Tulare County Animal Services Division places hundreds of shelter animals in new homes with adopters who are looking for a fantastic pet. The animal adoptions program is spearheaded by staff and volunteers who coordinate adoption events, sponsorships, and volunteer assistance. The adoptions program includes finding foster parents who are able to temporarily care for shelter animals at their homes, giving animals time to grow, socialize, and receive personalized attention and care in a family environment before going to their “forever home.” Moms with litters have a chance to raise their puppies and kittens away from a shelter setting, enabling them to have more contact with people, children, and other animals.
The Animal Adoption Fund offsets the costs of adoption, including spay/neuter expenses, vaccinations, microchips, and dog licensing, by sponsoring either the full or partial adoption costs. This is especially helpful with the hard-to-place animals, older animals, those needing special medical treatment, and those needing extra help finding a permanent home. Animal Services holds special adoption events throughout the year to promote adoptions and pet ownership.
Animal Services has the following responsibilities: Maintaining the health and safety of the animals in their care and custody; overseeing the dog licensing program for county residents; providing outreach and education services; and responding to public complaints, reports of vicious animals, dog bites, and animal neglect cases. Animal Services’ primary goal is to find new homes for shelter animals through adoptions, foster parents, and rescue groups.
The Animal Services General Fund is used for purchasing educational materials; covering expenses associated with providing low-cost vaccination and microchip clinics to the county’s rural communities; purchasing general supplies to improve the animals’ health; transporting animals to rescue organizations; and for various other items to enhance the program’s education and outreach efforts.
Tulare County is a large county with pets in many households. For some people, accessing veterinary care or having their animals spayed or neutered and vaccinated can be difficult to afford. The Animal Services Spay/Neuter Fund provides reduced-cost spay/neuter vouchers. It also brings mobile spay/neuter clinics to small communities with no access to veterinary care and facilitates a trap, neuter, and release (TNR) program for community cats.