doing a great job. You are only as good as your resources. That’s where the problem is.
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