[00:00:01]
[Call to Order]
PANEL ADVISE YOUR COMMISSION MEETING FOR THURSDAY 10TH, VIDEO CONFERENCING, QUICK ROLL CALL.I'VE BEEN BLESSED THAT I'M HERE WITH EDWARD FLORES, PULLING THAT HOUSE NORTON EARL MONICA, BRENDAN.
AND WE HAVE ANDREA SCHWARTZ ON AUDIO WITH THAT DONE.
I WILL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AND THE FIRST COMMUNICATION GENERAL, WHICH IS NEW.
SO BELINDA, YOU THERE, OR WHO'S RUNNING THAT STAFF.
ARE YOU RUNNING THAT? YOU'RE NOT ON THE LINE.
UM, I THINK SHE ENDED UP FOR AGENDA ITEMS. IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
I ALWAYS DO THEM ALL ALL AT ONCE.
SO IS THAT OUR ONLY SPEAKER? OKAY.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ON TO APPROVAL MINUTES, UH, FROM OCTOBER 12TH, 2020, WHICH SET OUT FROM BELINDA TENDS TO LOOK AT IT AND, UH, I WILL MOTION ANYTIME.MOTION TO APPROVE BY KATIE GIRL.
SECOND BY EDWARD THE DISCUSSION.
THANK YOU, ANDREA OPPOSED? NONE.
SO AGENDA APPROVED SEVEN TO ZERO.
[4b. Animal Sales in Travis County]
NOTICE THAT UNDER NEW BUSINESS, OUR FIRST ITEM A, WE ALSO HAVE A STAFF BRIEFING FOR B, SO WE'D LIKE EMOTION MOVE FOR, BE UP FOR NEW BUSINESS.IF SOMEONE WOULD MAKE THAT PLEASE.
SO WE CAN HAVE STAFF BRIEFING ON ANIMAL SALES IN TRAVIS COUNTY BEFORE WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION, UH, ITEM B.
UH, THANK YOU SECOND FROM KATIE.
AND UM, TO ANYONE IN THE CITY TAKING NOTE OF THIS, WE OFTEN HAVE AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS AND TAKE HOPES ON AND IT, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO HAVE STAFF BRIEFINGS AS OUR LAST ITEM.
UM, THIS IS NEW, THIS IS NEW AND I DON'T LIKE IT.
UM, AS, AS YOU CAN SEE, SO MELINDA, IF YOU'RE THERE, MAYBE YOU CAN HELP ME, UH, CONTACT WHOEVER MADE THIS.
YOU WOULD NEVER, UH, WITH THAT HOPEFULLY, UH, MARKET SLOPE CAN GIVE US THE, UH, BRIEFING.
ARE YOU THE BRIEFING US ON, UH, ANIMAL SALES IN TRAVIS COUNTY? I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING PREPARED FOR THAT.
WHAT WE DO HAVE IN THAT IN TRAVIS COUNTY IS, UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY JURISDICTION OVER SALES IN THE COUNTY.
WELL, I KNOW THAT'S WHY WE HAD THE AGENDA ITEMS, SO YEAH.
WELL, IF WE DON'T, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING, THEN YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANY YEAH.
JUST CAUSE WE HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY JURISDICTION THERE AS FAR AS OUR ILA STATE HAS THAT.
I JUST THOUGHT MAYBE YOU WERE GOING TO REPORT ON YOUR OFFICERS RESPONDING OUT THERE AND WHAT THEY'VE SEEN OR, OR, OR ANYTHING.
WE, WE DON'T, WE GET VERY FEW CALLS FOR ANY OF THE SALES RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.
THE MARKETS ARE NOT AS ACTIVE.
I'M NOT SURE, BUT WE, THE CALLS DON'T EVEN COME TO US BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE JURISDICTION.
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WOULD HANDLE ANYTHING IF THERE WAS ANYTHING OF CRUEL NATURE OR SOME TYPE OF NEGLECTFUL CARE IN THE COUNTY.
WELL, UM, MAYBE I ASKED FOR THIS VERY THING AND IT WAS ON THERE BECAUSE I ASKED FOR IT AND THERE'S NOTHING TO PREACH, SO, WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[2a. Discussion and Possible Action on the Sale of Animals in Travis County]
THAT, WE'LL JUST GO ON TO NEW BUSINESS, WHICH IS ITEM EIGHT DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE SALE OF ANIMALS IN TRAVIS COUNTY.UM, ITEM WAS, I THINK IT WAS A REQUEST FROM A CITIZEN AND IT'S ALSO BEEN A BIG PROBLEM FOR YEARS.
[00:05:01]
I DID, I DID ADD AS A BACKUP THE CITY ORDINANCE ON, UH, ON THIS TOPIC, IT'S UNDER THREE DASH, TWO DASH THREE ANIMALS, AND IT READS AS FOLLOW FOLLOWS.IF THE PERSON SELLS TRADES PARTNERS, LEASES, GRANTS GIVES AWAY OR DISPLAYS FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSE, FIVE ANIMAL ON THE ROADSIDE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY OR COMMERCIAL PARKING LOT OR AT AN OUTDOOR SPECIAL SALE SWAP MEET FLEA MARKET PARKING LOT SALE OR SIMILAR EVENT.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A PRETTY GOOD, IT'S PRETTY GOOD ORDINANCE.
AND I THINK WHAT THE EASIEST THING TO DO WOULD BE TO, UH, MAKE A MOTION THAT WE REQUEST THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO PASS SIMILAR LANGUAGE THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE ENFORCED WITHIN.
AND UNFORTUNATELY OUR COUNTY REP ARE HERE, BUT, UM, THEY COULD, THEY COULD HANDLE THAT AND WE COULD GET THAT.
DO YOU SEE ANY, DO YOU SEE ANY ISSUES WITH, UH, LANGUAGE LIKE THIS GOING BEFORE THE COUNTY? YEAH, THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL AS WE, WE CANNOT BE, UM, WE HAVE TO WATCH STATE STEVE AUSTIN'S HOME RULE.
WE CAN DO THINGS THAT THE COUNTY CAN'T DO.
SO, UM, AGAIN, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE I THINK IF WE CAN GET IT, UH, ANY KIND OF AUTHORITY IN THERE, EVEN JUST TO SOME KIND OF PERMITTING WOULD BE HELPFUL AND WHERE WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO BAN SALES IN THE COUNTY.
I DO BELIEVE THE STATE LAW WOULD ALLOW US TO, TO REQUIRE THEM TO HAVE A PERMIT FOR SALE.
AND JUST AS A HEADS UP, UH, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE SUNSET OF THE ONLINE ANIMAL SALES LAW.
SO IF ANYBODY'S OUT THERE, PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR LEGISLATORS TO SUPPORT THAT, THAT LAW CONTINUE TO BE AS FANS AND NOT LET NOT ALLOW IT TO BE SUNSETTED.
UM, SO DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS OR THOUGHTS ON THE, I MEAN, I PUT THIS UP, THIS IS NOT AN AGENDA ITEM.
SO I THINK SUGGESTED A MOTION.
ANYBODY WANT TO COMMENT OR HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS AND, AND WELCOME CRAIG AND DON, BY THE WAY, UH, I DO HAVE A COMMENT IN IS, UH, LIKE MARK SAID, I THINK, AND IT'S TOO BAD, RYAN ISN'T HERE CAUSE HE COULD, HE PROBABLY COULD FILL US IN MORE ON THIS THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT IF WE ASK THE COUNTY TO DO SOMETHING, IT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ALLOWED TO DO.
LIKE IT MAY BE THAT, THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL SALES ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
I MEAN, LIKE IF IT'S YOUR PROPERTY, I DON'T KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THIS MAY RUN A FOUL OF, OF CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, COUNTY LAWS OR STATE LAWS.
AND I THINK IT, WE SHOULD GET IT CHECKED FOR THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT POINT VOTE ON AND GO THROUGH.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE JUST A WASTED EFFORT, RIGHT.
IF YOU CAN GET YOU AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CITY ORDINANCE, IT ENGINES, UH, ON A ROAD ROADSIDE, PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, UH, A LOT.
UH, SO I BELIEVE THAT IN THE CITY, ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, YOU HAVE PERMISSION OF PROPERTY OWNER.
I MEAN, THERE'S ALWAYS, THERE'S ALWAYS HURDLES AND OLD, BUT YOU KNOW, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE PROBLEM IS THE COUNTY FLEA MARKETS, RIGHT? AND SOMETIMES I THINK MAYBE THEY'VE BEEN CHECKED OUT OF THOSE THREE MARKETS.
SO I HEARD FROM THE SORT OF SON WHO TALKED TO ME WAS THAT NOW THE SALES ARE I'VE BEEN MOVED TO THE ROADSIDE.
I DEFINITELY THINK THAT IF THE COUNTY WERE TO ADOPT SIMILAR LANGUAGE AND IT WAS, IT WAS SOME WAY THAT THEY COULD WRITE SOMETHING THAT WOULD EASILY BE ENFORCEABLE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S FOR THE COUNTIES, COUNTIES, LAWYERS TO DO, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GONNA WE'RE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT, THAT WE RECOMMEND THAT THE COUNTY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ADOPT A ROADSIDE ANIMALS SALE BAN, AS SIMILAR AS POSSIBLE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN ORDINANCE STREET, DASH TWO DASH THREE, SECTION C, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEN THEY COULD TAKE IT AND WORK WITHIN COUNTY REGULATION, STATE LAW OR WHATEVER, AND GET AS GOOD AS THEY COULD MAKE IT.
I MEAN, ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS MAKE THE PROD RECOMMENDATION AND LET THEM WORK IT OUT.
[00:10:02]
WELL, I WOULD, I WOULD CERTAINLY SUPPORT THAT.JUST DON'T WANT TO SPEAK TO WHAT HE'S SAYING.
THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO THAT I DON'T.
UM, AND DO WE, DO WE HAVE BELINDA OR WHO IS, WHO WAS HERE FROM THE CITY WHO WHO'S TAKEN OUR, OUR MINUTES AND EVERYTHING HERE I AM.
HEY, HOW ARE YOU? PRETTY WELL.
UM, I KIND OF MADE A BET TO MAKE A MOTION THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND AND PUT DOWN IN WORDS.
UM, IT WOULD BE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO ADOPT A OUTDOOR ANIMAL BAN SIMILAR TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S THREE DASH TWO DASH THREE SECTION C.
WE GOT A CABLE LOOSE TO MAKE A MOTION TO RESEARCH, STATE ANIMAL SALES PER STATE LAW TO GO PASS ANYTHING FURTHER THAN A STATE, SPECIFICALLY ALLOWED THEM TO DO THINGS THAT OTHER COUNTIES IN TEXAS HAD SALES.
SO PERHAPS TO ASK THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO YOU, THE AUSTIN OR ADMINS TO SEE IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO INCORPORATE, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? OKAY.
WELL, I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA.
AND COULD WE REFERENCE IN THAT, IN THAT MOTION, THIS THE CITY ORDINANCE.
SO THEY HAVE A FAR, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A FRAME OF REFERENCE OR WE COULD JUST ADD IT AS AN ATTACHMENT, BUT I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA.
WE WERE BREAKING UP WHEN OUR, WE DID NOT HEAR EVERY WORD KATIE SAID.
SO COULD WE PLEASE REPEAT THAT? SURE.
I BLENDED, UM, I PERHAPS SORRY IF I'M GETTING MYSELF TALKING.
UM, I, UH, I WAS JUST SAYING THAT PERHAPS THE MOTION COULD BE TO ASK OR REQUEST THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT REVIEWS GET STATE STATUTES IN PARALLEL TO THE AUSTIN ORDINANCE AND SEE WHAT PART, IF ANY OF THAT ORDINANCE, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO ENACT IN THE COUNTY, UM, GIVEN THAT THEY ARE UNDER HOME RULE AND THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING FURTHER THAN WHAT STATE LAW AS WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO INCORPORATE THE PARTS OF THE ORDINANCE THAT THEY ARE ALLOWED, ALLOWED TO INCORPORATE.
