[CALL TO ORDER]
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CRAIG NASER COMMISSION CHAIR CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 6:02 PM.
UH, THIS IS THE ANIMAL ADVISOR COMMISSION MEETING, SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2022.
SOME COMMISSIONERS ATTENDING VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE.
UH, NOW I'M GONNA CALL A ROLE OF THE COMMISSIONER, PLEASE.
UH, BEATRICE ZEES PRESENT LOUISE HERRARA.
HE'S GOTTA FIND THE MUTE BUTTON, RYAN.
WELL, WHAT, WHAT DO WE, I SEE HIM ON THE SCREEN.
ARE YOU HERE? TECH? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOD YOUR HEAD? YES.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH RYAN.
ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS CAN HEAR ME.
WE HEARD YOU SAY HERE WE RYAN'S HERE AND WE HAVE OKAY.
WELL, WE DON'T SEE YOU EITHER.
AMANDA, BRUCE IS OUR NEW APPOINTEE FROM WHAT DISTRICT? 10 ALICE
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING HERE?
UM, AMANDA, BRUCE IS A VETERINARIAN.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO THAT'S THAT, UH, LET'S SEE THE AGENDA ITEMS. WE'RE GONNA START WITH, UH, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE ANIMAL ADVISOR COMMISSIONER, REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 8TH, 2022 PUBLIC COMMENTS FIRST.
UH, NOT ACCORDING TO THIS, BUT YES,
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
LET'S DO PUBLIC COMMENTS FIRST.I, THAT, YEAH, IT DOESN'T HAVE A NUMBER ON IT.
SO LET'S DO, AND THESE ARE THE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS FIRST.
SO WE'LL START WITH, UM, TAVE GUZMAN.
UM, MY NAME IS TOMMY GUZMAN AND I OWN, UM, I'M CO-FOUNDER OF TEXAS FIRES, DOG WRECKS, YOU AND TRANSPORT.
WE TRANSPORT DOGS FOR AC, UM, FOR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES IN AUSTIN.
HERE, WE HAVE TRANSPORTED OVER 650 DOGS FOR YOU GUYS TODAY.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY DELIVERING DOGS IN WASHINGTON STATE.
UM, I JUST, I, I, I JUST FEEL THAT THIS PROGRAM IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE I TAKE DOGS TO THE LOCATIONS THAT THEY SEND ME TO IN WASHINGTON, STATE, WISCONSIN, MINNESOTA, VIRGINIA, AND MARYLAND.
AND I TAKE PICTURES OF EVERYTHING.
WHEN I GET THERE, I FOLLOW THE RULES THAT THEY HAVE, UM, SET ASIDE FOR US.
SO WE, WE RUN UNDER THE LAWS OF, UM, THE GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE U S D A.
UM, AND I HEARD SOME STUFF WAS GOING ON HERE IN AUSTIN.
I SEE THE PROBLEMS. WHEN I GO TO THE FACILITY TO PICK UP THE DOGS.
YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE THAT LOVE THESE DOGS, BUT THE OVERFLOW OF DOGS THAT ARE THERE.
UM, I KNOW YOU'RE A NO KILL SHELTER.
YOU DON'T WANNA BE KNOWN AS SAN ANTONIO THAT KILLS ALL THE DOGS.
LAREDOS NUMBER RANKED NUMBER THREE IN TEXAS TO KILL DOGS.
YOU DON'T WANT AUSTIN TO BE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, I KNOW THAT A DOG WAS SENT TO CANADA, UM, AND HE GOT SICK, BUT I HAVE TRANSFERRED TRANSPORTED 600 DOGS, 625,
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AND I'VE NEVER HAD A DOG SICK.WHAT HAPPENS UP THERE? I DON'T KNOW, BUT WE'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW ALL THE PARTNERS THAT ARE PARTNERING WITH AUSTIN AND THEY'RE AMAZING PARTNERS.
I SEND PICTURES OF THE FACILITIES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO.
PEOPLE THINK THAT THESE DOGS ARE WE'RE DROPPING 'EM OFF, DOWN THE STREET.
WE'RE TAKING THEM TO AMAZING FACILITIES, AMAZING FACILITIES, ESPECIALLY THE ONES IN WISCONSIN, WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH SNOW.
AND YOU DON'T GET TO SEE THAT FACILITY, CUZ OF ALL THE SNOW.
WHEN THE SNOW CLEARS UP, I WAS AMAZED BY THE FACILITIES.
IF A DOG GETS SICK, LET'S SAY MOTION SICKNESS.
WE CONTACT THE GIRLS AND WE TELL 'EM, HEY, THIS DOG IS NOT FEELING WELL.
WE FOLLOW THE RULES THAT THEY HAVE SET FOR US.
UM, THEY'VE ALSO ACTUALLY, SHE HAS ALSO PUT AN, AN AGGRESSIVE DOG ON MY TRANSPORT AND THAT DOG DIDN'T WANNA GET OFF TRANSPORT AFTER WE WERE DONE, HE WANTED TO STAY WITH US.
I'M LIKE, YOU WANNA COME BACK TO TEXAS, WE'LL TAKE YOU BACK TO TEXAS, BUT I THERE'S, THEY'RE NOT ADOPTING HERE IN TEXAS.
I'VE HAD SEVEN ADOPTIONS IN THREE MONTHS.
THE VET WITH THAT DOG GOING UP SICK, THEY COULDN'T TELL YOU, CAN'T TELL WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE DOG.
WHEN YOU GET 'EM, THEY'RE HAPPY.
YOU CHECK THEIR, THEY CHECK THEIR EARS.
THEY CHECK EVERYTHING FOR THEM.
I FEEL BAD FOR THE RESCUE THAT RECEIVE THEM.
AND I KNOW THEY LOVE THE DOGS, BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE THIS PROGRAM AWAY.
IF THEY, IF, IF, IF ANYONE'S EVEN THINKING OF TAKING THE PROGRAM AWAY, COME ON TRANSPORT WITH US AND YOU GUYS WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS ON TRANSPORT.
AND IT'S AMAZING TO SEE THE DOGS GET OFF TRANSPORT, I GUESS.
CAN YOU TELL ME AGAIN THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION THAT YOU SAID YOU WERE FROM? UM, I'M TEXAS FLYERS, DOG RESCUE AND TRANSPORT.
SO WE TRANSPORT, UM, WE DO THE BIG HALLS.
WE JUST DO THE BIG ONES FOR YOU GUYS.
SO WE USUALLY HAVE LIKE 30 ON TRANSPORT.
MM-HMM
THAT'S HOW LONG IT'S BEEN SINCE ASHLEY NEAL'S BRAVELY CAME FORWARD TO LIFT THE CURTAIN ON THE HORRORS OF AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
AND THE ONLY THING THERE IS TO SHOW IN THE WAY OF PROGRESS IS NOTHING GOOD.
A DOG NAMED CHIEF HAS SEEMINGLY BEEN FORGOTTEN FOR MONTHS IN A BOARD AND TRAIN THAT UTILIZES INHUMANE TRAINING METHODS WITH LITTLE TO NO DOCUMENTED UPDATES, AAC, TARNISHED, ITS OWN NAME AND REPUTATION BY ALLOWING AND ENCOURAGING VIOLENCE ON ITS SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AROUND A DOG NAMED CHEWY.
AAC WAS EXPOSED FOR LETTING DOGS LANGUISH IN THE SIX HUNDREDS KENNEL RUN, WHICH IS INACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC AND MOST STAFF MEMBERS, AAC, VETS CHOSE NOT TO PROVIDE CARE FOR A ONE YEAR-OLD DOG NAMED BINO WHO HAD A POTENTIALLY TREATABLE CONDITION THAT PARALYZED HIM WITHIN A MATTER OF DAYS AND LEDE HIS EUTHANASIA DUE TO SUFFERING THE TRUCK PORT, WHICH IS, DOES NOT HAVE AC IS FULL OF DOGS.
LIVING IN CRATES WHO ARE OFTEN FOUND WITHOUT WATER.
AND HAVEN'T BEEN OUT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
AAC BEGAN THE PROCESS OF POURING CONCRETE IN THE EXTERIOR PORTIONS OF THE SWEETS KENNELS WITH NO PLAN OTHER THAN TO TRAP PAIRED DOGS IN THE SMALL INTERIOR PORTION OF THOSE KENNELS UNTIL A BOOTS ON THE GROUND STAFF MEMBER, PUSH THEM TO MAKE A SHORT TERM FOSTER PLEA AEC LEADERSHIP SHOULD INCREASING INCOMPETENCE WHEN THEY DID NOTHING MORE THAN A LACK LUSTER AND LAST MINUTE CAMPAIGN FOR CLEAR THE SHELTERS, A SENIOR DOG NAMED CHARLIE TRAGICALLY DIED AFTER BEING PLACED ON A TRANSPORT TO A RESCUE IN CANADA.
AAC HAS CONTINUED TO SPREAD MISINFORMATION BY BOOSTING A POST THAT INSTEAD OF BRINGING A DOG TO THE SHELTER, YOU SHOULD CLAP YOUR HANDS AT A LOOSE DOG AND TELL THEM TO GO HOME TODAY.
AAC ANNOUNCED INTAKE WILL CLOSE TOMORROW EXCEPT FOR EMERGENCIES.
I JUST LISTED 10 INCIDENTS AT AAC IN THE PAST FIVE MONTHS AND COULD LIST MANY MORE OF TIME ALLOWED.
BUT WHAT I FIND SCARIEST AND MOST DETRIMENTAL TO MORALE IN THE COMMUNITY'S RELATIONSHIP TO AAC IS THAT LEADERSHIP'S NARRATIVE THAT ALL OF THE LONG STAY DOGS ARE QUOTE UNQUOTE BAD DOGS WITH BITE RECORDS IS STARTING TO PERMEATE THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION AS COMMISSIONER HERRERA, SHOCKINGLY AND INACCURATELY STATED IN THE LAST MEETING, THE DOGS WE HAVE IN THE ZEROS, WE CAN IDENTIFY EASILY THAT THEY DIDN'T LEARN THE RIGHT BITE INHIBITION OR SOCIALIZATION.
THIS IS BLATANTLY UNTRUE AS COMMISSIONER NIELSEN FOUND WHEN ANALYZING THE RECORDS OF THE ZEROS DOGS.
VERY FEW OF THEM HAVE ANY BITES, REGARDLESS OF THE INTENT BEHIND COMMISSIONER, HERRERA'S COMMON AS AN AAC STAFF MEMBER AND COMMISSIONER, IT IS EXTREMELY TELLING, I KNOW THERE IS NO EASY FIX FOR THE SPACE CRISIS OR THE CRISIS OF APATHY, PLAGUING AACS LEADERSHIP TEAM.
IT GENUINELY APPEARS THE GOAL OF LEADERSHIP
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IS TO WEAR DOWN DEDICATED STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS UNTIL THEY GET TO CARRY OUT A MASS KILLING OF MEDIUM AND LARGE DOGS, WHICH THE UNINFORMED PUBLIC MAY HAPPI HAPPILY SIGN OFF ON AFTER BEING TOLD THE DOGS AVAILABLE TO THEM ARE DANGEROUS.I FULLY RECOGNIZE THAT SOUNDS INSANE, BUT WHERE ELSE COULD THIS POSSIBLY BE HEADED? WHY ELSE WOULD A GROUP OF PEOPLE WITH ALL OF THE POWER CHOOSE TO DO NOTHING EXCEPT HELP FROM NO ONE AND BECOME MORE AND MORE INSULAR? WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR ANYONE WHO WORKS FOR THIS CITY TO DO SOMETHING OF SUBSTANCE? THE ALARM HAS BEEN SOUNDED FOR MONTHS AND AS HAS BEEN RE PREDICTED REPEATEDLY, WE ARE RAPIDLY SPIRALING TOWARD THE BREAKING POINT.
PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE WE GET THERE.
UH, JASON, I BELIEVE LOUISE IS HERE.
LOUISE, DID YOU SIGN THE, UM, UH, CONFLICT OF INTEREST FORM AND SEND IT IN? NO, I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO, TO DO THAT.
THEN, THEN, UH, I MEAN, YOU'RE WELCOME TO LISTEN, BUT WE, YOU CAN'T PARTICIPATE IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE THAT FORM, UNFORTUNATELY.
I WAS A SIX YEAR VOLUNTEER IN FOSTER AT AAC AS ZI.
EMILY WELLS MENTIONED DOGS HAVE BEEN LANGUISHING IN THE SIX HUNDREDS BUILDING WHERE THE PUBLIC VOLUNTEERS AND MOST STAFF DO NOT HAVE ACCESS.
WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT MANAGEMENT IS ABLE TO HIDE IN WAREHOUSE DOGS WITHOUT HAVING TO EXPLAIN THEMSELVES.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT ONE OF THE DOGS WHO SPENT AN UNNECESSARY AMOUNT OF TIME BACK THERE.
WILLOW'S WEBSITE PHOTO SHOWED ABOUT THE TOP HALF OF A DOG'S FACE THROUGH KENNEL BARS.
THE PHOTO WAS OF ANOTHER DOG ALTOGETHER.
THERE WAS ALSO NO DESCRIPTION OR ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT WILLOW AND THE PUBLIC WEBSITE, JUST HER BASIC STATS.
AND THAT ONE SAD PHOTO THAT WASN'T EVEN HER WILLOW ARRIVED AS A STRAY ON JULY 9TH OF THIS YEAR.
SOON AFTER THAT SHE TESTED POSITIVE FOR RINGWORM TREATMENT WAS STARTED.
STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS ASKED FOR WILLOW TO BE MOVED TO A PUBLIC KENNEL, BUT WILLOW A DOG ENTRUSTED TO THE CARE.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN SAT IN A NON-PUBLIC KENNEL WHERE SHE HAD ZERO CHANCE OF BEING SEEN BY SHELTER VISITORS UNTIL THIS PAST FRIDAY, WHEN SHE WAS FINALLY MOVED TO THE PUB TO A PUBLIC KENNEL AT THE URGING OF A CARING STAFF MEMBER, MORE THAN TWO MONTHS AFTER ARRIVING AT AAC.
WILLOW WAS ABLE TO BE SEEN BY POTENTIAL ADOPTERS AND SHE WAS ADOPTED ON SATURDAY.
THE VERY NEXT DAY AFTER SHE WAS MOVED OUT OF THE NON-PUBLIC SIX HUNDREDS BUILDING, IT IS UNKNOWN IF WILLOW WAS GETTING KENNEL BREAKS OR ENRICHMENT DURING HER TIME IN THE SIX HUNDREDS, EVERY DOG NEEDS AND DESERVES DAILY WALKS AND MENTAL STIMULATION SUCH AS SOAP, FEEDERS AND FROZEN KONGS.
IS THERE AN SOP THAT PROVIDES AN ENRICHMENT PROTOCOL FOR EVERY DOG AT AAC, REGARDLESS OF STATUS.
AND IS THAT SO P BEING FOLLOWED, WE CAN'T SIMPLY PLACE DOGS IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT OUT OF PUBLIC VIEW AND BE DONE WITH THEM.
IN ADDITION TO HER, HOW MANY OTHER AVAILABLE ADOPTABLE DOGS IN THE 40 RUNS IN THE 600 S BUILDING HAVE ALSO BEEN SLIPPING THROUGH THE CRACKS, MY POSITION.
AND I SINCERELY HOPE THAT YOU AGREE IS THAT EVEN ONE DOG SLIPPING THROUGH THE CRACKS IS ONE DOG TOO MANY.
THERE IS ANOTHER DOG I WANT TO BRIEFLY DISCUSS THAT DOG IS NAMED CHIEF AND THE WEBSITE STATES THAT HE IS IN FOSTER, EXCEPT IS HE, MANY OF YOU RECEIVED EMAILS BEGINNING ON JUNE 4TH, ABOUT CHIEF WHO WAS SUBJECTED TO TWO HOURS OF INHUMANE TREATMENT BY A BALANCED TRAINER IN THE PRESENCE OF ABBY VARELA, THE TRAINER CHOKE CHIEF MULTIPLE TIMES USING A SLIP LEAD.
AND THE VIDEO SHOWED THAT CHIEF WAS EXPERIENCING EXTREME STRESS, WHICH THE TRAINER AND ABBY SAID WAS INTENTIONAL.
CHIEF WAS SENT TO A BOARD AND TRAIN WITH HIS TRAINER.
IT IS UNCLEAR WHERE THOSE FUNDS CAME FROM.
THE TRAINER'S WEBSITE SHOWS THAT SHE USES AVERSIVE TRAINING METHODS, INCLUDING SHOCK AND PRONG CALLERS.
THIS IS A DRASTIC DEPARTURE FROM AACS COMMITMENT TO USING ONLY POSITIVE BASE AND SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN TRAINING METHODS.
CHIEF HAS NOT BEEN AT THE SHELTER FOR THREE MONTHS NOW, WHERE IS HE? IS HE STILL WITH THIS TRAINER? IS SHE CONTINUING TO USE AVERSIVE TRAINING METHODS ON HIM? HOW IS IT ACCEPTABLE FOR THERE TO BE ANY UNKNOWNS ABOUT A DOG UNKNOWN OWNED BY AAC? VOLUNTEERS HAVE NOT ASKED ABOUT CHIEF'S WHEREABOUTS, BECAUSE MOST SIMPLY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
I'M URGING THIS COMMISSION TO GET ANSWERS ABOUT CHIEF FROM ABBY AND HER SUPERVISOR, DOM BLAND.
WE ARE HERE TO SPEAK UP FOR CHIEF WILLOW AND ALL THE DOGS AT AAC, AND WE AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE UNTIL THERE IS REAL POSITIVE CHANGE.
WE HOPE THAT THIS COMMISSION AGREES THAT NO DOG SHOULD BE FORGOTTEN.
UH, NEXT IS ROCHELLE VICKERY, VIC VICTORY, VIC VICTORY, UHHUH
I WAS HERE LAST MONTH ON, UH, I'M ON THE TNR PROGRAM.
BUT MY PROBLEM IS I HAVE SEEN THE CARPORT AT
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THE SHELTER AND IT UPSETS ME TO KNOW, DOGS ARE SITTING IN A 36 BY 48 CRATE AND THE CARPORT, AS SOME OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE SAID, IT'S NOT AIR CONDITIONED.AND SO DOES EVERYBODY ELSE? I SAY SHAME OWN APA BECAUSE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO TAKE THE OVERFLOW FROM OUR CITY SHELTER AND THEY'RE NOT DOING IT.
THEY'RE GOING OUTTA COUNTY GETTING OTHER ANIMALS.
AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO OUR CITY, MY TAX DOLLAR, I PAY $2,000 A YEAR IN PROPERTY TAXES AND THAT'S PAYING FOR MY SHELTER AND YOUR SHELTER.
AND THEY HAVE A SWEET DEAL OVER THERE.
AND OUR SH OUR ANIMALS ARE SUFFERING FOR IT.
AND IT, IT, I SAW MR. BLAND ON TV AND YOU SAW SOME OF THOSE ANIMALS IN THE HALLWAY.
AND I THINK ANY OF Y'ALL, IF YOU'VE NOT BEEN THERE, YOU'D NEED TO GO THERE.
AND I THINK THE TV STATION THAT HAS VERIFY NEEDS TO GO IN THERE AND VERIFY WHAT I'M SAYING AND SEE IN WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR SHELTER.
CAUSE ALL OF OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE PAYING FOR IT.
AND THAT'S ALL I WANNA SAY THAT WE NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING CHANGED.
I THINK APA NEEDS TO STEP UP AND DO THE SPADE AND NEUTER JUST LIKE AHS DOES THE CATS.
AND IT JUST, THEY JUST BECAUSE WE JUST HAVE SO MANY AND I FEEL SORRY FOR THE ANIMALS.
AND I HOPE IF SOME OF YOU PEOPLE WILL AND THE PEOPLE ON THE TV WON THE INTERNET, THAT'S WATCHING THIS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THIS IS NOT FAIR TO THE ANIMALS AT ALL.
UM, I SPOKE TO YOU A COUPLE TIMES PREVIOUSLY.
MY NAME IS EMILY AND THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR VOLUNTEERING WITH AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
I HAVE QUICKLY TAKEN A SHINE TO WORKING WITH THE LARGE DOGS, SOME OF THE BEHAVIOR DOGS, AND ALSO WITH PLAYGROUP.
UM, I'VE REALLY ENJOYED MY TIME THERE.
AND I WAS THE ONE WHO DID NOMINATE THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM FOR THE BEST, UM, OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE.
I WANT TO SAY ON THE RECORD THAT ALTHOUGH I PERSONALLY AM HAVING A GOOD VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE, I DO SOMEWHAT REGRET HAVING NOMINATED THE PROGRAM DUE TO SOME OF THE LEADERSHIP'S LACK OF CARE FOR VOLUNTEERS AND LEARNING OF THE VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE BEEN FIRED THAT ARE INCREDIBLY DEDICATED TO THIS PROGRAM.
SO I JUST WANTED STATE THAT FOR THE RECORD.
UM, I WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION TONIGHT THAT IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE SHELTER LEADERSHIP BEGIN PLANS TO BEGIN REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT NOTIFIES, UM, THE PUBLIC OF EUTHANASIA FOR DOGS THAT ARE AT RISK.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY PLAN TO REDUCE THAT TIME PERIOD FROM ONE OR TWO WEEKS TO 48 HOUR NOTIFICATIONS.
AND IT MAY HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED, I BELIEVE, WITH A DOG NAMED TUCKER.
UM, THIS IS INCREDIBLY CONCERNING.
IT IS A, A, A SILLY PLOY TO, AND REALLY AN EVIL PLOY TO KEEP RESCUES FROM BEING ABLE TO ACTUALLY RESCUE THESE DOGS WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP THEM TO TRANSPORT THEM OR FIND THEM LOVING HOMES.
UM, THERE IS NO NEED TO DO THIS, NOR WILL IT, WILL IT SOLVE OR ADDRESS THE SPACE CRISIS IN ANY WAY, GIVEN THAT THIS REALLY ONLY AFFECTS A SMALL NUMBER OF DOGS THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR EUTHANASIA IN SOME OF THESE CASES IN TUCKER'S CASE, UM, A RESCUE DID RESCUE HIM AND HE WAS HE'S NOW IN AN ADOPTIVE CARE.
NOW IMMEDIATELY, THEY FOUND A HOME, THEY FOUND A PLACEMENT CLEARLY IF THAT RESCUE WAS ABLE TO DO THAT, WE FAILED THAT DOG IN SOME OTHER BIGGER WAY.
THE SPACE CRISIS, AS YOU HAVE HEARD BEFORE FROM COMMISSIONER HASSON IS ENTIRELY SELF-CREATED YES, THERE IS A LARGE NUMBER OF INTAKES, BUT THERE IS MORE WE COULD BE DOING THERE'S MORE WE COULD BE DOING WITH APA, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THREE THINGS THAT I THINK COULD BE DONE IMMEDIATELY THAT WOULD REALLY HELP ADDRESS THE SPACE CRISIS.
NONE OF WHICH ARE GOING TO BE A SURPRISE TO ANY OF YOU.
