Tribe funds reopening of San Bernardino animal shelter | News

A $ 1.5 million grant from the Indian Band of the San Manuel Mission to achieve the goal of “being stewards of the land, the people” and the animals was celebrated at the inauguration of the San Bernardino animal shelter at the beginning of the month.

A large ribbon was cut jointly by Mayor John Valdivia and San Manuel President Ken Ramirez.

The day included tours of the shelter, discounted $ 25 pet adoptions, and pet photo ops with Santa Claus.

The tribe gave the shelter a three-year improvement grant to help fund a new shelter, purchase new animal control trucks, provide medical care in special cases and start a microchip program. .

Alberto Jasso, who is leading the strategic philanthropy effort, said: “They want to make sure that they not only take care of the people of their ancestral Serrano lands, but that they also include the animals in our community.

Jasso said the grant money would be used to help improve the existing animal shelter and to help the city plan its promising new facility over the coming months.

Kris Watson, director of animal services at the shelter, explained that there was “no way to remake the shelter to meet current animal welfare standards.”

Watson also spoke about the overcrowding issues at shelters across the country and the San Bernardino shelter in particular: “We have reached or exceeded our capacity since April of this year.”

Even with this problem, the refuge’s success between January and November is impressive.

They found new adoptive homes for 1,190 pets, returned 433 found animals to their owners and transferred 1,287 animals to partner agencies.

The no-slaughter threshold for shelters is considered to be 90% and “our save rate for dogs is currently 94% and our combined save rate for all animals is 85%”.

An architect has been hired and community meetings to gather feedback on the preliminary design for the new shelter will be held in January.

For more information on the shelter, the animals available for adoption and plans for the new shelter, contact the San Bernardino shelter.

San Bernardino Animal Shelter

Or: 333 Place Chandler, San Bernardino.

Hours: from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday or by appointment.

See the animals: On petharbor.com

For more information: Call (909) 384-1304.