UM, YES, THAT WILL A LITTLE FARTHER THAN THE MOTION.
UM, YOU PUT THAT IN LIKE, UH, LIKE THE FIRST PART OF IT AGAIN, THE ONE SENTENCE.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT YOU REQUESTED THE AUSTIN STATUTE ON PET SALES AND INCORPORATE THE PORTIONS THAT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO UNDER STATE LAW.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? AND WE DO A QUICK, THE, UH, JUST VOTE FOR THAT.
I WILL ASK FOR A VOTE ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE, OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND JOANNE, ARE YOU THERE? I MEAN, UH, ANDREA, WELL, IT PASSES, WE'RE NOT SURE ABOUT THEM YET.
[00:15:01]
A YES ON THAT, DAVID? I'M A YES.IF THERE'S ANY QUESTION ON HOW THE WORDING SHOULD GO.
I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO ATTACH THE, UH, CITY, UH, ORDINANCE TO THAT MOTION WHEN IT GOES TO THE CLINIC.
I'LL CLEAN UP THE LANGUAGE AND GET IT OUT OR VICE VERSA.
[2b. Discussion and Possible Action on Proposed Changes and Updates to the Vicious Dog Ordinance]
THAT TAKES US TO NEW BUSINESS ITEM E DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON PROPOSED CHANGES AND UPDATES TO THE PATIENTS OF ORDINANCE JOANNE.UM, I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYONE'S FAMILIAR WITH THE VICIOUS DOG ORDINANCE OR IF YOU'VE READ THE, UM, BACKUP THAT I INCLUDED, INCLUDING A HISTORY OF THE ORDINANCE FROM 1908, UM, FORWARD IN 2002, THERE WAS A
AND THAT CHAIN SAID THAT A DOG WHO'S DEEMED VICIOUS AND NO LONGER REMAIN IN THE CITY.
VERY THAT'S WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN.
SO TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, UM, SAY YOU HAVE YOUR DOG FOR EIGHT YEARS, YOU LOVE YOUR DOG.
IT'S BEEN IN YOUR YARD, NO ISSUES.
AND SOME PEOPLE MOVE NEXT DOOR WITH CHICKENS AND THEY LOVE THEIR TICKETS.
AND, UM, THEY'RE HAPPY WITH THEM.
AND ONE DAY YOUR DOG FINDS A LOOSE BOARD IN THE FENCE, WHICH DOGS DO AND GOES OVER AND, UM, GOES AFTER THE CHICKENS AND EITHER HARMS OR KILLS ONE OF THE CHICKENS.
UM, AND THERE'S, UH, THEY GO TO ANIMAL PROTECTION.
THERE'S EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT THE DOG TO DO THIS, THE IS DEEMED VICIOUS.
THE DOG HAS TO LEAVE THE CITY.
THERE'S NO OPTION FOR THE OWNER TO SAY, PUT UP A METAL FENCE.
SO THE DOG CAN'T GO THROUGH THE FENCE.
UM, IT, IT DOESN'T WORK LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, THAT WAS APPEARS TO BE AN ERROR INTRODUCED, UM, IN 2002 THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.
SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK THE COMMISSION TO REALLY LOOK AT THIS AND TELL ME WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO CORRECT THIS.
UM, I TOOK THE ORDINANCE, THE SECTION OF THE ORDINANCE THREE, FOUR, SEVEN, AND MADE SOME CHANGES TO IT, UM, THAT I'D LIKE TO GO THROUGH IF THAT'S OKAY.
UM, THE FIRST ONE UNDER B, UM, SAYS WE WANT TO CHANGE.
I WANT TO CHANGE IT TO SAY FOR PURPOSES OF THE SECTION, A VICIOUS DOG IS A DOG THAT WHILE RUNNING AT LARGE HAS, AND IT'LL START AND REALLY GO TO ANIMALS.
UM, THE CURRENT VICIOUS DOG ORDINANCE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COULD MAKE A DOG VICIOUS IS ON AT LEAST THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS HAS BITTEN OR SCRATCHED A PERSON IN THE CITY.
UM, ANIMAL PROTECTION DOES ALL OF THE DOG ON HUMAN CASES UNDER THE DANGEROUS DOG STATUTE, WHICH IS THE STATE.
THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING UNDER THIS.
SO IT WOULD JUST CLEAN IT UP TO NOT HAVE TWO COMPETING, HAVE AN ORDINANCE AND A STATUTE BETTER COMPETING.
IT WOULD JUST TAKE IT OUT OF VICIOUS DOG AND LEAVE IT TO HOW ANIMAL PROTECTION HANDLES IT, WHICH IS A DOG AND ANOTHER ANIMAL.
UM, THE SECOND CHANGE, THE CURRENT, UM, STATUTE SAYS, UM, ALSO IT COULD BE VICIOUS IF IT KILLED ANOTHER DOG CAT OR DOMESTIC FALL, UH, DOMESTIC PET FALL OR LIVESTOCK.
UM, THE ONE BELOW IT SAYS THAT IF IT HARMS THE ANIMAL, IT COULD ALSO BE DEEMED VICIOUS.
BUT IT GOES ON TO SAY THAT IF YOUR ANIMAL, UM, WAS PROPERLY RESTRAINED AND DID IT, THAT IT WON'T BE PROSECUTED.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF, UM, SO MY SUGGESTION HERE IS TO ADD THE LANGUAGE THAT JUST CLARIFIES IT.
SO THEY BOTH DO THE, EXACTLY THE SAME THING, WHICH IS HOW ANIMAL PROTECTION DOESN'T RIGHT NOW, BUT IT'S NOT CLEAR WITHIN THE ORDINANCE.
SO TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, UM, I LIVE NEAR STACEY PARK AND PEOPLE, STACEY PARK IS NOT AN OFF-LEASH DOG PARK.
YOU HAVE TO WALK YOUR DOG ON A LEASH.
SO IF ANOTHER DOG COMES UP TO MY DOG AND THEY GET IN AN ALTERCATION AND MY DOG HARMS THAT DOG, MY DOG WOULD NOT BE DEEMED VICIOUS BECAUSE MY DOG WAS RESTRAINED.
I KNOW LEASH AS REQUIRED BY THE CITY.
UM, IF ON THE OTHER HAND, IF IT WAS JUST LOOSE, THAT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT STORY, BUT BECAUSE I'M RESTRAINING THAT ANIMAL, I'M FOLLOWING THE LAW, THE OTHER PERSON WHO HAD THE LOOSE DOG OR ANIMAL WASN'T FOLLOWING THE LAW.
SO THIS WILL JUST CLARIFY THAT, UM, ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR.
[00:20:01]
SECTION C, UM, IS THE SECTION THAT WOULD ALLOW THE DOG TO REMAIN WITH THEIR FAMILY, WHICH MIRRORS, WHAT HAPPENED PRIOR TO 2002, WHEN THAT OTHER ISSUE WAS INTRODUCED, WHICH BASICALLY SAYS THAT, UM, UH, IF, IF SOMEBODY, IF THERE IS A, UM, IF A DOG IS DEEMED VICIOUS, THAT IT WILL BE RESTRAINED AT ALL TIMES, I'M A LEASH AND IMMEDIATE CONTROL OF THE PERSON OR IN A SECURE ENCLOSURE.AND IT HAS TO COMPLY WITH ANY OTHER REQUIREMENTS AS ESTABLISHED BY THE HEALTH AUTHORITY, WHICH COULD BE THAT THEY CHECK IN WITH THEM EVERY SIX MONTHS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, SO I THINK IF WE DID THIS, IT WOULD, UM, CLARIFY, UH, THE VICIOUS AND ALLOW MORE ANIMALS OUT THERE, NOT THAT FREQUENT, BUT IT WOULD ALLOW THOSE ANIMALS TO REMAIN WITH THEIR OWNERS AND WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
UH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I, I, I DO SUPPORT CHANGES.
I DO SUPPORT THOSE CHANGES BECAUSE I'VE, I'VE, UH, AT THE SHELTER I'VE ENCOUNTERED, UH, ONE OR TWO DOGS THAT HAVE BEEN DEEMED VICIOUS AND THEY HAD VERY FEW OPTIONS AND I FEEL THAT, UH, THESE PROPOSED CHANGES WOULD GIVE THOSE DOGS, YOU KNOW, GIVE THOSE, UM, JUST GIVE THOSE DOGS MORE OPTIONS TO BE ADOPTED.
UM, WE WORKED ON THIS MANY YEARS AGO AFTER THE COMPARISON THAT A DANGEROUS DOG COULD STAY IN THE COUNTY AND IN THE CITY, BUT A VICIOUS DOG COULD NOT.
AND I JUST THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB ON CLEANING IT UP AND, AND PUTTING IT WHERE IT SHOULD BE.
SO I JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DID ON IT.
AND I LEARNED ABOUT IT MUCH LIKE ANDREA, I LEARNED ABOUT IT AT A SHELTER VOLUNTEERING AT, AND WE HAD A GREAT LITTLE DOG THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, HE HAD ONE EYE AND HAD AN ACCIDENT WITH A DOG AND, UH, UM, PEOPLE WHO COME TO A CITY SHELTER ARE ASSAULTED WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS ARE USUALLY PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE CITY.
AND SO IT WAS VERY HARD TO GET THE DOG ADOPTED IT, IT HAPPENED, BUT IT TOOK A WHILE AND IT WAS, AND TO HAVE OWNERS HAVE TO GIVE UP THE PETS BECAUSE SOMETIMES IF THINGS YOU JUST DON'T KNOW, UM, IS, IS DIFFICULT.
UP HERE IN GRACIE WOODS, WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH OFF-LEASH DOGS IN, UM, IN OUR PARKS, PARTICULARLY LAWN, UH, WHILE IN CREEK PARK, BUT ALSO IN LITTLE PARKS THAT LEAD INTO IT.
WE ALSO HAVE PEOPLE WHO WILL HAVE THEIR DOGS ON A LEASH, BUT THE LEASHES LONGER THAN SIX FEET.
AND ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS THAT THE LEASH LAWS ARE NOT OFTEN ENFORCED, WHICH MEANS SOME PEOPLE HAVE DOGS ON A LONGER THAN A LEASH.
AND THERE'VE BEEN, UH, SITUATIONS WHERE THAT DOG NIPS OR BITES SOMEONE.
IT DOESN'T BITE THEM THAT BAD, BUT IT BITES THEM ENOUGH.
OR, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A WILD FLOCK OF GUINEAS UP HERE AT SOME TIMES, THEIR DOGS LUNGE AFTER A GUINEA AND THEY MIGHT NOT KILL IT.
I WOULD BE A LITTLE HA AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE DOG'S FAULT.
THIS MIGHT BE OWNER'S FAULT, BUT STILL IT THERE W THERE'S NO RECOURSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST MONITORING, UH, DISCUSSIONS ONLINE TODAY ABOUT PEOPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE THEY SAID, WELL, IF THAT DOG DID THAT, YOU NEED TO FILE A REPORT AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GET AN AFFIDAVIT, UH, THE IDEA, AND REALLY, LIKE I SAY, UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S MORE ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAN THE DOG, BUT IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO ENFORCE ANY ACTION FOR THE PEOPLE.
SO FOR INSTANCE, LET'S SAY THAT EXAMPLE YOU GAVE, LET'S SAY I HAVE, UH, CHICKENS OR AN OLD CAT IN MY BACKYARD, AND THERE'S A FENCE BETWEEN THE, THE, THE YARD AND THE, THE OWNER ON THE OTHER SIDE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FENCE AND THE DOG GETS THROUGH AND, UM, INJURES OR KILLS MY CAT OR CHICKENS OR WHATEVER.
I MEAN, TH THE, THERE HAS TO BE SOME RECOURSE FOR THAT SITUATION.
[00:25:01]
AND THERE WOULD BE, I MEAN, I MEAN, RIGHT NOW THE RICARD SAYS, MOVE THE DOCK TO PFLUGERVILLE, AND YOU JUST DON'T HAVE YOU HAVE, YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR DOG.IF YOU CAN FIND SOMEONE TO TAKE IT OR PUT YOUR DOG DOWN, UM, IF A PERSON SAYS, OKAY, I UNDERSTAND I DID THIS, WHETHER IT'S BUNNY'S CHICKENS OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY SORRY.
