DJ Becker spoke at Madera Rotary Club to explain and promote the circulating petition on a new Measure to fund and expand Animal Services in Madera County.
She explained some highlights of the Measure, and also emphasized the desperate need for change and expansion of these services during the club’s Tuesday meeting.
“It couldn’t be more timely,” she said. “Our rescue groups are collapsing because of the lack of donations. Anything funded by donations is struggling, including the Hope Foundation in Fresno, because of the economic times’ uncertainty.”
Becker’s involvement in animal services began 24 years ago as a volunteer, and she has a foster home for the Madera County Animal Shelter.
“I stopped counting at 500 foster dogs. Everything I own has teeth marks in it,” she said.
She started the low-cost FMAS shot clinic 15 years ago at the fairgrounds with the volunteers in the clinic. She is a fierce advocate for the humane treatment of animals and the prosecution of felony animal cruelty.
Becker explained about the long legal process to get the petition where it is today. She has been working with Kirsten Gross, retired director of Madera County Animal Services and co-founder of Friends of Madera Animal Shelter, to author the Measure.
“Kirsten Gross has been the inspiration for all of this. Two years ago, we sat down and said, if we had a magic wand, what would we like to see happen here for our animals? So, we brainstormed and went back and forth and argued about this and argued about that and came to some compromises,” Becker said.
The proposed Measure is to fund Animal Services in Madera County by increasing the sales tax by a quarter of a percent.
“This measure will build a new facility with an affordable, non-profit veterinary clinic,” she said.
Most veterinary practices have been purchased by private equity or corporations, which have caused huge increases in veterinary fees. The average cost to spay a female cat is $300 to $400, and to spay a female dog is $600 to $800.
The sales tax increase and the services will include the entire county, and will consolidate the ordinances and services.
“This measure will actually triple the budget of Madera County Animal Services,” Becker said.
To put it simply, what is in Madera County’s budget for Animal Services is $1.4 million. This Measure will replace that amount in the budget, to free up for other county services, and the funding for Animal Services will come from the sales tax instead.
With the funds, a new facility will be built, and will include some veterinary services, and other animal services.
“There are no other realistic sources to do any of this. Madera County just cut (an average of) 10 percent across all departments,” Becker said. “We plan to buy acreage outside and adjacent to the city that’s convenient for everyone, and also put satellite facilities where applicable, say up in Oakhurst and Ranchos when funding allows,” she said.
Madera County has a serious problem with stray dogs and cats. Some of the dogs are vicious, and have attacked residents. Both cats and dogs that have not been spayed or neutered continue to populate the community. Without proper funding, this is a growing problem.
“We anticipate that this Measure is going to raise between $5 million and $6 million annually, depending on sales tax revenue. As Madera grows, this will grow, and our animal population will grow,” Becker said. “It’s going to be a small sales tax increase across the entire county, and this measure is a true voters initiative,” Becker said.
Her point was that it was not written by Madera County, with County rules. This will be what residents want, to do the right thing. This is unique in the state of California.
“We have more than 3,000 signatures right now. We’re going for 5,000, but that’s a cushion. It’s been a challenge, but it’s 96 percent polling positive. When I put this in front of somebody, they say, ‘New animal shelter? Affordable vet clinic?’ They go, ‘Where do I sign?’ Literally,” Becker said.
She further explained that along with the Measure will be an independent professional five-member board, including Becker, that will supervise the construction, the measure, and to make sure that the spirit of this measure is followed. There will continue to be oversight.
Without this measure, the cities of Madera and Chowchilla and Madera County will continue to be overrun with unwanted, starving, roaming, and dangerous animals, reproducing.
The plan for spending is to allocate 40 percent to animal services, and 60 percent to the clinic until everything is operational. At this point, the costs are unknown, with construction costs rising, and veterinary services now unattainable. There is a clause to re-allocate when costs are known.
The petition is to get the Measure on the November ballot. Becker is pretty sure once it is on the ballot, it will be passed, but she plans to work hard at promoting the Measure until that November election day.
The full text of the measure is available on request. Look for petitions to sign at Save Mart, Walmart, Mail Drop, The Madera Tribune, as well as other places.
Signers must be registered voters in Madera County. The deadline to sign the petition is the first week in July.
Becker graciously thanked Madera Rotary for the opportunity to share information on this important measure.