[00:00:05]
UH WE'LL DO WE SELL CORN? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND START.
[CALL TO ORDER]
NAZER COMMISSION CHAIR, UH, CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 9:01 AM.UH, YES, THIS IS THE ANIMAL VISOR COMMISSION MEETING.
JULY NIGHT, SPECIAL CALLED MEETING VIA TELECONFERENCING.
UH, OKAY, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A ROLE FALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
NANCY NEEMAR IS RYAN HERE? NANCY NAMER IS NOT HERE.
KATIE YARROW, UM, IS HERE PALMER NEW HOUSE HERE.
AND LOUISE HERRERA AND LOUISE HERRERA IS OUR NEW MEMBER AND HE JUST WANTED TO SAY A LITTLE SOMETHING TO THE COMMISSION.
SO LOUISE, WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD.
I WORK ARE, THEY ALL SEEN ANYONE CENTER FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS? I RUN THE SPARE NEWER PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EMANCIPATE.
UM, I WANT TO THANK, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER, MACKENZIE KELLY FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY AND FOR THE STAFF AT THE ANIMAL CENTER, BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT AN EMPLOYEE FROM THE CITY AND FROM THE SHELTER EATS ON THIS CONDITION.
UH, I THINK WE HAVE ALL THE SAME INTENTION TO HELP ANIMALS AND HELP THE COMMUNITY.
LET'S GO TO WORK TOGETHER AND MAKE THESE MUCH BETTER EVERYDAY.
UM, SO LET'S SEE, UH, UH, A REMINDER, PLEASE.
IF ANYONE THINKS YOU HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH ANY AGENDA ITEM, PLEASE SPEAK UP.
[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
GOING TO GO TO CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.I GET THESE LITTLE BLIPS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.
UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO A CITIZEN COMMUNICATION AND LET'S SEE, WE HAVE A LIST HERE.
THE FIRST CALLER IS KRISTIN HANSEN.
THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN NASER AND COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS KRISTEN HAPPENED FORMERLY CHRISTIAN HOUR BACK.
I SERVED AS THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER FROM 2015 TO 2017.
UM, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CURRENT BASE SITUATION AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
WHEN I HEARD THAT THEY WERE IN A SPACE CRISIS, I HAD A LOT OF EMPATHY BECAUSE I WENT THROUGH SOME CHALLENGING SITUATIONS WITH BASE AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER DURING MY TIME.
UM, I WANT TO POINT TO JUST ONE IN 2016, THERE WAS MASSIVE FLOODING IN THE AREA WHICH LED TO A HIGH INTAKE OF ANIMALS WHO NEEDED SHELTERED BECAUSE OF THE FLOODING.
AND DURING THAT TIME, WE WERE TALKING PUBLICLY ABOUT A SPACE CRISIS.
UH, WE HAD 1,200 ANIMALS IN CUSTODY ON ANY GIVEN DAY DURING THAT TIME.
AND, UM, I'LL POINT YOU TO AN ARTICLE WE WROTE, WHICH IS STILL ON THE INTERNET CALLED WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, NO TAIL KEEPS GOING ON.
IT WAS IN THE HUFFINGTON POST AND IT WAS SORT OF ABOUT WHAT WE WERE DOING TO DEAL WITH THIS CRISIS.
SO WHEN I SAW THAT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER WITHIN ANOTHER SPACE CRISIS, UM, I LOOKED IMMEDIATELY TO SEE HOW MANY PETS WERE IN CUSTODY.
AND I NOTICED THAT, UM, JUST SHY OF A THOUSAND PETS WEREN'T IN CUSTODY.
UM, EVEN THOUGH A DIRECTOR OF WAS CLAIMING OUR SPACE CRISIS.
UM, AND I, THIS DIDN'T ADD UP FOR ME BECAUSE, UM, THESE NUMBERS ARE SO DISPREAD, UM, 200 ANIMALS, FEWER OF WHEN WE CONSIDERED OURSELVES IN CRISIS.
[00:05:01]
SO I VISITED AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER ON JULY 2ND.UM, I NOTED 25 EMPTY KENNELS, UM, FOUR BIG DOGS ON TOP OF THE CANDLES THAT HAD BEEN VACATED BY THE ANIMALS THAT, UM, AUSTIN PETS ALIVE HAD.
UM, I ALSO NOTED 10 OR MORE ADOPTED ANIMALS WITHOUT WHO WERE WAITING TO LEAVE, WHO COULD HAVE LEFT.
UM, BUT WE'RE, UH, IN KENNELS.
UM, AND I NOTICED VERY, VERY FEW DOGS CO-HOST, WHICH WAS NOT CONSISTENT WITH, UH, MY EXPERIENCE DURING SPACE CRISES.
AND, UM, AS COMMISSIONER CLINTON, UH, NOTED AT THE LAST MEETING, IT WAS QUIET AND CLEAN AND NOT WHAT I RECALL WHEN THE SHELTER WAS IN A SPACE PRIZES.
SO, UM, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE AUSTIN ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION REALLY CONSIDERED DEFINING WHAT WE MEAN BY SPACE CRISIS, BECAUSE IT'S A VERY FURIOUS THING TO SAY TO THE PUBLIC, PARTICULARLY WHEN ANIMALS LIVE SERVICE.
SO, UM, HERE ARE THREE WAYS THAT WE WOULD KNOW BEAVER IN FAITH CRISIS.
NUMBER ONE, THE KENNEL COUNT WOULD REFLECT ALL KENNELS, PUBLIC AND NONPUBLIC.
UM, AND THERE WOULD BE NO SPACES OR VERY FEW SPACES IN ANY KENNELS.
UM, CURRENTLY THE COUNT IS ONLY THE PUBLIC KENNELS, UM, AND THAT LEAVES OUT MORE THAN 50 AVAILABLE KENNELS FOR BAIT DOGS.
NUMBER TWO, UH, 25 TO 40% OF THE DOGS SHOULD BE CO-HOST.
AND THIS IS A NUMBER THAT WE ALWAYS WERE WORKING TO ACHIEVE BEFORE WE CLAIMED THERE WAS THIS BASE CRISIS.
UM, THIS THERE'S MOST SHELTERS IN TEXAS HAVE THE MOST DOGS AND WE ARE OUTSIDE THE NORM WHEN IT COMES TO TEXAS SHELTERS.
UM, I, I SHOULD, I SHOULD'VE ANNOUNCED THIS BEFORE TIME, THAT THE WAY THIS WORKS IS THE CITY GIVES YOU EXACTLY THREE MINUTES AND THEY CUT YOU OFF, UH, WHICH IS JUST THE WAY IT WORKS.
AND I WANT TO THANK KRISTIN FOR HER STATEMENT.
UM, UH, IF YOU WANT TO DO A MORE COMPLETE STATEMENT, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEND US AN EMAIL, UH, WHICH, UH, MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
MY NAME IS DAVID LOGAN AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE.
I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE REPEATED CLAIMS BY DON BLAND, THAT AAC DOES NOT HAVE A BEHAVIOR PROGRAM AND THAT HE NEEDS AUSTIN PETS ALIVE TO PULL THE SHELTER'S BEHAVIOR DOGS OR RISK THEM BEING KILLED.
IN THE EIGHT YEARS I'VE BEEN VOLUNTEERING.
WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A BEHAVIOR DOGS AT AC.
NO PREVIOUS MANAGEMENT HAS THREATENED TO KILL THEM.
WHEN SPACE GOT TIGHT AS DOCUMENTED SPACE HAS BEEN A LOT TIGHTER.
THE TRUTH IS A C HAS HAD ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE VOLUNTEER RUN, POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT BASED BEHAVIOR PROGRAMS AT ANY MUNICIPAL SHELTER.
IT'S RUN BY ORANGE DOT CREW MARS THAT CREWS SPEND COUNTLESS HOURS A WEEK, BOTH IN AND OUT OF THE SHELTER.
WORKING WITH AACS HIGHEST LEVEL BEHAVIOR DOGS, ALONG WITH CERTIFIED POSITIVE BASED TRAINERS.
WE CREATE AND EXECUTE TRAINING PLANS AND HANDLING PLANS FOR THEM.
WE TAKE THEM OFF SHELTER GROUNDS, ROUTINELY TO PRACTICE MODIFYING THEIR BEHAVIORS AND REAL LIFE SITUATION SITUATIONS.
ALONG WITH FRIENDS OF AC, WE RAISED NEEDED FUNDS TO HIRE OUTSIDE TRAINERS WHO TOGETHER WITH VOLUNTEERS WORK WITH THESE DOGS, BOTH IN THE SHELTER AND AFTER THEY GO HOME, TWO OF OUR COORDINATORS WILL SIT FOR A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED DOG TRAINING CERTIFICATION IN SEPTEMBER, WHICH REQUIRES OVER 300 HOURS OF DOCUMENTED TRAINING WORK.
AND LAST MONTH, APA BEHAVIOR TEAM REACHED OUT AND ASKED US TO CONSULT WITH AND WORK WITH A DOG AT THEIR FACILITY WHO HAVE BEEN MADE UNAVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION DUE TO BEHAVIOR.
THAT IS THE KIND OF COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING BETWEEN AAC AND APA.
DON BLAND, HIS SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM SHOULD BE WORKING WITH ORANGE.GROUP.
THEY SHOULD BE PROMOTING OUR EFFORTS INSTEAD THEY HAVE SHOWN ZERO INTEREST.
AND IN FACT, MARGINALIZED AND ALIENATED THE GROUP, THERE IS NO INTEREST OR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT A SCIENCE-BASED BEHAVIOR PROGRAM LOOKS LIKE AMONG AAC.
LEADERSHIP ASK ANY MEMBER OF ACS LEADERSHIP TEAM TO EXPLAIN THE PRINCIPLES OF THE APA PROGRAM.
I ASSURE YOU THEY CAN NOT A YEAR AGO, ORANGE.GROUP PROPOSED HELPING CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE BEHAVIOR PROGRAM FOR AAC AT NO COST TO THE CITY.
OUR OFFER WAS REJECTED BY A SENIOR MANAGER WHO STATED IN AN EMAIL THAT AAC HAD NO INTEREST IN A BEHAVIOR PROGRAM.
OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS, WE WORKED WITH EVERY PREVIOUS MANAGEMENT TEAM AT AC.
IN FACT, THE LAST INTERIM CHIEF KIMBERLY MCNEALY USED TO MEET WITH US MONTHLY.
OUR SECOND TO LAST MEETING WITH THE CHIEF ANIMAL SERVICE OFFICER WAS THE DAY KIMBERLY INVITED US TO MEET WITH DAWN.
OUR LAST MEETING WAS TO DISCUSS OUR PUBLIC CRITICISM OF AACS MANAGEMENT POLICY STEMMING FROM COVID, AFTER WHICH DON SENT US AN EMAIL THREATENING TO FIRE US AS VOLUNTEERS.
I WILL NOT BE SURPRISED IF I'M FIRED FOR SPEAKING UP HERE TODAY.
IF I AM, I'LL BE BACK TO LET YOU KNOW.
AND ALSO LIKE TO SAY THIS ISSUE IS NOT LIMITED.
JUST ORANGE DOT CREW VOLUNTEERS ACROSS THE BOARD.
THE MOST EXPERIENCED VOLUNTEERS BE ALIENATED BY DON BLAND AND HIS MANAGEMENT TEAM, MORALE NUMBERS AND HOURS REMAIN HISTORIC.
WHAT WAS WELL PAST THE EFFECTS OF COVID.
THOSE THAT REMAINED ARE BURNED OUT AND FEEL SENIOR MANAGEMENT WILL BE LESS BOTHERED IF WE WEREN'T AROUND VOLUNTEERS.
ALSO, IF THEY BEING FIRED, THIS IS A DISTURBING TACTIC EMPLOYED BY BLAND AND HIS TEAM ASK YOURSELVES WHY VOLUNTEERS NO LONGER SIGN UP TO SPEAK AT THESE MEETINGS?
[00:10:01]
LACK OF VOLUNTEER ENVIRONMENT INVOLVEMENT LEADS TO DECREASED ENRICHMENT AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR DOGS, WHICH IN TURN LEADS TO MORE LONG STAY DOGS WITH BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS, MANAGEMENT, TACTICS AND POLICIES ARE CREATING THE VERY PROBLEMS THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT AS YOU WELL KNOW THOSE INVOLVED IN AUSTIN SHELTER AND RESCUE COMMITTEE CAN NEVER AGREE ON ANYTHING UNTIL NOW.THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG INSIDE AAC, BUT IT'S NOT THE BEHAVIOR DOG.
DURING THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING, YOU ALL AGREED TO SET UP A WORK GROUP TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF BEHAVIOR DOGS AND THE SPACE PRICES.
ORANGE DOT CREW REMAINS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THAT GROUP IN ANY WAY YOU MIGHT FIND HELPFUL.
WE ARE HAPPY TO PROVIDE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR EVERYTHING I'VE SHARED HERE TODAY.
UH, THE NEXT, UH, PERSON IS BEVERLY LUNA AND SHE IS WITH, UH, UM, AUSTIN LIST AND FOUND PETS.
HI, MY NAME IS BEVERLY LUNA WITH AUSTIN LOST AND FOUND PETS.
