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RESOLUTION APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AND THE CAT NETWORK INC. FOR VETERINARIAN SERVICES ON MOBILE VETERINARY CLINIC; AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR DESIGNEE TO EXERCISE RENEWAL AND CANCELLATION PROVISIONS CONTAINED THEREIN

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WHEREAS, this Board desires to accomplish the purposes outlined in the accompanying memorandum, a copy of which is incorporated herein by reference,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board authorizes the County Mayor or designee to execute an agreement with the Cat Network Inc., in substantially the form attached hereto and made a part hereof, to provide a staff veterinarian for the sterilization of cats on the Cat Network�s mobile animal clinic; and authorizes the County Mayor or designee to exercise the renewal and cancellation provisions contained therein.

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Date:

To: Honorable Chairwoman Rebeca Sosa
and Members, Board of County Commissioners

From: Carlos A. Gimenez
Mayor

Subject: Resolution Approving an Agreement between Miami-Dade County and the Cat Network Inc. for
Veterinarian Services for the Meow Mobile

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Board of County Commissioners (Board) approve the attached resolution approving the execution of an Agreement between Miami-Dade County (County) and the Cat Network Inc. (TCN) for veterinarian services on the Meow Mobile (Unit), a mobile animal clinic which is owned and operated by the TCN, for the sterilization of free-roaming and privately owned cats or cats being housed at the County�s Animal Shelter as described below and in the attached agreement.

Scope
The impact of this item is countywide in nature as the unit may be stationed throughout the County, including the Miami-Dade Animal Services Department (ASD) shelter.

Fiscal Impact/Funding Source
The sterilization services offered in this Agreement and staff veterinarian will be funded through the additional allocation approved by the Board as part of the FY 2013-14 budget for the County�s No Kill initiatives. Sterilization services will be performed by existing ASD staff veterinarians. The salary range for a staff veterinarian, including fringe benefits is $95,000 - $115,000. ASD staff veterinarians will be scheduled to perform sterilization surgeries on the Unit three times per week on a rotating basis.

Track Record/Monitor
ASD Operations and Enforcement Chief, Kathy Labrada, will monitor the spay and neuter performance and ASD Chief of Shelter Services and Live Release Programs, Lorna Mejia, will monitor contractual compliance.

MANAGER'S BACKGROUND
Background
It is estimated that there are at least 300,000 to 400,000 free roaming cats in Miami-Dade County reproducing and contributing to the number of unwanted and homeless cats that are abandoned at ASD�s shelter. One way to reduce the shelter�s intake can be controlled through spay and neuter programs.

On July 3, 2012, the Board adopted Resolution No. 583-12 which directed the Mayor to develop a No Kill Implementation Plan for the County�s Animal Shelter. The Plan was to include free roaming cat trap/neuter release programs and high volume affordable spay/neuter services. The Board later adopted a resolution (resolution number is pending due to amendments) which approved ASD�s report of recommendations for attaining a No Kill shelter. The report included targeting resources to reduce shelter intake through targeted sterilization of cats and dogs.

Presently, ASD provides low-cost spay/neuter services for shelter pets and for privately owned cats and dogs. ASD currently performs 40 sterilization surgeries on average per day. These surgeries are performed in-house and on ASD�s mobile animal clinic (MAC) by ASD�s veterinarian staff. The type of spay and neuter surgeries performed include: sterilization of pets that are available for adoption, owned by Miami-Dade County residents, pets that are being cared for through ASD�s Fostering Program and felines that are being sterilized through the Trap/Neuter Release/Give Back (TNR/TNG) Program.

TCN, a duly incorporated not for profit organization, is one of ASD�s partners under the ASPCA Community Partnership. TCN owns and operates a mobile animal clinic but currently does not have the veterinary staff to operate the unit to its fullest capacity. ASD has the available staff but does not have enough surgical tables to respond to the demand for sterilization services.

Providing the TCN with a veterinarian to operate their unit would further enhance ASD�s initiatives for a No Kill shelter and augment the services ASD provides to County residents. The additional allocation approved by the Board as part of the FY 2013-14 budget for the County�s No Kill initiatives included funding for an additional veterinarian. Existing ASD staff veterinarians will be scheduled to perform sterilization surgeries on the Unit three times per week on a rotating basis. It is estimated that approximately 3000 surgeries can be performed on the unit per year.


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Alina T. Hudak
Deputy Mayor