The city and county of Fresno appear to be parting ways on a plan for animal control.
They have to take over those duties from the SPCA by October 1st.
Fresno and Fresno County have been working together on a plan for animal control services over the last five and a half months, Ever since the SPCA announced it no longer wanted to provide those services.
Talks with the SPCA to extend that contract fell apart.
Now the partnership between the city and county appears to have evaporated as well.
“That now the Mayor may be meeting with the SPCA and doing something different and that really caught us by surprise,” said Fresno County Supervisor Henry Perea.
Perea has been part of the county and city partnership trying to figure out a replacement for animal control services.
“We don't know what they're doing other than that we think they're starting to create confusion around the issue that already has enough things going on, where we really should be moving towards execution and a plan we both agree to,” Perea said.
Because time is running out to come up with a plan to deal with stray and vicious animals,
Fresno County has decided to use the grounds of the old morgue facility in central Fresno.
The building was stripped of all it's wiring by thieves.
So the county will set up a large tent in the parking lot with cages and portable air conditioners and fans to house the animals.
The county will pick up vicious, ill and injured animals. Concentrating on dogs, but taking in cats if necessary.
The City of Fresno wouldn't talk about the latest rift or what the city's plans are.
But they released a statement saying: “The CCSPCA has provided valuable service to the community for many years, and we are also talking to them to determine how they might best continue to serve this community short- and long-term.”
