REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
November 5, 2024
FROM
JOSHUA DUGAS, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT
Title
Grant Award from Petco Love for Pet Disaster Relief Related to the Line and Bridge Fires
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Accept grant award (Award No. G-2409-60548) from Petco Love, in the amount of $25,000, for pet disaster relief due to the Line and Bridge fires, for the period of November 5, 2024, through November 4, 2025.
2. Authorize the Chair of the Board of Supervisors, Chief Executive Officer, or Director of the Department of Public Health, to execute any subsequent non-substantive amendments or documents in relation to the grant award (Award No. G-2409-60548), subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Director of the Department of Public Health to transmit all amendments in relation to the grant award (Award No. G-2409-60548) to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Joshua Dugas, Director, 387-9146)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The grant award in the amount of $25,000 from Petco Love does not require a match. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Department of Public Health’s (DPH) 2024-25 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Petco Love was established in 1999 and is a non-profit animal welfare organization associated with Petco, a nationwide business which sells products and services for animals. The mission of Petco Love is to make communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier by funding programs which promote pet adoption, reunification of lost pets, disaster relief, and veterinarian care. On October 15, 2024, due to the Line and Bridge fires, Petco Love awarded DPH a one-time disaster grant (Award No. G-2409-60548) of $25,000 to reimburse animal care related costs resulting from emergency veterinary services, equipment, supplies, food, and other items needed to care for pets that had been evacuated.
The County is mandated to provide care and services to pets impacted by disasters in the region. On September 5, 2024, and September 8, 2024, the Line and Bridge Fires, respectively, resulted in the evacuation of County residents living in Highland, Mt. Baldy, Wrightwood, Phelan, and several other mountain communities including Big Bear. County evacuation centers for displaced residents and pets were opened at the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds in Victorville, the Jessie Turner Community Center in Fontana, the Immanuel Baptist Church in Highland, the Fountain of Living Waters Church in Phelan, Redlands East Valley High School in Redlands, and the Apple Valley Conference Center in Apple Valley. Pets and large animals were also evacuated to the County Devore Animal Shelter, and 853 pets in total were cared for during the evacuation period, which spanned several weeks. To care for the displaced animals, purchases were made of equipment such as crates, temporary kennels, and air-cooling devices, along with food and other supplies. Lastly, veterinary services were administered to sick and injured animals. The Petco Love grant will be used to reimburse animal care related costs resulting from the disaster response.
Terms of accepting the grant prohibit the County and its employees and representatives from disparaging or speaking negatively or taking any action intended, or which could reasonably be expected, to harm Petco Love or its reputation. This is not a non-standard term requiring Board of Supervisors (Board) approval, but nonetheless DPH wants to make the Board aware.
DPH recommends approval of the grant award, as this funding will allow the department to be reimbursed for pet-related disaster expenses resulting from the Line and Bridge Fires. In addition, the grant award furthers the County goal of providing for the safety, health and social service needs of county residents.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Daniel Pasek, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on October 15, 2024; Finance (Iliana Rodriguez, Administrative Analyst, 387-4205) on October 21, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on October 21, 2024.