DATE: July 8, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: David Luchini, RN, PHN, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: Memorandum of Understanding with the Central California Animal Disaster Team
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the Central California Animal Disaster Team (CCADT), to assist with animal evacuation and sheltering services during emergencies and disasters in Fresno County, effective upon execution, not to exceed five consecutive years, which includes a three-year base contract and one optional two-year extension ($0).
...REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended action, which establishes a formal partnership with CCADT to support animal evacuation, sheltering, search and rescue, and response services during emergencies and disasters, when response needs exceed the operational capacity of the Department’s Environmental Health Division (EHD) and its current contracted provider, Fresno Humane Animal Services (FHAS). This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended action, the County may lack the capacity to effectively respond to large-scale animal evacuations and sheltering needs during emergencies and disasters.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. CCADT services are volunteer-based and supported through donations. If reimbursement for emergency purchases is requested, it must be pre-approved by the Department and will follow the requirements outlined in Exhibit A of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
DISCUSSION:
The Office of Emergency Services (OES), in coordination with the Department’s EHD, is responsible for managing animal emergency response operations in accordance with Fresno County’s Emergency Operations Plan. When large-scale disasters exceed the capabilities of EHD and its current contracted provider, FHAS, the County may activate the CCADT to provide additional support.
CCADT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization comprised of trained and certified volunteers who specialize in disaster animal response. The organization assists local jurisdictions with services including animal evacuation, emergency sheltering, care for animals sheltered-in-place, medical care coordination, reunification, and educational outreach. Their support extends to small companion animals, livestock, and horses.
FHAS serves as the County’s current contracted provider for routine animal control, shelter management, and enforcement services, as authorized under Agreement No. A-25-240 approved by the Board of Supervisors on June 10, 2025. While FHAS is equipped to handle daily animal services within the County’s unincorporated areas, its operational scope and resources are not designed to address the scale, urgency, or complexity of animal response operations that occur during large-scale emergencies and disasters. This MOU with CCADT fills that gap by enabling the County to activate trained, volunteer-based support to assist with evacuation, emergency sheltering, and animal care needs that exceed FHAS’s capacity.
This MOU formally establishes the scope of services, activation protocols, coordination responsibilities, and reimbursement procedures for CCADT’s assistance in Fresno County. CCADT does not self-deploy and will only respond when formally requested by EHD. Reimbursement for any pre-approved expenses will follow the process detailed in Exhibit A of the MOU.
This MOU includes a mutual indemnification clause, whereby both the County and CCADT agree to defend, indemnify, and hold one another harmless for claims resulting from their respective negligent or intentional acts or omissions. This differs from the County’s standard indemnification provision and is disclosed accordingly.
Each party is also responsible for maintaining its own insurance coverage for employees, volunteers, and operations. CCADT volunteers will be registered as Disaster Service Workers under California’s Disaster Service Worker Volunteer Program, which provides workers’ compensation coverage when properly activated.
Approval of this MOU will strengthen Fresno County’s capacity to safeguard both public and animal welfare during emergencies and disasters by ensuring qualified, scalable support is available when existing resources are overwhelmed.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #57, June 10, 2025
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - MOU with CCADT
CAO ANALYST:
Ron Alexander