Following the most recent City of Eugene Budget Committee meeting, Greenhill Humane Society is no longer facing a proposed cut that would drastically impact its ability to care for animals.

Initially, the proposed 2023-2025 budget had the City cutting $400,000 of funding out of the Animal Sheltering and Adoption Services contract the City currently holds with Greenhill.

Pushback on this proposal came quickly from Greenhill, with social media posts, community response and more making its way to city officials' ears. Councilor Matt Keating was the one to put forth a motion to restore the funding.

"The sheer volume of [the] feral cat population that could explode without restoring this funding, lives of our furry friends that could be lost, and the difficult in rehoming lost and abandoned animals," Keating said during the May 24 meeting. "Is unconscionable from my point of view."

Keating mentioned the numerous Greenhill volunteers, as well as his own constituents that had reached out to him about the potential cut, and how it factored into his decision to push for this motion. The motion would later pass.

The money to restore this funding will come from a one-time Community Safety Payroll Tax, which has money left over after the city underspent the available funds, allowing for the $400,000 to be restored for the contract with minimal issue. However, this funding will only be available for this two year budgetary period.

The Animal Sheltering and Adoption Services contract, which is set to expire at the end of June, is still yet to be renegotiated in its entirety. Currently, it allows for Greenhill to take in most, if not all, animals that Eugene citizens bring to them.