FAAS - Save Our Shelter Ad Campaign
Donation protected
Help us pay for a private advertising campaign to let the City of Alameda know how important it is that they fully fund Friends of the Alameda Animal (FAAS) to run the shelter.
All funds raised will be used to pay for a series of ads to make the public aware of what is at stake and to let elected officials and public servants know how important this issue is to the citizens of Alameda.
Background Information:
FAAS is endeavoring to negotiate a new City contract for services that will provide sustainable funding and an opportunity for the shelter to grow. In August 2016, FAAS submitted to the City a proposed budget of $1.375 million.
Prior to FAAS's contract with the City, the Alameda Animal Shelter was run by the Alameda Police Department with a budget of $995,000 and the shelter animal kill rate was approximately 25-30%, or one in four of all animals that entered the shelter.
The City provided minimal medical care to animals when it ran the shelter. There were no flea treatments, vaccinations or other measures considered standard today.
When the City ran the shelter, the volunteer program was much smaller than it is now and there were no programs such as Pet Food Pantry to help low-income families feed their pets. There was no on-staff veterinary technician or animal behavior expert to promote health and successful adoptions. There was minimal community outreach or education.
When FAAS first contracted with the City, in 2011, its annual contract for $300,000 was based on service delivery equivalent to the way the City ran the shelter in the past, including the minimal medical care and high kill rate. That level of service is not acceptable by today's standards, nor is it acceptable to FAAS nor, we think, to the citizens of Alameda.
FAAS has transformed the shelter from an old-fashioned "pound" into a quality animal shelter program despite being housed in an outdated, dilapidated cinderblock building that the city has failed to properly maintain per our contract.
Since taking over the shelter, FAAS has maintained an average 95% live release rate – the number of animals that are reunited with their families, adopted or transferred to rescue groups.
FAAS provides not only regular medical care, vaccinations, flea treatments, parvovirus shots and rabies shots but also extraordinary medical care through community fundraising.
FAAS has built up the volunteer program to more than 150 dedicated individuals who socialize and exercise animals, foster underage and sick animals, staff mobile adoption events, clean kennels, lead workshops and much more.
FAAS's humane education program teaches Alameda students about bite prevention and responsible pet ownership.
FAAS has been able to make these dramatic improvements despite inadequate city funding due to some one-time windfall donations and the dedication of staff. These funding sources, including staff overtime, are not sustainable.
A public-private partnership between FAAS and the City is the most efficient way to provide quality animal shelter services. As a nonprofit, FAAS can leverage public dollars with private fundraising to provide enhanced services that the city is not obligated to provide. Also, a nonprofit is not bound by labor agreements that can dramatically increase staffing costs. Finally, a nonprofit is more able to incorporate the work of volunteers into its operations.
The proposed contract is not a "Cadillac" funding request. It covers essential services that the City is obligated by law to provide the citizens of Alameda and a level of care that is standard in the shelter industry and expected by the community.
FAAS is not asking the City to fund enhanced services such as The Angel Fund (emergency medical fund) or Sasha Fund (for canine training). FAAS will continue to raise its own funds to cover enhanced services.
FAAS needs to increase staffing to meet reasonable, minimal industry standards.
Costs for basic operations have increased dramatically in the last four years, while in-kind and monetary sources of funding for the shelter have been reduced. Some of FAAS's administrative services that were once donated now must be paid for. Medical care, neuter surgeries, medications and personnel health insurance are growing at approximately 10% annually, well above the consumer price index (CPI).
FAAS has met or exceeded its fundraising goals for each of the last four years, in effect subsidizing the City's under-contribution to the costs of its animal shelter.
The City of Alameda has not met two of its contract obligations: 1) capital improvements to the shelter slated in the City's 2015 and 2016 budgets, and 2) animal control services.
Lack of adequate funding will trim FAAS's operations and return the shelter to a "dog pound" level of service. Only a fully funded shelter can offer services that shelter animals deserve both legally and morally.
Balancing Alameda's budget does not mean we need to compromise Alameda values. Help us tell the city to do the right thing and fully fund FAAS to run the animal shelter.
