Calaveras County · 2025-2026 Civil Grand Jury

Calaveras County Animal Services: Road Map to a Modern Shelter - Policies and Procedures

Reviews Animal Services policies, job descriptions, staffing, officer safety, veterinary transportation, shelter capacity, and preparation for a planned new shelter.

County response & audit Official PDF Explore 5 related questions

Response available · Calaveras County Board of Supervisors

Board response to animal-services policies and preparedness

The Board reports existing training, equipment, grant activity, and rescue screening, while promising a procedures manual, use-of-force policy, and in-house veterinary cost analysis by June 30, 2027. Several implementation claims describe continuing or incomplete work.

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This page provides a plain-language orientation to the report and connects it with related civic questions. The official PDF is the authoritative source for complete findings, recommendations, responses, and context.

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Civic questions related to this report

These questions use this report as their supporting source and lead to public Pol.is conversations.

Animal Services Readiness

What operational foundation should accompany a new animal shelter?

Civic question

What should an accessible, regularly updated Animal Services policy manual contain?

The report finds that Animal Services lacks centralized, organized, current policies and recommends updating them to current standards and state law, distributing them to all paid staff, and obtaining signed acknowledgements.

Civic question

How should Animal Services keep job descriptions and employee performance reviews current?

The report recommends updating four Animal Services job descriptions and beginning annual performance reviews so staff can receive and provide feedback about their work.

Civic question

What training, policy, protective equipment, and vehicle standards should support Animal Services Officers in the field?

The report finds officers lacked de-escalation training, adequate protective and safety equipment, a Use of Force policy, and consistently safe vehicle equipment; it recommends training, a policy, appropriate gear, repairs, and routine maintenance.

Civic question

What should a cost-benefit review of in-house or contracted shelter veterinary services measure?

The report says veterinary services and transportation consume budget and officer time, and recommends analyzing whether hiring or contracting for in-house veterinary services could reduce costs and free officers to address public complaints.

Civic question

How should the County combine grant funding and rescue partnerships to manage shelter population?

The report finds Animal Services had not obtained spay and neuter grants since 2022 and that the dog shelter remained over capacity; it recommends new grant applications and a policy identifying eligible rescue organizations.

Calaveras County Animal Services: Road Map to a Modern Shelter - Policies and Procedures

Board response to animal-services policies and preparedness

What should an accessible, regularly updated Animal Services policy manual contain?

How should Animal Services keep job descriptions and employee performance reviews current?

What training, policy, protective equipment, and vehicle standards should support Animal Services Officers in the field?

What should a cost-benefit review of in-house or contracted shelter veterinary services measure?

How should the County combine grant funding and rescue partnerships to manage shelter population?

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