City Council Ignores High Volume Spay/Neuter Nonprofit for Poor Veterinary Services Performer

San Angelo City Council approved the donation of veterinary surgical equipment to Concho Valley PAWS despite a request from Critter Shack Rescue to purchase the equipment from the city.  Critter Shack operates a low cost spay/neuter clinic that averages 1,800 spay/neuters per year.  It also partners with the city as the only sponsoring organization for the Community Cat program.

City Council contracted with PAWS in February 2018 for veterinary services.  PAWS performed 87 spay/neuter surgeries from May to July 2018 and has done none since that period.  Critter Shack performed 3,000 spay/neuter surgeries during the same period.

Council did not consider the Critter Shack proposal or its track record in serving citizens by providing low cost spay/neuter services.  The city's surgical equipment would have allowed Critter Shack to expand their clinic which benefits the public.

Critter Shack fits staff's stated rationale of "keeping it local, within Pets Alive coalition" better than Concho Valley PAWS.  Community Cats is a top strategy for the city under Pets Alive.  At the September Animal Shelter Advisory Committee meeting Morgan indicated community cats are taking up shelter slots due to the wait for spay/neuter surgeries.

Council did not consider PAWS role in making the current equipment "unused" by failing to perform under their veterinary services contract with the city, nor did it set any conditions for the equipment donation.

This sets the stage for Council to once again ignore PAWS performance on complying with the city's spay/neuter ordinance for pets in the Animal Shelter.  PAWS now will get the city's veterinary services equipment as it leases land next to the Animal Shelter for an adoption center for $1.  The two organizations are firmly in bed with one another as a new, deeper arrangement looms.