PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA - The City of Long Beach Animal Care Services Bureau (LBACS) in the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department (PRM) is launching additional outreach efforts for its proposed Strategic Plan and seeks additional input from community members via an online survey and virtual public forums. 

The draft strategic plan was developed through robust outreach with the Animal Care Visioning Task Force. The plan was publicly released and agendized for the Dec. 8, 2020, Long Beach City Council meeting. At the meeting, public comment was heard and the City Council requested additional time be provided before adoption to allow additional community input sessions to be held.

“Launching this initiative to provide additional input from our community on the draft plan will help us develop a comprehensive, successful animal welfare program here in Long Beach,” said Mayor Robert Garcia.

Community members are invited to review the proposed strategic plan and complete a brief survey. People also may share feedback by attending a virtual public forum or by emailing LBACS at ACSStrategicPlan@longbeach.gov.

Virtual public forums will take place on the below dates. Detailed information on how to participate is available on the Animal Care Services website and by clicking the “Strategic Plan Public Forum” icon.

• Saturday, Feb. 13 from 2 to 4 p.m.
• Wednesday, Feb. 17 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Efforts to develop this strategic plan first began in 2017 when the City of Long Beach enlisted the expertise of the management consulting firm JVR Shelter Strategies to conduct a shelter operations audit, which identified key areas of improvement. A draft of the plan was developed in 2019 by City staff in collaboration with the Mayor’s Animal Care Visioning Task Force and was facilitated by an organizational strategy and change firm.

In May of 2019, the Long Beach City Council unanimously adopted the Compassion Saves model for LBACS, which ensures all healthy and treatable animals in the shelter are saved. Key components of the Compassion Saves model are reflected in the proposed plan.

“This robust proposed Strategic Plan is the first of its kind for LBACS,” said Brent Dennis, Director of Parks, Recreation and Marine. “We are committed to implementing an initiative that fully incorporates the Compassion Saves model, and input from our community is vital to the plan’s success.”

The plan will cover a four-year period, from 2021 to 2024, and will serve as a guide for LBACS operational, staffing and budgeting decisions.

About the City of Long Beach
Home to approximately 470,000 people, the multiple award-winning and innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly-rated school district, Long Beach Airport, the Port of Long Beach, as well as many award-winning City departments such as Health, Parks, Recreation and Marine, Development Services and more. The City also has a highly-respected university and city college, two historic ranchos, five hospitals, five golf courses, 171 parks, miles of beaches, marinas, bike paths, and a Bike Share program.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit http://longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.  

About Parks, Recreation and Marine Department
Parks, Recreation and Marine Department (PRM) is recognized for excellence in management practices and programs, having received the National Parks and Recreation Association Gold Medal Award four times. PRM provides leisure programs and services to residents and visitors, which improve the quality of life in Long Beach. PRM maintains 171 parks with 26 community centers, 320 acres of open space and 6.1 miles of beaches; implements the City's Open Space Plan; provides recreational opportunities to meet diverse community needs; maintains public marinas; and provides for public safety and the humane treatment of animals.

For more information about Long Beach Animal Care Services, visit http://www.longbeach.gov/acs. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram,