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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFY 2020 Budget Presentation (Kauai Humane Society)PROPOSAL KHS Services for the County of Kauaʻi for FY2020 (“County Contract”) Submittied to: Director of Finance Office of the Mayor County Of Kauai Submitted by: 3-825 Kaumualii Hwy Lihue, HI 96766 Mirah Horowitz, Executive Director February 19, 2019 2 Executive Summary Since1952, the Kauaʻi Humane Society (KHS) has worked hard to serve the animals and residents of Kauaʻi. To that end, KHS has been contracting with the County of Kaua’i for more than twenty years to provide animal care and control services for the island. Today, approximately one third of KHSʻs activities fall under the KHS’s contract (“County Contract”) with the County of Kauaʻi. In recent years, as the scope of the County programs have grown, they have exceeded available County funding, and consequently, KHS has been required to partially subsidize the programs through other fundraising efforts. Because this leaves less funding for other important programs, KHS’s ability to execute programs across the shelter has been constrained. For fiscal year 2020 (FY2020), KHS has developed a preliminary budget and funding plan of approximately $3.3M, representing a year-over-year increase of 12%. The corresponding County program is estimated to cost $1.5M, and ideally, this would be the amount of funding provided by the County of Kauaʻi to KHS. However, KHS recognizes that this would represent a very significant increase from historical levels. KHS also recognizes that the County of Kauaʻi is facing numerous financial challenges and, like KHS, has limited resources. Accordingly, KHS proposes to perform the Base Program of the County Contract on a “best effort basis” for a lump sum amount of $1,200,000. An “Affordable Spay-and-Neuter Program” would be the single most impactful program for mitigating the dog and cat overpopulation issues that plague our island. In addition, over time it would significantly ameliorate the collective costs for animal care on Kauaʻi. The County of Kauaʻi is encouraged to consider supplemental funding of $174,000 to enable KHS to expand its public spay-and- neuter activities. Increasing spay-and-neuter offerings will reduce shelter intake, 3 reduce euthanasia rates, and, importantly, reduce the taxpayer cost of administering animal care and control. Table of Contents Page No. 1. Introduction 4 2. KHS Overview 6 A. Accomplishments 6 B. Funding and Sources of Revenues 7 C. Expense Buckets: KHS Programs and Services 15 D. Preliminary Annual Budget of KHS Operations – FY2020 21 E. KHS Organization 22 F. Areas for Expansion and Improvement 23 3. Proposed Scope of Work for the County of Kauaʻi for FY2020. 26 A. Base Program 26 B. Program Services 29 C. Spay-and-Neuter Program (Optional) 29 D. Capital Projects (Optional) 32 4. Proposed Price for the County Contract for FY2020 33 A. Base Program 33 B. Program Services 33 C. Spay-and-Neuter Program (Optional) 34 D. Capital Projects (Optional) 34 Appendix 1 - Allocation Methodology, FY2019 County Contract 35 4 1. Introduction The Kauaʻi Humane Society (KHS) is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring compassionate, informed care of all animals on Kauaʻi. KHS is dedicated to fostering respect, responsibility, and compassion for all animals, and enriching lives by nurturing healthy relationships among pets and people. We serve the community as the only open-admission shelter on the island, and often we are the first place people come for help with their animals. KHS also contracts with the County of Kauaʻi (“County Contract”) to provide animal control and care services. Pursuant to the County Contract KHS performs the following services on behalf of the County: (1) Enforce leash laws and barking dog violations; (2) Investigate abuse and neglect and make recommendations for prosecution; (3) Issue animal licenses; (4) House strays, at a minimum, for the county-required holding period (i.e., for 48 hours or 9 days) and provide them with basic veterinary services, and take all steps necessary to find each animal a positive outcome; (5) Pick up injured animals of any kind; and (6) Collect deceased dogs. The scope of services provided under the County Contract is far-reaching, however, the role KHS plays in the community is substantially larger. As an open admission shelter we do not turn away any animal, regardless of their behavioral or medical challenges. In the absence of KHS, Good Samaritans who find dogs and cats, owners who can no longer care for their pets, and owners who have lost their pets and are trying to find them would have no support on the island. KHS provides adoption counseling to people looking for a pet but not sure what would be a good match for them, and we have a robust transfer program to create more opportunities for our animals to find live outcomes and loving homes. We give community 5 members a safe and meaningful place to volunteer, and we host Critter Camps and go to schools to ensure the next generation of pet owners learn from an early age to respect and care for their pets. KHS also provides pet food assistance to community members in need and free emergency boarding for victims of domestic violence, flooding or other disasters (natural or human caused). We enhance the experience of visitors to our island through our Field Trip Program, and we assist hundreds of animals coming to the island