I'M WILLING TO PUT UP A METAL FENCE.
I WANT TO DO THESE THINGS, UM, TO KEEP MY DOG AWAY FROM YOUR ANIMALS.
UM, PART OF THIS ERROR INTRODUCED IN 2002, THAT'S WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, THEY'D HAVE THAT ABILITY TO KEEP THEIR DOG, UM, CONTAINED, UM, AND RESTRAINT, JUST LIKE THEY DO WITH, UH, A DANGEROUS DOG, IF YOUR DOG, UH, IF IN THE CASE THAT A DOG COMES IN BITE, SOMEBODY THAT WOULD BE HANDLED UNDER DANGEROUS DOG, THEN THE PERSON WOULD BE, THE DOG CAN REMAIN IN THE HOME, BUT THEY HAVE TO HAVE BE RESTRAINED.
THEY HAVE TO BE IN A SECURE ENCLOSURE, OR THEY HAVE TO HAVE INSURANCE.
UM, SO THOSE DOGS GET TO STAY, BUT THE OTHER DOGS DON'T.
SO IT, UM, THERE WAS NOTHING IN IT WITH THE COMMISSION OR WITH CITY COUNCIL THAT WAS PASSED, THAT SAID A VICIOUS DOG HAS TO LEAVE THE CITY.
BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR, I UNDERSTAND IT'S, IT'S HARD, WHATEVER YOUR PET IS.
I MEAN, IT WOULD BE AN AWFUL SITUATION, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THE DOG, IT'S GOING TO BE SAFER TO KEEP THE DOG IN THE HOME WITH CONDITIONS THAT, UM, ANIMAL PROTECTION WE'LL FOLLOW UP ON JUST LIKE THEY DO WITH DANGEROUS DOGS.
WELL, TH TH THERE WAS ANOTHER ISSUE TOO, AND MARK SLOAT MAYBE COULD, COULD TALK ABOUT THIS UP HERE IN NEIGHBORHOOD, WHERE A GENTLEMAN HAD A DOG THAT HE WOULD LET SLEEP IN THE FRONT YARD, UH, BUT WOULDN'T RESTRAIN HIM.
AND THE DOG WAS AGGRESSIVE TO OTHER DOGS AND ATTACK THE NUMBER OF DOGS AS THEY WALKED BY INJURING THEM.
AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE HAD A HARD TIME GETTING THAT, THAT, THAT ISSUE FINALLY WAS RESOLVED.
BUT WE HAD, BECAUSE THIS GENTLEMAN JUST DIDN'T WANT TO DO WHAT HE W HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO DO, UH, TO RESTRAIN HIS DOG.
AND THERE WASN'T A WAY IT WAS HARD FOR THE CITY TO, TO DO THAT.
I MEAN, MARK, DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? WELL, MAYBE HE DOESN'T THERE'S, BUT THERE'S A WOMAN WHO I SEE WALKING THROUGH THE PARK ALL THE TIME WITH HER SON AND, AND HER DOG THAT WAS ATTACKED AND WAS INJURED.
AND SHE'S STILL ANGRY ABOUT THAT.
SO I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND IN SOME WAYS THIS DOES CLEAN IT UP, BUT I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S STILL, THERE'S STILL, UH, AREAS IN THIS WHERE, UH, MAYBE RYAN CAN SPEAK MORE TO THIS, BUT THERE ARE AREAS THAT IT'S STILL NOT CLEAR.
ARE YOU TALKING THOUGH ABOUT LIKE LOOSE DOGS OR THERE IS A LOOSE DOG PROBLEM, AND I, MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE, BUT, UM, WITH PEOPLE WHO JUST LEAVE THEIR DOGS OUT FRONT OR TAKE THEM TO STACEY PARK AND LET THEM RUN AROUND.
AND, UH, TH THAT'S, UH, TO ME A DIFFERENT ISSUE BECAUSE THAT DOG COULD HURT ANOTHER DOG OR IT COULD HURT A PERSON.
UM, AND, AND SO THAT, THAT DOES HAPPEN.
I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN TRYING TO DO HERE, WHICH IS JUST THE OUTCOME OF WHAT HAPPENS IF THE DOG IS DEAN.
SO DO YOU BELIEVE IF A DOG IS ON YOUR PROPERTY AND THIS GUY, THE DOG IS ON HIS PROPERTY MOST OF THE TIME, BUT HE'D WALK OUT TO THE SIDEWALK, BUT MOST OF THE TIME HE SAT NEXT TO THE FORUM GUY'S PROPERTY.
NOW HE WASN'T SCREAMING, BUT HE WAS ON THE GENTLEMAN'S PROPERTY.
SO, UM, I, THIS GETS KIND OF COMPLICATED IN THE DETAILS.
UM, JOANNE, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? SURE.
MY UNDERSTANDING CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG IS THAT THERE'S NO SUBSTANTIVE DIFFERENCE.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE DANGER OF A DOG BETWEEN A, A DOG, A VICIOUS DOG, AND A DANGEROUS DOG, NO REAL SUBSTANTIVE DIFFERENCE.
AND THIS PROPOSED CHANGE WOULD JUST BASICALLY MAKE THOSE DOGS EQUAL IN TERMS OF OUTCOME, THEY WOULD BE EQUAL IN TERMS OF THEIR ADOPTION, UM, OUTCOMES AND OPPORTUNITIES.
I MEAN, IS THAT CORRECT? TO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY? UM, YES, PRETTY MUCH.
I MEAN, THEY, SOMEONE WHO SAY, WOULD ADOPT A DOG THAT HAS BEEN, UM, DEEMED VICIOUS WOULD KNOW THAT THAT DOG HAS TO BE, IF THEY'RE YOU'RE WALKING IN, IT HAS TO BE ON ALICIA AT ALL TIMES, OR IT HAS TO BE IN AN ENCLOSED AREA LIKE YOUR YARD AND NOT ESCAPE FROM IT.
[00:30:01]
FOR THAT.THEN I SUPPORT THOSE BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY IN MY, IN MY VIEW, THERE'S NO SUBSTANTIVE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DOG BEING VICIOUS AND THE DOG EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE CITY, THAT'S HOW THE CITY HAS HANDLED IT FROM 1908 TO 2002.
AND, AND IN 2002, IT WAS JUST SOMEHOW CHANGED WHEN IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE CHANGED.
UM, I AGREE WITH YOU, CRAIG, THE ISSUE THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT WITH THE DOG BEING OUT IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE, UM, THAT WOULD BE CALLED THAT WOULDN'T EVEN, THAT WOULD BE HANDLED, I THINK BY ANIMAL PROTECTION.
IS THAT CORRECT? MARK, MARK, UM, TO CITE SOMEONE FOR JUST VIOLATING, UM, THE LEASH LAW.
CITY OF AUSTIN, THE ANIMALS ARE REQUIRED TO BE EITHER BEHIND A FENCE OR ON A LEASH AT ALL TIMES OR TETHERED IF THEY'RE IN YOUR PRESENCE.
BUT THE ONE CRAIG IS TALKING ABOUT THAT DOG CONTINUED TO CAUSE HARM TO OTHER DOGS, BUT NOT TO THE LEVEL THAT ROSE TO VICIOUS UNDER THE CURRENT WRITING.
SO IT DIDN'T CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO ANY OTHER ANIMALS.
HE WAS, IF IT'S THE ONE I'M THINKING OF, HE WAS TOOK IT IN SEVERAL TIMES FOR DOG AT LARGE, BUT HE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO PLAY BY THE RULES.
AND WE HAVE RYAN AND THEN PALMER AND SAY BOTH, RAISE YOUR HAND, BRIAN, ARE YOU GOOD? I'M GOOD.
I THINK MARK WAS JUST CLEARING IT UP BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE OF ANIMALS THAT ARE OFF LEASH, BUT THIS CLEARLY IS TALKING ABOUT THAT THE IT FOR PURPOSES OF THIS IT'S TALKING ABOUT WHILE RUNNING AT LARGE.
SO I, I TRULY THINK THAT TAKING OFF THE TABLE THAT THE ANIMAL HAS TO BE MOVED OUT OF THE COUNTY.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A LONG TIME AGO.
UM, AND I THINK THAT A LOT OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED PROBABLY SHOULD BE DISCUSSED AS FAR AS LEASH LAW AND, AND, AND THOSE CONCERNS WOULD BE MY THOUGHT, RYAN, PLEASE.
SO FIRST OF ALL, UM, I'M WITH PALMER.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, TO BACK UP THAT SHE AND I ATTEMPTED TO DO THIS.
I MEAN, IT'S PROBABLY BEEN FOUR YEARS.
UM, AND I, I CAN'T RECALL THE REASON THAT WE GAVE UP ON IT.
UM, BUT WE GAVE UP WITHOUT, UM, WITHOUT GETTING TO THE END OF IT.
SO, UH, I AM VERY THANKFUL THAT JOANNE, UH, TOOK THIS ON AND IT WAS, UM, NOT EASY WORK.
UH, I'M ALSO A HUNDRED PERCENT, UH, SUPPORTIVE OF THE IDEA, UH, OF THIS AND THE NEED FOR IT.
UM, THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED A BIT ABOUT, WHICH WAS OUR, WHY COULDN'T VOTE FOR IT TODAY.
UM, THE FIRST IS THAT, UH, AND THIS IS MY OWN FAULT AND, AND NOT JOANNE IS, IS THAT, UH, I NEED TO FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY STATE LAW CONFLICT OR PREEMPTION ISSUES.
THIS IS AN ISSUE OF LAW THAT IS HEAVILY REGULATED BY THE STATE.
AND AS, UM, EVERYBODY PROBABLY KNOWS YOU CAN'T CONFLICT WITH A STATE, UH, OR STATE LAW.
UM, THERE ARE SOME PLACES WHERE YOU CAN'T EVEN, UM, GOVERNING THE SAME AREA.
I BELIEVE THERE'S AN, UM, PRESENT PREEMPTION EXEMPTION TO, UH, DOG BEHAVIOR.
UH, SO I THINK PROBABLY FINE, BUT I WOULD WANT TO, BEFORE I COULD VOTE FOR IT, I'D WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONFLICT OR GRANTS AND ISSUES MORE IMPORTANTLY, CAUSE THAT IS NOT ON JOANNE.
UM, MORE IMPORTANTLY, AND I THINK THE REASON I COULDN'T VOTE FOR IT IN THE CURRENT FORM IS BECAUSE OF C2.
UM, SO THE, THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN IN THIS DRAFT IS THAT, UM, ESSENTIALLY THE SHELTER CAN PUT ON WHATEVER RESTRICTIONS THEY FEEL LIKE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT VIOLATES THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION, UM, THAT THE GERMAN SHEPHERD CASE, UH, THAT WAS FROM A FEW YEARS AGO, BASICALLY THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT SAID THAT YOU ESSENTIALLY HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT WITH RESPECT TO YOUR DOG, CAUSE IT'S YOUR PROPERTY.
AND IF THE, UM, IF A MUNICIPALITY WANTS TO, TO GOVERN YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT, THEY HAVE TO MEET NOTICE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK C2 GIVES ANYBODY NOTICE OF ANYTHING BECAUSE IT SAYS, IF THIS HAPPENS, THE SHELTER DIRECTOR CAN MAKE UP WHATEVER REQUIREMENTS THEY WANT TO AND WHATEVER APPOINTMENTS THOSE ARE, YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW RIGHT.
AND, UM, THAT COULD BE ANYTHING, LITERALLY ANYTHING THEY COULD SAY.
I KNOW THEY'RE NOT GOING TO, BUT THEY COULD SAY YOU HAVE TO HAVE A 20 FOOT FENCE OR YOU HAVE TO CHEW GUM.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST LIKE, IT'S NOT GIVING THE PERSON NOTICE OF WHAT THOSE RESTRICTIONS ARE.
UM, SO I THINK I CAN'T VOTE FOR IT BECAUSE OF THAT.
