Fairfax is considering raising the fees for adopting a pet from the county’s animal shelter or licensing a dog in the county, as well as adding new charges for euthanizing captured nuisance animals.
The higher fees are projected to generate an additional $264,000 a year, a pittance compared to the $430 million budget shortfall facing the county next fiscal year. The move could, however, be the first in a series of new nickel-and-dime charges on the way for county residents.
Under the proposal, which will be considered at the Board of Supervisors’ Oct. 20 meeting, the fee for licensing a neutered dog would increase from $5 to $10. Adoption fees, which offset the cost of spaying and neutering the animal, would rise from $20 to $40 for dogs and $20 to $30 for cats.
The plan also would establish a charge for bringing animals like raccoons or groundhogs to the shelter for euthanizing, which the county now does for free.
Sgt. Andrew Sanderson of the Fairfax County Police Department’s Animal Services Division said the new fees are needed to offset both a decline in revenue from the shelter’s services and the overall drop in county coffers.
Supervisors are doing a line-by-line review of county spending, hoping to target wasteful or unnecessary programs over across-the-board cuts.
The board is exploring the idea of setting up user fees for other county amenities that have previously been offered for free, including parks, said Sharon Bulova, the board’s budget chairwoman.
“We’re going to be looking at all those sorts of things, as well as services reductions or eliminations to bring down the cost of providing county services through the general fund,” she said.