with our Direct Release Program. And importantly, we assist many pet owners in keeping their animals healthy with our low-cost vaccine and spay-and-neuter clinics. We provide affordable “end of life” solutions, as well as cremation services for not just residents but also all the vet offices across the island. KHS and the County have annually negotiated an update to the County Contract for the past 60+ years. The County Contract is consistent with and meets the requirements of the following state and county statutes: • HRS 143-15 Contracts for seizing and impounding dogs. Any county may contract with any society or organization formed for the prevention of cruelty to animals, for the seizure and impounding of all unlicensed dogs, and for the maintenance of a shelter or pound for unlicensed dogs, and for lost, strayed, and homeless dogs, and for the destruction or other disposition of seized dogs not redeemed as provided in this chapter. The county may prescribe in the contract the manner in which the work is to be done by the society or organization and it may also direct the disposition to be made of all dogs seized pursuant to this chapter. o Attorney General Opinions: The plain language and legislative history of this section and §143-16 made very clear that legislature intended to authorize county reliance upon private humane societies to impound stray dogs within their borders; • HRS 143-16: Requires the County of Kauaʻi to contract with KHS for animal welfare services. 6 • HRS 143-2.5: Clarifies that animal welfare services are not limited solely to dogs, and • Section 2.01 of Kauaʻi County Charter, the County is empowered to promote general welfare and the safety, health, and good order and comfort of its inhabitants, including a general program for animal control and the prevention of cruelty to animals. 2. KHS Overview A. Accomplishments KHS performs critical services for the animals and residents of Kauaʻi. The figure below provides a summary of notable accomplishments for the last fiscal year. In particular, approximately 3,500 animals come into KHS facility each year (“intake”), and of this number more than 80% are strays. Through the efforts of its employees and many volunteers, KHS provides veterinary care and a welcoming, safe environment for these animals as it attempts to find loving homes for them. Unfortunately, the demands for KHSʻs services exceed the organization’s current resources. 7 B. Funding and Sources of Revenues As described and quantified below, KHS derives its operating revenues and funding from a variety of sources. 1. KHS Community Services KHS provides a number of community-focused services to the residents of and visitors to Kauaʻi. While each of these services produces revenue for the organization, many of them do not generate sufficient revenue to cover the cost of administering the respective service. § Adoption Fees Adoption fees are collected from both on-island and off-island adopters. Adoption fees range from $35 to $135, and the 8 amount of the fee varies depending on the age and species of the animal. Even the most expensive adoption fee does not cover the cost KHS incurs in rescuing, vetting, and otherwise caring for the animal. § Transfer Reimbursements Some of KHSʻs transfer partners reimburse KHS for a portion of the cost of transferring an animal off island. § Direct Release Direct release is one of the few net positive revenue generating programs that KHS operates. Direct release allows people to bring their pets to the island of Kauaʻi, bypassing a quarantine period if they meet certain prescribed requirements. § Veterinarian Services: Public Spay-and -Neuter and Vaccine/Microchip Clinics Public spay-and-neuter and public vaccine/microchip clinics provide Kaua’i residents with affordable, low-cost services that are critical for the health and well-being of their animals. Without these services, hundreds of animals would be without life-saving vaccines and/or would be adding to the island’s already serious problem of pet overpopulation. While our vaccine and microchip clinic is net revenue positive, our low cost spay-and-neuter clinic is not. § Owner Surrender Fees We understand how difficult it is for an owner who needs to surrender their animal, and we would never turn an animal away simply because an owner could not pay a surrender fee. That 9 said, we do charge a fee to those who can afford it to help assist with the first 48 hours of care that an animal receives at KHS. § Private Boarding KHS offers private boarding for dogs and cats at reasonable rates for members. Membership is available for a donation as little as $50 and as much as $500. § End of Life Services KHS offers the community reasonably priced euthanasia services to pet owners when the right time has come. We also offer the only cremation services for companion animals on the island, serving not just individual residents but vet clinics as well. § Critter Camp & Dog Training Our Critter Camp and Dog Training programs are key components of our efforts in humane education. Critter Camp not only educates young people about proper pet ownership, but also provides parents with a safe place for their kids to go when school is out. 2. Retail Sales KHS has two primary sources of retail revenue: the Bloomingtails Thrift Store located in Lihue and the KHS Boutique located at the KHS Facility (“Shelter”) in Puhi. • Bloomingtails Thrift Store Bloomingtails re-sells donated items and is known for providing high quality products and extremely reduced prices. 