Board approves animal control budgets after director seeks $104,000 vet-of-record contract and staffing changes

Lake County supervisors approved the Animal Control general fund budget (2703) and the veterinary clinic fund (2711) on June 16 after a budget presentation by Director Ree Smith.

Smith said animal-control officers have handled about 1,648 calls year‑to‑date and that the shelter was on pace to take in roughly 1,300 animals by month’s end. She proposed reorganizing front-line supervision—creating two midlevel supervisory roles (shelter supervisor and animal-control office supervisor) and adding a volunteer/foster coordinator to increase foster capacity and adoption outcomes.

The budget presentation detailed a proposed contract for a vet of record with a UC Davis‑affiliated veterinarian, described in testimony as Dr. Bennett. Smith said that contract would cost about $104,000 a year and would provide license‑holding and clinical oversight (allowing the shelter to order drugs, administer rabies vaccinations and perform other services) while the county continues recruiting a permanent veterinarian.

Smith also noted a potential $135,000 transfer into the veterinary clinic budget from geothermal funding to cover medical expenses (spay/neuter, vaccinations and emergency care) used by outside veterinary partners because the county lacks a full‑time veterinarian.

Board members asked about recruitment strategies, past UC Davis partnerships and alternatives (loan‑forgiveness programs, retired vets, and mobile clinics). Public commenters including Lana Mullins and Marggo Kambara urged prioritizing recruitment, UC Davis collaboration and benchmarking other shelters.

The board recorded a motion to approve budgets 2703 and 2711 and announced the motion carried. The transcript does not record a roll‑call tally with names; the chair announced the motion 'carries 5.'

What to watch: whether the county finalizes the contract with the UC‑affiliated veterinarian, how geothermal funds are transferred and whether the county secures a full‑time in‑county veterinarian.