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FRUIT HEIGHTS — Davis County leaders are hoping a property tax hike could help their animal services get some much-needed help.
They said they are taking in more animals than ever, and they've had to make cuts on their services to keep up.
The Davis County Commission has already secured funding to build a new facility that will be almost three times the size of the current facility. Now, the county needs help with additional staff and services.
Right now, Animal Care of Davis County is housing a lot of animals, more than 100, with another couple of hundred in fostering programs.
Ashleigh Young, the director of the facility, said it's had to cut back on services to take in more pets.
"We're seeing about 4,500 animals come through here every year," Young told KSL-TV. "Seventy percent of that is strays. And then, we also take owner surrenders from Davis County citizens."
They've turned closets into offices and have been dealing with cramped veterinary and intake spaces.
"We provide very, very minimal veterinary care, and we have no behavioral resources at all. And so because of that, we're seeing a lot of pets that aren't making it out of Animal Care of Davis County alive," Young said.
Young said, unfortunately, a small number are euthanized, less than 10%, which technically maintains its no-kill status. But the shelter would like to do better.
"It's very hard on our staff here and also has definitely caused friction in the community, because there's definitely pets that we wish we had the resources to help, and we just simply don't," Young said.
Davis County is asking homeowners for a property tax hike, roughly less than $13 a year for the average household. That increase would bring in around $1.7 million in revenue and help hire six new staff members, bringing back many of the services that have been cut.
"We're no longer offering humane euthanasia to the public because we don't have the staff or the facility to offer that service. We're not doing vaccines anymore for the public," Young said.
Young believes the additional funds are what the shelter needs to truly offer what's expected there.
There will be four open houses where people can get information on the proposed tax increase. Davis County's tentative budget hearing is set for Dec. 3.
