Memorandum
Date: April 9, 2026
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Rae Smith, Animal Care and Control Director
Subject: Approve Long Distance Travel for Registered Veterinary Technician Jessica Fire and Animal Control Officer Hannah Krammer to attend the Best Friends National Conference from May 7 to May 9, 2026
Executive Summary:
Lake County Animal Care and Control is requesting your Board's approval to send Registered Veterinary Technician Jessica Fire and Animal Control Officer Hannah Krammer to the Best Friends National Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. The conference takes place from May 7 through May 9, 2026, as well as an out-of-state travel day on May 6, 2026. The Conference provides training in various animal welfare topics including but not limited to community engagement, field and animal services, and shelter medicine and animal care. The information in these sessions can be applied to the employee's specialized field of work as well as practical applications shelter-wide.
The cost of the course was $295 per person, which includes daily meals while at the event. Best Friends also booked several hotels for attendees at a discounted rate of $239 per night. The cost of airfare is estimated to be between $400-$700 total for two people round-trip. The total estimated cost per employee, including registration, airport parking, and all possible reimbursement, is no more than $3,000. Notably, Best Friends provided LCACC with a $3,000 scholarship and Memorandum of Understanding to send both employees to the conference. The scholarship was accepted in February 2026.
A schedule of Sessions and Breakouts has been included in a separate document.
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