I, THE SHELTER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PLACE TO GO LOOK FOR YOUR LOSS DOG.
I SEE MORE AND MORE OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE INTENTIONAL EFFORT TO MINIMIZE INTAKE AND CHANGE THE SHELTER FROM AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE TO A REGULAR 40 HOUR WEEK CITY BUSINESS STATISTICS SHOW THAT INTAKE FOR DOGS THIS PAST YEAR WAS ONLY 53% OF WHAT IT WAS IN THE YEAR PRIOR AND ONLY 57% OF WHAT IT WAS FOR CAT.
LAST WEEKEND, THE 10TH AND THE 11TH.
I SPOKE TO TWO PEOPLE WHO TRIED TO BRING THEIR DOGS INTO AAC.
THOSE PEOPLE RELATED TO ME, THEY WERE TOLD THAT INTAKE WAS CLOSED AND THAT NO ONE WAS FROM PRC WAS EVEN THERE TO ASSIST.
BUT THE INDIVIDUALS EXPRESSED THAT THERE WERE TOLD THAT AAC HAD BEGUN EUTHANIZING DOGS, WHICH THEY VIEWED AS TRYING TO GUILT THEM INTO HOLDING ONTO THESE STRAY DOGS, WHICH THEY BOTH ALREADY HAD FOR SEVERAL DAYS.
ONE OF THEM TOLD ME THEY FELL A DOG, A MAN STRUGGLING WITH A PARTICULARLY LARGE PARENT.
HE WAS TRYING TO GET HIM OUT OF THE CAR AND THAT THE NEWS WAS HARD TO HANDLE.
NOT ONLY WAS THAT INDIVIDUAL TURNED AWAY AS WELL, BUT ONE OF THESE PEOPLE SAID THAT AN AAC EMPLOYEE TOLD HIM THAT OVER 70 DOGS HAD ALREADY BEEN TURNED AWAY.
NO PHOTOS OF THE DOGS WERE TAKEN.
NO A NUMBER WAS GIVEN AND THE DOGS WERE NOT PUT ON AAC, WEBSITES AND DOGS HAVE A CHANCE OF BEING LOCATED BY THEIR OWNERS.
WHEN ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS WAS TOLD THAT HE SHOULD HAVE JUST RELEASED THE DOG INSTEAD OF PICKING IT UP, THAT WAS A BUSY INTERSECTION WHERE HE FOUND THE DOG AT ONE 30 IN THE MORNING.
BUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THESE DOGS IN ONE CASE, I THINK AN ACO HAD TO DRIVE OUT FROM YOUR VACATION TO PICK UP THE VERY SAME DOG AND THE OTHER CASE TO FIND YOUR LIFE.
THEY HAD TO MAKE ANOTHER TRIP TO THE SHELTER.
IF SHE WAS ABLE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT I SAW ON FACEBOOK, SHE WAS TRYING TO BE HOME TO CLEARLY OWN DOGS.
I'VE HEARD THAT AAC STAFF PLAN, THE AVERAGE TIME TO GET A STRAIGHT INTAKE APPOINTMENT IS THREE DAYS.
IT'S TOTALLY INCONSISTENT WITH MY EXPERIENCE AND WITH WHAT I HEAR FROM PEOPLE ON THE AWESOME AUSTIN SOUND EXPERTS.
PEOPLE DON'T EVEN GET A CALL BACK FOR THREE DAYS, EVEN SET AN APPOINTMENT.
I HAD A DOG THAT I TRIED TO SCHEDULE FOR AN APPOINTMENT IN MAY.
AND THE FIRST APPOINTMENT WAS TWO WEEKS LATER, MOCK DOGS ARE NOT GETTING HOME.
PEOPLE ARE REHOMING THEM OR LETTING THEM GO AND NOT EXPECT THE PUBLIC TO HOLD ONTO A DOG FOR MORE THAN A DAY OR TWO SOUND PET REPORTING SYSTEM TO THE PET FINDER, WHICH IS NEW, IS NOT WORKING WHEN IT DOES WORK.
IT WORKS IN A WAY THAT DRASTICALLY DECREASES THE CHANCES THAT PEOPLE LOOKING FOR, THEIR LOST PET, WHATEVER, FIND YOUR PET PET PHOTO OF YOUR PET HARBOR NEW SYSTEM.
I GET SOMETHING BACK THAT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THE BOUND DOG NOW THE AAC WEBSITE, BUT MY EXPERIENCE IS ABOUT 60% OF THE TIME.
THE PHOTO NEVER SHOWS UP ON THE WEBSITE.
IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND A DOG.
I THOUGHT THE OLD SYSTEM WAS BAD.
THIS IS ABOUT A THOUSAND TIMES WORSE.
UM, 3, 1, 1, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL THEM TO SHARE A DESCRIPTION OF ANY REPORTED DOWN PET OR LOOSE PET WITH ANYONE CALLING, ASKING FOR A DESCRIPTION OF THE ANIMAL? 3, 1, 1 OFTEN HAS A PHOTO, A HOLIDAY CONNIE
IT'S TURNED INTO A 40 HOUR WEEK FOR, OKAY.
UM, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS EILEEN MCFALL.
I'M A LONG TIME NO-KILL ADVOCATE AND FOUNDER OF FINAL FRONTIER RESCUE PROJECT.
ONE OF THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS THAT DON BLAND SAID, RESCUE DOGS WITH BEHAVIOR ISSUES FROM AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER AND SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY, BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THE VISION THAT LED AUSTIN TO BECOME A NO KILL COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE IN THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNMENT SHELTER.
AND I BELIEVE IT IS NECESSARY AND POSSIBLE FOR THE PUBLIC SHELTER TO IMPLEMENT ALL THE PROVEN PROGRAMS OF THE NO KILL EQUATION TO PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY, AS WELL AS LIFE AND OF LIFE FOR ALL ANIMALS.
AUSTIN NEEDS THREE THINGS, EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY TRUST, AND INVOLVEMENT AND EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP.
[00:15:01]
INCLUDE ALL THE PROGRAMS OF THE NO-KILL EQUATION THAT GUIDED THE CREATION OF THE ORIGINAL NO-KILL IMPLEMENTATION PLANT.MANY KENNELS AT ASC ARE TAKEN UP WITH DOGS WHO NEED BEHAVIOR HEALTH.
SO A FULL BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION PROGRAM IS TOP PRIORITY.
A VOLUNTEER RUN PROGRAM WHILE INCREDIBLY VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT IS NOT ENOUGH.
LEADERSHIP SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE WORKING WITH ORANGE DOT CREW.
AND THAT CAN BE THE FOUNDATION OF A TRANSPARENT ACCOUNTABLE OFFICIAL PROGRAM.
NO RESOURCES IS AN EXCUSE, NOT A REASON.
THERE WERE NO RESOURCES FOR DEVELOPING A TRANSPORT PROGRAM EITHER AND FUNDS WOULD BE MUCH BETTER USE TO ADDRESS BEHAVIOR ISSUES.
THEN THEY WOULD BE ON A TRANSPORT PROGRAM THAT WOULD MOVE DOGS WHO COULD EASILY BE ADOPTED HERE, COMMUNITY TRUST AND INVOLVEMENT.
AUSTIN HAS MORE RESOURCES THAN MOST OTHER COMMUNITIES AND BOTH THE WORKING GROUP AND AAC MANAGEMENT SHOULD BE SEEKING INFORMATION AND INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
YOU NEED GOOD DATA AND INFORMATION, AND FINALLY EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP IN JUNE.
DON BLAND SET ADOPTIONS ARE DOWN WHILE IN JULY.
HE SAID THE ADOPTION RATE IS THE HIGHEST IT'S EVER BEEN.
THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY EXAMPLES OF USING DIFFERENT NUMBERS AND MESSAGES TO SUIT HIS PURPOSE.
IT IS NOT TRUSTWORTHY BEHAVIOR.
AUSTIN NEEDS TRUSTWORTHY, COMPETENT, COMPASSIONATE LEADERSHIP, DEDICATED TO KEEPING IT A NO-KILL COMMUNITY.
AND IT NEEDS THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION TO ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS RATHER THAN GIVING UNQUESTIONING SUPPORT TO AAC LEADERSHIP.
THE NEXT PERSON IS PIPER BECKER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I HAVE CONCERNS, UH, FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM THIS LAST MEETING IN TERMS OF SPACE EUTHANASIA AND THE OVERALL CURRENT SERVICES FROM THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
I DO NOT FEEL CONFIDENT WITH THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION TO UPHOLD OUR NO-KILL STATUS.
WE HAPPEN TO HAVE FEWER NUMBER OF ANIMALS THIS YEAR OVERLAP AND SEEM TO HAVE MORE PROBLEMS. SO JUST EVEN MENTIONING EUTHANASIA IS DISTURBING AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN.
I FEEL THE NEED TO SPEAK FOR THOSE THAT CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, BUT I'VE HEARD AND SEEN IN THESE MEETINGS, AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER ADMINISTRATION NO LONGER APPEARS TO BE FOCUSING ON THE NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC.
AND IN MY OPINION HAS NOT BEEN A GOOD STEWARD FOR THE ANIMALS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
HERE'S AN EXAMPLE, JUST RECENTLY, A 3, 1, 1 CALLER FOUND AN ANIMAL AND IT TOOK FOUR DAYS FOR A RESPONSE WITH, UH, THE CENTER, LEAVING VOICEMAILS AND EVENTUALLY TELLING THE CITIZEN TO FIND THE OWNER THEMSELVES VIA SOCIAL MEDIA, ET CETERA.
THAT'S ASKING THE CITIZEN TO DO THE ANIMAL CENTER'S JOB.
THIS IS INCREDIBLY IRRESPONSIBLE MISMANAGED, AND QUITE FRANKLY, NEGLIGENT JUST FOR A MOMENT.
FOR INSTANCE, WITHIN 24 HOURS, SOMEONE IN APO OR VOLUNTEER COMES TO IDENTIFY IF THE ANIMALS TIPPED AND HAS A FAMILY, NOT NECESSARILY PICKING UP AN ANIMAL, BUT FOCUSING ON REUNITE, NOT NUMBERS.
AS I HEARD IN THE UPDATE FROM THE CENTER, NUMBERS ARE MISLEADING NUMBERS.
DON'T TELL A STORY, THE FOCUS SHOULD BE ON REUNITE, ADOPT A NO KILL.
I DON'T SEE OR HEAR THIS TYPE OF DESIRE TO HELP THE COMMUNITY.
WE NEED BETTER LEADERSHIP IN THE CENTERS REPORT.
I HEARD A BUNCH OF NUMBERS AND COMPARISONS TO OTHER CITIES.
AUSTIN'S NOT COMPARABLE TO OTHER CITIES IN TEXAS.
THE REASON BEING AUSTIN IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE TOP CITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
OF COURSE, THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE ANIMALS AND COMPARING TO ANOTHER CITY IS APPLES TO ORANGES.
PLUS WE NEED MEANINGFUL METRICS, NOT JUST NUMBERS, SUCH AS WHAT'S THE PERCENT OF INCREASE IN DECREASE OF REUNITING ANIMALS FROM YEAR TO YEAR OF ADOPTION OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF INCOMING CALLS AND COMMUNICATION.
WHAT PERCENT WAS RESOLVED, WHAT PAIR SENT WAS RESPONDED TO, WHAT DID WE MISS? HOW LONG WAS THE RESPONSE TIME DID WE IMPROVE FROM LAST YEAR? FOCUS SHOULD BE ON REUNITE ADOPT AND NO KILL.
I BELIEVE THE ANIMAL CENTER'S CURRENT ADMINISTRATION IS UNABLE TO PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY ARE NO LONGER EFFECTIVE NOR FOCUSING ON OUR NEEDS.
WE ARE GOING DOWN THE WRONG PATH.
WE NEED TRUE LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION TO FOCUS ON MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JEANNE WHO BREATH? GOOD MORNING.
UM, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A CHANCE TO SPEAK.
UM, SPEAKING TO THE NEW BUSINESS ITEM POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING APDS ANIMAL CRUELTY DIVISION.
I'M A NINE YEAR SHELTER VOLUNTEER AND FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF CLASSIC CANINES BENEFITING SENIOR
[00:20:01]
SHELTER DOGS, UM, EQUALLY INVESTED IN THE SHELTER SPACE, CRISIS TOPIC THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE URGENCY OF THE CRUELTY UNIT QUESTION DOESN'T SLIP AWAY WITHOUT A CHANCE FOR FEEDBACK.I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PROVING OR DISPROVING HOW EFFECTIVE THE CURRENT PROCESSES ARE FOR ADDRESSING CIVIL AND CRIMINAL ANIMAL CRUELTY COMPLAINTS SEEMS DIFFICULT TO PROVE OR DISPROVE AFTER PERFORMING A DEEP DATA-DRIVE DIVE.
UM, THE PUBLIC DATA POINTS ARE DIFFICULT TO FIND DIFFICULT TO INTERPRET AND CROSS-REFERENCE BETWEEN 3, 1, 1 DATA.
IT COULD BE INCIDENT REPORTS AND CRIME REPORTS.
THEY ALL PRESENT PORTIONS OF DATA, WHICH DO NOT APPEAR JUST FROM TO A WHOLE.