THE FIRST THING IS THAT WE NEED TO DO REAL ADVERTISING OF OUR EVENTS.
I PARTICIPATED IN THE RECENT CLEAR THE SHELTERS EVENT, WHICH WHILE THE SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING WAS CUTE, UM, AND THE VOLUNTEERS TRULY TURNED OUT.
THERE WAS AN AMAZING VOLUNTEER TURNOUT THAT DAY.
THERE WERE PROBABLY MORE VOLUNTEERS ON SITE THAN CUSTOMERS THAT DAY.
IT WAS NO BUSIER THAN AN AVERAGE SATURDAY HAS BEEN LATELY.
UM, THERE WERE SOME ADOPTIONS, UM, BUT TRULY IT WAS A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT TO THE VOLUNTEERS WHO SPENT THAT SATURDAY ON SITE, WE EXPECTED TO GET A HUNDRED DOGS ADOPTED.
WE GOT ABOUT 30 SOMETHING ADOPTED.
SO THAT'S ONE THIRD OF THE OUTCOME WE HAD ANTICIPATED.
NO ADVERTISING WAS REALLY DONE EXCEPT FOR NATIONAL ADVERTISING, WHICH WAS FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH LONG, NOT FOR OUR SPECIFIC AUSTIN EVENT.
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING IS NOT ENOUGH.
WE NEED TO STOP PREACHING TO THE CHOIR AND ACTUALLY DO COMMUNITY WIDE OUTREACH AND ADVERTISING.
THE SECOND THING IS THAT WE NEED TO FIX AND EXPAND OUR FOSTER PROGRAM.
I AM FOSTERING A BEHAVIOR DOG MYSELF AT HOME WHO DOES HAVE A BITE RECORD AND HAS, UM, BEEN A WONDERFUL DOG TO ME.
UM, WE NEED TO FIX AND EXPAND THE FOSTER PROGRAM AND ALSO THE DEEPLY FLAWED TRANSPORT PROGRAM,
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WHICH I'M SURE YOU WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT LATER TODAY.AND BIG SHOUT OUT TO JASON, BY THE WAY, FOR BEING SOMEBODY WHO IS A LEADERSHIP MEMBER ON SITE WHO ACTUALLY CLEANS CRATES AND HELPS DOGS.
HI, UM, MY NAME IS HILLARY RUAN AND I AM BOTH THE FOSTER AND VOLUNTEER WITH AAC BEGINNING FOSTERING IN MARCH, 2020.
I'VE ALSO FOSTERED WITH AUSTIN PETS ALIVE.
MY MOST RECENT FOSTER WAS A SENIOR DOG NAMED SWIPER.
UM, BASICALLY THE
UM, THE FOREST WIPER CAME TO ME IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
HE HAD BEEN TREATED FOR A COUGH IN THE SHELTER.
HIS PRIOR OWNER HAD ALSO INDICATED HE HAD HEALTH ISSUES, ALTHOUGH IT WAS UNCLEAR WHAT THOSE WERE EXACTLY.
AND IF MUCH HAD BEEN DONE TO INVESTIGATE WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS OF HIM BECOMING MY FOSTER, I NOTICED HIS COUGH WAS CLEAR.
HE CLEARLY STILL AN ISSUE AS HE WAS COUGHING SEVERAL TIMES A DAY OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS IN ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE THE COUGH.
I HAD A FRUSTRATING TIME COMMUNICATING WITH SHELTER STAFF, GETTING RESPONSES TO MY QUESTIONS AND GENERALLY GETTING HIM THE ATTENTION HE DESERVED, UM, WHICH SEEMED TO BE DUE TO SEVERELY STRANGE RESOURCES.
I EVENTUALLY BECAME SO ADAMANT ABOUT SWIPER HAVING THE PROPER CARE THAT I BEGAN, THE PROCESS OF FUNDING HIS CARE THROUGH CLASSIC CANINES, A WONDERFUL DONATION BASED ORGANIZATION THAT ADVOCATES FOR SENIOR DOGS IN AUSTIN, WHILE THIS WAS GREAT FOR A SWIPER.
THE ONLY DOWNSIDE TO THIS WAS A SHELTER POLICY THAT NO LONGER ALLOWED ME TO BRING SWIPER BACK THERE AS HE NOW FUND FUNDED UNDER CLASSIC CANINES AS SWIPER WAS A PIT BULL MIX.
AND I AM A RENTER IN A CITY WHERE BREED RESTRICTIONS ARE RAMPANT.
I WAS WORRIED WHAT I MIGHT DO IF MY HOUSING SITUATION CHANGED IN THE FUTURE.
I BELIEVE THIS POLICY ALSO APPLIED TO SHORT TERM STAYS.
AND WHEN I COULD NOT FIND A SITTER FOR SWIPER, WHEN I HAD TO GO OUT OF TOWN FOR A FUNERAL AT A VERY DIFFICULT TIME, COORDINATING A TEMPORARY STAY AT THE SHELTER AND EVEN HAVING SHELTER STAFF AGREE TO ADMINISTER REQUIRED MEDICATIONS.
THANKFULLY TWO MONTHS AGO, I FOUND A WONDERFUL ADOPTER WHO WAS WILLING TO TAKE SWIPER IN DESPITE SOME REMAINING UNKNOWNS ABOUT HIS HEALTH WITH THE TEAM AT WHITEROCK VETERINARY HOSPITAL, WE WERE ABLE TO START GETTING SWIPER THE PROPER CARE.
UNFORTUNATELY, HOWEVER, SWIPELY SWIPER QUICKLY TOOK A TURN FOR THE WORST AND HE PASSED AWAY ONE WEEK AFTER BEING ADOPTED.
THE MOST LIKELY POSSIBILITY FOR THIS WAS A RUPTURED TUMOR.
GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF TIME I SPENT TRYING TO ADVOCATE FOR HIS CARE IN THE BEGINNING IS HARD FOR ME NOT TO THINK ABOUT THE OUTCOME HE COULD HAVE HAD IF THE WHOLE PROCESS WASN'T AS FRUSTRATING AS IT WAS AND WAS SERIOUSLY STRAINED, SHELTER, RESOURCES, AND STAFF.
I AM ALSO SADDEN FOR THE ADOPTER AND THAT SHE HAD TO GO THROUGH THAT EXPERIENCE.
I'M NOT HERE TO BLAME THE SHELTER IT'S STAFF FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO SWIPER OR TO EVEN SAY I UNDERSTAND THEIR OWN CHALLENGES.
HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THIS PARTICULAR EXPERIENCE WHERE I FEEL ALIENATED AS A FOSTER AT A SHELTER THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS FOSTERS PAIRED WITH THE ORGANIZATIONAL INEFFICIENCIES, I'VE ALREADY WITNESSED AS A VOLUNTEER.
I KNOW THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE AND THE MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, ESPECIALLY WITH TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING LIMITED INTAKE.
WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE LIVING UP TO OUR NAME OF A NOKI DOG FRIENDLY CITY.
UH, WE HAVE SOME VIRTUAL SPEAKERS.
UH, SO WE HAVE MADISON RAFTER.
I DO NOT SEE MADISON IN THE CALL QUEUE.
DO WE HAVE AMY SWENSON? YES WE DO.
UM, HI, MY NAME IS AMY INSTANCE.
I AM WITH MIDWEST ANIMAL RESCUE AND SERVICES IN MINNESOTA.
I AM ONE OF THE RECEIVING RESCUES OF YOUR TRANSPORT PROGRAM.
AND I WAS ASKED TO CALL IN JUST TO KIND OF, I CAN ONLY SPEAK ON, ON THE, THE WAY THE PROGRAM HAS WORKED WITH MYERS AND HOW IT HAS WORKED WITH MYERS.
AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE TOLD SINCE OCTOBER 9TH, 2021, WE HAVE PULLED 171 DOGS FROM AAC OUT OF THOSE 171 DOGS, 156 HAVE ALREADY BEEN ADOPTED.
AND WE HAVE 15 IN FOSTER CARE THAT WE ARE STILL WORKING WITH JUST BECAUSE OF LITTLE TWEAKS HERE AND THERE WE ARE NOT A SHELTER.
WE ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT FOSTER BASED.
SO EVERY DOG THAT COMES TO US HAS TO LIVE IN A HOME.
IT IS TAKEN CARE OF BY FOSTERS UNTIL IT SIGNS ITS FOREVER HOME
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OR UNTIL THE FOSTER DECIDES TO ADOPT THE TRANSPORT PROGRAM.TO ME IS JUST ANOTHER TOOL THAT ALLOWS AAC TO GET THESE DOGS MOVING OUT OF THE SHELTER FASTER.
IT IS A KNOWN FACT THAT AFTER 14 DAYS IN A SHELTER ENVIRONMENT, THE MENTAL CAPACITY OF A DOG IS GREATLY WEAK.
WE KNOW THIS STUDIES HAVE BEEN DONE.
UM, IT IS IMPERATIVE, AS EVERYONE HAS SAID TONIGHT, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO GET THESE DOGS OUT, TO GET THESE DOGS IN HOME, TO GET THESE DOGS ENRICHMENT THAT THEY NEED AND THE LIFE THEY DESERVE.
I BELIEVE THIS IS COMMISSION AND I BELIEVE THAT AAC WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR THE DOGS.
I SAW THE OVERFLOW OF DOGS AND IT IS HEARTBREAKING.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE TRANSPORT PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE TOOLS THAT CAN HELP ALLEVIATE THE OVERCROWDED CRISIS THAT AACS HANDS.
I THINK THAT EVERY RESCUE NEEDS TO BE VETTED PROPERLY? ABSOLUTELY.
DO I THINK THAT EVERY RESCUE HAS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DOGS THAT THEY AGREE TO TAKE? ABSOLUTELY.
AND IN ORDER FOR IT ALL TO WORK PROPERLY, IT HAS TO WORK AT A UNISON.
I DO BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE DOING THAT.
AT LEAST WITH MYERS, WE HAVE HAD GREAT DOGS FROM AAC.
WE HAVE HAD GREAT COMMUNICATION WITH AAC.
UM, IT, IT HAS BEEN A REALLY POSITIVE PROGRAM AND I HOPE THAT BECAUSE OF THE CRISIS YOU HAVE DOWN THERE AND BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, YOU WILL CONSIDER KEEPING THAT AS A TOOL IN ORDER TO HELP GET THESE DOGS OUT OF AAC.
I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS COMMISSION AND THAT THE PEOPLE OF AAC AND THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY REALLY WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR THE ANIMALS AND TAKING AWAY A TOOL THAT ALLOWS THESE ANIMALS TO GET INTO HOMES DOESN'T SEEM, IT SEEMS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT ANYBODY IN AUSTIN THAT IS PART OF THIS COMMISSION OR, OR AAC WANTS ANYTHING COUNTERPRODUCTIVE FOR THESE ANIMALS SHOW.
I, I HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER CONTINUING TO DO THE TRANSPORT PROGRAM.
IF THERE ARE THINGS WE NEED TO CHANGE, IF THERE'S THINGS THAT THE COMMISSION OR THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO SEE, THEN IT'S UP TO US AS THE SHELTER'S RECEIVING TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU GUYS NEED, BUT IT'S A GOOD TOOL AND IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTINUED.
ALL RIGHT, MS. SPON, THAT'S YOUR TIME.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF THE CALLER IS STILL THERE.
IS SHE BY CHANCE? UH, YES, WHAT'S.
I, I WAS JUST GONNA QUICKLY ASK.
SHE STATED AT THE VERY BEGINNING, SHE WAS ASKED TO CALL IN TONIGHT.
I WAS GONNA ASK JUST QUICKLY WHO, UM, ASKED HER TO CALL IN.