100% of 10 the proceeds from sales at Bloomingtails directly benefit the Humane Society. • Boutique Sales KHS operates a small boutique inside the Shelter, selling branded items, collars, leashes, and other animal related items. 3. Fundraising and Development: Grants, Contributions, Direct Mail, Memberships & Events KHS works with private foundations that offer grant funding for animal- related programs. KHS applies for grant funding to assist with everything from spay-and-neuter programs, to funding transfers to mainland rescues, to caring for the animals in the shelter, and for developing animal-related programs like a broad-reaching foster program. An important source of funding for KHS are contributions and direct mail. KHS contracts with AlphaDog for our direct mail efforts and solicits donations online through email campaigns and social media. We leverage donor sponsored matches to encourage giving; we work on cultivating donors in order to grow their giving; and we operate a monthly giving program. We also solicit donations when visitors take dogs out on field trips and encourage sponsorship of particular dogs and cats. Our membership program encourages donations by offering benefits such as use of the dog parks and discounts on private boarding. KHS hosts 2-3 fundraising events each year, the largest of which is Paws for Celebration. Paws for Celebration brings together supporters from across the island – and beyond – in support of KHS and honors our “Humane-a-tarian” of the year. This one evening is not only a 11 hugely important fundraiser, but is an important way to bring the animal-loving community together. In addition, KHS holds 1-2 other smaller events to build community awareness while raising incredibly importantly funding for the organization. 4. Native Bird Programs The Save Our Shearwaters (SOS) program is fully funded by two primary sources: KIUC and the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). KIUC provides funding for the bulk of the work with Native Hawaiian Birds, and, in particular, Shearwaters, and the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) provides funding for a staff member specifically to care for Nene that need assistance. 5 County of Kaua’i Base Contract The County of Kaua’i base contract (“County Contract”) provides funding that enables KHS to perform basic animal care and control requirements on behalf of the County. These include the services enumerated in the Introduction section of this proposal. The County Contract for fiscal year (“FY2019”) ending June 30, 2019, specifically excludes funding for spay-and-neuter. In recent years the County Contract has underfunded the actual cost of implementing the scope of work, and, as a result, KHS has been required to subsidize work performed for the County using funds derived from other sources and to limit other services and facilities maintenance to remain financially solvent. The funding shortfalls are illustrated in the table below. 12 Historical Financial Performance – County Contract **$794,000 in FY19 includes $14,00 earmarked for truck lease payment. 6. Country Program Revenue In addition to the revenue paid by the County, the contract provides for KHS to collect revenue when executing three enumerated programs: dog and cat licensing, impounding of animals, and boarding of animals after being picked up as a stray. To that end, the County explicitly provides the fees to be collected in accordance with the County Code. 13 KHS funding is quantified as illustrated in the table and figure below. Operational income comes from a variety of sources and activities, and totals approximately $3M per year. The County Contract amounts to 27% of this total, and Program Services provided for the County contribute an additional 3% to this total. KHS Funding History FY2017 FY2018 FY2019 Actual Actual Budget KHS Community Services Adoption Fees $40,163 $44,792 $65,000 Direct Release $221,287 $218,250 $252,000 Veterinary Services $100,002 $84,776 $130,500 Critter Camp & Dog Training $23,815 $19,238 $19,000 End of Life $93,769 $91,672 $99,000 Customer Service $83,718 $83,543 $101,500 Retail Sales Bloomingtails $327,671 $329,381 $366,747 KHS $41,772 $59,790 $54,000 Fundraising & Development Events $82,530 $96,347 $127,000 Contributions $359,129 $468,310 $486,000 Grants $82,539 $26,350 $50,000 Membership Dues $29,310 $38,150 $40,000 SUBTOTAL $1,485,705 $1,560,599 $1,790,747 County of Kaua`i Contract $780,000 $780,000 $780,000 Fixed Asset Purchases $14,000 Program Services Licensing $72,005 $36,038 $82,000 Impound/Stray Fees $16,128 $17,305 $17,000 Native Bird Programs Save Our Shearwaters $233,000 $233,000 $239,348 Nene $18,077 TOTAL $2,586,838 $2,626,942 $2,941,172 14 KHS Funding Budget -FY2019 KHS Community Services Retail Sales Fundraising & Development County of Kaua`i Program Services Native Bird Programs County Contract 27% KHS Community Services 23% Retail Sales 14% Fundraising & Development 24% Native Birds 9% County Program Services 3% 15 C. Expense Buckets: KHS’s Programs and Services KHS expenses are budgeted to equal the estimated funding (described in the previous section of this proposal) and are organized into eleven (11) interrelated areas as described below: 1. Positive Outcome Programs: Adoptions, Transfers & Reuniting Pets with Owners KHS is committed to finding positive outcomes for as many adoptable animals as possible. Positive outcomes include reuniting pets with owners, adopting animals to loving families both on and off island, and transferring animals to rescue partners. Before an animal is either adopted or transferred, they are spayed/neutered, heartworm tested, and brought up to date on vaccines. Before adoption, one of our staff spends time with the interested family to ensure a good match with the pet to adopt and to educate them on responsible pet ownership. The majority of our transferred animals (97.5%) are transferred to off island rescue partners in Seattle, Portland, and Washington DC. The average discounted cost for us to ship a single crate is $150 and every animal transferred off island requires additional veterinary care and testing, like administering rabies vaccines and providing health certificates. 