THE REPORTING COMPOSITE SET ASIDE, THE POSED TO THE BOARD, UH, BY APD IS NOT ONE OF DATA POINTS OR SUCCESS AT BRINGING CHARGES.
THESE ARE THE REASONS I AM OPPOSED TO REMOVING THE APD CRUELTY UNIT RESOURCES, THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE U S POINTS OUT.
MOST CRUELTY INVESTIGATED BY HUMANE OFFICERS IS UNINTENTIONAL NEGLECT.
IT CAN BE RESOLVED THROUGH EDUCATION.
AUSTIN CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE THE ABILITY TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE PROPER CARE OF THEIR PETS.
THEY PETTY CRIMES DATABASE SHOWS PRE COVID.
75 TO 80% OF THE OFFENSES WERE ABLE TO BE SUFFICIENTLY RESOLVED WITHOUT AN ARREST LEFT UNCHECKED AND EDUCATION POINT IS, UM, AS LOST.
THE CYCLE OF ABUSE CONTINUES, UNBROKEN AND SILENT AND OFFENDERS ARE FREE TO TAP INTO THEIR NEXT VICTIMS AT ANY OF THE CITY'S SHELTER ORGANIZATIONS.
THE IMPACT OF THE RESCUE PARTNERS NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED, ESPECIALLY THE SPCAS, BUT INCLUDE ANIMAL CRUELTY IN THEIR MISSION WHERE THEY SUPPORT A COMMUNITY THAT WILL NOT REVIEW AN ENFORCED CRUELTY.
AND DOES THIS MAKE SENSE FOR AUSTIN AS A NATIONAL NO-KILL COMMUNITY LEADER? LASTLY, THE CITY CODE TWO DASH ONE DASH 1 0 2, IN THE DEFINITION OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION, IS THIS BOARD A RIGHT TO ADVISE COUNCIL ON ANIMAL WELFARE POLICIES AND BUDGET PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED BY THE COMMISSION.
PLEASE SEND A MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR TODAY THAT THE APD CRUELTY UNIT CANNOT BE BARTERED FOR.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
AND THE LAST SPEAKER IS PAT VAL'S.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND THANK YOU, ESPECIALLY FOR ALL THE GREAT SPEAKERS THAT HAVE JUST SPOKEN.
UM, I WANT TO START BY SAYING I DISAGREE WITH EVERY SINGLE SPEAKER, INCLUDING, UH, KRISTIN HUSSON, WHO, WHEN SHE WAS HERE AND, UH, AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE SHELTER.
I DIDN'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH HER, BUT RIGHT NOW HER DEFINITION, HER, HER INPUT ABOUT DEFINING SPACE CRISIS AND TALKING ABOUT LOOKING CAREFULLY AT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF KENNELS EMPTY IS, IS A REALLY GOOD POINT.
SO I WANT TO START BY SAYING, I AGREE WITH KRISTEN.
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH DAVID POIGNANT AND EVERYTHING HE SAID ABOUT THE BEHAVIOR PROGRAM.
I AM SO HAPPY THAT HE BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE HE IS INDEED VERY EXPERIENCED WITH BEHAVIOR.
AND I THINK HIS VOICE IS IMPORTANT.
I THINK THERE WAS AT ONE POINT WHERE HE MIGHT'VE, UM, MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT TAWNY HAMMOND, UM, 20 HIM, AND WAS NOT VERY GOOD ON ALLOWING PUBLIC INPUT, ESPECIALLY, UH, ANYONE LIKE ME WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ABOUT SPAY NEUTER.
AND, UM, I DON'T COMPLETELY AGREE THAT WE, I WANT TO GO BACK TO, UH, THE DAYS OF TAWNY HEM.
AND, BUT I DO AGREE WITH DAVID THAT A BEHAVIOR PROGRAM IS IMPORTANT AND THAT SHOULD BE PART OF THE PROCESS OF, UM, DISCUSSING WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE SO-CALLED SPACE CRISIS.
I AGREE WITH BEVERLY LUNA COMPLETELY ABOUT THE CLOTHES, SHELTER, AND CLOTHES INTAKE, AND TAKING A LOOK AT, UM, 3, 1, 1, AND HOW THAT PROCESS IS HANDLED.
I AGREE WITH EILEEN MCFALL THAT WE NEED GOOD DATA.
UM, I ALSO AGREE WITH THE TWO SPEAKERS JUST BEFORE ME, BUT I WANT TO MOVE ON TO WHAT I BELIEVE HAS BEEN OMITTED, WHICH IS ANY DISCUSSION OF SPAY NEUTER AND A COMMUNITY PROCESS TO LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH SPAY-NEUTER.
THE SPAY-NEUTER BUDGET HAS NOT INCREASED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
IT'S GREAT THAT WE'VE HAD A MANSA PET DOING FREE SPAY NEUTER FOUR DAYS A WEEK.
I THINK WITH THE GROWTH OF AUSTIN, WE NEED SQUEEZE SPAY NEUTER SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
AND UNTIL WE GET PET OVERPOPULATION UNDER CONTROL, NO MATTER HOW YOU DEFINE SPACE CRISIS, NO MATTER WHAT ANYBODY CRITICIZES WITH ANY SPECIFIC COMPONENT
[00:25:01]
OF ANIMALS SERVICES, WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET PET OVER POPULATION UNDER CONTROL UNTIL WE DEAL WITH THE, UM, LACK OF SUFFICIENT SPAY-NEUTER FOR LOW-INCOME PEOPLE.I HOPE YOU WILL ADDRESS THAT IN, IN A LONGTERM PLAN.
AND I HOPE YOU WILL ALSO ADDRESS THAT WE CAN NO LONGER SUSTAIN A SHELTER THAT ONLY HAS 114, UM, ANIMALS SERVICES, STAFF MEMBERS.
THAT WAS THE NUMBER MANY YEARS AGO.
THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION SHOULD LOOK AT THE BUDGET, LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND SEE IF YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT STAFF TO DO WHAT YOU'RE ASKING STAFF MEMBERS TO DO.
THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS, UM, ALTHOUGH ALL THE BLAME IS BEING PUT ON DUMP LAND FOR, FOR NOT COMMUNICATING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I ALSO THINK THAT THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION COULD DO A BETTER JOB OF ALLOWING THE COUNTY OF INPUT.
YOU HAVE LOUD TODAY AND HAVING MORE MEETINGS WHERE YOU THANK YOU, PAT.
UH, SO NOW WE WILL GO ON TO, UM, UH, LET'S SEE, WE'RE GOING TO GO ON
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
TO, UM, THE REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.SO, UH, I HOPE EVERYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO LOOK OVER THE MINUTES AND DO I HEAR A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
KATIE, YOU'RE ALL MOVED TO APPROVE, MR. HAVE A SECOND.
UH, LET'S ALL IN FAVOR AND I CAN'T SEE ANYBODY'S PICTURES.
ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, SO THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[2a. Update, Discussion, and Possible Action on Austin Pets Alive! Quarterly Report]
WE'RE GOING TO A OLD BUSINESS, UH, AND THE FIRST ITEM ON OLD BUSINESSES UPDATE, DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION ON PETS, ALIVE, QUARTERLY REPORT.I THINK ELLEN JEFFERSON IS HERE.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO SHARE MY SCREEN? UM, I, I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYBODY'S SEEN THE REPORT, SO I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO JUST SHOW THE SLIDES.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, BUT WE DO HAVE YOUR REPORT AS BACKUP ON LINE.
UM, I AM HAPPY TO TALK THROUGH IT.
LET ME GIVE YOU THE I'M GONNA READ THE OVERVIEW BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK THROUGH.
UM, AUSTIN PETS ALIVE IS THE LARGEST CITY OF AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES PARTNER IN LIFESAVING AND THE LARGEST SUBSIDIZER OF THE CITY'S BUDGET TO SERVE AUSTIN ANIMALS.
APA TAKES ANIMALS THAT HAVE MEDICAL AND BEHAVIORAL ISSUES THAT REQUIRE A HIGHER COST PER ANIMAL THAN THE AVERAGE HEALTHY ANIMAL AND CARE.
APA FOCUSES ON THESE ANIMALS IN AN EFFORT TO HAVE A MEASURABLE EFFECT ON THE LIVE RELEASE RATE AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER IN JUNE ALONE OF ALL THE ANIMALS THAT WERE TRANSFERRED FROM AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER TO ANY PARTNER, APA TOOK 77% OF THOSE ANIMALS.
AND OVER 200 TIMES THE NUMBER TAKEN BY THE OTHER BRICK AND MORTAR SHELTER IN AUSTIN APS COST TO CARE FOR THE ANIMALS PULLED THIS PAST QUARTER WAS APPROXIMATELY 500,000 TO $750,000.
THESE NUMBERS ARE CURRENTLY BEING VALIDATED THROUGH AN EXTERNAL AGENCY AND WILL BE REFLECTED AS ACCURATELY AS POSSIBLE IN FUTURE REPORTS, APA, MEANING ON A PER ANIMAL BASIS.
APA RECEIVES NO FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT DOES RECEIVE USE OF THE TELAC FACILITY, WHICH ON THE RENTAL MARKET COULD REASONABLY EXPECT TO RECEIVE ABOUT $8 PER SQUARE FOOT PER YEAR IN RENT FOR THE USE, THE CONDITION THAT IT'S IN AND THE LOCATION THAT IT IS IN WHICH AT THE BEST IS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PER QUARTER.
APA THEREFORE CONTRIBUTED BETWEEN 400,000 AND $650,000 LAST QUARTER ALONE TO SUBSIDIZE THE CITY'S BUDGET TO SERVE AUSTIN ANIMALS.
AND THAT IS JUST FOR THE ANIMALS THAT WE'RE TAKING IN, NOT FOR THE WORK WE'RE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, APA MISSION IS TO ELIMINATE THE UNNECESSARY KILLING OF SHELTER ANIMALS OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS OF THE LICENSE AGREEMENT.
THE ROLE OF APA SUPPORT AT AAC HAS SHIFTED AWAY FROM LIFE-SAVING AND INTO SERVING AS OVERFLOW FOR AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, WHICH WAS NEVER INTENTION OF THE LICENSE AGREEMENT THAT WAS DRAFTED 10 YEARS AGO.
AND THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO NEGOTIATE FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, FIVE PLUS YEARS.
UM, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT AUSTIN, AUSTIN PETS ALIVE IS SERVING MANY ANIMALS THAT SHOULD NOT BE AT RISK OF EUTHANASIA IN THE CITY'S PUBLICLY FUNDED SHELTER.
THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER HAS RECEIVED AN INCREASE IN BUDGET
[00:30:01]
OF MORE THAN $10 MILLION SINCE THE LICENSE AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED AND MANY SUPPORTS HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE OVER THE YEARS BY THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, APA IS 100% COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO SERVE AS A SAFETY NET FOR ANIMALS THAT CAN NOT BE SAVED THROUGH TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND IS CURRENTLY NEGOTIATING THE LICENSE AGREEMENT THAT MORE ACCURATELY REFLECTS THE MISSION OF APA AND THE RESPONSIBLE UTILIZATION OF ALL THE FUNDS PUT TOWARDS ANIMAL, WHETHER THEY'RE DONATED OR TAX FUNDED.UM, THE REASON I WANTED TO SHARE MY SCREEN IS THERE SOME CHARTS IN HERE THAT I THINK ARE PRETTY, UM, IMPORTANT, BUT, UM, WE HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF ALL OF OUR INTAKES.
OVER THE LAST QUARTER, WE TOOK 589 ANIMALS AND, UM, QUARTER TWO AND, UM, 725 TOTAL FROM THE CITY SHELTER AND THE COMMUNITY TAKING IN ANIMALS THAT COULDN'T GET INTO AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
FOR SOME REASON, THE INTAKES, THERE'S A CAT BREAKDOWN OF INTAKES, UM, DETAILING THAT, UH, THERE'S ABOUT 5% THAT ARE COMING IN FOR SPACE.
THE REST ARE 16% ARE MEDICAL CATS, MEANING THEY'RE CATS THAT HAVE SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL PROBLEMS THAT NEED MEDICAL CARE, COSTLY MEDICAL CARE, UM, MATERNITY CAT, 6% OF CATS THAT ARE PREGNANT OR NURSING.
UM, 72% OF OUR INTAKE OF CATS IS BOTTLE BABY KITTENS.
AND 1% OF CATS ARE COMING IN FOR BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION, MEANING THEY CAN'T BE HANDLED, UM, SAFELY IN THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY'RE IN AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
THE INTAKES FROM, UM, DOG BREAKDOWN IS, UH, WE TOOK 1.8% OF SMALL DOGS, WHICH IS UNUSUAL FOR A RESCUE GROUP.
AND WHAT IS, UM, REALLY SETS US APART FROM THOSE RESCUE GROUPS IS WE DON'T FOLK.
WE DON'T WANT TO FOCUS ON THE SMALL BREED DOGS AND THE DOGS THAT ARE QUOTE UNQUOTE, MOST ADOPTABLE.
WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO HELP THE MOST WITH THE ONES THAT, UM, CAN'T GET OUT ALIVE OTHERWISE.
AND SO SUBSEQUENTLY WE TOOK 11% OF, UH, LARGE DOGS THAT WERE IN, UM, SPACE DURING SPACE CRISES, INCLUDING THE ONE IN EARLY JULY.
