By Sara Beth Williams–
The Citrus Heights City Council next Wednesday is expected to discuss a temporary lease agreement between the city and Field Haven Feline Center, which would set up its operations at a property on Old Auburn Road, if approved.
According to an agenda packet for the Aug. 27 council meeting, city staff is recommending the approval of a temporary, 18-month lease between the city and Field Haven Feline Center. During the 18-month pilot phase, Field Haven would expect to pay $1 in total rent, according to the agenda packet. City staff notes that there will be some costs incurred from preparing the building for tenant improvements, which will be covered by existing budget allocations, but no monetary value or estimate was listed.
In October 2024, the city acquired two adjacent properties —7555 and 7569 Old Auburn Rd., which were the home of Citrus Heights Preschool, a business that had closed abruptly in April of that same year. The purchase was made to “support future animal services expansion,” city staff said.
Field Haven Feline Center is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that currently operates in Lincoln according to the nonprofit’s website. City staff said the center expressed interest in establishing a Citrus Heights location and submitted a proposal to lease 7555 Old Auburn Rd.
Potential services to be offered include spay and neuter surgeries, vaccinations, microchipping, lifesaving procedures for community and owned cats and dogs, and basic veterinary support for animals in the city’s care at city’s discretion.
City staff has acknowledged that some members of the veterinary community are concerned about “potential competition” with their local businesses. Due to the concerns voiced, city staff said they have limited the scope of services in the terms of the lease agreement “to avoid competition with core commercial veterinarian services,” The clinic is not intended to act as a long-term veterinary facility, staff said.
Pricing for spay and neutering is $65 for feral cats, and $150 for owned cats, including vaccines and microchipping, according to Field Haven’s website. The Sentinel found that typical veterinary costs for spay and neuter surgeries can be hundreds of dollars and don’t include the cost of microchipping or vaccines.
If the lease continues beyond the pilot phase, Field Haven would pay $2,500 per month ($30,000 annually) for a three-year term. Additionally, the city will then receive 250 spay and neuter vouchers for cats annually.
Bradshaw Animal Shelter, which the city currently contracts with for animal services, does not offer any spay or neuter vouchers.
Community Spay and Neuter, which is next door to Bradshaw, offers two per household per month if you’re able to call in through a lottery program at 7 a.m. on the first Monday of each month.
“You have to call between 300 and 800 times. I have called 600 times to get appointments. It’s like calling the radio station, everybody calls at once,” animal rescuer Melissa Hayden told The Sentinel on Saturday. “If you get through, you get two spots max.”
If approved the lease agreement would commence at a later date, once improvements have been made at the site. Staff anticipates the feline center to complete improvements in the first quarter of 2026.
See the full agenda packet here.
Those wishing to make a public comment during the meeting can do so by attending the council meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 27, at City Hall, at 6 p.m., or by submitting a written comment beforehand using the city’s website. The deadline to submit comments online is 4 p.m. on the day of the meeting. City Hall is located at 6360 Fountain Square Drive.