2. Volunteer, Foster, and Community Engagement Programs Volunteers – including volunteer foster parents – are the life blood of KHS. Even functioning with a full staff, we could not accomplish our mission without the assistance of volunteers and the support of our community. Engaging and, importantly, thanking community members and volunteers are an essential part of what KHS does. Volunteers 16 spend time with staff going through orientation and training before spending time on their own with the animals. Our volunteer program is run through an online service called Volgistics which allows us to communicate with the volunteers as a group as well as track their hours and the tasks needing attention. Our community engagement programs reach beyond simply engaging volunteers and include educating the community, and in particular the next generation, about responsible pet ownership. One of our most popular community engagement programs is Critter Camp, designed for kids ages 7-12. We also visit schools to talk about careers in animal welfare and wellness fairs to talk about the benefits of pet ownership as part of our humane education program. We partner with the hunting community to offer humane education classes, and we provide pet food for people who cannot afford to feed their pets through our Gomez Galley program. 3. Public Vaccine and Microchip Clinic and Public Spay-and-Neuter Program Designed to provide Kauaʻi’s residents with an affordable way to keep their pets healthy, our low-cost vaccine & microchip clinic and our public spay-and-neuter programs provide these services to the public at extremely discounted prices. In addition, we offer pet owners discounted prices for deworming and flea treatments as part of these programs. The low-cost vaccine and microchip clinic is held on the first Saturday of each month and is first come, first serve. The public spay-and-neuter program is offered twice a week and can accommodate ten animals each day. Slots for the spay-and-neuter clinic are often reserved 6-8 weeks in advance. 17 While incredibly successful and popular, these programs fail to meet Kaua’i’s needs. Residents are often frustrated that they cannot get a spay or neuter appointment within a month, or that they have to wait in long lines at the once monthly vaccine clinics. In addition, a monthly vaccination schedule does not provide vaccines at the right intervals for owners of puppies and kittens who need vaccines every 2-3 weeks. Being able to expand both of these programs is a priority for KHS. In addition to the benefit provided to community pet owners, a more robust “Affordable Spay-and-Neuter Program” (as described below in this proposal) would be the most impactful investment for mitigating the dog and cat overpopulation issues and ameliorate the collective costs for animal care on Kauaʻi. 4. End-of-Life Services KHS operates the only animal crematorium on the island of Kauaʻi and provides animal cremation services for residents as well as all of the veterinarians on the island. Without this service, companion animal bodies would likely end up in the landfill. In addition, KHS provides reasonably priced “owner requested” euthanasia services for pet owners whose animals have reached the end of their time. End of life services are provided with dignity, respect, and the utmost care. Without KHS, pet owners would not be able to recover or bury the ashes of their beloved pets. 5. Direct Release KHS operates a direct release program to assist residents and visitors in meeting the requirements for dog and cat importation set by the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture. KHS staff not only assist people 18 with completing the requisite steps prior to arrival, but also meet arriving animals at the airport for a health inspection. 6. Native Bird Programs (SOS & Nene) KHS operates the only permitted (State and Federal) facility on the island to rehabilitate native Hawaiian birds. We operate the “Save our Shearwaters” (SOS) program, fully funded by the Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative and the Department of Land and Natural Resources. KHS has operated the SOS program since 2008, and, since that time, more than 4,600 native Hawaiian birds from approximately 35 different species have been assisted. 7. Retail Operations KHS’s Bloomingtails Resale Shop, located in Lihue, offers a two-fold benefit. Residents and visitors can donate items they no longer want or use, benefiting Kauaʻi’s animals in need as well as the landfill crisis, and likewise can purchase gently used items for great prices at the retail store. Bloomingtails operates on a lean budget, and, like the shelter, relies heavily on volunteers to perform its day to day operations. Retail sale of items in our shelter boutique is an additional source of income for KHS. Items sold include logo clothing, collars, leashes, harnesses, and pet-related accessories. We also sell 4-month packages of flea treatment to customers. 