OH, I WAS JUST, I WAS ASKED BY A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE TRANSPORTED TO AND THINGS LIKE THAT, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, YOU GUYS KNOW HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS BY PEOPLE WHO ARE RECEIVING THE ACTUAL ANIMALS.
UH, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, THAT DIDN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT, THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT WAS ASKED TO ANSWER THE CALL OR TO ANSWER, YOU KNOW, TO CALL IN, BUT WHO ASKED ANY OF THOSE TYPES OF PEOPLE TO CALL IN? I THINK WAS KATIE'S QUESTION.
PARDON ME, KATIE, IF THAT'S NOT RIGHT, IF THE QUESTION WAS, DID DON CALL ME AND ASK ME TO CALL IN? NO, HE DID NOT.
UH, LET'S, LET'S STOP THIS BECAUSE TECHNICALLY WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO ASK PEOPLE QUESTIONS WHO CALL IN ON PUBLIC COMMENT AND THAT WHY THAT'S, YOU KNOW, AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
WE'RE JUST NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT.
UM, I BELIEVE WE CAN ASK CLARIFYING QUESTIONS, BUT WE CAN'T HAVE DISCUSSION THAT.
YEAH, THAT'S PROBABLY TRUE IN GENERAL THOUGH.
I LET'S JUST KEEP MOVING ON THIS.
LET'S LET'S KEEP MOVING ON THAT.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
UH, MY NAME IS AARON COLEMAN IS AARON COLEMAN.
I'VE BEEN WITH AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES FOR ABOUT 12 AND A HALF YEARS.
UM, I'M CALLING IN TONIGHT, UM, TO SPEAK TO YOU GUYS IN SUPPORT OF OUR AAC TEAM.
UH, FOR ME, THAT TEAM INCLUDES THE STAFF, OUR
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GROUP OF ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC VOLUNTEERS.AND YES, UNFORTUNATELY FOR SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T AGREE THAT DOES INCLUDE OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM.
UM, MY SENTIMENT MAY NOT BE POPULAR WITH ALL, BUT I DO SUPPORT OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, PREVIOUS PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPOKEN AT COMMITTEE MEETINGS, UM, AND THEY DON'T SPEAK FOR ALL OF US.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE TO, UH, REFER TO AND TALK ABOUT, UH, THE TOXIC WORK ENVIRONMENT.
UM, IT IS MY PERSPECTIVE, UH, THAT THAT IS ACTUALLY BEING PERPETUATED BY A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE, UH, THAT ARE ONLY TELLING THEIR SIDE OF THE STORY, WHICH IS THEIR RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT IS THEIR REALITY, UM, IS OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR TEAM ALL AROUND OUR LEADERSHIP, EVERYBODY, ARE THEY PERFECT? NO, WE'RE NOT, BUT I WOULD BE, UH, I WOULD LOVE TO CHALLENGE ANYBODY TO SHOW ME A TEAM ANYWHERE THAT IS PERFECT.
UM, BY NOW I'M SURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL SEEN SOME OF THE VIDEOS THAT ARE CIRCULATING SHOWING OUR DESPERATE SITUATION AT THE SHELTER.
UM, THE ANIMALS AT THE SHELTER DESERVE BETTER.
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CARING FOR THEM DESERVE BETTER.
AND IN MY CONCLUSION, I WON'T EVEN TAKE UP MY WHOLE THREE MINUTES.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK OF THIS ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS TO PLEASE SET ASIDE, UH, YOUR DIFFERENCES, YOUR POLITICAL AND PERSONAL AGENDAS.
AND PLEASE GO TO CITY COUNCIL AND ASK FOR SUPPORT FOR OUR ANIMALS AND FOR OUR STAFF AT THE SHELTER AND FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS AND ALL OF THE INDIVIDUAL GROUPS THAT THEY RUN THAT SUPPORT OUR ANIMALS.
UM, IT'S BEEN VERY HARD TO GO TO WORK AND SEE THIS EVERY DAY AND CONTINUALLY TAKE ALL THE NEGATIVITY THAT IS, UH, COMING AT US FROM ALL DIRECTIONS.
UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE TO SAY, OH, WELL, WHEN I SAY THIS, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE FRONT LINE STAFF, BUT WHEN YOU CHARACTERIZE AAC IN GENERAL, YOU ARE SAYING THIS TO US, CUZ OUR EARS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE HEARING IT TOO.
AND IT'S VERY, VERY DISHEARTENING.
I'VE BEEN IN ANIMAL WELFARE AND I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 20 YEARS AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE I FEEL CONTINUALLY ATTACKED FROM ALL SIDES WHEN ALL, ANY OF US THAT ARE IN THAT BUILDING EVERY DAY ARE TRYING TO DO IS OUR BEST TO TAKE CARE OF THESE ANIMALS AND FIND THEM HOMES BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE ARE THERE FOR.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE LOVE DOING.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU ALL TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO ME.
AND, UH, THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY THIS EVENING.
I DON'T HAVE MS. BARLOW IN THE CHAT.
SO THAT IS ALL OUR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION I DO BELIEVE.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Animal Advisory Commission Regular Meeting on August 8, 2022.]
LET'S MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES.DO I HEAR A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
UH, COMMISSIONER NORTON MAKES A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES TO HIRE A SECOND.
MY SECOND, UH, COMMISSIONER MAGULA SECOND SIT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? UH, WELL, IF THERE'S NOT, DOES ANYBODY OPPOSE, ACCEPTING THESE MINUTES? I, SO THE PAST UNANIMOUSLY THERE, JASON.
[2. Presentation by Don Bland and/or Jason Garza regarding Austin Animal Center and Animal Services Reports]
UH, STAFF BRIEFINGS BY DON BLAND AND OR JASON GARS REGARD AS AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER AND ANIMAL SERVICES REPORTS.GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS AND WELCOME DR.
OUR, THE LIVE EXIT RATE WAS 97.63%.
805 ANIMALS WERE ADOPTED OUT AND 94 ANIMALS WERE RETURNED TO THEIR OWNERS.
ANIMAL PROTECT ANIMAL PROTECTION RETURNED 44 ANIMALS INTO THE FIELD.
WE HAD 112 RABIES EXPOSURE REPORTS AND SUBMITTED 27 SPECIMENS FOR RABIES TESTING.
UH, EIGHT, SEVEN WERE CONSIDERED POSITIVE AND TWO WERE CONSIDERED NON-NEGATIVE DUE
[00:35:01]
TO DECOMPOSITION IN AUGUST.WE HAD 5,002 VOLUNTEER HOURS THAT WERE SUBMITTED.
AND LIKE YOU HEARD PREVIOUSLY, WE DID HAVE 94 VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATE IN THE CLEAR THE SHELTER EVENT AND THAT PRES PRESENTED 63 CAT ADOPTIONS IN 47 DOG ADOPTIONS.
WE HELD FOUR NEW VOLUNTEER ORIENTATIONS FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST AND 112 NEW VOLUNTEERS ATTENDED THEIR FIRST TRAINING IN AUGUST OR MENTORSHIP SHIFTS IN AUGUST.
I'M HOPING, UH, THAT THIS COMING SATURDAY AT, UH, THE CLEAR, THE GREAT EVENT THAT WE WILL HAVE, UH, ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS THAT'LL COME UP TO THAT LEVEL THAT WE HAD AT CLEAR THE SHELTERS.
WE HAD SIX GROUPS OF COMPANIES THAT CAME IN WITH 56 VOLUNTEERS THAT DONATED 112 HOURS TOWARDS DOG WALKING AND CAT CARE.
AND WE HAD 14, UH, COMMUNITY RESTITUTION, UH, THAT PRESENTED 220 HOURS.
WE HAD SENT 186 ANIMALS TO 22 IN-STATE PARTNERS.
AND WE SENT 75 DOGS TO 10 OUT OF STATE RESCUE PARTNERS.
THE VET SERVICES DID A HUNDRED, 1,153 EXAMS AND THEY SPD NEUTERED 651 ANIMALS.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THE OTHER STATISTICS THAT WERE PRESENTED IN YOUR PACKETS? DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES.
WELL, THE QUESTION ON WHAT YOU SAID, IS THAT OKAY? YEAH.
UM, SO DID I HEAR RIGHT THAT AT THE CLEAR THE SHELTERS YOU ADOPTED OUT 47 DOGS? YES MA'AM.
SO THAT'S PRETTY CLOSE TO THE GOAL OF A HUNDRED, I MEAN, CLOSE MUCH CLOSER TO HALF, THEN MUCH CLOSER TO HALF THAN 30% TRUE.
HOW MUCH, HOW MANY DOGS ARE ADOPTED ON AN AVERAGE SATURDAY? HMM.
I WOULD JUST BE GUESSING HE CAN TELL YOU RIGHT QUICK FROM THE DASHBOARD.
SO, UM, 20 SOMETHING ABOUT 12 ON SATURDAY, ABOUT 12.
WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT 12 ON SATURDAY.
AND THEN, AND JUST DOG ADOPTION, ACTUALLY.
AND THEN CAN I ASK, UM, UH, DIRECTOR BLAND? ARE YOU, ARE YOU AWARE OF THE VETERINARIANS AT THE SHELTER IGNORING A DOG FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND LETTING IT SUFFER AND BECOME PARALYZED AND DIE OVER THE COURSE OF DAYS? I AM NOT.
UM, IF SOMEBODY COULD LOOK INTO THAT, IF THAT'S A THING, WOULD YOU LET ME KNOW? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, AND THEN, UH, AND THEN, OH, IS, HAS THERE BEEN A CHANGE OF POLICY ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF, UM, TIME YOU'RE GONNA GIVE NOTICE TO RESCUE PRIOR TO EUTHANASIA? I KNOW, I KNOW THAT THE CITY CODE SAYS TWO BUSINESS DAYS.
UM, HAS, HAS THERE BEEN ANY CHANGE IN POLICY AROUND THAT THERE ARE SOME DOGS THAT WILL GET, UH, NOTIFICATIONS OF A SHORTER DISTANCE, YOU KNOW, FROM OTHERS MM-HMM,
HAS THERE BEEN AN OVERALL CHANGE OF POLICY OR RECENT CHANGE? NO, WE STILL HAVE THE, THE, UH, 48 HOURS UP TO 14 DAYS.
UM, AND THEN DO YOU, DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW AFTER, UM, TUCKER WAS GIVEN AFTER HIS NOTICE ABOUT TUCKER WAS GIVEN HOW LONG HE STAYED IN THE SHELTER AFTER HIS NOTICE WAS GIVEN? I PERSONALLY DON'T.
DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW? NOT OFF THE TOP OF THE HEAD, BUT WE CAN LOOK AT THAT.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? CHAIRMAN WOULD BEATRICE BETA HAS A QUESTION.
WELL, THE FIRST COMMENT IS THAT I NOTICED, UM, THAT, UM, THAT, THAT, UH, STATISTICAL STATISTICAL REPORT THAT YOU DO IN A MONTHLY
[00:40:01]
BASIS THAT COMPARES THE CURRENT YEAR TO THE LAST YEAR AND THE PREVIOUS YEAR, I, I NOTICED THAT YOU PUT THAT CATEGORIES TOGETHER, FOR EXAMPLE, IN TEXT, BY ANIMAL YOU IN ONE PAGE, YOU PUT AUGUST 20, 22, 20 21, 20 20.THAT HELPS THAT THAT'S PROGRESS IN THE REPORTING.
SO I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
UM, SO, UH, WHILE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS AND ALSO REVIEWING THAT, I NOTICED THAT FOR AUGUST, YOU DON'T SHOW IN FOR THE FOSTER PRO YOU DON'T SHOW THE NUMBER FOR AUGUST IN WHEN YOU COMPARE BY YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, MAYBE THAT WAS A GLITCH.
