Apple Valley Animal Shelter (AVAS) does not have the structure in place to take in the volume from SBC. Animals are being sent to AVAS lacking proper care and exposure to potential rescuers/adopters, resulting in animals being killed prematurely and unnecessarily. 

AVAS, presented a plan to improve/expand the shelter in anticipation of the contract renewal with SBC for $1+ Million Annually:

1) The new contract commenced in July 2023, and AVAS has yet to implement most of the proposed changes. Rather than expand the kennel space, they reduced their kennel space, thereby giving the animals less time to be saved. UPDATE: New Kennel Unit was finally ordered in October with the $80K in additional funds from SBC, but still not in operation 9 months into the contract. 

2) AVAS proposed plan included hiring a behaviorist to socialize the dogs and provide vital behavior notes for rescues/adopters. No behaviorist on staff 4 months into the contract! UPDATE: Behaviorist was hired, but most of the animals don’t have behavioral notes because the animals get killed too quickly. 

3) AVAS proposed plan included hiring a PR/Networker to help provide exposure to the animals. Instead, their social media sites are blocking volunteer networkers who have been critical of their operations. UPDATE: PR/Networker has been posting photos and videos on AVAS Facebook pages, but the videos/photos are taken down once the dogs are pending euthanasia—at the most critical time, when they should be seen. 

4) The Director of AVAS is pursuing her career as a Celebrity Photographer and rarely there to oversee the shelter operations. UPDATE: Gina Whiteside, Director of AVAS was in Miami during the busiest shelter week of the year, July 4th. She also traveled to Milan, New York, and London since the contract commenced. 

5) The Rescue Coordinator is not able to handle the volume, missing important emails/phone calls from rescues and providing erroneous data about the animals, resulting in more animals being killed. UPDATE: The Rescue Coordinator makes the networkers “jump through hoops” in order to obtain the status of unlisted dogs, instead of posting a public “Euth List,” letting everyone know which animals are pending euthanasia. It has taken over 24 hours to find out the status, and by then animals were already killed. The Rescue Coordinator job description includes assisting with euthanasia, and requires a euthanasia certificate. 

6) Most towns in SBC do not know that the county animals are being sent to AVAS. Because of their expedited kill rate, dog/owners are not able to find their animals in time. UPDATE: the Volume from SBC is greater than 60%! More than 5,000 animals have come through AVAS since the contract commenced in July 2023! 

7) The Mayor and City Council of Apple Valley are in full support of AVAS and therefore refuse to listen to the public, or require the shelter to improve their operations. UPDATE: the Town Manager, Doug Robertson, who signed the contract for Apple Valley, received a raise the day the contract commenced…earning almost $25k/monthly! 

8) AVAS is in BREACH of the contract, Section N, that requires them to make all animals visible to the public. Most animals (especially cats) do not even make it onto the site, so there is no record of what the animals looked like before they’re killed. Some animals are uploaded onto the site after being there almost a week, and then killed a few days later while the owners could still be searching for them. 

AVAS misrepresented themselves and their ability to handle the volume from SBC, therefore the contract MUST BE CANCELLED! Those animals deserve a shelter that cares about saving their lives, instead of the $1+ Million that SBC is paying them. 

SBC Board of Supervisors approved $45 Million for building a new shelter last year. The new shelter structure should be expedited!  In the meantime, VVAPL building is vacant in Apple Valley—a contract with VVAPL would be beneficial for the animals. Also Victorville is refurbishing a old high school to use as a new shelter—a contract with Victorville should be explored. Otherwise expand Devore Shelter with the funds used to send animals to AVAS. The animals must be redirected to shelters who can handle the volume and possess a greater desire to help save their lives! The animals of SBC need YOUR help! Please give them a chance at life with people who truly want to save them. SBC Board of Supervisors, please cancel the AVAS contract ASAP!