[00:35:01]
I WOULD ALSO MENTION THAT RESTRAINING YOUR LAWS ALREADY THE LAW.SO SEEING ONE DOESN'T NECESSARILY ADD ANYTHING TO THE EXISTING WELL, BECAUSE YOU ALREADY HAVE TO KEEP YOUR DOG ON A LEASH, UM, OR IN A SECURITY ENCLOSURE AT ALL TIMES.
AND AUSTIN WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW, UM, OFF-LEASH DOG PARKS THAT ARE DISPENSED AND THERE MIGHT BE ONE OR TWO.
UM, SO SEE ONE DOESN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING AND SEE TWO, UH, I THINK IS, IS ILLEGAL BECAUSE IT DOESN'T GIVE THE PERSON NOTICE.
SO WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE, UM, BECAUSE I COULDN'T VOTE FOR IT TODAY WOULD BE THAT WE, WE COME UP WITH WHATEVER RESTRICTIONS THAT WE WANT TO WELL THAT WE THINK ARE JUSTIN.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE PALMER AND I, UM, STOPPED AND WERE WEREN'T ABLE TO COME UP WITH THAT LIST.
AND MAYBE THAT'S THE HARD PART.
UM, JOANNE'S DONE SO MUCH AMAZING WORK ON THIS ALREADY.
SHE MIGHT NOT HAVE TROUBLE COMING UP WITH THAT LIST.
YOU'VE ALREADY GOTTEN FURTHER THAN WE DID.
UM, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME, IF YOU, YOU KNOW, W WHAT IS THE LIST OF THINGS THAT WE WANT, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE THINK A DOG UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO DO OR CHILL OWNER UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO DO THAT WOULD BE WRITE THEM DOWN AND ONE, TWO, AND THREE, AND, UM, BE A HUNDRED PERCENT SUPPORTIVE OF PASSING IT.
IF WE SIMPLY PUT THAT ONE AROUND, NOTICE OF WHAT IT IS THAT WE EXPECT THEM TO DO.
SO, RYAN, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT SOMETHING GOOD, MAYBE GOING, DO YOU THINK THAT IF WE GIVE IT ANOTHER, WE TABLE IT FOR A MONTH AND SOME OF THESE ISSUES, OR BEST THAT IN JANUARY, WE MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD FEEL COMFORTABLE SENDING COUNSEL, I'D BE A HUNDRED PERCENT SUPPORTIVE IF WE CAN JUST COME UP WITH THAT LIST OF WHAT WE THINK THAT, UM, THAT, WHAT ROLES THE DOG OWNER SHOULD HAVE TO ABIDE BY.
IF THE DOG TRIGGERS THE BEHAVIOR.
AND I, A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE WITH EVERY, ALL THE OTHER CHANGES MADE.
UM, I THINK A, UH, ALL THE CHANGES TO BE ARE GREAT AND I WAS BORN AND, UM, SEE, SEE, IS THE ISSUE THAT I HAVE.
AND THAT'S JUST WITH A NOTICE, I THINK YOU HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE AHEAD OF TIME WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS ARE GONNA BE NOT AFTERWARDS.
SO HAVE A LIST THAT'S MORE SIMILAR TO THE DANGEROUS DOG STATUTE THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS.
YEAH, I THINK AGAIN, THAT'S THE REALLY HARD PART, WHICH IS PROBABLY WHERE PALMER AND I FAILED.
UM, BUT YOU'VE DONE BETTER WORK THAN WE DID ON IT.
AND HOPEFULLY, UM, HOPEFULLY WE COULD COME UP WITH THAT LIST THAT WE'RE ALL COMFORTABLE WITH.
WE HAD GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT WE CAN ADD THIS TO OLD BUSINESS FOR JANUARY, AND IT'LL BE WORKED ON BY THE SMARTEST PEOPLE IN THE BUNCH AND A BULLET READDRESS IT.
IF, IF, IF THE GROUP IS READY TO GO, NO, I, BRIAN, I LIVE BY THE RYAN PALMER, LISA RULE THAT IF SOMETHING COMES UP AND YOU GUYS ARE ALL ON IT AND YOU FEEL IT READY TO GO, I TRUST YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE ALL SMARTER THAN ME.
IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE HAVING RESERVATIONS ABOUT THINGS AND YOU THINK THEY NEED QUICKIE, AND YOU THINK THEY'RE PROBLEMATIC THAT I TRUST YOU ON THAT.
ALSO HAPPY TO PASS THIS IN JANUARY AS AN AWESOME, BECAUSE I'M NOT CRITICAL.
I JUST WANT TO PUT IT IN WRITING.
I THINK, I THINK THAT JOANNE IS, IS ABOUT TO JOIN THAT, UH, THAT CLUB FINE WITH THAT COMMISSIONER LUNSTEAD YES, SIR.
DON BLAME THEM WORK CAN SPEAK ON THIS.
UH, BUT IF WE'RE MAKING CHANGES ON NUMBER DATE, WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE A CITATION FOR THIS.
SO WE WOULD NEED TO ADD LINE AND TO LIST THE CITATION BECAUSE WE JUST CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE ONE.
SO IS THIS SOMETHING THAT, THAT, OR DO WE NEED TO FORM A WORK GROUP OR CAN WE, DO YOU THINK THESE ARE ISSUES THAT WE CAN JUST BEHIND THE SCENES, OTHER AND, AND FIX AND BRING BACK ON JANUARY? WHAT DO YOU THINK JOINING US? UM, WELL, I CAN CERTAINLY TAKE A STAB AT MAKING THAT ADJUSTMENTS THAT, UM, HAVE BEEN RAISED AND IF, UM, AND MAYBE SENDING A DRAFT TO PALMER AND RYAN, IF THAT'S OKAY.
UM, SINCE WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND ALSO TO WORK WITH MR. THOUGHT, MR. BLAND ON THE CITATION ISSUE.
AND I HAD, UM, ASKED HIM, BY THE WAY, MR. BLAND ABOUT, UM, THIS IN GENERAL, AND HE SAID HE WAS OKAY WITH IT AND TRYING TO FIX IT.
MARK, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? YEAH, IT'S UM, THERE, THERE ARE, I SAW SOME OF THE SAME THINGS THAT REMINDED,
[00:40:01]
BUT I DO WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT ANIMAL PROTECTION IS VERY MUCH BEHIND THIS.THIS WOULD MAKE OUR JOB ACTUALLY MUCH EASIER, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CHANGE IF WE CAN GET IT DONE.
SO, UH, IT'S, IT'S LONG BEEN A THING THAT WE DIDN'T LIKE HAVING TO DO THE WAY IT WAS.
SO IF WE COULD MAKE IT SAFE OR TOO DANGEROUS, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN HAVE ALL THE CAVEATS, BUT CERTAINLY SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT.
SO THEY HAVE AN EXPECTATION OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE TO KEEP AN ANIMAL AND WE CAN DO REGULAR INSPECTIONS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE UP TO IT.
SO WE'LL ADD THIS TO ALL BUSINESS FOR JANUARY, OR WE MOVE ON RYAN, UH, BEFORE YOU JOINED, WE ADDRESSED THE, UH, SALES OF ANIMALS IN TRAVIS COUNTY, SINCE YOU AND NANCY WEREN'T THERE.
UH, WE BASICALLY PASSED A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WHO INVESTIGATE WHAT THEY CAN DO TO REGULATE ANIMAL SALES IN THE COUNTY, BECAUSE THEY HAVE RESTRICTIONS, STATE LAW THAT THE CITY DOESN'T, OH, IT'S BASICALLY A REQUEST TO, FOR THEM TO DO SOME RESEARCH.
AND THAT GOAL, OF COURSE, THE RECOMMENDATION IN WRITING IT, YOU AUNTIE, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE RECOMMENDATIONS, IT GOES INTO A LITTLE PORTAL.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DO FOR IT.
WELL, MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING THAT GUYS PRESENT TO THEM, SO WE'LL FIGURE THAT OUT, BUT I WANTED TO GET YOU UP.
UM, BUT, UH, AS YOU KNOW, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR BLESSING ME.
[2c. Discussion and Possible Action on a State Bill to Provide Funding for Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation.]
THAT, WE WILL GO TO NEW BUSINESS C DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A STATE BILL TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR WILDLIFE RESCUE AND RE ABILITATION.UM, NOW, W W WE, I, I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A COPY OF THIS BILL.
UH, THIS BILL WAS WRITTEN BY SOME LAWYER FRIENDS AND, UM, IN EDDIE RODRIGUEZ OFFICE.
AND WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS, UH, THE COMMISSIONER TALKED ABOUT THIS A YEAR OR SO AGO.
WE TALK ABOUT THIS, UM, WITH VARIOUS PEOPLE IN THE CITY.
AND WHAT, UM, WHAT WE CAME UP WITH WAS A WAY TO RAISE A FEE TO FUND WILDLIFE SERVICES, BECAUSE OUR AWESOME WILDLIFE SERVICES OR ANY FIVE OH ONE C3 WILDLIFE SERVICE.
UH, WHAT I FOUND IS THAT THE STATE, UH, TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE CLAIMS HAVE JURISDICTION OVER ALL WILDLIFE IN TEXAS, BUT, AND THEY HAVE RAISED THE, UM, THE STANDARDS ON WILDLIFE REHABILITATORS.
SO IT TAKES THEM MORE TIME AND COSTS THEM MORE MONEY.
THEY CAN'T, THEY USED TO BE ABLE TO WORK AS A GROUP OR ONE PERSON.
WE HAVE A LICENSE AND THEY HAVE SOME PEOPLE HELP THEM.
WELL, THEY CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE.
SO WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS THEY'VE ESSENTIALLY, UH, PUT AN UNFUNDED MANDATE OVER ALL THE WILDLIFE REHABILITATORS.
AND THIS IS PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA FOR GETTING QUALITY, UH, REHABILITATION, BUT THERE'S NO MONEY.
THERE'S NO MONEY FOR ANY OF THIS.
SO THIS IS TRYING TO RESOLVE THAT PROBLEM.
AND I HOPE ALL OF YOU GOT A CHANCE TO READ IT.
YOU HAVE TO WRITE THESE THINGS IN THE RIGHT WAY, AND IT LAWYERS WRITE THEM.
UH, I COULDN'T DO IT PROPERLY.
UH, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE BILL ITSELF? I DO.
SO CRAIG, THIS, THIS IS AN ACTUAL BILL THAT EDDIE RODRIGUEZ WILL BE SPONSORING.
IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, NOW THE QUESTION IS, I THINK HE'S GOING TO SPONSOR IT, BUT HE HASN'T.
AND I THINK SARAH AND
SHE'S JUST BEEN TO YOUR OFFICE TOGETHER.
UM, BUT, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THEY WILL BE SPONSORING IT.
SO, SO WHAT'D YOUR MOTION BE RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY THAT THEY ADD IT TO THEIR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA? YES.
THERE IS A COMMITTEE, IT'S A CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE FOR TWO RELATIONS AND SEND SOMETHING TO THEM, PASS THEM TO HELP.
AND WE MIGHT AS WELL HAVE, I HAVEN'T HEARD A SPONSOR, BUT MIGHT HELP US GET THE SPONSOR PASSED AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
OTHER QUESTIONS, KATIE, GREG, YOU KNOW, IS THE, EITHER OF THOSE LAWMAKERS LEDGE COUNCIL YET, OR NO, I DIDN'T.
[00:45:01]
UP SAY THAT AGAIN.I WAS ASKING IF EITHER OF THE LEGISLATORS HAD SENT THE BILL TO LEDGE COUNCIL YET, DO YOU KNOW IF THE BILL IS BEING DRAFTED BY LEDGE COUNCIL AND THEY'RE JUST WAITING TO GET IT BACK TO FILE IT OR IF THEY HAVE NOT YET SENT IT FOR DRAFTING, TH THIS IS, HAS BEEN DRAFTED BY LEDGE COUNCIL.
SO WHAT I'VE SENT YOU IS ALREADY BEEN DRAFTED.
IT'S JUST GETTING THEM TO SPONSORED ALSO.
