Donations may keep kittens alive longer
Morgan Hill – Cash donations will buoy the San Martin Animal Shelter in the new year, allowing for an extra $18,000 of food and drug purchases.
“It’s absolutely critical,” said Greg Van Wassenhove, director of the Santa Clara County Division of Animal Care and Control. “It’s likely more animals would have to be euthanized if we can’t keep them fed and healthy.”
The extra cash is coming from the shelter’s donation trust fund, and it’s the first withdrawal in “three or four years,” said Van Wassenhove.
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved the cash transfer on Dec. 12. A large portion of the money comes from shelter patrons who make donations after paying for services.
Located on 12370 Murphy Ave., the shelter houses up to 3,500 would-be pets per year. It’s open six days and 34 hours a week, but last year faced a budget shortfall that threatened to cut service to two days a week. State funds were used to keep it open.
The shelter’s future adjacent to the San Martin Airport has been unsure since 2002 when the Santa Clara County Airports Commission proposed expanding the runway for jet traffic. Additionally, in 2004 the Animal Needs Assessment Study recommended a new South County shelter to the tune of $7.2 million. All plans for both airport and shelter construction are on hold, though, waiting for future funding and environmental studies that could take years.
The shelter, the only one in South County, has a staff of five kennel attendants, two clerical workers, a veterinarian and a veterinary technician.
Van Wassenhove said the budget for the shelter is about $720,000. The budget for Santa Clara County’s Division of Animal Care and Control is roughly $1.2 million.
Fletcher Dobbs, manager of the Animal Care and Control
Program for Santa Clara County, said the shelter is relying on supplemental money this year because of the county’s budget crisis.
The county’s deficit is projected to be $106 million.
“All donations are highly valuable,” Dobbs said.
“If (these funds) weren’t available, we’d probably have to cut other services to allow for these expenditures,” Van Wassenhove added.
Dobbs said the shelter has about 100 animals in foster care, meaning they are taken care of by volunteers.
“Those animals are actually county property,” he said, meaning they require food and shots.
The shelter’s staff expects to use the cash to buy blankets, food, and medicine including antibiotics, dewormer products and vaccinations.
Van Wassenhove said a balance of almost $3,000 remains in the trust fund.
“We needed the supplies,” he said. “We’re getting ready for the spring kitten season.”
Tony Burchyns covers Morgan Hill for The Times. Reach him at (408) 779-4106 ext. 201 or tb*******@mo*************.com.
