Cloverdale has become the fifth local city to scrap its contract with North Bay Animal Services following a string of disturbing allegations regarding substandard care. The City Council voted unanimously this week to immediately move its sheltering services to the Humane Society of Sonoma County after reports surfaced of inhumane conditions at a facility in Clearlake.
According to the Press Democrat, Police Chief Chris Parker says the city had to “act quick” to ensure local animals receive “top-notch” care at the Humane Society’s Santa Rosa and Healdsburg campuses. While the nonprofit will still handle field animal control on a month-to-month basis for now, the city is already looking for a more permanent, long-term solution.
This latest move mirrors recent exits by Petaluma, Windsor, and Sebastopol as the region grapples with a scathing civil grand jury report on the agency’s operations. Officials are now eyeing a potential joint-powers agreement with Sonoma County Animal Services to provide a more stable, centralized approach for the future.
