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The value of the community as a whole is a prime justification for these changes. <br />Both the ordinances themselves and related civil penalties and fees are designed to <br />improve the safety and welfare of not only animals, but human members of the <br />County. This is no less true with respect to various public nuisances (for example, <br />barking or unconfined dogs) than the vaccination of dogs and cats against rabies, <br />though the latter is certainly accented by high numbers of confirmed rabies cases in <br />recent years in Orange County as well as in the state. Similarly, the identification of <br />animals and their owners is integral to ensuring that each and every pet owner is <br />responsible for their pets and toward other members of their community. <br />As noted previously, these fees have not been adjusted or changed during the last <br />decade. While increasing them will produce additional revenues for the County, the <br />goal of the Animal Services Department is to motivate residents to comply with the <br />ordinance in the most effective and efficient ways possible and to recover some of <br />the additional costs that occur when residents fail to comply with specific <br />requirements. Civil citations and fees are not ordinarily the first step in the <br />compliance process. People not in compliance are usually issued a warning (or <br />abatement order) and given adequate time to comply, along with the proper <br />education on ways in which they may do so. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: Staff projects that there will be an increase in the amount of <br />penalties and fees collected in the short and medium term and does not expect that <br />amount to decrease. The major impact for the department will be the better <br />utilization of its resources insofar as compliance measures are more effective. As <br />people are more highly motivated to comply with the ordinance, the real costs <br />associated with compliance efforts can be controlled and/or recovered to the <br />greatest extent possible. <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager requests that the Board conduct a public <br />hearing on the proposed amendments and recommends that the Board approve the <br />proposed amendments to the Orange County Animal Ordinance and Collection <br />Policy. These amendments include the recommended increases in civil penalties <br />and fines and selectively replaces the designation of civil, penalties with fees, to be <br />effective February 4, 2008, upon completion of the approved public relations and <br />outreach efforts as outlined. <br />