8. Fundraising and Development Because neither the income generated by KHS’s pet-related programs and services nor the income brought in under the County covers the 19 cost of shelter operations, KHS’s development programs are absolutely critical to the organization’s financial viability. KHS’s fundraising takes place in a variety of ways: direct mail campaigns, email solicitations, social media campaigns, fundraising events like Paws for Celebration, and income from the thrift store’s sale of donated items. We ask field trip volunteers to make a donation when they take a dog out for the day. We also raise money through corporate partnerships, where a particular store or venue will donate a percentage of sales to KHS. Our development team is also responsible for identifying and pursing grant opportunities. 9. General & Administrative Aside from programmatic expenses, the overhead costs of running an open admission animal shelter are significant. These costs include administrative salaries, internet, phone systems, electric power, propane, insurance premiums, janitorial services, facility maintenance, grounds keeping, trash removal, financial audits and tax return preparation, etc. 10. Animal Care Services (County Contract) On behalf of the County of Kauaʻi, KHS provides life-saving animal care to stray and owner-surrendered pets from throughout the island. Following intake, all animals are: • Examined to determine pressing medical issues; • Dewormed, • Vaccinated (DHLPP and bordetella); and • Microchipped for identification. 20 Pursuant to State and County law, stray animals without identification are held for 48 hours; and those with identification are held for 9 days. At the end of those periods, animals are behaviorally assessed and medically re-assessed, including having blood work drawn for heartworm and tick born illness testing. They are then either placed up for adoption, offered for a transfer partner, or euthanized. While KHS is required by the County Contract to provide named “Second Chance Rescue Partners” an additional 48 hours to determine if they would like a dog, by practice we hold dogs well beyond the 48 hours if any transfer partner thinks they can assist the animal because we want a positive outcome. Practically speaking, 48 hours is not enough time for most rescue partners to mobilize and remove a dog or cat from our care. It is also not enough time for KHS to arrange an off- island flight. While in KHSʻs care all animals receive a minimum of two meals a day. Kittens, puppies, and severely underweight animals receive more. Cats and kittens have their litterboxes changed and refreshed daily, dogs and puppies have their kennels cleaned at least twice a day. They are also rotated through the play yards twice a day. Because of the prevalence of hookworms on property, dogs are dewormed every two weeks for a total of 6 weeks. Adult dogs and cats over 5 months receive a booster vaccine after 2 weeks in our care. Puppies and kittens receive boosters every 2 weeks until they are 4 months of age. 11. Animal Control Services (County Contract) In accordance with the County Contract, KHS administers “a general program of animal control and a program for the prevention of cruelty 21 to animals, including intervention on behalf of animals at risk of cruelty, and the education and advising of the inhabitants of the County on best practices related to animal welfare.” Accordingly, KHS is specifically responsible for: • Dog and cat licensing programs for the County; • Responding to “public requests for assistance in matters relating to sick, injured and/or animals in distress” or “in traffic”; • Responding to cruelty and neglect complaints; • Providing welfare checks; • Responding to dogs running at large as well as confined stray dogs; • Responding to dogs posing a danger to the public; • Responding to deceased dogs on the roadways; • Enforcing leash law and barking dog violations; and • Providing assistance to the police and fire departments. 12. Program Services (performed on behalf of the County of Kauaʻi) Under the provisions of the County Contract, KHS operates the dog and cat licensing programs for the County. Services associated with impounding and boarding of stray animals are also performed. D. Preliminary Annual Budget of KHS Operations – FY2020 A prelminary annual budget has been drafted for FY2020, and includes expense estimates for each of the twelve (12) expense buckets described immediately above. The preliminary annual budget for FY2020 is illustrated in the chart below, and totals $3,300,000, or about a 12% increase above the FY2019 budget. 22 E. KHS Organization The KHS Organization Chart consistent with the Preliminary FY2020 Budget (see Section 2.D, above) is presented in the figure below, and includes: • Executive Director • 37 Full-time employees • 5 Part-time employees • 10 Seasonal/Casual employees • 160 Volunteers In addition, the KHS Board of Directors provides oversight, policy and governance for the organization, and is instrumental for KHS’s fundraising efforts. The KHS Board is comprised of eleven (11), representing a diverse group of community leaders. 