THEN YOU GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT COMMITTEE IS GOING TO GO THROUGH AND I, YOU KNOW, ON AND ON.
UH, CRAIG IT, I SAW SOMETHING TODAY.
INTER GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS IS SET A DEADLINE FOR NOON.
SO TOMORROW AFTERNOON EXPECT SOMETHING FROM THEM.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHILE WE S ASO SUPPORTS THE BILL TO HELP WITH THE FUNDING, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT APPLYING IT FROM A STATE LEVEL, THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME ISSUES, SMALL MUNICIPALITIES MIGHT NOT CANNOT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S TELLING THEM THEY HAVE TO HAVE A DEDICATED WILDLIFE OFFICER POSITION.
AND A LOT OF THEM WON'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD THAT.
AND THIS, THIS IS NOT GOING TO GENERATE ENOUGH FUNDING TO SUPPORT THAT POSITION.
ALSO, IT LISTS THAT THE OFFICER MUST HANDLE ALL, YOU KNOW, WILDLIFE CONFLICTS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU, IN THE STATE OF, IN, IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE, OUR ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS DO NOT HANDLE THE FERAL HOGS THAT IS DONE BY ANOTHER UTILITY.
SO WE WOULD NEED TO SPECIFY, YOU KNOW, BE VERY SPECIFIC ON WHAT WE'RE EXPECTED TO HANDLE.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, MOST WILDLIFE RESCUES ARE NOT INSIDE THE MUNICIPALITY.
OUR WILDLIFE RESCUE IS ACTUALLY IN BASTROP COUNTY, BUT THEY HAVE A DROP OFF LOCATION WITHIN THE CITY.
I KNOW THE CITY, THE COUNTY THAT I CAME FROM, THE WILDLIFE RESCUE WAS NOT IN THE MUNICIPALITY AND THIS, THIS BILL WOULD REQUIRE THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN OR THAT WILDLIFE RESCUE OR TO BE INSIDE THE MUNICIPALITY.
AND SO I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED TOO, SO THAT THEY CAN JUST HAVE A CONTRACT.
THE MUNICIPALITY CAN HAVE A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH A WILDLIFE PLACE, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT ONE IN THE CITY.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO IF IT'S OUTSIDE THE CITY AND THE NEXT CAMP IN THE NEXT CITY.
SO I THINK THERE'S SOME CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE IF YOU'RE APPLYING THIS STATEWIDE.
SO WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE, CRAIG, YOU KNOW, LIKE CHAPTER EIGHT, 23 R THAT REGULATES THE, OR MANDATES THAT WE HAVE A COMMISSION ONLY APPLIES TO MUNICIPALITIES OVER WHAT, 75,000 PEOPLE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO PUT A BED IN THERE SO THAT THE SMALLER MUNICIPALITIES, WELL, WELL THEN IT'S GOING TO BE LIMITED.
ALDI IS BIG ENOUGH TO, THERE'S A CERTAIN SIZE.
THEY HAVE TO BE TO BE ABLE TO PUT THAT VELLUM IN FEES, BUT THEY'RE THE WAY I'VE UNDERSTOOD IT.
AND THE WAY I ASKED THE BILL TO BE WRITTEN AND THE WAY I READ IT IS IT, YOU CAN USE THIS MONEY FOR ANY ONE OF THREE DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND AT ONE IS A DECORATED WILDLIFE, BUT NOT ALL THE MONEY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEND ANY MONEY THERE OR ALL THE MONEY THERE.
YOU CAN ALSO SPEND IT ON A FI THE ONE C3 WE CAN CHANGE THAT I NEED TO REREAD ANY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ACTUALLY IN THE MEAT.
AND THIS THIRD OPTION, THEY PUT IT IN THERE TO BLACK MONEY TO BE SPENT FOR THE PATIENT, IF THE TWO OTHER THINGS POSSIBLE.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU DIDN'T, IF IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO HIRE WILD FIVES, WHAT MONEY TO HIRE MY FATHER'S SISTER, OR IF THERE WAS, THERE MIGHT BE Y FACILITATORS, BUT THEY'RE NOT FIVE OH ONE C3 THAT PRESENTS A PROBLEM WITH SPENDING CITY MONEY.
SO WHAT THAT THIRD OPTION WAS TO ALLOW FOR THEM, RIGHT? UH, I'M JUST, I'M PULLING UP THE BILLS FROM THE BACKUPS.
I APOLOGIZE IF I'M NOT, IF I'M LOOKING AT THE WRONG VERSION, I'M READING THE ONE FROM THE BACKUP.
UM, IN THE, IN THE TOP OF THE BILL, IT SAYS, UH, UM, UH, EIGHT, THIS IS SECTION EIGHT 30.02, UH, MUNICIPALITY.
THEY ESTABLISHED THE POSITION.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE ONE IT'S A MAY NOT A MONTH.
UM, AND, UM, SO I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN ISSUE.
UH, IT ALSO, BECAUSE THE WHOLE CITY, UH, ISSUE WITH THAT DOES ALSO RESTRICT SOME OF THE STAGES, ALTHOUGH WE CERTAINLY COULD
[00:50:01]
MAKE IT APPLY TO A FEW WEEKS SINCE IT'S A MAY, RATHER THAN A MUST.UM, ANYBODY'S HERE WITH RESPECT TO THE EXPENDITURES EIGHT 30.04 A IS EXPENDITURE OF MONEY FROM FEE THAT THE MUNICIPALITY MAY SPEND MONEY COLLECTED FROM A FEE, UH, TWO.
AND IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THREE, UH, THREE THINGS WHICH ARE SEPARATED BY AN ORDER.
SO YOU COULD DO ANY OF THE THREE SUPPORT REHABILITATION OF WILDLIFE, FIND ANIMAL RESCUE, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION LOCATED IN THE MUNICIPALITY.
SO THAT DOES SOUND LIKE THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO STRIKE THE WORDS IN THE MUNICIPALITY, UM, TO FUND A POSITION OF DEDICATED WILDLIFE OFFICER OR 3D MITIGATE THE DAMAGE DONE TO WILDLIFE BY THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT REMOVAL OF WILDLIFE HABITAT.
SO IT DOES SEEM LIKE THERE'S SOME FLEXIBILITY WITH REGARD TO WHETHER THE CITY HASN'T CITIES HAVEN'T, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IT'S THE OPTION TO DO THIS, THESE THINGS, UM, AND IS CERTAINLY AN OPTION TO SPEND THE MONEY ON ONE OF THOSE THINGS.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S A GOOD POINT THAT, I MEAN, AUSTIN DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A WILDLIFE REHABILITATION, NONPROFIT IN THE MUNICIPALITY.
I'M GUESSING THERE'LL BE VERY FEW CITIES THAT DO SO LET'S EXPAND THAT SO THAT THEY COULD FUND A WILDLIFE REHABILITATION, NONPROFIT RESCUE ANYWHERE, UM, THAT IT WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE LOCATED WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITY.
BUT I THINK THE REST IS PRETTY, UM, VOLUNTARY.
UH, IT SAYS AT THE, AT, IN THE BEGINNING OF THE BILL AND AT THE TOP, IT SAYS AN ANIMAL RESCUE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION MEANS AN ORGANIZATION THAT, AND B IT SAYS PRIMARILY ENGAGED IN THE REHABILITATION OF SICK, INJURED, ORPHANED WILDLIFE LOCATED IN THE AREAS SERVED BY THE ORGANIZATION OR WHICH, OKAY, SO THAT COULD BE CHANGED.
UM, YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THAT SLIGHTLY, CORRECT.
IF YOU PULL DOWN EXPENDITURE OF MONEY FROM FEE, I THINK THAT'S WHAT DON, UH, WAS REFERRING TO EIGHT 30.041, UH, WHICH IS YOU CAN SPEND THE MONEY AND IT SAYS SUPPORT THE REHABILITATION OF WILDLIFE BY AN ANIMAL RESCUE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION LOCATED IN THE MUNICIPALITY.
UM, SO, UH, THE THING WOULD BE, IS TO, UM, IN ORDER FOR ME TO GET THIS WRITTEN, I HAD TO RELY ON FRIENDS IN THE OFFICE AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, IF WE WANT TO MAKE CHANGES IN IT, UH, I'M NOT SURE THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT DOING THAT.
NOW I HAVE A QUESTION FOR KATIE, KATIE, YOU'RE THE EXPERT IN THIS FIELD IS BILLS, GO GET FILED ALL THE TIME.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY DURING THE PROCESS.
AND IT'S ALSO MY EXPERIENCE THAT BILLS USUALLY DON'T PASS THE FIRST TIME.
I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, A GENERAL RECOMMENDATION FOR A BILL OF THIS SORT, OR EVEN THE NUMBER AND KNOWING THAT CHANGES CAN AND WILL BE MADE? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO, I MEAN, AS LONG AS YOU LET THEM KNOW WHAT EDITS YOU WANT MADE, THE MOMENT THAT BILL IS REFERRED TO COMMITTEE, YOU CAN FILE SOMETHING CALLED A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE, AND IT WOULD JUST FIX WHATEVER LANGUAGE, UM, ISSUES THAT MAY HAVE ARISEN BETWEEN THE TIME THE BILL WAS FILED AND THE TIME IT GETS HEARD IT COMMITTEE.
SO IT'S A REALLY SIMPLE PROCESS AND WHOMEVER TAKES THE BILL ON AS A SPONSOR WOULD BE ABLE TO FILE THAT COMMITTEE SUB UM, LEADING UP TO THE HEARING.
THAT SOUNDS, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN.
SO IS THERE, IS THERE ACTUAL, THERE'S A BILL, IS THERE A BILL NUMBER YET CRAIG, THAT WE COULD GET MY CALENDAR? IT DOESN'T GET, IT GETS TO SANFORD NUMBERS WHEN IT IS SPONSORED AND FILED, FILED BY THE SPONSOR.
AND SINCE I'VE BEEN TRACKING THAT AND IN THESE DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC, AND IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT HARD TO FOLLOW IN SO FAR, I CAN'T FIND ANY EVIDENCE THAT HAS ACTUALLY GOTTEN A NUMBER YET.
SO KATIE WOULD PROBABLY KNOW THAT TOO.
SO KATIE, COULD WE DO SOMETHING LIKE WE RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY ADD WILDLIFE FUNDING BILL OR HOWEVER IT'S FLIPPED THE AGENDA.
AND THEN THAT WOULD TAKE CARE OF, I WOULD SAY THAT THE MOTION WOULD BE TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN EGR, UH, DEPARTMENT ADD WILDLIFE FUNDING TO THEIR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IN 2021.
[00:55:01]
HAPPENS WITH THIS BILL, HOWEVER, IT GETS FILED, WHATEVER NUMBER IT'S GIVEN.WE COULD THEN A LIAISON WITH THE IDR DEPARTMENT FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, LET THEM KNOW WHAT THOSE BILL NUMBERS ULTIMATELY END UP BEING.
AND, UH, ALSO MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE OF ANY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE CHANGES.
WELL, THAT FIRST PART SOUNDED LIKE EMOTION TO ME IS, UH, I SECOND, CAN YOU JUST, AGAIN, KATIE, CAN YOU PUT THAT FIRST PART IN A DISTINCT MOTION FOR BELINDA'S BENEFIT? SURE.
UM, WE MAKE A MOTION THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, OUR DEPARTMENT ADD WILDLIFE FUNDING TO THEIR 2021 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
AND THAT'S THE SECOND BY CRAIG.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? UH, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE, OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
[4a. September, October, November Monthly Animal Services and Austin Animal Center Reports]
THAT TAKES US THROUGH NEW BUSINESS.IS THERE A, A MONTHLY ANIMAL SERVICES REPORT DONE? GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I'M GOING TO BE A FEW MONTHS OF REPORTS TO GIVE TO Y'ALL.
SO I'LL TRY AND BE, UH, SO I'M GOING TO START OFF WITH SEPTEMBER, HEAD THROUGH OCTOBER AND HIT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF EACH OF THE MONTHS OF WHAT WE EXPERIENCED OVER AAC.
