TITLE
Title
ANIMAL SERVICES DONATIONS - $180,336
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Jorge Ortega
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BACKGROUND
Background
Guilford County Animal Services protects public health and safety, enforces animal neglect laws, and aims to address the root causes of animal problems. The department provides support, information, access to care and resources to Guilford County residents and animals. In FY 2024 Animal Services assisted and provided care for over 7,046 dogs and cats, responded to over 12,796 calls for service, and helped find new homes for over 5,000 pets. In addition, Animal Services was also able to reunite over 750 lost pets with their owners and transferred approximately 600 pets to animal rescue partners.
The Adopted Fiscal Year 2024-25 Budget Ordinance authorizes the County Manager to accept gifts, in-kind services, personal property, and monetary donations up to $75,000 per donation. A single donation exceeded this amount for $100,000, requiring Board approval to accept. The remaining donations were approved within authority granted to the County Manager in the FY2024-25 budget ordinance. The FY24-25 budget included $50,000 in pre-budgeted donations and associated expenses, and to date, the County has exceeded the $50,000, resulting in this action to appropriate additional revenues and expenses, per state statute North Carolina §159 - Fiscal Control Act.
Animal Services is pleased to share the County received donations from generous donors totaling $180,336.
• $177,936 in unrestricted donations:
o $20,000 - will be used to expand the community spay and neuter voucher program. The County’s FY25 budget included $60,000 to provide community spay and neuter vouchers, of which the County has spent or committed $51,216 thus far. Last Fiscal Year, donations allowed the county to expand this program to $131,000 which was invested in the spaying or neutering of over 300 animals. It afforded the County an opportunity to help citizens across the county gain access to resources to spay or neuter their pets therefore helping to reduce the number of unwanted pets and making a difference in pet overpopulation in our community.
o $100,000 - will be utilized for additional spay and neuter of animals in care of Guilford County Animal Services. The amount is higher than prior years due to the vacancy of the Chief Veterinarian position. We currently have a backlog of over 393 spay and neuters to be done to complete pending adoptions totaling $42,064.
o $57,936 - will support future unanticipated medical services, animal wellness, along with spay neuters throughout the FY25 fiscal year.
• $1,900 in a restricted donation from funds raised by volunteers for the purchasing of winter shirts for the volunteers to wear at the shelter and shelter related events. The County’s budget includes $10,000 to purchase protective gear, scrubs, and shoes. This budget includes a summer shirt for each volunteer.
• $500 is a restricted donation to purchase blankets and beds for the animals at the shelter.
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BUDGET IMPACT
Budget Impact
General Fund
$180,336 increase in Other Revenue
$180,336 increase in appropriation to Animal Services
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REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Authorize the acceptance of a $100,000 donation to Animal Services and amend the General Fund budget to increase the appropriation to Animal Services by $180,336 and increase Other Revenue by $180,336, in line with state statutes.
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