0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000 Po s i t i v e O u t c o m e P r o g r a m s Vo l u n t e e r , F o s t e r , a n d C o m m u n i t y Pu b l i c C l i n i c s a n d S p a y / N e u t e r End - o f - L i f e S e r v i c e s Dir e c t R e l e a s e Na t i v e B i r d s P r o g r a m s Re t a i l s S a l e s Fun d i n g a n d D e v e l o p m e n t Ge n e r a l a n d A d m i n i s t r a t i v e An i c a l C a r e ( C o u n t y C o n t r a c t ) An i c a l C o n t r o l ( C o u n t y C o n t r a c t ) Pro g r a m S e r v i c e s ( C o u n t y ) Preliminary FY2020 Expense Budget 23 F. Areas for Expansion and Improvement of KHS Services KHS is committed to expanding its role in the community, increasing its positive impact for the animals and inhabitants of Kauaʻi, improving its cost effectiveness, increasing financial support from 3rd parties, and mitigating the increasing costs of the services it provides. In this regard, the following areas have been identified for exploration and/or implementation. KHS looks forward to working in cooperation with the County of Kauaʻi to faciliate the fruition of these initiatives. 24 1. Affordable, Robust Spay -and-Neuter Program. An affordable and more robust spay and neuter program would be the single-most important initiative to address the overpopulation of dogs and cats on Kauaʻi and over time, to help moderate costs for KHS and the County of Kauaʻi for animals care and control services. This proposal includes an option to expand KHSʻs existing spay-and-neuter services. 2. Fee Structure for Program Services. The fee structure for services provided to the public includes: impound fees; leash law violation fees; and licensing fees to determine appropriate market rates for each. The goal will be to generate additional revenues of $25,000 to $50,000 per year while keeping in mind that fees cannot be raised to the point that owners cannot afford to take their dogs out of the shelter. 3. Partnership with Kauaʻi Community Correctional Center. Across the country, prisons and animal shelters are forming partnerships that utilize prison inmates in training shelter dogs, giving both parties a chance at a fresh start. Such a program may make sense and be beneficial for Kauaʻi. 4. Pet-friendly Community. Many states and cities across the country, including Honolulu, are exploring and implementing initiatives and ordinances to promote more “pet friendly” communities. Such initiatives would be reviewed with a view to identify what may work and make sense for Kauaʻi. 5. Affordable Housing at KHS. KHS is exploring the possibility of constructing affordable rental housing units for KHS employees and affiliates at the KHS Facility in Puhi as an alternative means for accommodating the needs of KHS employees, helping to mitigate traffic 25 issues on Kaumualii Highway, and generating more revenue to support KHS operations. 6. Volunteer Tourism. Opportunities for enhancing volunteer tourism, potentially partnering with local and mainland non-profits will be explored. 7. Partnerships with the Hunting Community. KHS would work collaboratively with the Kauaʻi hunting community to expand and create programs to prevent strays & assist in reunification of hunters with lost dogs. 26 3. Proposed Scope of Work for the County of Kauaʻi for FY2020. A. Base Program The County Contract Base Program of “Animal Care Services” and “Animal Control Services” to be performed by KHS are defined below. The costs for this work are driven in magnitude by the overpopulation of dogs and cats on Kauaʻi, and the applicable State and County statutes that define the required care and control services. Animal Care Serices On behalf of the County of Kauaʻi, KHS will perform the following: 1. Provide life-saving animal care to stray and owner-surrendered pets from across the island. Each animal that enters the shelter as a stray or owner surrender is designated as an “intake.” Based on KHSʻs experience in recent years, we estimate the intake level for FY2020 to be approximately 3,500 animals. Following intake, every animal is: a. Examined to determine pressing medical issues; b. Dewormed, c. Vaccinated (DHLPP and bordetella); and d. Microchipped for identification. 2. Pursuant to State and County law, stray animals without identification will be held for 48 hours; and those with identification will be held for 9 business days. At the end of those respective periods, animals are behaviorally assessed and medically re-assessed, including having blood work drawn for heartworm and tick born illness testing. 3. There are four potential outcomes for animals under KHS’ care at the KHS Facility (“Shelter”): (1) return to owner, (2) adoption, (3) transfer or (4) euthanasia. Prior to euthanizing any animal, the County Contact requires KHS to contact approved “Second Chance Rescues,” and relevant animal welfare and rescue organizations that have been pre-approved by KHS and have requested they be contacted in these 27 cases. If the Second Chance Rescue notifies KHS of their desire to transfer the animal within 48 hours, KHS is required to accommodate the request so long as the Second Chance rescue can pick up within 48 hours. The following animals may be euthanized without prior warning to Second Chance Rescues: a. Dogs posing a danger to the public. b. Untamed cats, except to the extent that cat would be entering a fully-enclosed location on a permanent basis. c. Animals irremediably suffering from a serious illness or severe injury. Given this mandate, KHS