SO IN SEPTEMBER WE HAD A TOTAL OF 872 ANIMALS THAT WERE BROUGHT TO THE SHELTER.
AND FROM THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO ADOPT 446 ANIMALS, 109 OF THOSE ANIMALS WERE THEN RETURNED TO THEIR OWNERS.
UM, OVERALL WE HAD A NICE 7.9 LIFE OUTCOMES.
UM, PART OF THAT WAS WE, HE INSTITUTED SOMETHING CALLED SUNRISE ADOPTIONS, AND THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE, UH, POTENTIAL ADOPTERS COME TO THEIR SHELTER BEFORE OPERATING HOURS, WHERE WE NORMALLY HAD A ADOPTIONS BY APPOINTMENT.
WE BROUGHT OUT SOME OF THE DOGS AND WE HAD THEM SPACED OUT ALL OVER THE GREAT LAWN AND PEOPLE COULD BROWSE AND SEE WHAT, SEE THE DOGS SORT OF INTERACT AT A SAFE DISTANCE.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY YOU'RE GOING TO GET SOME ADOPTIONS.
SO IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN RUNNING.
UM, UH, WE WERE DOING IT SORT OF EVERY OTHER WEEKEND, UM, AND, AND, UH, FEELING SOME SUCCESSES AND THEN SOME SORT OF LAGS.
BUT OVERALL I THINK IT WAS CONSIDERING HOW WE HAD TO ADAPT OPERATIONS OVERALL.
IT WAS, IT WAS SOMEWHAT SUCCESSFUL.
UM, APS WERE ABLE TO RETURN 79 ANIMALS AS OUT TO THEIR OWNERS WHILE IN THE FIELD.
UM, DURING THAT TIME TOO, WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO GIVE OUT 30 FENCING ASSISTANCE APPLICATIONS, IMPLANT FIVE MICROCHIPS AND IMPOUND, 172 INJURED ANIMALS ARE HIGHER WITH A HUNDRED OF WHICH FOR TRANSPORT TO AUSTIN WILDLIFE.
UM, WE HAD, WE WERE ABLE BECAUSE WE DID, UH, UH, OPEN UP OUR DOORS A LITTLE BIT AS, AS MUCH AS COULD WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 76 VOLUNTEERS DONATE 1,562 HOURS TO US.
UM, A LOT OF THOSE VOLUNTEERS ALSO HELP WITH NOT JUST WITH THE ENRICHMENT, BUT ALSO WITH SUNRISE ADOPTION EVENTS.
UM, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 340 FAMILIES PROVIDE FOSTER CARE AND WE HAD 186 LIVE OUTCOMES THAT WERE ATTRIBUTED TO, TO OUR PARTNERS.
UM, IN OCTOBER, UH, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 895 ANIMALS COME IN.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO ADOPT THE 437 ANIMALS, UH, AND 123 ANIMALS WERE RETURNED TO THEIR OWNERS.
OVERALL, WE HAD A 70 97, SORRY, THROW ME A SCARY ONE AT 97.7% YEAR COME.
UM, IN THAT WAY, WE ALSO HAD APS.
THEY WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO EATING ANIMALS OUT IN THE FIELD.
UM, WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE OUR APPLICATIONS FOR FENCING ASSISTANCE.
SO 43 AND WE WERE ABLE TO FIND 11 MICROCHIPS.
UM, 79 VOLUNTEERS WERE ABLE TO DONATE 400, 1,480 HOURS TO US.
UM, WE STILL HAVE 340 FAMILIES STILL PROVIDING FOSTER CARE AND WE HAD 181 LIVE OUTCOMES THAT WERE ATTRIBUTED TO ONE OF OUR PARTNERS.
UM, FOR NOVEMBER, UH, WE DON'T HAVE A STATISTICAL REPORT.
WE WERE DOING WELL WITH IT WORK.
AND THEN NOVEMBER WAS LIKE, HOLD ON, IT'S 2020.
AND SO THAT ONE ENDED UP HITTING A GLITCH.
SO AS SOON AS WE FIX IT, WE'LL POST IT UP ONTO THE AAC WEBSITE, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME, SOME NUMBERS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REPORT OUT FROM THAT REPORT.
UM, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 646 ANIMALS WERE BROUGHT TO THE SHELTER.
WE WERE ABLE TO ADOPT 369 ANIMALS AND WE HAD A TOTAL OF 91 DOGS AND CATS THAT WERE RETURNING THEIR OWNERS IN NOVEMBER.
WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO SORT OF MODIFY OUR OPERATIONS AND CREATE SOMETHING, WHAT WE CALL THE PET PASS AND RATHER THAN DO AN ADOPTION BY APPOINTMENT, WHAT WE, WHAT WE PROMOTED WAS PEOPLE CAN COME BY IN THE MORNING AND SIGN UP FOR A PET PASS, SORT OF LIKE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO AT A THEME PARK WHERE YOU GO TO FAST PASS AND YOU HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT, A CERTAIN TIME THAT WE, WE DICTATE WHERE YOU COME IN, YOU HAVE YOUR PET PASS, AND YOU'RE ABLE TO WALK THE GROUNDS OF THE SHELTER WITH THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP.
AND YOU CAN DO, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE INVENTORY, INTERACT WITH ANIMALS AND, AND SORT OF BRING, BRING BACK A LITTLE BIT RATHER THAN THAT ADOPTION SORT OF EXPERIENCE.
UM, AND IT'S IN A SAFE MANNER.
[01:00:01]
BEEN SOMEWHAT SUCCESSFUL, DEFINITELY STEADY WITH THE NUMBERS THAT WE'VE SEEN.AND WE'LL BE CONTINUING THAT AS, AS, AS APPROPRIATE.
UM, WE HAD 80, UH, 87 VOLUNTEERS DONATE 823 HOURS TO US.
WE ALSO HAD 325 FAMILIES PROVIDE FOSTER CARE AND WE HAD 150 TO LIVE OUTCOMES WERE ATTRIBUTED TO, UH, 23 OF OUR PARTNERS.
UM, THAT WAS ESPECIALLY WAS HELPFUL BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME TIMES WHERE WE WERE EXPERIENCING SOME, SOME SPACE PRICES.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, APHS, THEY REALLY, A LOT OF OUR OTHER PARTNERS AND TRYING TO, TO MITIGATE AND SORT OF, UH, GET OUR HEAD ABOVE WATER ON THAT ONE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? WE HAVE AN ANSWER.
UM, THE INTAKE NUMBERS WENT DOWN LIKE 25% OR SO IT LOOKS LIKE FROM OCTOBER TO NOVEMBER, UH, ADOPTIONS WENT DOWN, ARE WE TRACKING? I DON'T SEE ANYWHERE ON ANY OF THE REPORTS, LIKE THE CALLS THAT ARE COMING IN FOR THE ANIMALS THAT ARE COMING INTO THREE, ONE, ONE.
ARE THOSE, WERE THOSE DOWN DURING THAT SAME TIME PERIOD? OR DO WE, DO WE HAVE THE DATA ON THAT? MARK'S ON THE LINE.
I KNOW WE HAVEN'T SEEN A DECREASE IN CALLS.
WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN PRETTY STEADY AND EVEN SEEING INCREASES MARK, DO YOU HAVE ANY, AT LEAST JUST INFORMATIONAL STUFF THAT YOU HAVE ON, ON THE NUMBER OF CALLS THAT WE'RE SEEING? YEAH.
WE MIGHT HAVE LOST HIM ON THERE.
AND JUST, JUST TO, AND SHARE INFORMATION WITH THE COMMISSION, JUST ON WHAT WE'VE SEEN ON OVERALL CALLS.
UM, WE'VE ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALSO, I DIDN'T MENTION IS WE, WE CREATED A CHATBOT ESSENTIALLY.
I THINK WE MENTIONED IN ONE OF OUR PREVIOUS MEETINGS OR THE LAST MEETING WHERE IT PROVIDES INFORMATION TO, TO INDIVIDUALS WHO, WHO MAY FIND A STRAIGHT PET AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TACTICS TO DO? UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF TIMES WHERE WE DO GET CALLS WHERE WE FOLLOW UP AND, AND FOLKS ARE ABLE TO FIND THEM THE OWNER.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT AN AMMO HASN'T BEEN IMPOUNDED AND THAT, THAT PET WAS ABLE TO GET BACK TO, TO ITS OWNER.
UM, BUT YEAH, WITHOUT LET US GET THE DATA.
AND THEN THAT WAY WE CAN GIVE YOU, UH, A SPECIFIC REASON ON WHAT WE SEE ON WE CONTRIBUTE TO THE DECREASE COULD Y'ALL EVEN, I MEAN, YEAH, THE CHAPMAN HAS HELPED TREMENDOUSLY.
I WAS CAN, CAN YOU LIKE PROVIDE WHATEVER DATA IT IS THAT'S BEING CAPTURED DURING THIS TIME THAT THE SHELTER'S CLOSED? CAN WE GET REPORTS ON THAT DATA SO WE CAN SEE WHERE IT'S TRENDING AND HOW IT MIGHT IMPACT OR AFFECT THESE REPORTS? BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF HARD TO MAKE SENSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A FULL PICTURE.
UH, I KNOW THAT RECENTLY WE JUST GOT OUR DASHBOARD FOR OUR CHAT BOT AND AGAIN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT PRETTY BRAND NEW.
AND SO, UM, AGAIN, I WISH MARK WAS, WAS ON THE LINE THAT WAY HE COULD TALK, BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S BEEN PRETTY INSTRUMENTAL FOR, FOR, FOR INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET OUT TO FOLKS, JASON, I'M BACK ON.
I HAD A UNPLUGGED CORD MYSELF.
UM, SO OUR, I WAS GOING TO SAY OUR CALL VOLUME FOR ANIMAL PROTECTION HAS BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT SINCE THIS PANDEMIC STARTED.
ACTUALLY OUR CALL VOLUME WENT UP.
UM, BUT WHERE WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IS IN RETURNED OWNERS WERE WE'RE AHEAD OF, I BELIEVE AHEAD OF WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR FOR RETURN TO OWNER IN THE FIELD.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO BE VERY, VERY FIRM ON WITH OFFICERS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE SCANNING FOR MICROCHIPS.
AND THAT IF WE CAN, IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE CAN KEEP AN ANIMAL IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE IT LIVES OR IN THE, YOU KNOW, BACK HOME, GET IT BACK HOME.
UM, AS FAR AS IN THE, UH, IN THE SHELTER, ONCE THEY COME IN THE ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICE IS ACTUALLY DOING THE RECLAIM LIST AND WE'RE DOING NEW THINGS.
LIKE INSTEAD OF JUST CALLING SOMEBODY AND LEAVING A VOICEMAIL, WE KNOW A LOT OF MILLENNIALS AND YOUNGER DON'T ANSWER THEIR CELL PHONES.
SO WE, WE, THERE OFFICERS THAT DO THE RECLAIMER REQUIRED TO TEXT, AND THAT'S BEEN SUPER HELPFUL BECAUSE PEOPLE LOOK AT A TEXT AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH MY GOSH, MY DOG, THEY FOUND IT.
YOU KNOW, UM, WE'RE ALSO WORKING RIGHT NOW ON A LOST ANIMAL REPORT.
AND ONCE THAT'S UP AND DONE RUNNING, WE'LL HAVE OUR TEXT TO LOSS ATX WILL BE WORKING.
SO THEY'LL GET AUTOMATICALLY TEXTS, UM, INFORMATION ON HOW TO FIND THEIR LOST PET.
AND, AND THEN AGAIN, WITH A FOUND REPORT DUE TO COVID, YOU KNOW, WE DID A LOT OF MESSAGING EARLY ON THROUGH NEXT DOOR AND THROUGH FACEBOOK AND ALL THESE THINGS ABOUT HOW PEOPLE THEMSELVES CAN HELP PEOPLE FIND PETS.
AND SO KELSEY IS GOING TO KELSEY.
CLAIRE IS GOING TO GO LOOK AT THAT FOUND REPORT LIST AGAIN, WHERE, AND COMPARE IT TO WHERE WE WERE ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO TO SEE IF OUR, SEE WHY THESE ANIMALS AREN'T COMING IN AND DO ANOTHER.
