EUGENE, Ore. -- Last week, we outlined for you what many call Lane County's "doomsday" budget. It calls for spending about $83 million less than this year; $47 million of that amount is the lost money from the federal Secure Rural Schools fund. County officials are not banking on Congress to renew the program in time for this spending plan.

Among the cuts: jail beds, investigators and jobs.

Right now, employees working for the sheriff, district attorney, youth services as well as health and human services are getting notices.
They may soon be out of work. An estimated 12 percent of the county workforce could be affected.

The county also sent layoff notices to workers at Lane County Animal Services. Lane County Commissioners Bobby Green and Faye Stewart met April 23 with animal services directors to discuss those pink slips.

Final action is still pending, but the jobs of 15 people are at stake.

It's a typical day of pandemonium at animal services. The kennels are full of barking dogs. Dozens and dozens of dogs and cats in need of a new home. But it could get very quiet in these kennels by May 29.

"We're at zero budget for Lane County Animal Services," says lead supervisor Tom Howard. May 29 is closing day for animal services if the county's 2008/09 budget is adopted as presented.

One-third of the animal services budget comes from Lane County. The other two thirds comes from the city of Eugene.

"We can't function for all of Lane County on what monies we get from the city of Eugene," Howard said.

If animal services really closes down by the end of May, that leaves private non-profit groups like Greenhill Humane Society trying to pick up the slack. If you think the cattery is full now, wait until then.

The private West Eugene animal shelter takes in 2,000 dogs and cats per year with not a lot of room to spare.

Greenhill Executive Director Cary Lieberman said his office will help any way it can.

"If there's a creative solution, we hope to be able to find it. We hope that animal control will remain," he said.

Howard said he's not giving up yet.

"We're working very hard , trying to do the best we can to help the county--help the animals and provide a service," Howard said.

The animal services budget goes before the county's budget panel on May 6 at 8 p.m. at Harris Hall in the Lane County Government Center.

May 15 is when the committee will hand down final recommendations to the Board of Commissioners.