WE TOOK, UH, 18% OF OUR DOGS THAT CAME FROM OXFORD ANIMAL CENTER, WHERE FOR PARVO TREATMENT, 24% WERE DOGS WITH SEVERE MEDICAL PROBLEMS. UH, 13% WERE DOGS THAT WERE BORN IN CARE TO MOTHERS THAT WERE HEAVILY PREGNANT WHEN WE PULLED THEM 10% WHERE DOGS WITH BEHAVIORAL, UH, ISSUES IDENTIFIED AND ON THE AT-RISK LIST, THAT WAS 10% OF LARGE, UH, SORRY, 10% OF THE DOGS THAT WE TOOK IN WERE LARGE DOGS WITH BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS. 0.6% WERE SMALL DOGS WITH BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS AND 3% WERE BOTTLED BABY PUPPIES THAT NEEDED IMMEDIATE SUPPORT AND 17% WERE NURSING MOMS AND PUPPIES.
UM, THE, THE NEXT CHART IN HERE IS THE TRANSFERS TO APA AS A PERCENT OF TOTAL AAC INTAKES BETWEEN THE QUARTER TO 2 20 21 AND QUARTER 2 20 20.
AND, UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, KEEPING OUR PERCENTAGES IN LINE WITH THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ANIMALS COMING INTO THE SHELTER, WHICH IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT AS THE TOTAL INTAKE DECREASES, THE TOTAL NUMBER AT RISK SHOULD INCREASE AND BE A PERCENT OF THE NUMBER COMING IN.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING AS WELL AS WE MONITOR THE EUTHANASIA LIST AND THE ATTENTION LIST VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY CLOSELY.
UM, THE TRANSFERS THAT THE NEXT CHART IS JUST TRYING TO COMPARE THE LAST FOUR QUARTERS OF THE INTAKES THAT WE TOOK AS A PERCENT OF TOTAL AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER INTAKES COMING INTO THEIR SHELTER.
AND THE OUTCOMES OF THE ANIMALS WE PULLED IS IN THE NEXT, UM, CHART.
YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, WE TRACK WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM ONCE THEY LEAVE HERE, THE, THE NUMBER THAT ARE IN THE, UM, AN ASSISTANT DEATH, AN ASSISTED DEATH, THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ASTERIX.
THERE IT IS ANIMALS THAT ARE PULLED WITH SEVERE MEDICAL CONCERNS AND NEONATES, AND THEY RECEIVE IMMEDIATE TRIAGE AND MEDICAL SUPPORT, UM, MUCH LIKE AN EMERGENCY ROOM.
AND, UM, IF THEY DIE AN ASSISTANT, IT MEANS THAT WE WERE TRYING TO SAVE THEM WHEN THEY DIED.
SO BOTTLE BABY KITTENS THAT ARE ON ALL THE MEDICATIONS THEY NEED FOR DIARRHEA AND, UM, AND, UH, ALL OF THAT.
AND SO WE'VE GOT THOSE NUMBERS OUTLINED HERE.
UM, AND I PUT, WE PUT IN HERE SOME STATISTICS, SO WE PULLED 17 BEHAVIOR DOGS IN QUARTER.
TWO OF THOSE FOUR HAVE BEEN ADOPTED, THREE ARE AVAILABLE IN FOSTER AND NINE ARE IN THE SHELTER AND ONE IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE IN SHELTER.
AND THEN THE CASES THAT WE PULL ARE SIGNIFICANT AND ARE OUTLINED HERE, AND I THINK THAT'S WORTH NOTING.
UM, I, AND I'LL, I'LL GO BACK TO THAT IN JUST A SECOND, BUT THE, UM, OF THE A HUNDRED PLUS NON-PAR BIOMEDICAL CASES THAT WERE TRANSFERRED OVER OVER HALF WERE URGENT, MEANING
[00:35:01]
THAT WE TYPICALLY HAVE A TWO HOUR DEADLINE TO GO GET THEM AND WE DO.AND, UH, WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER TRANSPORT PROGRAM.
AND ALSO SINCE DAF, IF WE HAVE TO, TO GO GET THOSE ANIMALS, WE ALSO HAVE A 48 HOUR DEADLINE TO PICK UP ANIMALS THAT AREN'T URGENT, BUT ARE ON THE, UM, ATTENTION LIST.
THE MOST, MOST OF THE NEONATAL KITTENS ARE TRANSFERRED SAME DAY, AND WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PICKUP AND TRANSPORT OF THOSE ANIMALS.
UM, AAC DOES HELP US WITH TRANSPORT OF BEHAVIOR, DOGS, AND SPACE FIT DOGS, WHICH IS HELPFUL.
THE THERE'S, UH, SOME, UM, EXAMPLES OF THE TYPES OF DOGS AND ANIMALS WE'RE TAKING THAT ARE MEDICAL CASES THERE.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE LEVEL OF MEDICAL CARE WE'RE PROVIDING AND THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
YOU CAN GATHER WHAT THAT WOULD COST IF YOU WERE OUT OF THAT CLINIC, GETTING THAT DONE.
UM, AND THEN THE LIVE RELEASE, THIS IS IMPORTANT.
UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S LIBRARY LEASE RATE IS 95% WHEN YOU CALCULATE THE LIVE OUTCOMES, ALL LIVE OUTCOMES OVER TOTAL OUTCOMES.
AND IF WE DID NOT PULL ANY OF THOSE ANIMALS IN THE LAST QUARTER, THE LIVE RELEASE RATE WOULD HAVE BEEN 73% FOR AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT CONSIDERING THE $10 MILLION INCREASE IN THE LAST 10 YEARS SINCE THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT WAS DRAFTED.
THE, UM, LET'S SEE, THE LAST PIECE OF THIS IS THE, UM, UH, LIBRARY LEASE RATE WHEN YOU'RE COMBINING OUR LIBRARY LEASE RATE AND THEIR LIVE RELEASE RATE IT, WE SEE A COMMUNITY LIVE RELEASE RATE OF 93%, WHICH MAKES SENSE, GIVEN THAT THE, A LOT OF THE ANIMALS THAT WE'RE PULLING OVER THE HIGH MORTALITY ANIMALS, HIGH RISK MORTALITY ANIMALS.
SO I THINK THAT THAT OUTLINES A LOT OF IT.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO ADDRESS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE LAST AUSTIN, UM, ADVISORY COMMISSION ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING WAS, UM, A STATEMENT THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO TAKE ALL BEHAVIOR DOGS.
AND I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT DURING, UM, ABIGAIL SMITH'S, UH, UM, TENURE AS THE DIRECTOR AND WHEN THIS DRAFT WAS, UH, WHEN THE LICENSE AGREEMENT WAS ORIGINALLY DRAFTED, THERE WAS A LOT OF DEBATE ABOUT THE BEHAVIOR DOGS WE SIGNED ON TO TAKE ALL THE PARVO PUPPIES.
WE SIGNED ON TO TAKE ANY NEONATAL KITTEN THAT COULDN'T BE SAVED BY AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER AND MEDICAL CASES THAT COULDN'T BE SAVED.
AND UP TO FIVE OR FIVE, I THINK IT WAS A MINIMUM OF FIVE.
AND THE REASON THAT NUMBER'S IN THERE IS BECAUSE WE COULDN'T COME TO AN AGREEMENT FOR COST.
AND SO THE CITY WANTED US, OF COURSE, TO TAKE ALL OF THEM BACK WHEN THEY HAD A $5 MILLION BUDGET.
THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE, BUT WE, UM, WE COULDN'T AFFORD TO TAKE THEM.
WE KNOW THEY COST US THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS EACH AND, UM, AND WE DIDN'T COME TO AN AGREEMENT.
AND SO I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS A LOT OF THE BASIS FOR THE $10 MILLION INCREASE TO AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES BUDGET.
AND I WANT TO REPEAT NONE OF THAT CAME TO US.
AND SO OUR AGREEMENT STILL STANDS AT FIVE BEHAVIOR DOGS PER MONTH.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, I THINK THAT'S ALL REALLY IMPORTANT BACKGROUND AND, UM, I HOPE THAT PUTS INTO CONTEXT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST QUARTER TO SUPPORT, UM, AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES AND KEEP AUSTIN NO-KILL AND I'LL BE QUIET.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ALAN, FOR THAT REPORT.
DOES, UH, DOES ANYBODY ON THE COMMISSION HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ELLEN? I CAN'T SUPERVISE PICTURES, SO SPEAK UP THAT WAY IN, IN LOTTA, SO I CAN GO FIRST IF YOU WANT.
SO I KNOW, HEAR ME, I'M HAVING TO USE MY PHONE FOR THE AUDIO.
SO, UM, FIRST QUESTION I HAVE IS ON THIS OUTCOMES IN THE QUARTER, HAVE ANIMALS EVER TRANSFERRED FROM AAC TO APA ON THOSE EUTHANASIA'S ARE THOSE MEDICAL OR, UM, YOU KNOW, HUMANE NATURE BECAUSE OF MEDICAL REASONS, IS THERE A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THOSE EUTHANASIA'S ARE? UM, YEAH, SO I HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF THOSE ETHAN ASIA'S.
UM, AND I, I, I DON'T MIND SHARING, UM, THE, THE, UH, THE REPORT OF THAT I'LL HAVE TO PULL IT TOGETHER, UM, BECAUSE I JUST HAVE AN INTERNAL REPORT, BUT MOST OF THOSE ARE MEDICAL CASES.
UH, THE BEHAVIOR CASES WOULD HAVE BEEN OUTLINED IN THAT BEHAVIOR SYNOPSIS OR THE OUTCOMES OF THOSE ANIMALS IN, UM, I THINK IT WAS THE QUARTER OR JUNE, BUT MOST OF THOSE ARE MEDICAL.
MOST OF THOSE ARE NEONATES AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ANIMALS WITH SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL PROBLEMS. AND SO WHEN THE REASON EVER IS IN THERE IS BECAUSE, UM, WE ARE NOT SIMPLY LOOKING AT THE DEATHS OF THE ANIMALS THAT ARE COMING IN DURING THAT QUARTER.
IT WOULD BE A MUCH LOWER NUMBER IF IT WAS JUST THE DEATHS OF THE ANIMALS COMING IN THAT QUARTER, IF
[00:40:01]
AN ANIMAL FROM A PREVIOUS QUARTER IS STILL IN OUR CARE AND IT DIES DURING THIS QUARTER, IT'S ON THAT LIST.UM, AND THEN I, MY, MY SECOND THING IS I HAVE A, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS AAC LIVE RELEASE RATE WITHOUT APA TRANSFERS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO ME IS THAT YOU ARE SAYING THOSE ANIMALS, THAT APA POLLED WOULD HAVE BEEN YOUTH IN OUR EYES, THOSE DROPPING AAC BELOW THE NO KILL RATE, BUT TO ME, BECAUSE IT'S NOT APPEAL, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE NOW IT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THIS SPACE CRISIS, BUT THOSE ANIMALS WOULD STILL BE AT AN ANIMAL CENTER.
SO THAT AAC LIVE RELEASE RATE WITHOUT APA DOES NOT SEEM ACCURATE TO ME.
UM, AND A IT'S AN ATTEMPT AND THERE'S NO PERFECT WAY TO CALCULATE IT.
SO HOW DO YOU COME UP WITH THOSE ANIMALS THAT IT WOULD DROP THE RELEASE RATE THAT LOW? UM, ANOTHER WAY YOU CAN LOOK AT THAT.
SO, SO THAT IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO REMEDY IS THAT WE REALLY WANT TO BE PARTNERING ON THE ONES THAT WILL DEFINITELY DIE AND NOT THE ONES WON'T BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THE CITY HAS THE RESOURCES TO HANDLE THE ONES THAT WON'T.
SO THE BEST WAY TO LOOK AT THAT IS TO SUBTRACT THE ONES THAT ARE LISTED AS SPACE IN OUR BREAKDOWN.
AND SO IF YOU WANTED TO CREATE A DIFFERENT, LIKE A, A DIFFERENT CALCULATION, YOU COULD JUST TAKE OUT THE SPACE ONES.
BUT AS WE SAW WITH THE MEMO TO COUNCIL, WE'RE NOT CONFIDENT THAT THE ANIMALS WOULDN'T BE ADDED TO THE EUTHANASIA LIST BECAUSE SPACE POLES WEREN'T TAKEN.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO, SO THE DOGS, UM, THE SPACE DOGS WERE 21 OUT OF 580, SORRY, 22 OUT OF 589 WERE SPACEBALLS.
AND, UM, FOR THE CATS, 20 CATS OUT OF 589.
SO IF THOSE WERE TAKEN OUT, IT'S A VERY MARGINAL DIFFERENCE IN THE PERCENT, THE REST OF THESE, IF THEY'RE ON THE LIST FOR ATTENTION, UM, URGENT, THAT MEANS THAT THEY, TO US, THAT SAYING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE EUTHANIZED.