UNFORTUNATELY WE CAN'T GO BACK IN CHAMELEON TO FIND OUT HOW MANY FOSTERS WERE, WERE ON A, ON A SPECIFIC TIMEFRAME.
SO THAT'S UNFORTUNATELY SOMETHING WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH WITH OUR IT FOLKS AND HOW WE CALL THAT JASON, YOU WERE REPORTING AT LEAST THE, THIS CURRENT YEAR.
THIS CURRENT, THIS CURRENT MONTH, OR IT'S ACTUALLY THAT IT'S ACTUALLY THE, THE POINT IN TIME OF DAY.
SO THAT SPECIFIC DAY WE HAD THAT 3 52, I THINK IT WAS WHAT IT WAS OR THREE, WELL, I, YOU REPORTED 342 UNDER ON YOUR, ON THE REPORT.
THAT YOU, UH, STAYED UP AFFAIRS FOR AUGUST MM-HMM
SO IT, IT WAS JUST, BUT YOU ALL CONTINUE PUTTING IN THE STATISTICAL REPORT, CORRECT? YES.
I MEAN THAT, I, I APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK CUZ YEAH.
I TRIED TO CHANGE IT UP THIS TIME TO SEE WHAT MIGHT BE EASIER TO BE READ, BUT YEAH, THAT FOSTER ANIMALS CURRENTLY IN FOSTER IS KIND OF A WEIRD ONE TO DO BECAUSE I CAN'T GO BACK TO PREVIOUS, UM, YEARS TO PULL THAT DATA, UNFORTUNATELY.
SO WHEN, AND I UNDERSTAND, SO IT JUST LOOKING AT THIS, THE FOSTER PROGRAM HAS FROM MADE THROUGH AUGUST.
IT HAS GONE DOWN IN, IN MAY YOU HAD 398 IN JUNE 3 82 IN JULY 408, AND THEN IT WENT DOWN TO 342.
DO YOU, DO YOU KNOW WHY WE, UH, HAD A FOSTER PUSH WHERE WE DID, UH, FOSTER KITTENS AND, UH, WE HAD A BIG FOSTER KITTEN ADOPTION AND THEN, UH, THAT SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THOSE NUMBERS IN FOSTERS.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, PALMER COMMISSION NEWHOUSE.
UH, HOW WITH THE SPAY NEUTER, HOW I THINK IN THE PAST MONTHS YOU'VE KIND OF, UH, UPDATED US AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE KIND OF CAUGHT UP OR STAYING CAUGHT UP WITH SPAY AND NEUTERING THE POPULATION THAT'S AT THE SHELTER.
AND I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T, UH, DR.
LU, UH, ALWAYS PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION AND SHE HAS RETIRED AND WE'RE IN TRANSITION RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT WAS SOMETHING, A NUMBER THAT WASN'T PROVIDED FOR US FOR THIS REPORT.
BUT SOON AS WE GET THAT, WE CAN POST THAT.
I HAD NOTICED ON THE REPORT THAT YOU SENT OUT, UH, THAT THERE WAS A LARGE JUMP IN THE NUMBER OF INTACT ANIMALS ADOPTED.
UH, WE WENT TO 22 THIS PAST MONTH AND IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS IT HAD BEEN TWO OR FOUR FOR THE SAME MONTH.
AND SO I WAS, UH, CURIOUS HOW ALL OF, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT UPDATE TO SEE IF THAT WOULD HELP EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON, WHY 2 22 WENT HOME INTACT.
WE SENT THOSE HOME, UH, WITH, UH, APPOINTMENTS TO COME BACK FOR SPAYING AND ING INSTEAD OF HOLDING THEM AT THE SHELTER, TAKING UP VALUABLE SPACE.
UM, CER NASER, UM, FOR THE SUNDAYS, UM, I'M GLAD YOU'RE GOING TO BE OPEN AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, BUT JUST TO, UM, CONFIRM WHEN WE CAME BACK, WE HAD A BREAK IN 2020 WHERE VOLUNTEERS COULDN'T COME IN AT ALL BECAUSE OF COVID AND COULDN'T COME IN THE CITY BUILDING, I BELIEVE AUGUST, 2020 IS WHEN WE WERE ALLOWED TO COME BACK.
AND SINCE THEN VOLUNTEERS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ALLOWED TO COME IN ON SUNDAY.
AND IN FACT THEY'RE VERY, VERY BUSY BEING IN ON SUNDAY.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, AND I, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATIONS AND CLEAR THE SHELTERS.
I KNOW IT WAS A LOT OF WORK FOR STAFF,
[00:45:01]
UM, AND THEY, I THOUGHT THEY WERE VERY ORGANIZED.I'VE VOLUNTEERED IN THE PAST AND I VOLUNTEERED THIS TIME AND, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS A GOOD SHOW OF VOLUNTEERS.
LIKE SOME OF THE SPEAKERS SAID, I WISH THERE WERE MORE ADOPTERS, BUT, UM, THE VOLUNTEERS WERE JUST REALLY THERE FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD DISCUSS INTAKE OR NOT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT CRI IF WE CAN.
UM, WHAT IS THE CRITERIA TO REOPEN INTAKE? I UNDERSTAND THE NEED.
I, I WALKED A LOT OF CREATED DOGS TODAY AND IF I COULD COMMENT MAYBE A BIT FOR, UM, COMMISSIONER NEWHOUSE, UH, A LOT OF THE DOGS IN THE MP ROOM, THE MULTIPURPOSE ROOM IN CRATES, UM, PROBABLY HALF OF THEM WENT TO SURGERY TODAY AND THEY WERE IN FAIRLY, UM, IN FACT WE WERE WALKING THEM AND THEN THEY WERE PICKING 'EM UP AND TAKING THEM TO SURGERY.
SO, UM, AND THEY WERE DOGS THAT HADN'T BEEN AT THE SHELTER THAT LONG, SO THEY ARE PROBABLY A BIT CAUGHT UP.
SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING.
BUT ANYWAY, I WAS CURIOUS IF YOU CAN SAY, WHAT IS THE CRITERIA TO REOPEN INTAKE? WELL, I THINK THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL STEPS.
ONE OF THE FIRST ONE IS TO GET EVERY ANIMAL OUT OF A TEMPORARY POPUP CRATE.
THAT IS THE FIRST GOAL AND TO HAVE A, A PERMANENT KENNEL FOR EVERY ANIMAL AND THEN TO GET THE NEXT GOAL WOULD BE TO GET ALL OF THOSE THAT ARE IN NON-PUBLIC AREAS THAT ARE AVAILABLE INTO PUBLIC AREAS, WHERE THERE ARE AVAILABLE.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST TWO STEPS THAT WE NEED TO DO.
UH, I'M COMMISSIONERS MAGULA YEAH, I HAVE, I HAVE MULTIPLE QUESTIONS.
SO, UM, LET ME START WITH THE EASY ONES FIRST ON, WHICH IS THE NUMBER DISCREPANCY.
SO ON YOUR ANIMAL SERVICES REPORT, YOU SAY 805 ANIMALS WERE ADOPTED, BUT ON YOUR STATISTICAL REPORT, IT SHOWS 7 93, SAME THING YOU SHOW 94 RTOS ON THE ANIMAL SERVICES REPORT.
HERE'S THE GENTLEMAN THAT PREPARED THE REPORT.
SO WE'LL LET HIM ANSWER THAT DASHBOARD SAYS 7 93 IS THE NUMBER OF PANEL WERE ADOPTED.
SO THEN WHY DOES YOUR STATISTICAL REPORT SHOW, OR I'M SORRY.
SO WHERE WAS THE EIGHT? OH, WHERE DID THE 8 0 5 COME FROM? AND FOR RTOS, WE HAVE 92 AND RTO DO WAS EIGHT, SO HUNDRED RETURN OWNERS AND TURN ON OUR DOS.
HOW MANY DID YOU JUST SAY? 92? YES.
SO THAT DOESN'T MATCH EITHER NUMBER.
SO, SO IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S A WAY WE CAN TIGHTEN THAT UP, PLEASE, SO THAT WE DON'T CONTINUOUSLY HAVE THESE DISCREPANCIES.
I COULDN'T HEAR ANYTHING JASON WAS ANSWERING.
GET TO, AND I THINK I KNOW WHAT THE DISCREPANCY WAS.
MY REPORT IS, OR THE STATISTICAL REPORT IS ONLY CAL COUNTING CATS AND DOGS.
WHEREAS THE, THE NARRATIVE REPORT IS COUNTING THE, THE SMALL ANIMALS REPORT, RABBITS, HAMSTER, RABBIT, PIGS, ALL THAT.
THEN I'LL HAVE TO LOOK INTO THE RTOS BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT THE REPORT RIGHT NOW, OR AT LEAST THE DASHBOARD AND THERE'S 92, JUST, UH, CATS AND DOGS.
SO THERE WAS BIRDS, THE OTHER TWO MAKE BIRDS MM-HMM
YOU HAVE BIRDS ON YOUR REPORT.
SO, SO WE WE'LL GIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND SAY THAT'S WHAT THOSE TWO WERE.
I'LL BE SURE TOURE, UH, INCLUDE IN THIS TEST REPORT ALL ANIMALS.
AND MY SECOND, MY SECOND REQUEST ON THIS ANIMAL SERVICES REPORT IS, UM, AN UPDATE WAS SENT OUT ON THIS REPORT AS OPPOSED TO THE ORIGINAL ONE THAT WE FIRST GOT.
UM, IS THERE A WAY IN THE FUTURE WHEN YOU UPDATE THIS REPORT THAT SOMEWHERE ON THIS PAGE, IT CAN SAY UPDATE, CUZ OTHERWISE IF I PRINT THEM, I HAVE NO WAY OF TELLING, WHICH IS THE CORRECT ONE WILL DO.
UM, MY NEXT QUESTION GOES BACK TO CLEAR THE SHELTERS.
UM, THERE'S DISCREPANCY IN NUMBERS AS ALWAYS DISCREPANCY IN NUMBERS.
UM, MY QUESTION IS OF THE DOGS THAT WERE ADOPTED, WE HEARD 30 SOMETHING DOGS FROM A SPEAKER.
UM, YOUR REPORT SAYS 47 DOGS WERE ADOPTED.
DID ALL 47 OF THOSE DOGS GO HOME ON SATURDAY OR WERE SOME KEPT AT THE SHELTER TO HAVE SPANNED NEUTRAL SURGERIES? DO I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THE REPORT TO FIND OUT THAT, UH, I WOULD ASSUME THAT NOT ALL OF THEM WENT HOME.
UH, SOME MIGHT HAVE WENT HOME WITH A VOUCHER
[00:50:02]
AND OTHERS MIGHT HAVE STAYED FOR THE SURGERY.WE'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO THE REPORTS FOR THAT.
MM-HMM
UM, WHAT ELSE DID I HAVE? UH, I THINK, UH, BASICALLY THOSE THAT WAS IT FOR, THANK YOU.
IF A DOG GOES HOME WITH A VOUCHER, UM, IS THAT DOG OUTCOME THAT DAY OR IS IT OUTCOME? IS IT CONSIDERED LIKE FOSTER AND THEN OUTCOME WHEN THE DOG ACTUALLY GETS, UM, SPAY OR NEUTERED? I, I HEARD IT WAS STILL AN AAC DOG UNTIL IT CAME BACK FOR THE SURGERY.
IT WOULD BE IN TREATED AS A FOSTER UNTIL IT CAME BACK AND HAD ITS SURGERY AND THEN IT'S OUTCOME.
WHEN IT COMES BACK FOR ITS APPOINTMENT.
