City of Selma votes to end contact with Second Chance Animal Shelter
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – In a three-to-two-vote, the City of Selma has voted to let their contract expire with the Selma Second Chance Animal Shelter.
It took place in a late-night vote on Monday, after hours of back and forth between concerned Selma residents, the city council, and the shelter’s leadership. Ultimately, in a three-to-two vote, the council voted to let the contract with the shelter expire at the end of the year on Dec. 31, 2023.
“Second chance shelter deserves a second chance,” one resident standing in support of the shelter said.
Two items up for discussion during Monday’s city council meeting looked to threaten the shelter’s 10-year relationship with the city.
With the first, the council voted yes to remove the shelter’s name from a municipal code that states the Second Chance shelter is the only group allowed to contract animal control issues with the city. Councilmembers who voted yes on this item said, this just allows them more flexibility, without rewriting the city’s code.
The second matter, focused on if the contract should continue in the first place, with the council ultimately voting no.
Selma City Manager Fernando Santillian recommended the council to let the contract expire and go back to having police in charge of animal control.
He said Fresno Humane should come in and help work with the shelter. He argued this because of the poor conditions at the shelter and their struggling financial health.
He said they have spent nearly $300 thousand on the shelter in total this year.
“What we’re concerned with is public safety and that the animals are well taken care of,” Santillian said.
Still, shelter president Parveen Sandhu said police cannot provide all the services they do. She and many others said they would like to see police focus on criminals, and having the city take over, could still be costly.
“If we’re able to save the city money and divert those resources and that time to us, while the city can go ahead and take care of other things, I think it’s a good value,” she said.
With the news of the contract’s expiration, she is making a plea to the public to get all of the dogs adopted by the end of the year.
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