IF YOU DON'T PICK THEM UP, OR THEY'RE AT HIGH RISK OF BEING EUTHANIZED, AND IF WE DECLINE, THEN THEY CAN BE EUTHANIZED, BUT THE ONES THAT ARE SPACED DON'T, AREN'T DESIGNATED THAT WAY AND SPACE, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BASE SPACE MEANS THAT WHEN THE CITY SAYS THEY'RE REALLY STRUGGLING WITH CAGES, WE GO OVER AND TRY TO HELP WITH JUST PULLING ANY DOG OR CAT TO HELP CLEAR UP SPACE.
AND THEN THE FINAL, FINAL QUESTION I HAVE IS ON THIS OTHER REPORT, IT HAD TO SHOW THE BEGINNING AAC COUNT.
ARE THOSE THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS AT APA THAT YOU GOT FROM AAC? SO THAT'S THAT BEGINNING COUNT? YES.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON A DOCUMENT THAT WAS SENT TO THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, FOR THE RECAP THE SECOND QUARTER.
UM, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WAS ON THE MEETING SITE FOR CITIZENS TO SEE.
SO, UM, BELINDA, I, IF WE COULD LOOK AT PUTTING THEM UP, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN, UM, THE, I DIDN'T CARE AND LOST DIDN'T CARE? YES.
SO DIET AND CARE MEANS THAT WE KNOW THAT THEY PASSED AWAY AND WE HANDLED THEIR REMAINS LOST IN CARE ARE LIKE, UM, FERAL CATS.
WE HAVE HAD SOME CATS THAT ARE, UM, FERAL OR UNDER SOCIALIZED THAT COME INTO OUR CLINIC FOR RABIES VACCINE AND ESCAPE, THE FOSTER CAREGIVER OR THE TRANSPORTERS, UM, WATCHES AS THEY'RE TRYING TO BRING THEM INTO THE CLINIC.
AND SO, UM, WE DO TRY TO CATCH THOSE ANIMALS AND I ACTUALLY, I NEED TO CIRCLE BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOCUMENTING THE ONES WE DO CATCH CAUSE WE SET OUT TRAPS AND TRY TO FIND THEM OBVIOUSLY.
UM, SO IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR TOTAL LIVE INTAKE, UM, FOR THE QUARTER IS 3037, AND THOSE THAT CAME FROM AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY WERE 7 25.
[00:45:01]
THAT IS A DIFFERENCE OF 2,312 ANIMALS THAT YOU TOOK IN.UM, WERE ANY OF THESE ANIMALS FROM OUTSIDE THE AREA SPECIFIED IN THE LICENSE AGREEMENT AND BROUGHT TO SPECIFICALLY TO THE TOWN LAKE FACILITY? YES.
SOME OF THOSE ANIMALS, UM, ALL ANIMALS HAVE TO GO THROUGH OUR CLINIC.
AS YOU KNOW, WE ONLY HAVE ONE CLINIC AT TOWN LAKE ANIMAL CENTER.
AND SO EVERY SINGLE ANIMAL THAT WE PULL GOES THROUGH THE CLINIC AND WE HAVE 80 TO 90% OF OUR ANIMALS IN FOSTER.
SO THE MAJORITY OF OUR ANIMALS, WHETHER THEY'RE FROM AUSTIN OR ANYWHERE ELSE ARE ACTUALLY IN FOSTER HOMES.
SO THAT COULD BE 2010 TO 20% ARE AT THE DEALER FACILITY.
UH, YEAH, I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME, BUT SOME YES.
AND, UM, SO I'M CONFUSED WITH EIGHT WITH AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER HAVING A SPACE CRISIS.
AND THE ONLY WAY THAT THOSE ANIMALS COULD BE THERE IS WITH DR.
BLANK, UH, DIRECTOR BLAND'S PERMISSION, WHY WE WERE, WHY WE WOULD GIVE PERMISSION FOR OUTSIDE ANIMALS OUTSIDE THE LICENSE AGREEMENT TO BE AT THAT FACILITY.
DURING THIS TIME LICENSE AGREEMENT, EXTENSION HAS VERBIAGE IN THERE THAT KEEPS OUR, KEEPS OUR AGREEMENT AND THE WAY THAT WE'RE OPERATING NOW THE SAME FOR THE THREE MONTHS DURING THE EXTENSION UNTIL WE COME TO AN EQUITABLE AGREEMENT.
SO IT SAYS THAT ANIMALS, ANY ANIMALS FROM OUTSIDE, BUT AREAS SPECIFIED CAN RESIDE AT TOWN.
LIKE NOT, NOT EXACTLY, BUT IT DOES GIVE THE ABILITY FOR US TO NEGOTIATE WITHOUT CHANGING THE WAY THAT WE'RE OPERATING.
NEGOTIATE WHAT OUR LICENSING AGREEMENT.
BUT DURING THE LICENSE AGREEMENT OR COUNCIL GAVE PERMISSION THEN TO NOT FOLLOW THE CURRENT, THE EXISTING LICENSE AGREEMENT, THE, I DON'T HAVE THE ATTORNEY SPEAK IN FRONT OF ME, UM, THAT YOU CAN FIND THE EXTENSION IN THE COUNCIL MINUTES FROM THE TIME THAT IT WAS EXTENDED, IF THAT'S OKAY.
UM, YEAH, I KIND OF LOOKED AND I DIDN'T SEE THAT IT GAVE PERMISSION TO, UM, NOT FOLLOW THE CURRENT LICENSE AGREEMENT OF, UM, A MINIMUM INTAKE OF 3000 ANIMALS PLUS THE 60 BEHAVIOR PLUS, UM, BUT T LACK.
UM, BUT, UM, DIRECTOR BLAND, DO YOU AGREE THAT IT IS IN THERE AND THAT, UM, WHAT'S EXISTING DOESN'T APPLY ANYMORE.
MR. NORTON? UH, THE ONLY THING THAT'S CHANGED IN THIS LAST LICENSE AGREEMENT, UH, EXTENSION IS THAT WE COULDN'T TERMINATE THEIR CONTRACT ARE THE NUMBERS THAT THEY, IF THEY DO NOT MEET THEIR PULL NUMBERS FROM US.
SO YOUR PERMISSION TO BRING THOSE ANIMALS IN IS STILL REQUIRED IN THE LICENSE AGREEMENT? CORRECT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT, I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY.
WE WOULD NOT HAVE SIGNED THE EXTENSION IF THAT WAS THE CASE.
SO OUR ATTORNEYS HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH THE CITY ATTORNEYS AND I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY, SO I CAN'T, I CAN'T SPECIFY EXACTLY WHAT THAT IS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE WOULD NOT BE EVEN NEGOTIATING RIGHT NOW IF IT WASN'T IN THERE, IF IT WASN'T IN THE EXTENSION THAT WAS IN THERE.
CAUSE I'M NOT AN INDUSTRY EITHER, BUT I READ IT AND IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE IT WASN'T THERE.
UM, AND, UH, ONE LAST QUESTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID THAT THE TWO LAC FACILITY WOULD BE ABOUT $400,000 AND I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE THE DOCUMENT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I WAS LOOKING AT A FEE SCHEDULE THAT SEEMED TO INDICATE THE LAND WAS, WOULD BE A LOT MORE VALUABLE ON A FEE SCHEDULE.
SO, UM, DIRECTOR, VAN LEN, DID I READ THAT INCORRECTLY? IT COULD BE ME.
UH, THE, THE ANNUAL LICENSE STATED THAT HIS WEIGHT IS, UH, 2.38 MILLION, YES.
BY 3 MILLION THAT'S WAY FOR THE T LAC FACILITY.
UM, ANY IDEA WHY THAT ACCOUNTS FOR THAT WE'RE GOING OFF FAIR MARKET VALUE OR SOMEBODY UTILIZING THE STRUCTURE FOR A SIMILAR PURPOSE, WHICH IS THE ONLY PURPOSE THAT CAN BE GRANTED THERE OTHER THAN PLAYGROUNDS OR PARKS.
AND SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE CITY CAME UP WITH THAT NUMBER, BUT I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THERE'S NOBODY THAT WOULD PAY TWO, $2 MILLION A YEAR TO USE IT AS A PARK COURT KENNEL.
BUT THAT IS WHAT'S IN THE FEE SCHEDULE.
AND IF YOU DO GET A NEW LICENSE AGREEMENT ON THAT IS THE AMOUNT THAT WOULD BE WAIVED PER YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW, JUST ANOTHER POINT OF NEGOTIATION.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION
[00:50:01]
OF ALLEN? OKAY.WELL, I WANT TO THANK ELLEN JEFFERSON RAISING HIS HAND.
I CANNOT SEE ANYBODY'S PICTURE.
I GOT A LITTLE THING THAT SAYS THE INTERNET'S RUNNING SLOW.
UH, FIRST, SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING.
YOU'LL DO A THANK YOU TO ALL TEAM.
UH, I WANT TO FIND A WAY, UH, THAT APA CAN HELP MORE
I KNOW THAT THAT YOU ALL, NOT ONLY DO PLAYGROUPS, UH, YOU ALL HAVE OTHER WAYS TO HELP THESE DOGGIES.
AND REALLY, I THINK THE PARTNERSHIP WITH APA IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE JOEL HAVE COMPLETELY OTHER MARKET OF PEOPLE.
UH, HE HELD THE PERCEPTION OF THE WAY OF THE COMMUNITY, THE CITY, AND THE NONPROFIT IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
AND I THINK IF WE PLAY AS A TEAM, WE CAN HELP MORE BEDS TO FIND THE RIGHT HOMES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UH, THESE LAST YEAR, UH, DURING COVID, UH, I BEGAN TO WALK DOGS AND I BEGIN TO MEET DOGS, MAYBE HAVE 300 AND 400 DAYS AND THEY REALLY NEED HELP.
UH, LET'S GO TO, TO FIND A WAY THAT Y'ALL APA CAN HELP US TO PULL THESE DOGS OR, OR, OR MAKE A TEAM TO DO A MUCH BETTER BEHAVIOR.
AND THE OTHER IMPORTANT THING CAN BE, IF YOU ALL CAN HELP US TO ADVERTISE INTO YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA, THESE DOGS WHO REALLY NEED THESE SCALE, JOANNE, I CAN SEE THEM SOMETIMES IN THE MORNING, WORK IN THESE DOGS, THESE DOGS, IT'S NOT, NOT LIKE A BIG DEAL.
OF COURSE IT NEEDS SOME KIND OF BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION IS VERY DIFFICULT.
AS WE KNOW THROUGH THESE OTHER SHELTER, THE ORANGE DOT CREW WHO ARE FANTASTIC WORK TO BOTH, WE NEED MORE ADVERTISING IN THAT, IN THAT CHANNEL.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE DR.
JEFFERSON, THAT THE DOGS THAT APA DENY JOEL CAN HELP US TO ADVERTISE INTO SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND I WANT TO CLARIFY, WE'VE ONLY DENIED AS OF, UM, DURING THE SPACE CRISIS AS LAST TIME I LOOKED, BUT AS OF THE SPACE CRISIS, WE'VE ONLY ACTUALLY DECLINED 10 DOGS FROM JANUARY 1ST TO JULY 2ND.
UM, SO WE, WE TRY NOT TO DECLINE DOGS FOR BEHAVIOR BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT DOES IMMEDIATELY PUT THEM AT RISK OF EUTHANASIA, UM, FOR THE DOGS THAT, THAT AREN'T PLED TO US, UM, AND MAYBE HAVE, HAVE MORE MINOR BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS, THEN WE ABSOLUTELY WANT TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT.
UM, I THINK WHERE WE'RE STUCK IS THAT WE CAN'T JUST DO IT BY OURSELVES AND IT NEEDS TO BE A PARTNERSHIP.
AND, UM, WE ABSOLUTELY WANT TO BE PART OF ANYTHING THAT MAKES AUSTIN BETTER.
BY ANY CHANCE, CAN I GO AND VISIT, UH, THE LOCATION IN TELAC AND LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING? I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO LEARN MORE AND BRING TO THE SHELTER AND, AND SHARE WITH, WITH ALL THE TEAM.
PLEASE EMAIL ME AND I'LL HOOK YOU UP WITH OUR OPERATIONS TEAM.
ARE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR ELLEN? OKAY.
WELL, IF NOT, I THINK WE'LL GET TO MOVE ALONG TO OUR NEXT ITEM, UH, WHICH IS, UM, LET'S SEE, I GOTTA GET MY AGENDA HERE.
[2b. Update, Discussion and Possible Action from the Shelter Space Issues Working Group]
UPDATE, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION FROM THE SHELTER SPACE ISSUES, WORKING GROUP, WHICH WOULD BE PALMER NEW HOUSE.UM, WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING, UH, FRIDAY AND WE PLAN TO MEET AGAIN TOMORROW.
UH, JASON'S BEEN A GREAT HELP ON TRYING TO GET US THE RECORDS AND THE REPORTS THAT WE'VE REQUESTED.
AND HE WAS, UM, I THINK HE'S IN CONNECTION WITH THE GENTLEMAN FROM PET HEALTH TO TRY TO STREAMLINE SOME OF THE REPORTS THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR.
AND I GUESS TO GIVE YOU KIND OF A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR FIRST MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TRACKS THAT AN ANIMAL COULD COME INTO THE SHELTER AND THE DIFFERENT TRACKS OR WAYS OUT OF THE SHELTER AND WHAT MIGHT BE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES ON WHY THEY'RE NOT CONTINUING TO MOVE AND WHY THERE'S NOT A FLUID MOVEMENT AND WHY THEY'RE GETTING INTO A SPACE CRISIS WITH INTAKE AS LOW AS IT'S BEEN.