cares for strays and owner surrenders well beyond the minimum hold periods of 48 hours or 9 business days. Animals suitable for adoption or transfer to the mainland may stay on the adoption floor for 2-3 months before finding a family or a transfer partner. And, that “clock” starts after the required hold periods expire. KHS is required to hold those animals not eligible for adoption or transfer to the mainland for up to six days. This is because KHS must first hold the animal for 48 hours – or 9 business days -- in case an owner comes to claim a dog. If the animal is not picked up and is not a candidate for adoption or transfer to the mainland, KHS must then care for the animal for an additional 48 hours during which time the Second Chance partner will decide whether to transfer the animal. If transfer is requested, KHS must hold the dog for a third 48 hour period to allow the transfer partner to pick up the animal. 4. While in KHSʻs care, KHS will provide all animals a minimum of two meals a day. Cats and kittens will have their litterboxes changed and refreshed daily, dogs and puppies have their kennels cleaned at least twice a day. They are also rotated through the play yards twice a day. 28 5. Because of the prevalence of hookworms on property, KHS shall deworm dogs every two weeks for a total of 6 weeks. KHS will provide adult dogs and cats over 5 months in age a booster vaccine after 2 weeks in KHSʻs care. KHS will provide puppies and kittens booster vaccines every 2 weeks until they are 4 months of age. Animal Control Services On behalf of the County of Kauaʻi, KHS will perform the following: 1. KHS will administer a general program of animal control and prevention of cruelty to animals, including intervention on behalf of animals at risk of cruelty. Specifically, during published business hours KHS will perform the following: a. Respond to public requests for assistance in matters relating to sick and/or injured, animals in distress, and/or animals at risk in vehicular traffic; b. Respond to complaints of cruelty and/or neglect; c. Provide checks of animal welfare; d. Respond to dogs running freely and confined stray dogs; e. Respond to dogs posing a danger to the public; f. Respond to deceased dogs on the roadways; g. Respond to leash law and barking dog violations; and h. Provide assistance to policemen and firemen dealing with animal issues. 2. After regular business hours, holidays, and any other day KHS is closed for business, KHS will respond to animals in vehicular traffic, dogs posing a danger to the public, sick injured and/or animals in distress, active and immediate cruelty complaints, and provide assistance to policemen and firemen dealing with animal issues. 3. KHS will provide educational opportunities on animal caretaking, and advise Kauaʻi inhabitants regarding best practices related to animal welfare. 29 B. Program Services KHS will operate the dog and cat licensing programs for the County. KHS will be responsible for issuing licenses, maintaining license records, and paying for any costs and other administrative duties within the licensing program. The work requires KHS to send out renewal forms to pet owners when licenses expire, process completed forms and payments, and mail licenses to pet owners. KHS will also administer impound and boarding services for stray animals on behalf of the County. C. Spay-and-Neuter Program (Optional) The County Contract for FY2019 did not include spay-and-neuter services provided by KHS. However, it did provide to reimburse KHS up to $15,000 for costs incurred related to: (a) Cruelty cases for all animals, including livestock; or (b) Medical supplies for “MASH-style” clinics for dogs and cats. KHS has chosen not to perform a “Mash-style” clinic in FY2019 because the expense of non-medical supplies is cost-prohibitive. KHS does perform limited spay-and-neuter services at a discounted price for pet owners, but this program does not meet the needs of the community nor has it had significant impact on the dog and cat populations of Kauaʻi. An “Affordable Spay-and-Neuter Program” would be the single most impactful program for mitigating the dog and cat overpopulation issues and ameliorating the collective costs for animal care on Kauaʻi. It has been demonstrated at many locations across the County that reducing pet overpopulation prevents many surplus animal births and deaths, and lowers the cost of animal control in the future. Moreover, low-cost spay and neuter doubles the number of low income people who get their pets “fixed,” and cuts animal shelter intakes in half. Cities and counties across the United States, including Maui County, have implemented low-cost spay-and-neuter 30 programs with demonstrable success. The following are demonstrated success stories of affordable spay-and-neuter programs, and similar results can be expected for Kauaʻi. • New Hampshire launched a statewide spay-and-neuter assistance program in 1994, enabling pet owners to have their animals sterilized for $10. Through 2000, more than 25,000 animals had been sterilized. In its first six years since the state’s eight largest animal shelters admitted 30,985 fewer dogs and cats than in the six years preceding the program. The estimated savings on impounding and sheltering those animals was $3.2 million. The cost of the program was just over $1 million, meaning the State saved more than $2.2 million in the program’s first six years. • Maui County implemented a robust spay-and-neuter