The Board of Supervisors Tuesday signed off on a contract with Hemet to provide the municipality with county animal control services into the middle of next year at a cost of $1.21 million.
The Hemet City Council approved the nine-month agreement with the Riverside County Department of Animal Services in early September. The compact runs from Oct. 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, with options for renewal.
According to a city statement, the new compact “represents a significant step forward in animal welfare for the city, providing residents with access to a broader range of services and expertise in animal care and control.”
An animal control officer will be assigned to the city full-time, and a new pickup truck will be acquired for the officer to use for patrol and retrieval operations, according to the agreement.
“This contract with Hemet will provide the city with a variety of services for the community and domestic pet population,” according to a Department of Animal Services statement.
Over the previous decade, Hemet has contracted with the San Jacinto-based nonprofit Ramona Humane Society. But the city said the organization’s “decision to shift its focus away from animal control and enforcement duties to concentrate on finding homes for sheltered pets” prompted concerns among officials about the level of service going forward.
A search was initiated for a replacement, and the Department of Animal Services “emerged as the best-suited partner to provide essential services,” according to the city.
“The reopening of the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus is perfectly timed for this new and exciting partnership with Hemet,” agency Director Erin Gettis said recently. “We are very much looking forward to providing services and resources to Hemet residents and their pets.”
The department provides animal control to most municipalities in Riverside County, as well as several entities outside the county. However, along with the Ramona Humane Society, the nonprofit Animal Friends of the Valleys also delivers animal control and shelter services in several locations, principally the cities of Murrieta and Temecula.