The council on Aug. 10, 2026, unanimously approved a new contract with PetData Technologies, LLC, to provide Seal Beach with animal licensing agreements. The contract is for three years. The contract retroactively went into effect on July 1, 2026, according to the staff report. The new contract was needed to resolve some ambiguity between the contract and the original council resolution.
This was a Consent Calendar item. The council doesn’t talk about consent items unless a council member pulls one individual discussion. Nothing was pulled from this week’s Consent Calendar.
Background
“In May 2022, the Seal Beach City Council directed the Seal Beach Police Department to provide in-house animal control services for the Seal Beach community,” according to the staff report by SBPD Capt. Nick Nicholas of the Support Services Bureau.
“Previously, the City of Long Beach Animal Care Services provided animal licensing services to Seal Beach. As part of the transition to in-house animal control services, the City was required to establish its own animal licensing process,” Nicholas wrote.
The in-house animal control program started July 1, 2023. (See “Animal Control program to start July 1,” at sunnews.org.)
“On September 11, 2023, the City Council adopted Resolution 7443 approving and authorizing the Agreement for Animal Licensing Services with PetData, Inc. The staff report and Resolution 7443 described a three-year term extending from September 12, 2023, through June 30, 2026,” Nicholas wrote.
“The Agreement was subsequently executed by the City on January 3, 2024. PetData, Inc., did not begin processing animal licenses for the City until May 29, 2024. The time between City Council approval, execution, and operational commencement occurred because the Police Department was still implementing the City’s new in-house animal control program, including establishing procedures, transitioning from the prior licensing arrangement, transferring and preparing data, coordinating licensing operations, and completing the transition to PetData, Inc.,” Nicholas wrote.
“Section 10 of the Agreement provides that the initial term commences on the Execution Date and expires at the close of business on the last day of the 36th full calendar month after the Commencement Date, unless sooner terminated,” Nicholas wrote.
“Section 11 defines the Commencement Date as the date on which PetData, Inc. commences the processing of licenses under the Agreement,” Nicholas wrote.
“PetData, Inc. has confirmed that it began processing animal licenses on May 29, 2024. Because May 2024 was a partial calendar month, June 2024 was the first full calendar month following the Commencement Date. The 36th full calendar month after the Commencement Date is May 2027. Accordingly, under Sections 10 and 11 of the Agreement, the Agreement expires at the close of business on May 31, 2027, unless sooner terminated. However, because the staff report and resolution also referenced the September 12, 2023 through June 30, 2026 dates, there remains some ambiguity,” Nicholas wrote.
“To simplify and resolve this ambiguity, staff is recommending the City enter a new three-year agreement with PetData. The new contract would commence retroactively on July 1, 2026, the ‘effective date’ and will expire at the close of business on June 30, 2029, unless sooner terminated in accordance with the Agreement,” Nicholas wrote.
“PetData has agreed to a new three-year contract under the same terms, fees, and conditions as the previous contract,” Nicholas wrote.
“The existing compensation provisions of the Agreement remain unchanged. PetData Technologies, LLC. is compensated at $4.30 for each one-year license or replacement tag, subject to adjustment as provided in the Agreement, and a $2.50 collection service fee for each late fee, if any, paid by a Licensee during the term of the Agreement. Residents wishing to have their animals licensed must pay fees directly to PetData Technologies, LLC., and PetData Technologies, LLC. will remit licensing fees to the City minus the costs described in the Agreement. Any payment obligations remain subject to the terms of the Agreement and applicable budget appropriations,” Nicholas wrote.