WHAT HAPPENED TO CHIEF CHIEF, CHIEF, CHIEF? WELL, SOMEONE, SOMEONE, ONE OF OUR PEOPLE SAT HERE AND SAID THE CHIEF, NOBODY LAST UPDATE.
AND I'VE BEEN, I WAS KIND OF LETTING MY FOLKS ON LIKE, HEY, I NEED AN UPDATE ON CHIEF TOMORROW.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WHERE YOU HAVE A FOSTER THROUGH APA.
UM, BUT I NEED TO CONFIRM THAT AND THEN I'LL SEND AN UPDATE TO EVERYONE.
JUST, I'M SORRY IF WE'RE NOT FOR THOSE ON VIRTUAL, I, YOU DIDN'T HEAR ME, BUT YEAH, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE WORKING AS AN OUTCOME AS A PULL THROUGH, UH, TRANSFERRED THROUGH APA AND THEY HAVE A FOSTER LINED UP.
ONCE I CAN CONFIRM THAT I CAN SEND AN UPDATE TO EVERYBODY.
AND I HAVE ONE ANOTHER QUESTION.
UH, DO WE HAVE A NEW VETERINARIAN YET? NO, WE DO NOT.
YOU'RE IN THE PROCESS OF, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS STILL.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ANYBODY HAS? OKAY.
ARE THERE NO VETS AT ALL? UH, WELL ACTUALLY, YEAH, NO, THERE'S OTHER VETS THAT THAT'S JUST THE CHIEF.
HOW DOES THAT WORK CHIEFS, THE VET, THE VET THAT HAS COME TO THE MEETINGS BEFORE, CORRECT? YES, YES, YES.
I DO HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION, ACTUALLY, I'M LOOKING AT THIS CHART AND I WANNA THANK YOU.
IT'S I'M, YOU KNOW, WE, WE COMPARE YEARS YOU AND AUGUST, 2022, THE INTAKE WAS 1,167 IN AUGUST, 2021.
UH, AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT ADOPTIONS, UH, AUGUST WAS 7 93 OF 2022 AND AUGUST OF 2021 WAS EIGHT 15, WHICH IS PRETTY CLOSE.
I MEAN, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADOPTIONS AND THOSE TWO, UH, UH, MONTHS IS A LOT CLOSER THAN THE INTAKES.
SO THE INTAKES WERE MORE, UH, THE ADOPTIONS WERE PRETTY CLOSE.
HOW COME OUR SHELTER IS, UH, SO MUCH MORE CROWDED NOW.
I MEAN, I'M, UH, YOU KNOW, I CAN THINK OF A NUMBER OF POSSIBILITIES.
IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S A MYSTERY, BUT IT'S JUST LIKE, COULD WE PINPOINT THAT WE HAVE ANIMALS COMING IN THAT, UH, THEY'RE HAVING TO BE SURRENDERED BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND HOUSING.
WILL THEY TAKE THEIR ANIMALS IN? UH, SO WE'VE SEEN MORE ANIMALS COME IN.
YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE, UH, WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS IN A LOT OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING OF 30 POUNDS.
AND THEN WE HAVE USED, USED TO, YOU HAD TO PAY A PET DEPOSIT.
NOW YOU'RE PAYING A PET DEPOSIT AND MONTHLY PET RENTAL.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME COMPLEXES AND, AND HOUSING THAT, UH, HAS NICE DOG PARKS AND HAS HIGHER WEIGHT LIMITS.
BUT THE FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SEE ARE THAT'S OUT OF THEIR PRICE RANGE A LOT OF THE TIMES.
AND SO, UH, WE WERE JUST ACTUALLY TALKING TO COUNCIL OFFICE TODAY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT AS A, A CITY THAT WE MIGHT COULD DO TO HELP SOME OF THESE PEOPLE AND WHAT WE MIGHT COULD TALK TO SOME OF THESE FOLKS ABOUT MAYBE UPPING THEIR WEIGHT LIMITS.
THAT I'M, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ACTUALLY ADDRESSES THE DISCREPANCY.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE, IF WE GET MORE ANIMALS IN AND WE'RE ADOPTING ABOUT THE EQUAL NUMBER OUT, UH, BUT THE SHELTER IS MORE FILLED.
DO YOU GET, I, I THINK IT'S THE TYPE OF ANIMAL.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK WITHIN THE NUMBERS, YES, WE ADOPTED ALMOST NEARLY THE SAME NUMBER, BUT WE HAVE 50, MORE, 50, LESS MEDIUM TO LARGE DOGS.
SO, SO WHERE WE'RE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW IS MEDIUM TO LARGE DOGS.
SO THAT, WELL THAT'S, THEN THAT, THAT WOULD BE AN ANSWER.
[00:55:01]
COULD DEPEND ON WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT, THAT NUMBER.
I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, UH, WHY THAT NUMBER WAS.
UM, I WAS JUST WONDERING WITH RESPECT TO THE, THE CLEAR THE SHELTERS EVENT, IS THERE A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT TYPES OF DOGS WERE ADOPTED IN OTHER WORDS, WERE THEY MAINLY PUPPIES AND SMALL DOGS, OR DID YOU ADOPT OUT SOME OF THOSE MEDIUM TO LARGE DOGS? YOU JUST MENTIONED.
I'M TRYING TO RUN THE REPORT, BUT CHAMELEON'S NOT WORKING FOR ME RIGHT NOW FOR THAT SPECIFIC DATE, BUT, UM, YEAH, I CAN RUN IT FOR THAT DAY SO WE CAN GET THAT, THAT SPECIFIC BREAKDOWN WITHIN THE 47, UM, ANECDOTALLY WHILE I, WHILE WE, WHILE WE ALL, MOST OF ARE SMOOTHER.
UM, AND GENERALLY IN, OR JUST IN GENERAL, FOR CLEAR, THE SHELTERS, PEOPLE TEND TO FLY TO THEIR SMALL DOGS BEFORE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY GO TOWARD THE, THE MEDIUM TO LARGE.
AND SO, UM, YEAH, I WOULD IMAGINE PROBABLY SWAYED IN THAT.
SO TOWARDS THE END OF THE DAY, IT WAS PROBABLY MORE, UH, MEDIUM TO LARGE DOGS NEAR THE END.
UM, BUT YEAH, I CAN LONG STORY SHOW.
I CAN GET YOU THAT BREAKDOWN AS SOON AS I CAN GET TO MY COMPUTER AT MY OFFICE.
UH, IF THERE ARE NO MORE QUESTIONS HERE.
FIRST OF ALL, I, I DO WANT TO SAY, UM, THAT HAVING SEEN, UM, ALL THE POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE PHOTOS OF, OF THE SHELTER, THAT THERE, THERE'S NO DOUBT AT THIS POINT THAT, UM, THERE ARE TOO MANY ANIMALS IN TEMPORARY KENNELS AND THAT, THAT, I JUST WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT I, I, AND I THINK ALL OF US RECOGNIZE THAT AND, UH, DON'T LIKE TO SEE IT AND, AND I APPRECIATE THE THINGS THAT THE SHELTER IS DOING, UM, TO, TO GET THEM OUT.
UM, MY QUESTION, UH, GOES SPECIFICALLY TO THE CLEAR THE SHELTER EVENT, UM, AT LEAST IN, IN ANECDOTAL REPORTS, IT APPEARS THAT MANY OF THE SURROUNDING SHELTERS HAD BETTER DAYS THAN WE DID, UH, GIVEN THAT WE'RE THE, BY FAR, THE BIGGEST SHELTER AND HAVE BY, BY FAR THE BIGGEST AUDIENCE.
I WAS WONDERING IF YOU GUYS HAVE DONE ANY ANALYSIS AFTER THE FACT, UM, OF WHAT OTHER SHELTERS DID BETTER THAN WE DID SO THAT THE NEXT TIME WE HAVE AN EVENT, PERHAPS WE CAN GET MORE, UH, MORE PEOPLE OUT TO IT.
I'M NOT AWARE THAT ANYONE HAS DONE ANY LOOKING AT OTHER SHELTERS AND WHAT THEY DID.
UH, WE'VE BEEN JUST A LITTLE BUSY TAKING CARE OF ALL THE ANIMALS WE HAVE, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY PUT THAT ON THE TO-DO LIST.
ARE YOU AWARE OF AUSTIN, THE AUSTIN SHELTER, HAVING A REPUTATION TO BEING A VERY SAFE PLACE FOR ANIMALS WHERE THEY MIGHT BE IN DANGER AT OTHER SHELTERS, AND THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE MORE DRAWN TO OTHER SHELTERS CUZ THEY DON'T HAVE AS GOOD A REPUTATION AS BEING SUCH A GREAT PLACE FOR ANIMALS.
WE HAVE PEOPLE DRIVING ANIMALS IN FROM OUTSIDE OUR JURISDICTION TO BRING 'EM TO US FOR THAT RARE REASON.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, WELL, LET'S MOVE ALONG,
[3. Presentation by Don Bland regarding AAC Staffing and Services]
UH, PRESENTATION BY, UH, DIRECTOR BLAND REGARDING AAC, STAFFING AND SERVICES.WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UH, 10 FULL-TIME STAFF POSITIONS THAT ARE BEING FILLED AT THIS POINT.
FOUR ARE IN PROCESS AND SIX STILL REMAIN POSTED.
SO 10 OPEN POSITIONS TO BE FILLED, UH, THAT IS THIS FISCAL YEAR.
THAT'S NOT CLA COUNTING THE ADDITIONAL ONES THAT WILL GET IN OCTOBER.
AND WE HAVE 20 VACANT, TEMPORARY POSITIONS THAT ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING FILLED AS WELL.
UH, ONE OF OUR POSITIONS OF COURSE IS, UH, THE VETERINARIAN DOCTOR.
UH, DEBBIE ELLIOT HAS BEEN PLACED IN INTERIM POSITION UNTIL THAT POSITION, YOU KNOW, CAN BE FILLED.
BUT THAT IS ONE THAT IS ONGOING.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? I DO.
SO, UM, THE, THE POSITIONS HERE, THESE ARE JUST YOUR REG THESE ARE YOUR FULL-TIME OR IS THIS FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME REGULAR POSITIONS ON THIS SHEET THAT YOU PROVIDE US.
THESE ARE PERMANENT POSITIONS.
SO THEY COULD BE FULL-TIME OR PART, PART PART-TIME.
SO YOU JUST STATED YOU HAD 20 TEMPORARY POSITIONS THAT YOU WERE HIRING FOR.
ARE THERE MORE TEMPORARY WORKERS ALREADY
[01:00:01]
AT THE SHELTER OR IS WHAT'S ON THIS SHEET? IT, AND THEN JUST THESE 20 THAT ARE COMING IN THESE 20 ARE JUST, WHAT IS TO BE, IS, IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING HIRED.WE ALREADY HAVE, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF TEMPORARIES THAT ARE ALREADY THERE HIRING AND WORKING.
WE, WE, YOU KNOW, NORMALLY, UH, WE HAVE 115 STAFF AND WE GO UP TO ABOUT 150 WITH THE TEMPORARIES.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONER NORTON.
UM, ARE ANY OF THE TEMPORARY POSITIONS THAT ARE OPEN, UM, GOING TO BE FOR, TO HELP THE FOSTER TEAM? DO YOU KNOW? I DON'T BELIEVE THERE ARE ANY ARIES FOR FOSTER MM-HMM
WELL THEN LET'S MOVE ALONG TO, UH, CHAIRMAN NAER.
I, I WAS WONDERING IF PEOPLE WERE HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY OR I MIGHT BE WRONG, BUT I THOUGHT THE GUIDELINES FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETING REMOTELY REQUIRED THAT YOU LEAVE YOUR CAMERA ON.