WE DID A SURVEY LAST WHEN THIS ALL FIRST STARTED AND FOUND OUT, YOU KNOW, WHY, WHY DIDN'T THESE ANIMALS COME IN?
[01:05:01]
SO WE'RE GOING TO REVISIT THAT.BUT, UM, AGAIN, OUR CALL VOLUME IS DOWN, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING A TON OF MESSAGING.
ALL THE OFFICERS ARE OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, TALKING ON THEIR FEET ABOUT WHY WE DON'T WANT ANIMALS AT THE SHELTER AND HOW TO HELP KEEP THEM OUT.
AND THAT'S ALSO WHAT THEY GET WHEN PEOPLE ARE PRESENTING AT THE SHELTER TO THE, UM, AT RESOURCE CENTER, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WE'LL TAKE THIS DOG, BUT PLEASE, YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE UNDERSTANDING YOU'RE TAKING YOUR NEIGHBOR'S DOG AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I GET MAYBE SLOWLY AS CHANGING THE TIDE, BUT WE'LL SEE.
I MEAN, I THINK ANYTHING LIKE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING MADE LIKE THAT, LIKE WITH THE TEXTING, THAT'S ALL GREAT.
I THINK IT'D BE NICE AS THIS IS SUCH A MOVING TARGET WITH EVERYTHING CHANGING AND EVERYTHING BEING SO DIFFERENT.
IF MAYBE WE COULD RE RECEIVE A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DATA BEING COLLECTED, BUT ALSO MAYBE NEW CHANGES THAT ARE ROLLING OUT.
SO IT'D BE HELPFUL IF SOMEONE ASKS ME IF I KIND OF KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
I WAS GOING TO SAY THE OTHER THING THAT'S REALLY HELPED OUR OFFICERS IN THE FIELD IS WE NOW HAVE COMPUTERS IN EVERY TRUCK.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO A LOT MORE OUTREACH AND REACHING OUT TO THE OWNERS AND ANIMALS IMMEDIATELY, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GO THROUGH A DISPATCHER OR YOU HAVE TIME LOSS AND, YOU KNOW, A GAME OPERATORS.
SO NOW THE OFFICER'S ABLE TO DO IT THEMSELVES RIGHT AWAY IN THE TRUCKS.
AND THAT'S BEEN HUGELY HELPFUL IN, IN KEEPING DOGS BACK HOME WHERE THEY SHOULD BE.
BUT THAT'S ALL EXCITING TO KNOW AS THANK YOU.
AS I SAID, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD RECEIVE, EVEN IF IT'S SHORT AND SIMPLE OR A FEW LINES, BUT UPDATES MONTHLY ON THAT KIND OF STUFF.
UM, MY QUESTION, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU GUYS COULD GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHAT THE STAFFING LEVELS ARE CURRENTLY AT, UM, AT THE SHELTER.
I KNOW FOR, AT LEAST FOR A WHILE, UM, WE HAD, WE HAD BEEN TOLD THAT THE COVID RESTRICTIONS WERE AFFECTING THE SERVICES THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE.
AND I WAS WONDERING IF THAT'S STILL THE CASE OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF STAFFING LEVELS ARE WE AT? ARE WE AT 75%, 50%, A HUNDRED PERCENT JUST WANTING TO GET AN UPDATE ON THAT.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE, WITH THE HIRING PIECE SORT OF PULLED OFF, WE, WE ARE IN A HIRING PROCESS OF TRYING TO FILL IN AS MANY POSITIONS AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ABOUT 20 POSITIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING OUT, UH, AND IN THE PROCESS, UH, PROCESS HIRING PROCESS, UM, RIGHT NOW, I MEAN, OUTSIDE OF JUST, UH, EVERY DAY, YOU KNOW, WEAR AND TEAR IT AND THEN STILL WITH COVID.
I MEAN, OUR STAFFING LEVELS CAN BE GOOD ONE DAY.
SOMETIMES IT'S A BAD ONE NEXT, AND THEN WE, WE TRY TO UTILIZE TEAM TO, TO HELP OUT AND PULL THE SLACK UP.
UM, OUR, OUR STAFF IS REALLY GOOD INDULGENT ABOUT, ABOUT HELPING EACH OTHER OUT.
AND, UM, YEAH, IT'S, IT'S ONCE WE CAN GET THROUGH THESE HIRING PROCESS AND GET THE PEOPLE IN PLACE, I THINK WE'LL, WE'LL DEFINITELY BE IN BETTER SHAPE AND WE, UM, AND THEN WHAT WE'VE HAD IN, AND IT'S, COVID STILL IMPACTING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT CAN BE AT THE SHELTER.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S NOT A LEADING QUESTION.
I JUST, I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHAT THE IMPACT IS RIGHT NOW.
UM, I KNOW YOU THAT YOU'RE HAVING TO DO A NUMBER OF RESTRICTED ADOPTION TIMES AND ALL OF THAT.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF IT DOES, THIS, IS THE CITY STILL HIGHLY RESTRICTED ON WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR STAFF? IS IT UNABLE TO MEET WITH PEOPLE? WHAT ARE THOSE ROLES RIGHT NOW? SO RIGHT NOW, UM, YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE IN STAGE FOUR AND WE ARE, WE'VE SORT OF BEEN WORKING OUTSIDE OF THAT UMBRELLA A LITTLE BIT.
UM, STAGE FOUR REALLY REQUIRES A BUSINESS TO BE WORKING BETWEEN 25 AND 50% OF CAPACITY.
AND WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN HOLDING STEADY IS JUST SO WE CAN MAINTAIN STAFF, VOLUNTEERS AND ANY LIMITED AMOUNT OF PEOPLE TO COME IN, WHETHER IT BE, YOU KNOW, FOSTER AS ADOPTERS.
SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN GOING TO THAT 50 TO 75% RANGE.
UM, IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T, WE'VE BEEN WEARING AND, AND WATCHING WHAT, WHAT, YOU KNOW, OUR INTERIM MEDICAL DIRECTOR HAS BEEN SAYING, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING COGNIZANT, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, AS EMAIL MAY HAVE KNOW, WE MAY BE PUSHING UP TO STAGE FIVE.
AND SO WHAT SORT OF, WHAT THAT, HOW THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT US.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT DEFINITELY COVID HAS BEEN IMPACTING US LIKE CRAZY.
WE CAN'T OPEN THE DOORS, YOU CAN'T HAVE HUGE ADOPTION EVENTS.
WE'RE MORE AND MORE STRUGGLING.
WE HAVE TO SORT OF REINVENT NEW WAYS IN ORDER TO, TO TRY AND GET PEOPLE INSIDE AT A SAFE DISTANCE AND, AND, AND TRY TO, UH, OUTCOME ANIMALS.
AND SO IT'S BEEN, UH, I KNOW OTHER SHELTERS THAT ARE ACROSS THE NATION ARE STRUGGLING WITH THIS.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BEEN, UH, IT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING FEAT TO TRY TO, TO MANAGE MONICA.
IS THAT THE FRIENDS THEN? YEAH.
IF I MISSED IT, DID YOU GIVE US NOVEMBER'S LIBRARY AT LEAST? RIGHT.
UM, THE STAFF WASN'T, WELL, LIKE I MENTIONED, THIS, THE THIRD PART WASN'T DONE, I TRIED TO CALCULATE
[01:10:01]
IT.AND SO IT ENDED UP BEING 96% IS WHAT I DID WHEN I DID THE MATH OF DOING YOUTH, YOUTH, MISSY, AND, AND, AND, AND DIED IN KENNEL IS WHAT I GOT FOR THAT, THAT DATE.
UH, ONCE WE GET THAT THE, THE STATISTICAL REPORT, I MEAN, IT'LL VERIFY, I ACTUALLY KNOW HOW TO DO MY MATH.
UM, AND THEN HOPEFULLY, THEN WE'LL SHARE THAT WITH YOU ONCE IT'S POSTED.
YEAH, I KNOW YOU DID THAT LAST MONTH WHEN WE BROUGHT IT UP, CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE AS TO WHAT THE IT PROBLEMS ARE THAT ARE KIND OF CAUSING THE LACK OF REPORTING IT? UM, SO I THINK WE MENTIONED IT ONE, UH, SOME MONTHS AGO, BUT WE, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE WEB CHAMELEON, UH, AS PART OF OUR, OUR TOOLS, UM, AS AN EXTENSION OF, OF OUR CHAMELEON DATABASE WHEN THEY INSTALLED IT, THOUGH, THIS, THIS LAST FEW WEEKS IT'S, IT'S SORELY CRASHED OUR NORMAL COMMUNITY AND DATABASE.
AND SO IT HAS BEEN STRUGGLING ON TRYING TO JUST FIX OUR NORMAL EVERYDAY REPORTS THAT WE USE ON A DAILY BASIS.
UM, WE, WE STILL HAVE THE SAME SORT OF ISSUES WHERE WE DON'T HAVE A DEDICATED IT PERSON, THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, THE ONE WE USED TO SHARE WITH, THEY FINALLY DID.
THEY HIRED SOMEONE, UH, HE STARTED LAST WEEK.
AND SO HE'S, HE'S GETTING TO, TO KNOW THEIR PROCESSES, OUR DEPARTMENTS WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH.
I ACTUALLY THINK WE MEET WITH THEM NEXT TUESDAY.
AND SO, SO HE CAN GET A LABEL OF EVERYTHING WE NEED AND SORT OF PRIORITIZE.
SO WE CAN FINALLY HIT SOME OF THESE, THESE PROJECTS AND THRESHOLDS THAT WE, WE, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HELP BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT TYPE OF SUPPORT.
YEAH, NO, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT.
I WAS JUST THINKING WE PASSED THAT ORDINANCE LAST FALL, WHERE VERY SPECIFIC REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
NO, YEAH, THAT WAS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT UPDATE.
I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, CAN WE GET, CAN COMMISSION GET A COPY OF THE CURRENT EUTHANASIA SOP AT AAC? I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S CHANGED.
AND I KNOW I HAVE PERSONALLY NOT SEEN IT SINCE IT'S BEEN UPDATED.
UH, YEAH, WE CAN SEND IT TO Y'ALL.
WE HAVE A BEHAVIOR ONE AND A MEDICAL ONE, SO WE CAN SEND OUT BOTH.
YOU CAN SEND BOTH AND THEN WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE? CAN I PUT IN A REQUEST THAT COMMISSION RECEIVES IT EVERY TIME THERE'S AN UPDATE? IT SEEMS LIKE THAT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PROTOCOL THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BE AWARE OF.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF OTHER COMMISSIONERS WOULD, BUT IS THAT POSSIBLE? UM, YEAH, I, I, YEAH.
DON DON JESSA, WE CAN SEND IT.
UM, REGARDING THAT, UM, YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT THE HIRING FREEZE HAS BEEN PULLED, IS THAT FOR THE ANIMAL CENTER OR IS THAT CITYWIDE? THAT CITYWIDE.
AND I HAPPEN TO LOOK THIS MORNING AND I DIDN'T SEE ANY POSITIONS POSTED FOR THE CITY.
SO WHEN WILL THOSE PA FOR AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER? SO WHEN DO YOU THINK THOSE WILL POST WE'RE WE'RE ALREADY GOING THROUGH THE HIRING PROCESS.
SO THEY HAVE IT, THEY WERE ALREADY POSTED, ALREADY BEEN CLOSED.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THE HIRING AND INTERVIEW PROCESS NOW.
SO GUYS, I WAS GOING TO MAKE A JOKE ABOUT RUSSIANS HACKING INTO THE SYSTEM, BUT I ACTUALLY READ ON TWITTER RIGHT BEFORE THIS MEETING THAT THE RUSSIANS ACTUALLY HACKED INTO THE CITY OF AUSTIN COMPUTER SYSTEM OR WHATEVER THREE MONTHS AGO, AND I'VE HAD ACCESS TO IT FOR THREE MONTHS.