AND WE'VE DECIDED THAT OUR FIRST FOCUS RIGHT NOW IS ON,
[00:55:01]
UM, SPAY NEUTER SURGERY.UM, WE LOOKED AT ALL THE WAYS THAT THEY COULD GET OUT, AND THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT SEEMS TO BE SLOWING THINGS DOWN.
AND SO WE'VE DONE A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH WITH SOME ADDITIONAL REPORTS THAT JASON READ AND I WANTED TO KIND OF GO OVER A LITTLE BIT OF THAT AT THE LAST MEETING.
I BELIEVE WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY WERE CAUGHT UP ON, UM, SPAY-NEUTER SURGERY, BUT AS I WAS WORKING TO GET THE REPORTS OVER THE WEEKEND, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT, UM, THE SHELTER WAS REACHING OUT TO EMANCIPET TO DO I THINK, 30 TO 40 ANIMALS FOR SURGERY.
AND SO I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THE PICTURE WAS BEFORE I STARTED GETTING THE REPORTS.
BUT AS OF SATURDAY, THE SHELTER SENT OUT, UM, A SPACE UPDATE AND IN THEIR SPACE UPDATE THAT WENT TO ALL THE, THE PARTNERS IS IT SAID THAT THEY HAD NO PLANNED AND NO ANIMALS THAT THEY KNEW WERE LEAVING THAT DAY.
AND SO THEY WERE HOPING FOR LOTS OF ADOPTIONS IN THE ADOPTIONS WOULD BE ANIMALS THAT WERE READY TO GO, MEANING THEY HAD HAD SPAY-NEUTER SURGERY AND COULD LEAVE THE SAME DAY.
AND AFTER READING THAT EMAIL THAT WENT OUT, I WENT THROUGH THE DATA FOR THE CURRENT INVENTORY OF ANIMALS AT THE SHELTER, TRY TO SEE HOW MANY WERE READY TO GO ON THAT GIVEN DAY AND GOING THROUGH THE DATA.
IT APPEARED ON THAT THE REPORT THAT I RECEIVED, THAT THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 332 DOGS IN THE SHELTER OF WHICH 184 WERE READY TO GO 148 HAD NOT HAD SURGERY.
SO IF THEY WERE CHOSEN FOR ADOPTION, THEY WOULD NOT BE FREEING UP THE KENNEL SAME DAY.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR SURGERY OF THE 148 THAT HAD NOT HAD SURGERY.
71 OF THOSE ANIMALS WERE MARKED AS AVAILABLE AND WERE OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE SURGERY.
54 OF THOSE WERE ON STRAY HOLD AND 11 OF THE 54 WERE TOO YOUNG.
SO WITH THE STRAY HOLD RE UH, EXPIRING WITHIN THREE DAYS, IF NOT RECLAIMED, THAT WOULD BE A POTENTIAL TO ADD ANOTHER 43 DOGS THAT WOULD BE READY FOR SPAY-NEUTER SURGERY, UH, ON TOP OF THE 71.
UM, AND SO WE ALSO LOOK AT THAT THE POPULATION OF THE DOGS AND FOSTER, AND THAT WAS VERY DIFFERENT OF THE 68 OF THE 95 DOGS IN FOSTER 68 HAD HAD SURGERY AND WERE READY TO GO.
AND OF THE 32, 27 WERE TOO YOUNG, FIVE WERE OLD ENOUGH AND HAD NOT HAD SURGERY.
SO WE STARTED IN TRYING TO LOOK THROUGH WHERE SOME OF THESE BOTTLENECKS MIGHT BE.
AND WE WERE TALKING THROUGH THIS, WE'VE REQUESTED SOME ADDITIONAL REPORTS TO HELP US GET A GRIP AND UNDERSTAND THE DATA SURROUNDING THE SURGERIES AND MAYBE THE CAPACITY WHEN WE'VE NOT BEEN IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID AND STRANGE INTAKE.
SO I'VE, I'VE REQUESTED SOME ADDITIONAL REPORTS TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENED CURRENTLY HAPPENING WITH CAPACITY, AND WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST AND HOPE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU.
UM, WE'LL BE MEETING ON THAT IF WE GET THE INFORMATION TO, UH, TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY.
AND SO THAT'S THE FIRST, THAT'S THE FIRST ROUTE WE'RE GOING DOWN IS WE'RE FOCUSING ON THAT.
AND AFTER WE KIND OF GET A GRIP AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE, UM, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE OR WHAT A RECOMMENDATION MIGHT BE, OR IF A RECOMMENDATION NEEDS TO BE DONE, THEN WE'LL START LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT WE FEEL THERE MIGHT BE A BOTTLENECK.
ONE THING TO KNOW WITH THE ANIMALS THAT ARE NOT READY TO GO.
I THINK IT ALSO PUTS A STRAIN ON, HAS BEEN ANIMAL IS AVAILABLE.
MEANING THERE DON'T HAVE A STRAY HOLD ON THEM AVAILABLE TO BE ADOPTED, AND THEY'RE NOT YET HAD SURGERY.
UM, THE ADOPTION TEAM HAS TO TAKE THE APPLICATION, SCHEDULE THE SURGERY, WORK WITH THE ADOPTER TO COME BACK AND GET THE ANIMAL.
SAME THING MIGHT BE FOR THE FOSTER, THE FOSTER PROCESS.
WHEREAS IF THE ANIMAL WAS READY TO GO, THAT DEPARTMENT WOULD ONLY HAVE TO TOUCH THAT TRANSACTION ONCE.
AND SO I THINK THAT STREAMLINING, UM, THE ANIMAL'S ABILITY TO LEAVE THE SHELTER ALSO TAKES, UH, EXTRA WORK OFF OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
AND SO, UM, I WANTED TO ALSO REAL QUICK, UM, PART OF WHY I REALLY AM LOOKING FOR THIS TO BE REALLY DATA-DRIVEN IS I JUST KINDA WANTED TO GO OVER A COUPLE OF THINGS ON WHY I'M REQUESTING SO MUCH DATA TO LOOK AT THIS AS I'M REALLY STILL FEELING LIKE WE'RE NOT RECEIVING ACCURATE DATA OR COMPLETE
[01:00:01]
REPORTING, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THROUGH MUCH OF THE LAST SIX TO SEVEN MONTHS, IT STILL APPEARS THAT DATA FOR LOST AND FOUND ANIMALS ARE STILL CO-MINGLED WITH DATA FOR ANIMALS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE INTAKED INTO THE SHELTER.AND SO I'M TRYING TO LOOK AT SOME PAST DATA AND NOT JUST THE CURRENT DATA, AND THEN SOME OF THE INFORMATION ON ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE GETTING.
I'M CONFUSED BECAUSE THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE GETTING ANSWERED ARE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CAUGHT UP ON SURGERY YET, THEN WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THEM, ANSWER PET FOR SURGERY.
AND THE REPORTS DON'T SHOW THAT WE'RE CAUGHT UP FOR SURGERY.
SO I'M HAVING KIND OF TROUBLE.
MAYBE IT'S NOT THAT THE ANSWERS AREN'T KNOW.
I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DETAIL WITH THE ANSWERS THAT WE'RE GETTING TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT IT IS WE'RE RECEIVING.
AND SO IT'S MAKING IT REALLY DIFFICULT TO PROCESS WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND SO I'M HOPING THROUGH A DEEPER DIVE INTO THE DATA MAY, MAY ACTUALLY CREATE THE PICTURE THAT'S LACKING.
UM, ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO JUST MENTION, AS WE TALK ABOUT THE SPACE STUFF THAT WAS INTERESTING IS, UM, AND I HEARD A LOT OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT ON IT IS WITH THE INTAKE STILL BEING CLOSED OVER THE WEEKENDS.
I JUST WANTED TO BRING TO Y'ALL'S ATTENTION BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION IS IN THE LAST MEETING WE HAD ASKED HOW LONG IT TOOK FOR AN INTAKE APPOINTMENT FOR A STRAY DOG OR CAT.
AND WE WERE TOLD TWO TO THREE DAYS THAT VERY SAME DAY, I GOT AN EMAIL FROM THE PUBLIC TELLING ME THAT THEY HAD HEARD THE MEETING AND THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT, UM, THE WAIT TO TAKE IN THE ANIMAL THEY HAD FOUND WAS ONE TO TWO WEEKS.
AND SO WHEN I REACHED OUT TO THE SHELTER TO INQUIRE ON HOW TO RESPOND, THEY WEREN'T TOLD ME THAT THEY HAPPENED TO BE AN OLD TEMPLATE THAT NEEDED TO BE UPDATED AND IT WOULD BE UPDATED.
AND THEN LATER THAT DAY, THE SAME CITIZEN EMAILED ME BACK THAT THEY'VE NOW RECEIVED A REPLY THAT SAID THREE TO FOUR WEEKS TURNS OUT THAT WAS ANOTHER OLD TEMPLATE THAT WAS BEING USED.
AND I JUST THINK THAT BEING CLOSED ON THE WEEK
UM, I THINK THAT IT, THE MESSAGING NEEDS TO BE CLEARED UP.
IT NEEDS TO BE, UM, I NEED TO, I CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT.
HOW DO WE EXPECT THEM TO, OKAY.
THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS FOR PALMER.
I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION FOR PALMER.
CAN I CONTRIBUTE TO PALMER? YES.
ALSO ARE ANY OTHER COMMENTS PLEASE? YES.
UM, YEAH, A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING ON THE, ON THE WORKING GROUP, UM, PALMER BROUGHT UP A REALLY GOOD POINT THAT I'M CONCERNED THAT THE DATA THAT WE'RE GETTING ISN'T NECESSARILY MATCHING UP.
SO LIKE SHE SAID, WE'RE, WE'RE HEARING THAT STRAIGHT INTAKE TAKES A FEW DAYS AND THEN WE GET LOTS OF COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THAT IT'S, THAT IT'S WEEKS.
UM, AND SO I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN GETTING A LOT OF THIS DATA BACK, AND I KNOW IT'S A TON OF DATA THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR AND JASON HAS TRULY BEEN, UM, VERY HELPFUL AND PROMPT IN GETTING IT BACK.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT WORKING REALLY QUICK AS THIS WORKING GROUP, BECAUSE IF THIS IS A SPACE CRISIS, WE OBVIOUSLY WANT TO ACT QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY.
AND I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE DATA REQUESTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE, UM, NEEDED TO TRY AND SUSS ALL THIS OUT.
AND SO, UM, JASON HAS STAFF, IF YOU HAVE, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS HOW TO GET THESE REQUESTS, YOU, WHAT YOU NEED FROM US, THAT WOULD BE SUPER HELPFUL.
I WOULD JUST A LITTLE CAVEAT THAT THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE A LOT MORE DATA REQUESTS COMING YOUR WAY.
SO IF WE CAN, UM, WORK TOGETHER ON THE BEST WAY TO BE EFFICIENT WITH THAT AND TO MINIMIZE THE WORKLOAD THAT YOU'RE YOU'RE THAT WE KNOW YOU'RE UNDER, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO BRING UP IN REGARDS TO THE WEEKENDS, WE HAD TALKED AT THE LAST MEETING ABOUT THE PRC BEING CLOSED ON THE WEEKENDS, UM, DUE TO LACK OF STAFFING.
UH, WE TALKED VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT VOLUNTEERS, UM, IN THE PRC AND THAT STAFF HASN'T REALLY BEEN ABLE TO GET OR RETAIN VOLUNTEERS FOR THE PRC.
I THINK WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SEVERITY OF SPACE PROCESS AND ANIMALS BEING AT RISK OVER SPACE CRISIS, THAT THE PRC AT ITS CRUX IS THERE TO BE A RESOURCE TO THE COMMUNITY, HELP KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER, KEEP PETS IN THEIR HOMES.
AND I THINK IT'S PARAMOUNT THAT THAT GETS OPENED, UM, IN LIGHT OF A POSSIBLE SPACE CRISIS.
AND IN LIEU OF THAT, THERE ARE NO POSTINGS FOR VOLUNTEERS AT THE PRC CENTER ON AGENCY'S WEBSITE.
UM, NONE AT ALL, LIKE WHEN NOT ADVERTISING FOR, OR LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR THE PRC.
UM, AND THERE DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE ANY VOLUNTEER ORIENTATIONS AT ALL UNTIL AUGUST 20TH AND THEN ONLY ONE VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION ON A SATURDAY IN THE ENTIRE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.
[01:05:01]
UM, SO AS WE TALK ABOUT STAFFING SHORTAGES AND SPACE CRISIS, UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT PRC GETTING IT UP AND RUNNING AND VOLUNTEERISM AT THE SHELTER, WHICH HAS BEEN ALSO ECHOED BY SOME CALLERS CALLING IN FROM THE COMMUNITY TODAY.SO, UM, OTHER THINGS I'M NOODLING ON IN OUR WORK GROUP THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP AS WELL.
JOANNE, I ALSO HAVE A COMMENT.
AND THEN KATIE, UM, UH, FIRST I THINK PALMER FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE, UM, IT'S COMPLICATED.