UM, THE, I, I ACTUALLY ASKED ABOUT THAT.
MM-HMM
SO IT'S OKAY TO LEAVE YOUR CAMERA OFF.
YOU'RE OFF THE DIAS, BUT IF YOU'RE GONNA PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING AND ASK QUESTIONS, YOU SHOULD HAVE IT ON.
EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF BEATRICE DTIS CURRENTLY HER, SHE CANNOT GET THE CAMERA WORKING THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
WE'LL EXTEND THE LITTLE, OKAY.
[4. Presentation by AAC Staff regarding AAC Public Communications on Services]
THREE, PRESENTATION BY AAC STAFF REGARDING AAC, PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS ON SERVICES.WE HAD, UH, NINE EVENTS IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST AND WE HAD, UM, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, OUR FACEBOOK REACH WAS OVER 2 MILLION.
OUR END INSTAGRAM WAS RIGHT AT 250,000.
WE HAD 101 POST ON EACH OF OUR PLATFORMS THAT WE USE FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE MOST EXCITED ABOUT THAT, UH, IT'S, IT'S A LONG TIME COMING, BUT THERE ARE TWO, TWO BILLBOARDS CURRENTLY UP, UH, PROMOTING THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER AND CURRENTLY THERE AT 180 3 AND OLAND ROAD.
AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER ONE AT TWO 90 IN MOPAC.
AND THE WAY WE WORKED OUT WITH LAMAR IS, UH, IS SOMEONE PURCHASES THAT SPOT.
THEN THEY WILL MOVE OUR BILLBOARD TO ANOTHER OPEN POSITION SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO TO GET TWO HIGH TRAFFIC BILLBOARDS RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY EXCITING FOR US TO SEE.
UM, I THINK IT'S FANTASTIC THAT THIS HAS FINALLY HAPPENED.
I'VE SEEN ONE DRIVING DOWN MOPAC.
UM, MY QUESTION IS IF, OR LET ME ASK THIS, IF LAMAR HAS TO MOVE THE BILLBOARD, IS THERE A PLAN IN PLACE TO HAVE LOST AND FOUND PETS ADDED TO THAT BILLBOARD SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW THIS IS WHERE THEY GO FOR THEIR LOST AND FOUND PETS, CUZ CURRENTLY THAT IS NOT ON THE BILLBOARD, THESE BILLBOARDS, THESE, THE VITAL THAT WE PAID FOR THEY'LL REUSE.
WE DO PLAN ON ADDING ADDITIONAL VINYLS IN THE NEAR FUTURE WITH DIFFERENT MESSAGING ON THEM.
AND UH, THERE WAS SOMEONE THAT, UH, BROUGHT UP, I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS VERY, VERY GOOD.
ONE OF THE VOLUNTEERS SAID, YOU KNOW, UH, AUSTIN CENTER, YOUR PET IS HERE AND TAKE IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S TO BE ADOPTED, UH, OR RECLAIMED.
AND SO YES, WE HAVE ITEMS IN THE FUTURE.
THAT'LL BE PUT ON THERE THAT WILL GO INTO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES AND WHAT TO DO.
UM, IS IT OKAY IF I COMMENT ON THE VOLUNTEER SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, SITE? THANK YOU.
UM, SO THE VOLUNTEER SOCIAL MEDIA SITE, UM, FOR THE ANIMALS IS GOING REALLY WELL.
WE, UM, HEAD OVER 300,000 VIEWS IN THE LAST 28 DAYS.
UM, WE'VE GOT OVER 1300 SUBSCRIBERS AND, UM, CLOSING IN ON 800,000 VIEWS SINCE WE STARTED, WE DIDN'T HAVE MANY AT THE BEGINNING.
UM, SOME OF THE ANIMALS ARE GETTING, UM, THOUSANDS OF VIEWS.
UM WE ALSO POST CATS AND CRITTERS IF ASKED.
AND, UH, WE ARE MOSTLY THE DOG VOLUNTEER.
IT'S MOSTLY DONE BY THE DOG VOLUNTEERS.
AND, UM, UH, SO IT'S GETTING A WIDE REACH, UNLIKE LIKE MUCH SOCIAL MEDIA, IT'S ALL OVER THE WORLD, BUT WE ARE GETTING LOCAL COMMENTS.
SO HOPEFULLY, UM, THAT'S ALSO HELPING, UM, AND I GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE,
[01:05:01]
ALL THE PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEER AND HELP WITH MEDIA AND TAKE THE PHOTOS AND SEND THEM TO US.IT'S A LOT OF WORK, BUT THE VOLUNTEERS REALLY WANT TO HELP THE ANIMALS GET ADOPTED AND WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AN ANY OTHER, UH, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I DO HAVE A COMMENT I WANNA MAKE HERE.
SOMETHING THAT CAME UP LAST, UH, MONTH.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE RULES FOR POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND WE ASKED THAT QUESTION AND I GOT AN ANSWER AND I JUST WANNA TELL EVERYBODY REAL QUICKLY IT IS, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO THREATEN ANYBODY AS LONG AS YOU DON'T THREATEN ANYBODY.
YOU CAN POST ANYTHING YOU WANT ON CITY, SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU CAN USE VULGAR LANGUAGE.
THIS IS NOT, THESE ARE NOT SHELTER RULES.
THESE ARE RULES FOR THE WHOLE CITY, WHICH IS FOLLOWING, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER STUFF.
SO ANYWAY, WHEN YOU'RE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, I'M JUST, THAT'S THE RULES.
SO I WAS SURPRISED, BUT THAT'S THE RULES.
IF THERE AREN'T ANY MORE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UH, I THINK SOCIAL MEDIA IS, IS GONNA BECOME MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT TO EVERYTHING WE DO.
SO IT'S GOOD TO TALK ABOUT IT.
[5. Presentation by Parliamentarian regarding Roberts Rules of Order]
DISCUSSION ITEMS, PRESENTATION BY PARLIAMENTARIAN REGARDING ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.WELL, OUR PARLIAMENTARIAN ISN'T HERE, BUT I JUST WANNA MENTION TWO SHORT THINGS.
UH, AS WE READ THROUGH ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, UH, THERE IS A VERY INTERESTING MOTION THAT ONE CAN MAKE.
IF DEBATE IS RUNNING ON KIND OF LONG, AND PEOPLE THINK THEY KNOW HOW THEY WANNA VOTE, ANYONE MAY MOVE THE PREVIOUS QUESTION THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
THEY TELL YOU ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.
THEY DON'T TELL YOU THE HISTORY.
MAYBE SOMEDAY I'LL GO DOWN THAT ROUTE HOLE, BUT IT HAS TO BE, UH, VOTED ON BY TWO THIRDS OF, UH, UH, TWO THIRDS, MAJORITY.
AND IF IT DOES, THEN YOU IMMEDIATELY VOTE.
AND THIS IS OBVIOUSLY DESIGNED.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IF MOST PEOPLE KNOW HOW THEY'RE GONNA VOTE ANYWAY, AND THEY DON'T THINK THEY WANNA LIST ANYBODY AND WE CAN BE CRITICAL OF THAT ALL WE WANT, BUT IF THAT'S HOW THEY, THE MOST PEOPLE FEEL, THEN WE VOTE.
AND THAT ACTUALLY IS A WAY TO SAVE TIME.
ANOTHER THING I WANNA POINT OUT IS THAT DURING A DEBATE, UH, THERE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ANY DISCUSSION, UH, BUT YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS, BUT IT HAS TO BE DONE IN SPECIFIC WAY.
AND IT'S CALLED A POINT OF INFORMATION.
SO IF LET'S SAY, UH, UH, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER NORTON IS GOING ON ABOUT SOMETHING OR OTHER, AND SOME WONDERS WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT, THEY RAISE THE HAND AND SAY POINT OF INFORMATION, AND THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES YOU.
AND, UH, UH, BUT, BUT COMMISSIONER NORTON HAS TO, BECAUSE IT'S HER TIME, IT'LL BE COUNTED ON HER TIME OF DEBATE TIME.
SHE HAS TO ACCEPT THE QUESTION.
IF SHE DOESN'T WANNA ANSWER YOUR POINT OF INFORMATION, THEN YOU JUST GOTTA BE QUIET AND COMMISSIONER NORTON CARRIES ON.
SO THERE CAN BE QUESTIONS DURING DEBATE, BUT THAT'S THE FORM.
SO WE DON'T GET BACK AND FORTH KINDS OF ARGUMENTS THAT, THAT, THAT, SO ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? YES.
IS, IS THAT NOT ONLY TO INTERRUPT THE SPEAKER ONCE THE SPEAKER'S NOT SPEAKER? YEAH.
ONCE THE SPEAKER HAS A FLOOR, SOMEONE HAS A FLOOR YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO INTERRUPT THEM EXCEPT THROUGH CERTAIN PROCEDURES.
THAT'S ONE OF THEM IT'S POINT OF INFORMATION AND THEY HAVE THE CHOICE, WHETHER THEY WANNA LET YOU INTERRUPT THEM OR NOT.
MM-HMM
WE WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS IN JUST A MINUTE.
WHEN YOU MAKE A, A EMOTION IS ON THE FLOOR, THAT'S DEBATE, MM-HMM,
SO IT'S BEEN FIRST AND SECOND YOU SAY, OKAY, UH, DISCUSSION, BUT THAT'S ACTUALLY DEBATE AT THAT TIME.
AND THAT'S WHEN THESE RULES APPLY, YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS DURING DEBATE.
UH, ONLY YOU IT'S UP TO THE SPEAKER, HOLDS THE FLOOR, WHETHER YOU CAN ASK THEM OR NOT, YOU HAVE TO SAY POINT, UH, OF INFORMATION AND THEY CAN ACCEPT IT OR NOT.
THAT'S ONLY IF YOU INTERRUPT THEM WHILE THEY'RE SPEAKING.
ONCE THEY'RE DONE SPEAKING, YOU CAN ASK A QUESTION.
NO, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T ANSWER IN A DEBATE.
[01:10:01]
NO WAY THAT'S PERFECT IN A DEBATE.IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN TWO INDIVIDUALS.
THAT'S THE POINT IT'S EVERYBODY GETS TO SPEAK ONCE.
EVERYBODY GETS TO SPEAK ONCE AGAIN, AND YOU CAN RESPOND TO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY IT GOES THROUGH TWICE WHEN YOU, UM, ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT, ASKING A QUESTION IS NOT AS SPEAKING.
AND IT ALSO SAYS THAT QUESTIONS ARE TO BE DIRECTED TO THE CHAIR.
AND, AND, AND IT DEFINITELY TALKS ABOUT BEING ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS DURING A DEBATE DURING, OKAY.
WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE TO, I DON'T WANNA SPEND AMOUNT OF TIME ON THIS.
UM, ACTUALLY, IF YOU WATCH WHAT GOES ON IN CONGRESS OR YOU ASK, WHICH GOES ON IN THE CITY COUNCIL, THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT.
WHEN THEY'RE DEBATING A MOTION, UH, YOU HAVE TO GET THE PERMISSION OF THE PERSON WHO HOLDS THE FLOOR TO ASK THE QUESTION AND YOU HAVE TO BE RECOGNIZED AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT IT.
THAT'S, THAT'S PLENTY FOR THAT.
[6. Presentation by Austin Pets Alive! regarding Monthly Report]
WE HAVE, UH, ITEM SIX PRESENTATION BY AUSTIN PETS ALIVE REGARDING THE MONTHLY REPORT.HELLO? UM, I'M I DON'T THINK YOU'RE ON, SORRY.
I AM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF AUSTIN PETS ALIVE.
AND, UM, I WANTED TO START WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION THAN WE NORMALLY PROVIDE.
