Title
Approving an ordinance on second reading with the caption reading: An ordinance of the City of Pflugerville, Texas, amending Chapter 90 Animal Welfare Ordinance of the City of Pflugerville, Texas, Code of Ordinances, approving fees to be charged by Pflugerville Animal Welfare Services, as authorized by state statute; repealing all ordinances to the extent they are in conflict; providing severability; and providing an effective date.
Summary
Following the COVID pandemic ‘great adoption,’ many pet owners returned to the workplace and began to surrender their animals to the shelter in what has been coined “the great relinquishment.” As people contact the Pflugerville Animal Shelter to give their pets, these owner surrenders have a significant impact on shelter operations as space needs to be reserved for standard shelter capacity management and operations. The Pflugerville Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) shelter exists to provide a place for stray animals and seizure cases. The shelter provides owner relinquishments/surrenders as a service.
Due to an increase in owner surrenders, the proposed fee increase is requested to cover the cost the City incurs because someone no longer wants a pet. The higher fee is necessary to cover costs and keep the shelter capacity manageable. The proposed fee changes encourage residents to attempt to rehome their pet first. Owner surrender pets cost the City because of the necessary vaccinations and preparation for getting an animal ready for adoption, plus the cost of housing and care until the animal is rehomed. The proposed rates increase the cost for unaltered animals to cover the cost of the necessary spay/neuter for the animal to be adopted from the City. An increase for high-risk animals is requested because a high-risk animal is one that may not socialize well with other pets, requires additional behavioral training to enhance its adoptability or it has an ongoing health issue which typically leads to a longer sh...
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