WAGS Pet Adoption will provide temporary shelter and adoption services for Costa Mesa pets after the city ended an eight-year partnership with Priceless Pets.
Under the short-term contract, the Westminster-based group will also assist with lost and found pets, pet reclaims and adoptions. The city will issue a request for proposals to secure a permanent provider, and in the interim will provide dog licensing and renewal services, as well as rabies verifications.
“I look forward to starting a new chapter with WAGS,” Mayor John Stephens said in a statement. “I personally visited their facility and was very impressed. They have an outdoor play area for dogs, a large kennel capacity, another play area for cats and veterinary services onsite. They are going to be a great partner going forward.”
The temporary agreement with WAGS came two weeks after city officials severed ties with Priceless Pets, which had provided sheltering and veterinary services in Costa Mesa since 2018.
The group had signed a five-year, $480,000 annual contract with the city in 2024, but the City Council terminated the agreement in a closed session vote on June 2, citing the provider’s inability to open a full-service animal shelter and meet other contract requirements “on the agreed timeline.”
The termination of services was approved “by mutual agreement” and “in lieu of litigation,” city officials said.
“On behalf of the Costa Mesa Police Department, I want to express our sincere gratitude to Priceless Pets for their commitment to serving our community and the animals entrusted in their care,” Costa Mesa Police Chief Joyce LaPointe said in a statement about changing providers. “Their dedication to providing compassionate care, finding loving homes for animals in need, and improving the lives of both pets and families has made a lasting impact throughout Costa Mesa.”
LaPointe, in a March 19 letter to Priceless Pets, had given the organization 60 days to find a new shelter space before the city would begin to consider terminating its contract and pursuing legal action. The letter cited a host of issues city staff observed at the group’s Newport Boulevard facility, including an insufficient number of kennels and a lack of quarantine space for sick and injured animals — all of which violated contract terms, officials said.
Representatives of Priceless Pets could not be reached for comment.
WAGS has been providing animal sheltering services to Westminster, Stanton and Seal Beach for 15 years. The group said it prioritizes securing homes for pets.
Michelle Russillo, president and chief executive of the organization, said WAGS looks forward to the partnership with Costa Mesa.
“WAGS Pet Adoption is grateful for the opportunity to serve the city of Costa Mesa and will focus on a smooth, community-first transition that prioritizes pets’ safety and care,” Russillo said in a statement.
To report injured or deceased animals in Costa Mesa, call Animal Control dispatch at 714-754- 5674. For missing/lost pets, found pets, and general questions regarding animal control or to report wildlife-related issues, call the Animal Control hotline at 714-754-5311.