Thank you
"The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated." - Mahatma Gandhi
All funds raised will be used to pay for a series of ads to make the public aware of what is at stake and to let elected officials and public servants know how important this issue is to the citizens of Alameda.
Background Information:
FAAS is endeavoring to negotiate a new City contract for services that will provide sustainable funding and an opportunity for the shelter to grow. In August 2016, FAAS submitted to the City a proposed budget of $1.375 million.
Prior to FAAS's contract with the City, the Alameda Animal Shelter was run by the Alameda Police Department with a budget of $995,000 and the shelter animal kill rate was approximately 25-30%, or one in four of all animals that entered the shelter.
The City provided minimal medical care to animals when it ran the shelter. There were no flea treatments, vaccinations or other measures considered standard today.
When the City ran the shelter, the volunteer program was much smaller than it is now and there were no programs such as Pet Food Pantry to help low-income families feed their pets. There was no on-staff veterinary technician or animal behavior expert to promote health and successful adoptions. There was minimal community outreach or education.
When FAAS first contracted with the City, in 2011, its annual contract for $300,000 was based on service delivery equivalent to the way the City ran the shelter in the past, including the minimal medical care and high kill rate. That level of service is not acceptable by today's standards, nor is it acceptable to FAAS nor, we think, to the citizens of Alameda.
FAAS has transformed the shelter from an old-fashioned "pound" into a quality animal shelter program despite being housed in an outdated, dilapidated cinderblock building that the city has failed to properly maintain per our contract.
Since taking over the shelter, FAAS has maintained an average 95% live release rate – the number of animals that are reunited with their families, adopted or transferred to rescue groups.
FAAS provides not only regular medical care, vaccinations, flea treatments, parvovirus shots and rabies shots but also extraordinary medical care through community fundraising.
FAAS has built up the volunteer program to more than 150 dedicated individuals who socialize and exercise animals, foster underage and sick animals, staff mobile adoption events, clean kennels, lead workshops and much more.
FAAS's humane education program teaches Alameda students about bite prevention and responsible pet ownership.
FAAS has been able to make these dramatic improvements despite inadequate city funding due to some one-time windfall donations and the dedication of staff. These funding sources, including staff overtime, are not sustainable.
A public-private partnership between FAAS and the City is the most efficient way to provide quality animal shelter services. As a nonprofit, FAAS can leverage public dollars with private fundraising to provide enhanced services that the city is not obligated to provide. Also, a nonprofit is not bound by labor agreements that can dramatically increase staffing costs. Finally, a nonprofit is more able to incorporate the work of volunteers into its operations.
The proposed contract is not a "Cadillac" funding request. It covers essential services that the City is obligated by law to provide the citizens of Alameda and a level of care that is standard in the shelter industry and expected by the community.
FAAS is not asking the City to fund enhanced services such as The Angel Fund (emergency medical fund) or Sasha Fund (for canine training). FAAS will continue to raise its own funds to cover enhanced services.
FAAS needs to increase staffing to meet reasonable, minimal industry standards.
Costs for basic operations have increased dramatically in the last four years, while in-kind and monetary sources of funding for the shelter have been reduced. Some of FAAS's administrative services that were once donated now must be paid for. Medical care, neuter surgeries, medications and personnel health insurance are growing at approximately 10% annually, well above the consumer price index (CPI).
FAAS has met or exceeded its fundraising goals for each of the last four years, in effect subsidizing the City's under-contribution to the costs of its animal shelter.
The City of Alameda has not met two of its contract obligations: 1) capital improvements to the shelter slated in the City's 2015 and 2016 budgets, and 2) animal control services.
Lack of adequate funding will trim FAAS's operations and return the shelter to a "dog pound" level of service. Only a fully funded shelter can offer services that shelter animals deserve both legally and morally.
Balancing Alameda's budget does not mean we need to compromise Alameda values. Help us tell the city to do the right thing and fully fund FAAS to run the animal shelter.
Thank you
"The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated." - Mahatma Gandhi
Organizer and beneficiary
John Lipp
Organizer
Alameda, CA
Gail Artikaslan
Beneficiary
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