As you may know, multiple news outlets have reported on the City of Eugene’s draft budget. The current draft proposes the entire elimination of Eugene’s animal services program including their two animal welfare officers and the contract with us to provide animal sheltering and essential services for the residents and animals of the city of Eugene. This proposal is dangerous and completely unacceptable. We ask you to join our efforts to ensure that funding for Eugene’s animal services program and sheltering contract is restored.

Greenhill Humane Society shelters and cares for animals from all of Lane County. Annually, about 1/3 of all animals fall under our Eugene contract. So, while the proposed budget won’t change the high-quality care that we provide for animals in our shelter, and it won’t change what we do for communities other than Eugene, the elimination of Eugene’s animal service program and sheltering contract, as presented in the city’s proposed 2025 – 2027 budget, jeopardizes public safety in Eugene and puts vulnerable animals at risk.

Cutting the animal service program and sheltering contract would mean:

– Eugene Police will no longer be able to impound animals in situations where it is critically necessary, including: Animals that have bitten and severely injured people or other animals; Animals that are present when an owner is arrested or experiences a medical or other human health or safety emergency; Animals that are stray and posing a traffic or other safety hazard; Animals that are abandoned on public property or at businesses including rental properties; Animals that are the victims of abuse or neglect including animals trapped in hot cars or tethered outside without access to water.

-Eugene residents will no longer be able to bring stray animals to Greenhill including those that are wandering the streets, abandoned, sick or injured. 

-Centralized animal lost and found reporting for Eugene residents will no longer be maintained.

-There would be no capacity for animal cruelty and neglect complaints.

-No animal law enforcement presence in the City of Eugene.

-No patrols for off-leash or aggressive animals.

-No capacity to enforce rabies mandates and other public health protections.

-No capacity for investigations of bites or potentially dangerous dogs.

Greenhill Humane Society has been a contract partner with the City of Eugene since 2012. By leveraging donations, volunteers, and animal welfare expertise, we have helped build this community into a compassionate, safe place for animals and people. Last year alone, we sheltered and cared for nearly 1,600 animals from Eugene. Each of these animals came to us either for the protection and safety of the animal or the protection and safety of people.

The elimination of Eugene’s animal service program and sheltering contract is a direct threat to public safety and it’s a regression of more than a decade of work to bring together a comprehensive, compassionate program for Eugene residents.

We will continue to advocate for the animals and the services that make the Eugene community, the place we call home, healthy, caring, safe and compassionate for animals and people.

We need your help and invite you to speak up. Your voice matters. Help us ensure that the City of Eugene remains a city where animals are protected, and public health and safety are prioritized:

-Contact the Mayor, City Council and City Manager at 541-682-8340 or mayorcouncilandcitymanager@eugene-or.gov or individual contact information can be found at this link: Mayor and City Council

-Email the City of Eugene Budget Committee using the form that can be found here: Contact Budget Committee 

-Participate in the May 12, 7:30 pm, City Council Meeting for public input.

-Participate in the May 14, 5:30 pm, Budget Committee Meeting for public input.

-Participate in the May 21, 5:30 pm, Budget Committee Meeting for public input.

-Participate in the May 28, 5:30 pm, Budget Committee Meeting for public input.

Greenhill Humane Society’s commitment to animals, and to the people who love them, is unwavering. However, to build and maintain a compassionate community, we need supportive partners – please help encourage the City of Eugene to fund their animal services program and the sheltering contract.

Thank you for being a voice for the animals.

Cary Lieberman, CAWA

Executive Director