To: Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor Michelle Bushnell
Agenda Section: Initiated by Board Member
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
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Consideration of Funding to Expand Access to Low-Cost Spay and Neuter Services in Humboldt County
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Consider allocating approximately $10,000 annually, or any other amount as deemed appropriate by your Board, to a qualified nonprofit organization providing low-cost spay and neuter services to increase access to such services for Humboldt County residents; and
2. Direct staff to develop a funding agreement that prioritizes increasing the number of available spay and neuter procedures, includes reasonable performance and expenditure reporting requirements, and, where feasible, seeks matching funds or other leveraged resources; and
3. Direct staff to work with the selected provider to evaluate opportunities to establish dedicated appointment capacity for county-supported procedures, including designated clinic days or a guaranteed number of appointments; and
4. Direct staff to return to the Board as necessary with an agreement and any associated budget adjustments required to implement the program.
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STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: Safe & Healthy Communities
Strategic Plan Category: 1001 -Support and sustain partnerships between public safety and partner agencies to enhance public safety in our communities
DISCUSSION:
Access to affordable spay and neuter services is an important component of reducing unwanted animal populations, supporting responsible pet ownership and reducing pressure on animal shelters and rescue organizations.
Barriers to accessing spay and neuter services are costly and limited. Opportunities for a relatively modest county investment to expand the number of procedures available to the public could help to remove barriers to individuals seeking services but who are unable to afford the cost to spay or neuter their animal.
Over time, local animal welfare organizations have reported significant reductions in euthanasia. While numerous factors have contributed to this progress, access to spay and neuter services remains an important component of reducing unwanted litters and shelter intake.
Existing Resources
A number of organizations and funding sources currently support spay and neuter services in Humboldt County.
The Humboldt Area Foundation (HAF) administers charitable funding associated with the Freeman Trust, which was initially funded at approximately $4 million. Grants are supported through investment earnings after a 2% management fee and allocations generally occur on a three-year cycle. HAF also administers a Spay/Neuter Access Fund, established with funding from community partners.
The Sheriff's Office also contracts with McKinleyville Animal Care Center for veterinary services associated with county animal shelter operations. During Fiscal Year 2025-26 the Animal Shelter coordinated spay and neuter of 198 dogs and 178 cats for a total of 376 animals. The cost for dog spay ranged from $234 - $366 and neuter ranged from $198 to $304 depending on the weight of the animal. The cost for cat spay was $192 and neuter was $150. The total spent on spay/neuter in FY2025-26 was $75,155. Per the county fee schedule, the cost of spay/neuter is charged at actual cost as part of the adoption fees. Of the 376 animals spay/neutered, 313 were adopted by June 30, 2026 and the county recovered $61,248 of its expense. Due to timing of fiscal years the remaining $13,907 may be recovered in the new fiscal year when the animals are adopted.
Existing nonprofit providers include Humboldt Spay/Neuter Network and Critters Without Litters, among others. These organizations provide services extending beyond the Eureka area and have assisted residents throughout Humboldt County, including outlying rural communities.
Despite these existing resources- cost, transportation and limited veterinary capacity -continue to create barriers for residents seeking to have their animals altered.
Proposed County Investment
The proposal before the Board is to provide approximately $10,000 annually to a qualified nonprofit spay and neuter provider to directly increase the availability of procedures for Humboldt County residents.
Typical costs are approximately $300 for a dog and $100 for a cat. At current nonprofit service costs, an investment of approximately $10,000 could support roughly 20 dog and 40 cat procedures, depending upon the ultimate mix of animals served and actual procedure costs.
Rather than creating a new county-administered fund or contributing the money to an existing endowment, the proposed approach would provide funding directly to a nonprofit service provider capable of converting the county's investment into additional procedures during the funding year.
This approach is intended to ensure that county funds result in a measurable increase in access to services.
Program Structure and Accountability
Accordingly, Supervisor Bushnell recommends that staff explore a funding agreement that provides funding to a nonprofit provider to administer a county funded spay/neuter program that establishes clear expectations regarding the use of county funds.
The agreement could require the provider to report annually on:
• Number of animals spayed or neutered using county funding;
• Number of dogs and cats served;
• Average county cost per procedure;
• Geographic distribution of participating residents, to the extent reasonably available;
• Amount of other funding leveraged or matched against the county contribution; and
• Any identified barriers that prevented residents from accessing available services.
Supervisor Bushnell does not recommend establishing an administratively burdensome county income-verification program or limiting the number of procedures available to an individual household at this time. The primary objective should be to increase the number of animals being altered, with the nonprofit provider utilizing its existing processes to identify and serve residents seeking assistance.
The provider should also retain reasonable discretion regarding the allocation between dogs and cats. Data indicates that the demand for dog procedures is particularly significant, while the cost of altering a dog is substantially higher than the cost for a cat. Prescribing a fixed allocation in advance could unnecessarily limit the provider's ability to respond to actual demand.
Expanding Veterinary Capacity
Funding alone may not fully address access if veterinary capacity is unavailable. Local veterinary clinics are reportedly operating at or near capacity, although some clinics maintain appointment availability for high-priority procedures.
As part of implementation, staff recommends exploring whether county funding could be paired with a commitment from a participating provider or veterinary clinic to establish a dedicated clinic day or guaranteed number of spay/neuter appointments. This would help ensure that the county investment expands actual service capacity rather than simply subsidizing procedures that would otherwise have occurred.
The county could also request that the selected nonprofit seek a dollar-for-dollar or other reasonable match through private donations, charitable organizations, veterinary partners or other sources. A matching component could potentially double the impact of the county's contribution while strengthening the partnership between public and private animal welfare resources.
Transportation Barriers
Transportation was also identified as a barrier, particularly for residents in outlying areas of Humboldt County.
A lower-cost alternative may be to seek donations of gas cards or transportation assistance from local fuel providers and other community partners. This could be pursued by the nonprofit provider without creating an additional county transportation program.
Transportation needs and their effect on utilization should be included in the provider's annual reporting so the county can determine whether additional action is warranted in future years.
Measuring Need and Effectiveness
The precise number of animals in Humboldt County that need spay or neuter services but are unable to access them is not currently known. As part of implementation, staff recommends gathering available data from nonprofit providers, veterinary clinics and the Sheriff's Office to better understand unmet demand.
The initial $10,000 allocation, or whatever amount your Board deems appropriate, could therefore serve as a modest pilot investment while also providing better information regarding demand, cost, geographic access and veterinary capacity.
Following the first year, staff could return to the Board with information regarding utilization and outcomes to determine whether the program should be continued, modified or expanded.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
General Fund
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Narrative Explanation of Financial Impact:
The proposed action would result in an annual General Fund expenditure of approximately $10,000 to support increased access to spay and neuter services. The final fiscal impact will depend upon the funding level approved by the Board and the structure of the resulting agreement.
Based on estimated procedure costs, a $10,000 investment could support approximately 20 dog and 40 cat spay/neuter procedures, depending on the mix of animals served and actual costs. The organizations selected will seek opportunities to leverage the county's contribution through matching funds, private donations or other community resources to increase the number of procedures supported without additional county expense.
If approved, staff will identify the appropriate budget unit and return with any necessary budget adjustment as part of the implementing agreement.
STAFFING IMPACT:
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impact:
County staff time will be required to develop and administer the funding agreement, process payments, and review annual performance and expenditure reporting.
The proposed program does not contemplate county staff directly administering eligibility, scheduling appointments or providing animal transportation. These activities would remain the responsibility of the funded nonprofit provider. Accordingly, the proposed funding is not anticipated to require additional county staffing.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Board discretion
ATTACHMENTS:
None
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Meeting of: N/A
File No.: N/A