IT'S, UM, BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS AND I THINK, UM, WHAT THE WORKING GROUP IS DOING, UM, HOPEFULLY WE'LL FIX IT AND IT WILL BE A LASTING, WHICH WOULD BE, UM, REALLY NICE.
UM, I THINK THAT THE AAC STAFF AND JASON FOR ALL THE DATA, IT'S A LOT OF DATA AND WE HAVE SOME GOOD PEOPLE LIKE MONICA AND PALMER ARE REALLY GOOD AT GOING THROUGH DATA AND, UH, OTHERS.
UM, SO, UM, I'VE ALSO HAD, UM, CITIZENS PUBLIC, UM, REACH OUT TO ME, UM, ABOUT, UH, POSTS THAT ARE COMING OUT ON NEXT DOOR ABOUT ON THE CITY EUTHANIZING ANIMALS.
AND I JUST WANTED EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT THIS GROUP IS REALLY SERIOUS.
THEY'RE JUMPING IN, WE'VE HAD, UM, MULTIPLE, UH, WE HAD MEETING FRIDAY, WE'RE HAVING ANOTHER MEETING TOMORROW.
SO WE'RE REALLY DOING OUR BEST TO TACKLE IT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
UM, I THINK ANOTHER ROAD TO SUCCESS IS GOING TO BE GETTING DOGS ADOPTED AND THAT'S GOING TO BE, UM, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY THE CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM HAVE THE SAME INFORMATION ABOUT THE DOGS AND UNDERSTAND THE DOGS AND LOOK AT THE DOGS, UM, BASED ON WHAT CUSTOMERS ARE INTERESTED, POTENTIAL ADOPTERS ARE INTERESTED IN.
UM, AND, UM, I THINK WE'LL ALSO BE LOOKING AT THAT AND I HOPE THE CITY STAFF SUPPORTS THE EFFORTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, UM, GO THROUGH THE DATA AND TRY TO EXPLAIN ABOUT THE DOG, UM, IN A CONCISE WAY, SO THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE CAN, UM, EASILY LOOK UP NOTES AND REALLY HELP THE DOGS, UM, MOVE THROUGH THE SHELTER SYSTEM.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, I'M A DOG WALKER THERE, WE HAVE SOME REALLY AMAZING DOGS AND, UH, WE WANT TO GET THEM INTO HOMES.
UM, I, IF I DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF DOGS, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TAKE A LOT OF THEM ALSO.
UH, ANY MORE COMMENTS FROM THE WORKING GROUP OR QUESTIONS FROM, UH, THE COMMISSION I PALMER I HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT.
I WANT TO ECHO JOANNE THAT, THAT EVERYBODY THAT'S ON THIS WORKING GROUP, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON A TIGHT SCHEDULE AND TRYING TO REALLY MOVE QUICKLY ON REVIEWING THIS ON AVAILABILITY AND SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS AND EVERYTHING THAT I REALLY JUST WANTED TO SAY.
THANK YOU, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO KEEP MOVING ON IT AND TRY TO UNTANGLE WHAT'S GOING ON AND, UM, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU IF I WASN'T CLEAR ON THEM OFF OF WORK.
UH, ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR THE GROUP? GO AHEAD.
UH, NO, THANK YOU SO MUCH PARLOR FOR DO THESE.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE TEAM.
UH, I FORGET TO SAY THAT I AM HELPING THE PRC, UH, ALMOST EVERYDAY TWO HOURS WITH SPANISH SPEAKER CALLS, UH, THE WORK THAT HE'S DOING, PRC IT'S TITANIC.
I LOVE THE IDEA THAT MONICA SAY ABOUT THE VOLUNTEERS.
WE HAVE TIME AGO, UH, PATTY FROM PATHS, UH, HELPING AND GUIDING, UH, PEOPLE TO, TO RECOM THEIR PARENTS, I THINK CAN BE A VERY GOOD IDEA TO HAVE VOLUNTEERS IN BOWLS.
UH, BUT I HAVE, I KEPT THE IDEA THAT MAYBE IF WE INVITE, UH, PATTY ONE MORE TIME AND ALL THE PAST PROGRAM TO BE AT THE PRC BEFORE THE PEOPLE CAME, THAT CAN BE A GREAT, GREAT IDEA.
I THINK THE WAY THAT WE CAN FIND TO HELP THE COMMUNITY MORE ON THE MOMENT, UNLESS WHEN THEY CAME AND KNOCKED THE DOOR OF THE SHELTER, THAT IS GOING TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT WAY TO REACH THE COMMUNITY AND HELP THE COMMUNITY.
AND I JUST HAVE A COMMENT TO MAKE, I MONITOR
[01:10:01]
A LOT OF PUBLIC MEDIA AND, UH, UH, PARTICULARLY AUSTIN LOSS FOUND PETS AND, UH, NEXT DOOR.AND I, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS GOTTA TAKE WHATEVER YOU HEAR WITH A GRAIN OF SAND OR MAYBE MORE, UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I HEARD A STORY ABOUT A WOMAN AND SHE SHOWED A PICTURE.
UM, SHE FOUND A BUNCH OF LITTLE KITTENS IN A PAPER BAG AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHE CALLED UP 3 1, 1 AND 3, 1, 1, UH, WHAT SHE SAID APPARENTLY TOLD HER TO PUT THE KIDS BACK OUT BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN A PAPER BAG THAT THE MOTHER WAS PROBABLY NEARBY.
AND I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A MISINTERPRETATION OF 3, 1, 1, UH, WITH THE MA WITH WHAT THEY'RE GETTING FROM THE SHELTER.
IN FACT, I'M CERTAIN, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
AND I'M, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT'S A DIFFICULT PROBLEM AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE SOLUTION IS, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S PART OF, OF, UH, YOU KNOW, CAN BE PART OF THE MISINTERPRETATION OF THE, OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE SHELTERS INTENTIONS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE, CAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF A STANDOUT REPORT.
I HAD HEARD, UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON MORE, UH, WHO WAS THAT HONOR? GOOD.
DON, I HAD A QUESTION FOR YOU GIVEN THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE CHANGING AND THE MESSAGING IS CONFUSING AND THE INFORMATION THAT'S GOING OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
IS THERE A WAY THAT, UM, SOMETHING CAN BE POSTED ON THE CITY, ON YOUR WEBSITE, FRONT AND CENTER THAT'S MAYBE UPDATED ON A WEEKLY BASIS THAT TELLS PEOPLE EXACTLY WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT AS FAR AS, UM, INTAKE APPOINTMENTS OR, I MEAN, LIKE MAKING SURE THAT KIND OF THE MESSAGING IS ALL CLEAR ON AND CURRENT, HEY, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW ME, I'M KELSEY PLAYER, I'M THE PET RESOURCE CENTER SUPERVISOR.
UM, THE REASON WE HAD PUT ONE TO TWO WEEKS AND THEN AT ONE POINT IT WAS THREE TO FOUR WEEKS.
IT'S SO FLUID THE AMOUNT OF LIKE THE DEMANDS OF HOW WE'RE ABLE TO FIT PEOPLE IN.
UM, SO WE DID CHANGE THE MESSAGING NOW, TOO.
IT'S UP TO A WEEK, UM, TO GET THEM IN POTENTIALLY LONGER, JUST AGAIN, BECAUSE IT IS SO FLUID ON, UM, SO MANY FACTORS.
UM, AND WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT WAYS WE CAN IMPROVE OUR WEBSITE SO THAT THE MESSAGING IS MORE CLEAR, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO SET EXPECTATIONS FOR ONE, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S, THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE IMMEDIATE, I GUESS, UM, IS WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO IMMEDIATELY GET BACK TO PEOPLE, UM, AND GET THEM IN.
UM, SO WE CAN, OF COURSE ALWAYS LOOK AT BOTH THE WEBSITE AGAIN.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT IT'S A VERY FLUID SITUATION.
NO, AND I, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I APPRECIATE THAT, THAT THE TEMPLATES THAT I MENTIONED, THOSE WERE ALL SENT LIKE SAME DAY.
SO LIKE THE MESSAGING COMING OUT OF THE SHELTER Y'ALL, WEREN'T USING THE SAME TEMPLATE WAS WHAT IT APPEARED TO BE.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I'M GETTING QUESTIONS ON, ON, AND THE INFORMATION I GOT AT THE MEETING SAID TWO TO THREE DAYS.
SO THE INFORMATION I GOT AT THE LAST MEETING, ISN'T EXACTLY IT'S, IT'S, IT'S VARYING SIGNIFICANTLY.
SO IT WOULD BE NICE IF EVEN IF IT'S NOT POSTED, WHICH I THINK IT SHOULD BE IF WE COULD BE KEPT CURRENT ON YOUR FLUID SITUATION AND WHERE YOU CURRENTLY ARE UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT MAY CHANGE ON A WEEKLY BASIS OR SO, BUT TO GIVE US SOME KIND OF IDEA ON WHAT'S BEING COMMUNICATED FOR THE PUBLIC, AS FAR AS THE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED HOMER, I'D LIKE TO JUMP IN REALLY QUICK AND TALK ABOUT THAT.
YOU KNOW, I WAS REMINDED OF WILCO IMMEDIATELY TO OUR NORTH AND EVERY DAY ON THEIR WEBSITE, THEY HAD ANIMALS IN ANIMALS OUT.
UM, AND I, AS I, AS I GO AROUND THE COUNTRY AND, AND ASSIST SHELTERS, I THINK THAT THAT IS A MONUMENTALLY IMPORTANT WAY TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC AND, AND GET THEIR ASSISTANCE WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED WHEN WE'RE VERY, VERY TRANSPARENT.
AND SO COUPLED WITH A, UM, JUST FRANKLY REALLY CONCERNING VOLUME OF EMAILS THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM THE COMMUNITY, UM, ABOUT CONFLICTING MESSAGES ON THE TIME IT TAKES TO GET A STRAIGHT IN OR TO GET IT UP ADOPTION APPOINTMENT.
UM, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT ON AACN WEBSITE OF A DAILY ROLLING HERE'S, HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GO STRAIGHT.
AND RIGHT NOW, UM, HERE'S THE KENNEL SPACE AVAILABLE AND ALL KENNEL SPACE, NOT THE PUBLIC KENNELS.
[01:15:01]
THINK THAT THE MORE TRANSPARENT WE ARE, WE'VE SEEN THAT AUSTIN RISES TO THE OCCASION.AND I THINK THAT WOULD JUST BE AN IMPORTANT TRUST BUILDING EXERCISE, BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING SO MUCH CONFLICTING INFORMATION.
YOU SAY THREE DAYS, THE OVERWHELMING FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY IS WEEKS.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, IT WISE, UH, MAYBE IT'S A PIPE DREAM, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY COME OUT OF, UM, THE CITY SHELTER AND HERE'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
SO WE JUST ELIMINATE THAT CONFUSION.
AND, UM, FROM THE GET-GO OTHER QUESTION AT THE LAST MEETING WE HAD ASKED WHEN YOU, SINCE THE PET RESOURCE CENTER ISN'T OPEN AND THE INTAKES CLOSED ON THE WEEKENDS.
I THINK THAT THE QUESTION HAD BEEN ASKED IS COULD YOU CONSIDER IF YOU CAN'T STAFF IT FOR TWO DAYS, STAGGERING IT, SO AT LEAST YOU HAVE ONE WEEKEND DAY THAT IT'S OPEN THAT THE PUBLIC CAN ACCESS THOSE TYPE OF RESOURCES.
AND I WAS WONDERING IF THAT'S BEEN CONSIDERED.
SO CURRENTLY I HAVE THREE FULL STAFF, UM, A LEAD AND THEN MYSELF.
UM, AND SO WE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD SHIFT OUR SCHEDULES TO TUESDAY, TO SATURDAY, SUNDAY TO THURSDAY, BUT THAT'S STILL GONNA LEAVE TWO DAYS THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE STAFF.
UM, AND I, WE HAVE, WE STARTED THIS OWNER SURRENDER CONSULT PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE A DEDICATED PERSON DOING, UM, UP TO 20 OWNERS OR UNDER CONQUESTS A DAY.
UM, AND IT'S BEEN HUGELY HELPFUL IN HELPING OWNERS FIGURE OUT DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS, KEEPING ANIMALS OUT, UM, AND ALSO GETTING AN ANIMALS THAT NEED TO BE HERE.
AND SO I'M VERY PROTECTIVE OF KEEPING THAT POSITION, THAT, THAT ABILITY TO HAVE THAT PERSON DO THAT.
UM, IF I SPREAD OUT MY STAFF AT ALL, UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF PICK YOUR POISON THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE CAN EITHER GO BACK TO JUST INTAKE, UM, WITH A LITTLE BIT AS MUCH DEFERRAL AS WE CAN TRY, UM, OR BE CLOSED TWO DAYS RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND SPEND MORE TIME WITH THE FIVE DAYS THAT WE ARE HERE.
SO HOW LONG DO Y'ALL ANTICIPATE INTAKE? SO DOES THE OWNER SURRENDER APPOINTMENT, BASICALLY THOSE ARE RECEIVING MORE SUPPORT THAN THE STRAYS I'M KIND OF HAVING TROUBLE FOLLOWING YOU.