IT'S BARELY POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD BE HAVING PROBLEMS THAT HEAD ON OUT OF THE REALM.
AT LEAST WE COULD BLAME IT ON THE RUSSIANS WOULD WORK FOR ME.
IF WE COULD JUST GET THE RUSSIANS TO TAKE SOME OF OUR DOGS.
UM, I WANTED TO MENTION, YOU KNOW, JASON DID TALK ABOUT STAGE FIVE.
IF WE DO, THE CITY DOES MOVE TO STAGE FIVE, THERE WILL BE SOME GUIDELINES THAT WE'LL HAVE TO FOLLOW.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE, UH, ACM, UH, TODAY ON GETTING THOSE SO THAT WE WILL, UH, WORK THROUGH THOSE AND GET THOSE POSTED SO THAT WE'RE AHEAD OF THE GAME.
SO IF THEY DO MOVE TO STAGE FIVE, WE ALREADY HAVE OUR PROTOCOLS THAT WE CAN POST, AND EVERYBODY WILL BE AWARE OF THAT.
THE, THE ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO Y'ALL ABOUT, UH, BRIEFLY IS, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT MICROCHIPPED ANIMALS GET HOME MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
AND YOU HEARD MARK SAY THAT WITH THE COMPUTERS IN THE FIELD, THEY CAN SCAN THEM RIGHT THERE AND LOOK THEM UP AND GET THEM HOME WITHOUT HAVING TO COME TO THE SHELTER.
I WOULD LIKE WE, WE'RE GOING TO PUT A COMMITTEE TOGETHER TO WORK ON HOW DURING THE PANDEMIC, CAN WE GET MORE ANIMALS, MICROCHIP? AND THEN AFTER THE PANDEMIC, WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET MORE ANIMALS MICROCHIP? BECAUSE WE KNOW MICROCHIP KEEP ANIMALS OUT OF THE SHELTER.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME COMMISSIONERS WORK ON THIS COMMITTEE WITH US SO THAT WE CAN ALL INVESTIGATE IT AND BE A PART IT'D BE ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD IF IT WOULD BE A COMMISSION COMMITTEE.
SO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO, TO PUT THAT TOGETHER, I MEAN, I'LL TAKE THE LEAD ON GATHERING THE NAMES
[01:15:01]
AND EVERYTHING AND SETTING UP MEETINGS.IF, IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE, PLEASE SEND ME YOUR, SAY ME AN EMAIL.
SO EVERYBODY, UH, THE WORKING GROUP RULES ARE VERY, VERY BLACKS.
UH, WE CAN FORM A WORKING GROUP AND COMMISSIONERS CAN BE ON IT AND THEY DON'T, OR THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE ON IT.
AND WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE COMMISSIONER LEAD IT.
WE COULD FORM A WORKING GROUP AND, AND WE COULD HAVE DON LEAD THE WORKING GROUP AND OVER COMMISSIONERS WANTED TO JOIN.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE HAVE A LOT OF LEEWAY IN THAT.
SO, UM, I WOULD, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT SOMEONE MAKE A MOTION THAT WE MAKE OR MICROCHIP, OR THAT DAVID, JOHN DON TAKE CARE OF IT.
IS THAT, UH, IS THAT NOTICED, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO? WHAT'S THAT, IS THERE SOME FUNNY ATTEMPT, UH, THAT HAS BEEN THROWN US? UH, MICROCHIP? I'M SORRY.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA THAT WE'LL WANT TO PROPOSE A RESOLUTION, MY PROTECTION.
OH, YOU MEAN, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON THE, ON THIS AGENDA.
UM, HOW ABOUT WE, LET DON START ASSEMBLING A COMMITTEE OF, THEN WE PUT ON NEW BUSINESS AN ITEM, JUST A GENERAL DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION ON HOW TO INCREASE MICROCHIPPING AND CITY OF AUSTIN.
DOES THAT SOUND GOOD? THANK YOU.
SO THAT'S WHAT, WE'LL CALL THAT AS A MOTION FROM BRIAN.
UM, CAN WE GET A SECOND ON THAT? OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT, UH, ALL IN FAVOR.
AND RYAN, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP BECAUSE THAT IS ABSOLUTELY.
UH, SO IF WE'RE DONE WITH THE STAFF BRIEFINGS,
[5. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
NEXT ITEM IS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE VICIOUS DOGS TO OLD BUSINESS, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE MICRO-CHIPPING ITEM ON NEW BUSINESS.ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO ADD? HOMER, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING MONICA? I, YEAH.
I WANTED TO SEE IF WE COULD ADD UNDER STAFF BRIEFINGS JUST TO, DURING THIS TIME PERIOD.
CAN WE ADD UNDERSTAFFED BRIEFINGS, LIKE A COVID CHANGES AND DATA UPDATE AFTER WE ADD A COVID UPDATE TO STAFF BRIEFINGS, I GUESS, WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? HELP US UNDERSTAND.
SO THE ONE I'VE ASKED, UH, EARLIER LOOKING AT THE REPORTS ON HOW IT'S HARD TO TELL WITH INTAKE COMING DOWN, LIKE WE DON'T HAVE ANY DATA THAT'S BEING CAPTURED ON CALLS OR, OR RETURNED IN FIELD THROUGH CHIPS OR CHANGES THAT ARE MADE, LIKE Y'ALL SAID WITH COMPUTERS NOW AND THE VEHICLES AND TEXTING PEOPLE, EVEN IF IT'S BRIEF, CAN WE JUST GET A SUMMARY OF KIND OF WHAT'S BEEN CAPTURED AND MAYBE WHAT'S BEEN CHANGED.
SO WE KIND OF HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW EVERYTHING'S ADAPTING TO WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND ON THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE MAKE REQUESTS AND IF YOU'RE STUCK, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON A CERTAIN MONTH OR SOMETHING VERY BRIEF, THAT'S, THAT'S FINE.
SO WE WOULD APPRECIATE GETTING THAT.
OOP, WHOSE HAND WAS A BREAD? YEAH.
UM, THE, UH, TEXAS PETS ALIVE, UH, ORGANIZATION HAS GOTTEN A BILL, UM, THAT I THINK IT'S BEEN FILED.
KATIE PROBABLY KNOWS THAT THERE AGAIN, SHE'S THE EXPERT, BUT, UH, THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT CAME UP.
UH, THIS IS FOR AN AGENDA ITEM, SO I'M NOT, I'M NOT PRESSING ANYTHING.
AND THERE WAS AN ISSUE THAT CAME UP, UH, BETWEEN THE SESSIONS, WHICH IS THAT SOME RESCUE GROUPS, UM, BEGAN TO BE, UH, INVESTIGATED BY THE STATE FOR FAILING TO PAY, UH, OUR CHARGE SALES TAX ON, UM, RESCUED
[01:20:01]
PETS THAT WERE ADOPTED.AND, UM, APPARENTLY THERE'S SOME DISAGREEMENT ON, ON THE, THE CHANGE WITH RESPECT TO STATE LAW OR WHETHER OR NOT STATE LAW REQUIRES IT OR WHETHER IT DOESN'T.
BUT ONE OF THE BILLS THAT'S BEEN PROPOSED AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEEN FILED, BUT IT'S BEEN PROPOSED IS TO, UM, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, ALL, UH, ALL ANIMAL SHELTERS AND RESCUES ARE EXEMPT FROM THE SALES TAX, BECAUSE APPARENTLY THE WAY IT READS RIGHT NOW WITH AN ANIMAL SHELTERS ARE, BUT ANIMAL RESCUES ARE NOT.
UM, AND SO I'D LIKE TO PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT TIME, TWO WEEKS, THEN A BILL GETS FILED THAT WE SHOULD TAKE A POSITION ON.
I'D LIKE TO JUST HAVE THE AGENDA ITEM ON THERE.
AND WE MAY NOT, WE MIGHT TAKE IT OFF, BUT I'D LIKE TO PUT THAT ON THERE.
I CAN, I CAN, SECOND UP IS THE NAME OF THE BILL THAT WE CAN, I MEAN, LIKE, BUT THEN THE ITEM WOULD READ, UH, UH, UM, DISCUSSING TAPED POTENTIAL ACTION ON, UM, RESCUE SALES TAX BILL.
UH, UH, MONICA, I THINK YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP AND THEN CRAIG.
YEAH, DAVID, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE AGENDA TWO FORMER, JUST TWO FORMER AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE HAD BACK IN LAST DECEMBER.
UH, THE FIRST WOULD BE UPDATE, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE INCREASE IN CATS THAT EUTHANIZED, OR THAT DIED IN CARE.
I'D LIKE TO BRING THAT BACK AND RYAN'S A SECOND.
SO THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE UNDER OLD BUSINESS, I GUESS.
AND THE SECOND WOULD BE UPDATE, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON POTENTIAL VIOLATIONS OF CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES FROM LAST DECEMBER.
AND THAT'S THE SECOND FOR RYAN.
DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? I JUST FOUND OUT SOME INTERESTING INFORMATION TONIGHT.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW THE CITY IS DEALING WITH FERAL HOGS.
CAUSE WE JUST FOUND OUT TONIGHT THAT, THAT OUR, OUR A P O'S AREN'T DEALING WITH FERAL HOGS.
SO I MEAN, SO WHY DON'T WE, IF WE PUT IT ON AS A DISCUSSION, CAUSE THEN WE HAD AN INCIDENT LAST FALL, IT INVOLVED IN APO AND FERAL HOGS.
IT IS THE CITY HAS THE WATER CHILI'S WATERSHED.
THEY HAVE 30 PEOPLE THAT DEAL WITH WILDLIFE.
AND SO THEY TAKE CONTROL OF THAT ONLY, ONLY ON THEIR LAND.
THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO WERE ILLEGALLY TRAPPING A COYOTE.
SO, YOU KNOW, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR.
WELL, I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW ABOUT HOW FERAL HOGS ARE DEALT WITH ON, ON THE, ON, ON THE WATER UTILITY LAND.
UH, I'VE TALKED TO NICO HOWARD ABOUT THAT AND THEY, THEY HIRE SOMEONE THAT'S NOT WILDLIFE SERVICES.
THEY HAVE A, A WAY OF TRAPPING.
WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS WHEN FERAL HOGS GET ONTO PRIVATE PROPERTY.
UH, CAUSE I KNOW WE HAD AN INCIDENT LAST FALL AND I WOULD JUST LIKE, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION TO SEE HOW, HOW WE'RE DEALING WITH THAT.
BECAUSE APPARENTLY FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE MORE AND MORE PROBLEMS WITH THAT BECAUSE THE NUMBERS OF FERAL HOGS IN TEXAS ARE GOING UP, CRAIG, WE DON'T NEED TO GET IN TOO MUCH OF A DISCUSSION.
YOU CAN MAKE ANY MODE MOTIONS YOU WANT, AS LONG AS YOU GET A SECOND, BUT ANYTHING I'D MOVE.
WE HAVEN'T A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW, HOW THE CITY IS DEALING WITH HER.
I WOULD SECOND THAT, CAN WE ALSO JUST REQUEST THAT STUFF SO THAT THEY CAN GET IT.
MARK? DO YOU THINK THE CITY CAN BRIEF US ON ANYTHING ABOUT FERAL HOGS NEXT WEEK? I MEAN NEXT MONTH.
I'M SORRY YOU PICKED UP WHAT HE SAID.
I CAN CERTAINLY TELL YOU THE INCIDENTS THAT WE HAVE DEALT WITH AND, AND THE CALLS THAT WE GET WITH THEY'RE PRETTY MINIMAL.
OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS ONE, BUT HE KNEW ABOUT, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO, TO LET YOU KNOW, SO, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE GOT GOING.
SO THAT'LL BE A NEW AGENDA ITEM AND WE WILL ALSO HAVE A STAFF BRIEFING ON THAT.
UH, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE DONE, UM, LIKE TO WISH EVERYBODY A HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND WE WILL SEE YOU IN JANUARY.
WAIT A MINUTE, PLEASE DID SOMEBODY SAID THAT GREG'S MOTION FOR THE,
[01:25:02]
UH, THAT WAS RYAN.