program through the Maui Humane Society starting in 2015. In 2018, year-over-year cat and dog intake trended 17% lower and 27% lower, respectively. • Asheville, North Carolina decreased the euthanasia rate by 79 percent since they established their low-cost high-volume spay and neuter clinic. • Jacksonville, Florida implemented a targeted low-income spay-and- neuter program which resulted in an 37% decrease in shelter euthanasia rates within three years. Shelter intake decreased also dropped approximately 50% within two years. In summary, providing low-cost spay-and-neuter services to a community is a proven effective method of reducing shelter intake, reducing euthanasia rates, and reducing the taxpayer cost of administering animal care and control. On Kauaʻi it would also reduce the threat to native birds from feral cats. 31 Affordable, Robust Spay-and-Neuter Program for Kauaʻi With current staffing levels and funding constraints, KHS performs approximately 600 spay-and-neuter surgeries for pets per year. This excludes feral cats and in-house animals. KHS is able to offer only 15-20 appointments per week to the general public to spay-and-neuter their pets. Depending on the gender, size and species of the animal, the KHS price for the surgery ranges from $40 to $125 (which is substantially less than that charged by private veterinary clinics). Nevertheless, the KHS price is considered too high by many residents. With incremental funding by the County of Kauaʻi, the current program would be changed with the following goals in mind: • All surgeries would eventually be priced at $25 each; • Appointments would be offered 5 days per week; • A goal of 1,600 spay-and-neuter surgeries for the general public would be performed in FY2020. The above could be accomplished by adding one veterinarian and two vet technicians to the KHS staff. Once an Affordable, Robust Spay-and-Neuter Program is up and running, KHS anticipates it will be able to secure grant funding for the program. Accordingly, the funding by the County of KauaʻI would be correspondingly reduced in future years. 32 D. Capital Projects (Optional) 1. Vehicles Used Exclusively for County Contract. In FY2019, two trucks were leased for performance of the Animal Care and Animal Control work described in Section 3.A (above). An annual lease payment is required for FY2020, and the subsequent four years. 2. Capital Reserve. KHS is proposing to establish a “Capital Reserve” to address physical wear and tear at its KHS Facility. The Capital Reserve will be used for necessary projects. At this time the following two candidate projects have been identified: • Crematorium. The crematorium at the KHS Facility has undergone significant wear and tear, and needs substantial repairs or replacement. • Septic System. The septic system at the KHS Facility is exhibiting chronic problems, and needs substantial repairs or replacement. 33 4. Proposed Price for the County Contract for FY2020 A. Base Program As described above, in recent year funding provided by the County of Kauaʻi has been insufficient to cover the actual costs for animal care and control services provided by KHS. KHS has subsidized the cost of executing the County Contract with income derived from its fundraising activities as a private non-profit organization. Moreover, KHS utilizes a majority of its KHS Facility (“Shelter”) for work directly related to the County Contract. KHS owns the Shelter. The land is owned by Grove Farm and provided to KHS for a lease rent of $4,000 per year. Per the “Allocation Methodology” (see Appendix 1) in the FY2019 County Contract, the County of Kauaʻi reimburses KHS 50% of the lease rent, or $2,000 per year, and pays zero for use of the Shelter facilities. The estimated cost for performance of the Base Program proposed for FY2020 is $1,500,000, and ideally, this would be the amount of funding provided by the County of Kauaʻi to KHS. However, KHS recognizes that this would represent a very significant increase from historical levels. KHS also recognizes that the County of Kauaʻi is facing numerous financial challenges and has limited resources. Accordingly, KHS proposes to perform the Base Program on a “best effort basis” for a lump sum amount of $1,200,000. In addition, KHS proposes to work cooperatively with the County of Kauaʻi to review and update the Allocation Methodology. B. Program Servcies KHS will perform the Program Services at no cost to the County of Kauaʻi. KHS will expend its labor and financial resources to perform the work. In return, KHS will retain all fees received from licensing, impounding, and boarding activities. 34 C. Spay-and-Neuter Program (Optional) KHS will expand its current spay-and-neuter program for the general public to the “Affordable, Robust Spay-and-Neuter Program” described above. The incremenal cost to the County of Kauaʻi would be: Direct Labor (vet + 2 vet techs) $ 130,000 Labor Benefits 30,000 Medical Supplies 14,000 TOTAL $ 174,000 D. Capital Projects (Optional) Vehicle Lease for FY20201 $ 14,000 Capital Reserve $ 50,000 1 In FY 2019, the County verbally agreed to provide KHS with $14,000 a year for six years to finance the purchase of two trucks needed to perform animal care and control duties. The first of these payments was included in the FY19 County Contract. The cost of the trucks, interest on the loan and the bank fees totals $88,157.73, and at the end of 6 years, the County will have paid $84,000 and KHS will have paid $4,158.73.