YEAH, SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE, UH, W WE GET IN A LOT OF OWNERS AND REQUESTS, RIGHT? SO, UM, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH THOSE BECAUSE THOSE ARE WHAT WE CAN AFFECT.
WE CAN TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT BEHAVIOR WITH TOXIC PEOPLE ABOUT MEDICAL.
WE CAN TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT COMING OUTSIDE THE SHELTER, UM, THE STRAY, UM, WE HAVE, SO WE, IN A GENERAL DAY, WE HAVE ONE PERSON DOING OUR CENTER CONSOLE.
WE HAVE ONE PERSON DOING THE BOOK INTAKE, AND THEN WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE DOING TASKS AND WALK UPS AND ALL THAT KIND OF BACKUP STUFF.
SO THERE'S STILL PEOPLE FOCUSING ON STRAYS.
IT JUST ISN'T AS, UM, LONG OR AS, AS COMPLICATED AN ISSUE AS OWNER SURRENDERS, ARE WE SPENDING AS MUCH TIME AND RESOURCE ON MATCHING OWNERS AND LOST AND FOUND PETS AS WE ARE ON ANIMALS SURRENDERS.
SO WE HAVE A FEW DIFFERENT, UM, THINGS IN PLACE WITH THAT.
SO WE HAD THE LAWSON AND PROUD REPORTS.
UM, WE HAVE A FEW PARTNERSHIPS WITH GOSSIP LOSS UPON PATS TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, INCREASE RETURN, RETURN TO OWNERS.
UM, AND IT'S BEEN A DREAM TO HAVE A LOST AND FOUND TEAM.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT PROPOSALS FOR THAT AND EVERYTHING, BUT STAFFING IS JUST WHAT IT IS I'M HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY IS THEY'RE FEELING THAT, THAT THE CITY HAS BASICALLY NOT, UM, IT'S NOT ASKING AND ENCOURAGING THEIR HELP AND SUPPORT MATCHING, LOST, AND FOUND ANIMALS, BUT IT'S BEEN KIND OF LEFT UPON THEM TO DEAL WITH.
AND FROM WHAT I'M GETTING RIGHT NOW IS IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE DOING MORE ASSISTANCE WITH REHOMING INSTEAD OF MAYBE POINTING TOWARDS HOMING ALTERNATIVES.
AND I DON'T HEAR AS MUCH ASSISTANCE ON THE LOST AND FOUND RIGHT NOW.
AND SO I'M A BIT PUZZLED, UM, TO BE HONEST, WITH THE, WITH THE SHELTER BEING CLOSED DURING THOSE TWO DATES, I'M A BIT PUZZLED ON IT TOO.
AND KELSEY, YOU AND I'VE WORKED TOGETHER.
THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON AT THE PRC IS MONUMENTALLY IMPORTANT.
THAT'S WHY I KEEP HARPING ON IT.
THE WORK YOU'RE DOING IS EXCELLENT AND IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN MORE.
AND THAT'S AGAIN, WHY I KEEP BRINGING IT UP.
UM, WHAT I KEEP, WHAT I'M HEARING, LISTENING TO TWO STAFF TALKS.
WE DON'T HAVE THE STUFF WE NEED, THE STAFF.
WE NEED THE STAFF, BUT I'M WHAT I'M ALSO HEARING ARE OUR ORGANIZATIONS ARE VALUED PARTNERS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
TRAPPERS ALSO LOTS OF FUN PETS.
WE'RE DOING SOME OF THIS WORK AND I'M HEARING TOO THAT WE'D LIKE TO HELP.
[01:20:01]
WE'RE NOT ENGAGED TO HELP.AND I HAVE A HARD TIME NEGATING THAT WHEN THERE ARE NO VOLUNTEER POSTINGS FOR THE PRC, UM, WE'RE NOT, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE NOT TRYING.
THE WORK GOING ON WITH THE PRC, THAT IF I'M JUST BEING BLUNT, I DON'T FIND IT ACCEPTABLE THAT IT'S NOT OPEN ON THE WEEKENDS.
PEOPLE WORK MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
THEY NEED TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SPACE CRISIS, WE HAVE TO DO THAT DUE DILIGENCE AND HAVE THE PRC OPEN TO MINIMIZE THE ANIMALS BEING INTAKE, TO RE REUNITE FAMILIES.
UM, I THINK THAT THIS IS ABSOLUTELY URGENT THAT THIS GETS RESOLVED SOME WAY, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH A WAY TO GET YOU GUYS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
AND, UM, KELSEY FOR YOU TO GET THE HELP YOU NEED AND KEEP THIS, THIS PROGRAM IS MONUMENTALLY IMPORTANT.
I SUPPORT IT A HUNDRED PERCENT, WHICH IS WHY I KEEP HARPING UP.
IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT WOULD BE EITHER OR THAT WE, WE S WE S WE ARE, HAVE THE ABILITY TO SUPPORT ON HER SURRENDER, BUT NOT LOST AND FOUND.
I FEEL LIKE, AND I FEEL LIKE THE PUBLIC IS UPSET.
I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT GETTING RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR AN AREA THAT THEY SHOULD BE, AND WE NEED TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
THE THINGS THAT WE DO THAT WASN'T MENTIONED IS, UH, ALL THE ANIMALS THAT COME IN THAT ARE MICROCHIPPED, UH, THE ANIMAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, THEY DO CALL ON THOSE AND TRY TO TRACK THOSE DOWN.
AND THEY DO CALL ALL STRAY CONFINES AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS TOO.
SO THAT'S NOT BEING DONE IN THE PRC CURRENTLY, BUT THAT IT HAS HELPED BE, UH, HELPED OUT, UH, THROUGH THE APO OFFICE, BUT STILL WITH BEING CLOSED TWO DAYS, THAT'S, THERE'S STILL NO DISCUSSION TO TRY TO HAVE SOME WEEKEND COVERAGE FOR THIS.
WE HAVE, I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE, UH, PUT POSTINGS UP IN THE PAST FOR VOLUNTEERS, AND WE'VE HAD ZERO PEOPLE THAT HAVE APPLIED.
WE CAN TRY AGAIN, BUT, UH, WE DONE IT SOME TIMES AND WE JUST NOT GOT THEIR RESPONSE.
NO ONE SIGNED UP TO HELP, BUT THEY ABL OFFICES.
THEY WORK ON THE WEEKENDS ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS ALSO.
SO THEY'RE MAKING THOSE CALLS ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, UM, I'VE BEEN IN PRC.
IT IS A DIFFICULT EMOTIONAL POSITION.
UM, I GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO KELSEY AND HER TEAM, UH, FOR WHAT THEY DO, BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN EASY, UM, IT'S NOT AN EASY JOB AND TALKING TO PEOPLE AND, AND TRYING TO HELP THEM KEEP THEIR PETS AND, AND KNOWING HOW UPSET THEY ARE THAT THEY CAN'T.
UM, AND I ALSO READ A LOT OF THE, UM, CHAMELEON NOTES AND I, I SEE WHAT, UM, APD DOES TO OUR APS DO TO TRY TO REUNITE THE MICROCHIP ANIMALS AND THE MULTIPLE CALLS THAT THEY MAKE AND FOLLOW UP.
UM, BUT WITH PRC, UM, BEING OPEN IT'S, IT'S BOTH THE STAFF FROM KELSEY'S TEAM, BUT AREN'T THERE OTHER SUPPORT GROUPS THAT WOULD BE NEEDED IN THE BACKGROUND.
IF A DOG, IF WE TAKE IN AN ANIMAL, IT ALSO NEEDS, UM, UH, VETERINARY CARE AND, UM, UH, THE BEHAVIOR TEAM LOOKING AT THE ANIMAL TO, UM, DETERMINE WHAT DOT COLOR IT IS AND WHERE TO PUT IT.
SO, UM, WOULD IT JUST BE GETTING VOLUNTEERS IN PRC OR WOULD IT ALSO NEED A BACKUP, UM, GROUP WITH AAC? THANK YOU.
I MEAN, IF THE PRC IS OPEN ON THE WEEKENDS, INTAKE IS GOING TO INCREASE.
UM, AND SO YES, THERE WOULD NEED TO BE KENDALL SPACE, ESSENTIALLY, AS WELL AS ABOUT TET, UH, ANIMAL CARE, ALL OF THAT.
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, I TRULY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT THE PRC DOES.
AND, UM, AS THE OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED EXTREMELY EMOTIONAL, UM, WHEN PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO SURRENDER PETS OR WHEN YOU GET AN IRATE CUSTOMER THAT JUST WANTS TO DUMP AN ANIMAL AND GO, UM, SO THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
MY QUESTION IS YOU TALKED ABOUT THESE OWNER SURRENDER CONSULTATIONS, UM, WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THOSE ARE PHONE CONVERSATIONS YOU ARE HAVING WITH THESE OWNERS PRIOR TO HIM BRINGING THE ANIMALS TO THE SHELTER SO THAT YOU CAN POSSIBLY EITHER HELP THEM RESOLVE THE ISSUE FOR WHICH THEY WANT TO BRING THE ANIMAL IN, OR FIND AN ALTERNATIVE OR THEM BRINGING IT IN.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE PROMOTED TO VOLUNTEERS? SO YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY DEALING WITH
[01:25:01]
CUSTOMERS, FACE-TO-FACE COMING INTO THE PRC.THEY'RE MAKING THAT PHONE CALL TO THE, TO THE OWNER OF THEM, WATCH THE SURRENDER, TO FIND OUT THE REASONING AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
UM, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A WAY TO GET VOLUNTEERS TO, TO HELP.
I KNOW THAT VOLUNTEERS, UM, FOR A WHILE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S STILL GOING ON, THEY WERE DOING ADOPTION FOLLOWUPS.
THEY WERE CALLING OWNERS THAT OPTED IN AND DOING, DOING ADOPTION FOLLOW-UPS WITH, WITH PEOPLE, UM, THAT ADOPTED PETS FROM THE SHELTERS.
UH, AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY TOOK ON THAT ROLE.
SO, UM, I'M THINKING THAT THIS CONVERSATION, THIS OWNER CONSULTATION THING MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO GET SOME VOLUNTEER SUPPORT FOR.
IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING, UM, THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AND THOUGHT THROUGH.
UM, WE JOKE THAT WE'RE UNLICENSED SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE PRC AND THE AMOUNT OF, UM, KIND OF TRAINING AND, UM, KNOWLEDGE WE HAVE TO DEVELOP TO, UM, WORK THROUGH PROBLEMS WITH PEOPLE IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED A VOLUNTEER WITH THE COMMITMENT, UM, TO GO THROUGH THAT AND LEARN THAT.
UM, SO I WENT THROUGH AND I LOOKED, UM, AT OUR CURRENT OWNERS TURN TO OUR APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE SCHEDULED TO COME IN.
SO THESE ARE, THEY ALREADY DID THE CONSULT.
UM, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT EITHER, UM, THEY WERE JUST DONE OR ONE OF THE, UM, BACKUP APPOINTMENT OR, YOU KNOW, SURRENDER WAS THE BEST OPTION.
UM, AND THE TOP REASONS FOR THE DOG'S SURRENDERS BECAUSE THAT'S OUR SPACE ISSUE, UM, IS BEHAVIORS 40%.
SO, UM, THE DOG'S BEHAVIOR, UM, THEY'VE REACHED THEIR LIMIT HOUSING WAS, UH, 19%.
SO, UM, MOVING, MOVING IN WITH FAMILY BREED RESTRICTIONS, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
UM, WAS THAT A LARGE PERCENTAGE? UM, OWNER'S HEALTH IS 12% AND THEN THE KIND OF DONE I'M LIKE, I'M JUST DONE, UM, UH, UNWANTED IN THE FIRST PLACE, UH, IS A LOT OF PERCENT, NO TIME FOR THE ANIMAL ANYMORE IS 10%.
SO, UM, WE, WE, WE HAVE THIS KIND OF BROAD RANGE OF, OF ISSUES THAT WE'RE SEEING PEOPLE DEAL WITH.
AND SO IT TAKES, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE SCRIPTED NECESSARILY, UM, THAT WHICH WOULD HELP SUPPORT A VOLUNTEER.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S NOT OUT OF THE REALM OF POSSIBILITIES.
IT'S JUST FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON THAT'S, YOU KNOW, ABLE TO NOT JUDGE OR HIDE JUDGMENT, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, WORK THROUGH SOME OF THESE MORE COMPLEX ISSUES WITH WHAT'S.
UH, I HATE TO INTERRUPT THE CONVERSATION HERE, BUT WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO, UH, ADJOURN THE MEETING BY 10 30 AND IT'S 10 29.
SO, UH, UH, AND THIS IS ALSO CONTINUING CONVERSATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK PALMER AND HER WORKING GROUP FOR DOING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME AND COMING UP WITH SOME INTERESTING IDEAS.
AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO CONTINUE DOING THAT.
OUR NEXT SCHEDULE, WE CAN ONLY DO ONE S A S UM, A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, UH, A QUARTER.
SO OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE IN AUGUST.
UM, BUT I THINK WE NEED THE END HERE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY, UH, UH, FOR BEING HERE.
AND I'D LIKE TO THINK I DIDN'T, DIDN'T GET A CHANCE.
THANK ALAN JEFFERSON, TOO, FOR BEING HERE.
AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ADJOURN AT 10:30 AM.