UM, DURING THIS PRESENTATION THAT I THINK WILL HELP HOPEFULLY WILL HELP, UM, EXPLAIN, ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HEAR REPEATEDLY IN THESE MEETINGS.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT OUR PROGRAM DOES AND WHY.
AND, UM, WE USUALLY DON'T GO INTO THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT OUR MISSION IS TO ELIMINATE THE KILLING OF PETS AND SHELTERS, AND THAT'S IT THAT'S OUR MISSION.
AND SO OUR MISSION HAS NEVER BEEN TO BE AN OVERFLOW FACILITY OR TO TAKE IN A BUNCH OF ANIMALS FROM A SHELTER, UM, THAT ISN'T GOING TO KILL THEM.
ALL OF OUR MONEY GOES TOWARDS OUR MISSION.
ALL OF OUR EFFORT GOES TOWARDS OUR MISSION, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE.
UM, OUR HISTORY IS CONFUSING BECAUSE 10 YEARS AGO, ACTUALLY 14 YEARS AGO WHEN WE STARTED THE CITY OF AUSTIN WAS IN A MUCH DIFFERENT SITUATION THAN IT IS NOW.
AND BACK THEN 55% OF THE ANIMALS WERE DYING THAT WERE COMING INTO THE SHELTER.
AND SO ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS WERE GEARED TOWARDS GETTING THOSE ANIMALS OUT ALIVE, NO MATTER WHAT THE COST WAS TO US.
UM, THE SIDE EFFECT OF THAT 14 YEARS LATER IS THAT WE, AND, AND THIS IS A REASON WE DON'T RECOMMEND STARTING A PETS ALIVE PROGRAM IN THE WAY THAT WE OPERATE AUSTIN PETS ALIVE, AND OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE DON'T RECOMMEND THAT TO ANY OTHER CITY GOING FORWARD.
UM, AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE THE SIDE EFFECT IS THAT WE HAVE ENABLED A SYSTEM AND I'M NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT PEOPLE.
UM, I'M I, THE SYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN ENABLED BY US TAKING ANIMALS, UM, NO QUESTIONS ASKED AT OUR OWN EXPENSE IS THAT THAT SYSTEM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S SYSTEM HAS NOT IMPROVED SUBSTANTIALLY YEAR OVER YEAR BECAUSE THERE HASN'T BEEN A NEED BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN HERE.
AND SO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS MOVE TO AN EQUITABLE PARTNERSHIP THAT REFLECTS THE, UM, REFLECTS WHERE WE ARE NOW AS A CITY WHERE WE ARE NOW AS A NATION AND, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT BOTH PARTNERS ARE BEING CARED FOR EQUITABLY.
AND, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, WITH JASON AND DAWN TO HAVE A CONTRACT THAT TRU TRULY REFLECTS EQUITABILITY.
AND THE REASON WHY I USED THE WORD ENABLE ENABLED EARLIER IS THAT THERE'S CERTAIN FACTS THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT TO PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.
AND ONE IS THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS INVESTED A, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESOURCES INTO THE GOVERNMENT SHELTER, BUDGET.
AND CITY OF AUSTIN IS NOW THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA AND PER INTAKE FOR ANIMALS THAT ARE ENTERING THEIR SHELTER.
THE BUDGET IS, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT'S EVEN HIGHER THAN OURS.
AND SO WHEN WE'RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT AUSTIN PETS LIVE SHOULD JUST TAKE ALL THE OVERFLOW.
THAT SHOULD BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
WHAT, WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THE MONEY THAT IS ALREADY ALLOCATED TO THOSE ANIMALS? UM, ANOTHER POINT OF INFORMATION IS THAT THE LIVE RELEASE RATE AND PLACEMENT NUMBER LOCALLY WAS HIGHER IN 2019 WITH LESS MONEY IN THE BUDGET.
AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CONVERSATION TOO.
UM, ANOTHER BIG PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT YOU ALL ADDRESSED JUST A MINUTE AGO IS THAT FOSTERING IS KENNEL CAPACITY.
AND SO WHEN YOU DON'T LOOK AT IT AS KENNEL CAPACITY, YET YOUR KENNELS ARE CONSTANTLY FULL AND
[01:15:01]
OVERFLOWING.AND SO THE, THE QUESTION ABOUT IS ANY OF THE NEWS STABBING GOING TOWARDS FOSTERING THAT, THAT DESERVES ATTENTION FOSTERING IS HOW YOU GET OUT OF A SPACE CRISIS.
UM, AND THE, UM, THE THERE'S SOME OTHER NATIONAL DATA POINTS AND LOCAL DATA POINTS THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE SHELTER THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOT ENOUGH HOMES IN AUSTIN, BECAUSE THAT IS NOT A, AN ACCURATE REFLECTION OF WHAT IS HAPPENING.
UM, ANDREW ROWAN, WHO IS A WORLD RENOWNED RESEARCHER IN ANIMAL WELFARE AND, UM, STATISTICS, ANIMAL POPULATION STATISTICS HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK THROUGHOUT THE 50 STATES.
AND THERE IS NO STATE OTHER THAN NEW MEXICO THAT CAN SUPPLY MORE THAN 25% OF WHAT IS BEING ACQUIRED BY PET OWNERS.
SO TEXAS CAN EVEN MEET A 25%, UM, IS NOT, IS NOT EVEN ABLE IN SHELTERS AND RESCUE GROUPS DOES NOT EVEN HAVE 25% OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WANTING TO ACQUIRE A PET.
THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PETS FOR THAT.
THERE'S A HARVARD STUDENT STUDY THAT WAS DONE SEVERAL YEARS AGO HERE IN AUSTIN THAT SHOWS THAT THE NUMBER OF PETS THAT ARE IN ALL OF OUR SHELTERS COMBINED IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS, UM, EQUAL OR LESS THAN WHAT PEOPLE IN AUSTIN ARE WANTING TO ADOPT.
AND THAT COMES FROM STANDING OUT AT, UM, AT STORE AT, UM, SORRY, I I'M, I'M CONFUSING THAT ONE, THAT, THAT IS THE ACTUAL, THAT IS THE OUTCOME OF THAT STUDY, IS THAT IT, THERE IS, THERE ARE MORE ADOPTERS IN AUSTIN THAN THERE ARE SHELTER PETS.
UM, THE INSTITUTE OF THE HUMAN ANIMAL CONNECTION ALSO DID A STUDY IN AUSTIN.
THEY ACTUALLY SENT A RESEARCHER DOWN TO AUSTIN WHO STOOD IN FRONT OF GROCERY STORES, ASKING PEOPLE QUESTIONS.
AND THEY WERE THE ONES THAT FOUND THAT THERE ARE, ARE ENOUGH ADOPTERS FOR EVERY SINGLE ANIMAL IN, IN ALL OF OUR SHELTERS IN AUSTIN, ADOPT A PET IS A NATIONAL PLATFORM FOR ADOPTING SHELTER PETS.
THE NUMBER ONE BREED SELECTED TO SEARCH FOR AN ANIMAL IS PIT BULL.
WE KEEP A RHETORIC GOING THAT IS HURTING OUR ANIMALS WHEN WE DON'T USE DATA TO HAVE ARGUMENTS, PET SMART COM UH, WORKED WITH RY, WHICH IS THE, UM, HUMAN ANIMAL BOND RESEARCH INSTITUTE.
AND THEY FOUND THAT THERE'S AN 8 MILLION ANIMAL GAP BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PET.
AND THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS IN SHELTERS, UH, PET FINDER IS RELEASING A TOOL.
THEY DEMONSTRATED IT FOR ME A FEW WEEKS AGO.
AND THE WEEK PRIOR TO THAT DEMONSTRATION, 8,000 PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN WERE SEARCHING FOR A DOG THAT WEEK IN ONE WEEK IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, IF YOU THINK ABOUT JUST COMMON SENSE, WE ALL HAVE PETS.
THE AVERAGE LIFESPAN OF A PET IS 10 TO 12 YEARS.
SO YOU CAN EVEN, IF NOTHING ELSE CHANGED, AT LEAST 10% OF PEOPLE IN AUSTIN ARE ACQUIRING A NEW PET TO REPLACE THAT ONE.
YET, WE STILL HAVE A, A BUNCH OF PEOPLE MOVING TO AUSTIN WHO ARE ACQUIRING PETS.
AND IN FACT, WE DID A STUDY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN TRAVIS COUNTY AND FOUND THAT 20% OF PEOPLE THAT ARE IN AUSTIN ACQUIRED A PET IN 2019.
THAT'S, THAT'S A HUGE NUMBER OF ADOPTERS.
UM, I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT THERE'S A HARE STUDY, THAT IT WILL BE RELEASED SOON PUBLISHED VERY SOON THAT, UM, IS STUDYING DEI AS IT COMES TO SHELTERS.
AND THEY FOUND THAT ONE IN FIVE PEOPLE WHO, UM, WHO ACQUIRED A PET, LOOKED AT A SHELTER FIRST AND WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN ADOPTING A PET AT A SHELTER, WHICH SPEAKS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ACCESSIBILITY.
UM, SO I WOULD REQUEST THAT, AND THIS IS NOT, OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT A COMMISSION MEMBER, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT METRICS ARE LOOKED AT IN ALL OF THESE CONVERSATIONS.
WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT METRICS OF ADOPTERS.
WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF VISITORS.
WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THE HOURS THAT THE SHELTER IS OPEN.
UM, WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE BEING OFFERED AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE BASED IN DATA, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY, WE'RE NOT ACCIDENTALLY BRINGING FORTH SOLUTIONS THAT ARE PROBLEMATIC FOR ANIMALS AND FOR AUSTINITES WHEN WE HAVEN'T FULLY ADDRESSED THE DATA THAT IS ALREADY EXIST, THAT'S OUT THERE AND GET MORE DATA WHERE THERE'S SOME LACKING.
UH, THE COMMISSION HAD SPACE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, UM, TO MY KNOWLEDGE ARE NOT BEING FOLLOWED SO FAR.
UH, I WOULD ASK THE COUNCIL TO, I WOULD ASK YOU TO ASK THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT OUR STAFF, THE CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF, TO HAVE MORE BUSINESS MANAGERS, HAVE PEOPLE AT THE TOP AT A POSITION THAT IS FOCUSED ON BUSINESS AND DATA.
SO THAT THINGS LIKE THE NUMBER OF INTAKE OF LARGE DOGS EQUALS THE NUMBER OF, OF ADOPTIONS OF LARGE DOGS.
AND LOOK, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT WITH A LASER FOCUS EVERY MONTH, YOU'RE GONNA GET YOUR LARGE DOG ADOPTIONS UP.
UM, AND, UM, AND MEASURING THINGS LIKE FOOT TRAFFIC, WHICH I JUST SAID.
SO, UM, I HOPE THAT THAT PAINTS A LITTLE BIT OF A PICTURE.
WE OPERATE UNDER THE PREMISE THAT, THAT OUR CITY WANTS THE PETS THAT ARE IN OUR SHELTERS AND THAT, UM, I BELIEVE
[01:20:01]
THAT WE ARE SUCCESSFUL AS AN ORGANIZATION IN, IN HAVING SO MANY ADOPTERS.YOU CAN LOOK AT OUR DATA TO SEE HOW MANY ADOPTERS AND HOW MANY FOSTERS WE HAVE.
IT'S BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN.
WE BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE WANT PETS.
WE BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO DO THE GOOD THING, A GOOD THING FOR ANIMALS, AND WE BELIEVE, BELIEVE OUR PETS ARE WORTH IT.
UM, WE ARE LASER FOCUSED ON OUR MISSION.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA END, BUT I FELT LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT TO AT LEAST EXPLAIN WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM, WHEN WE'RE SHARING THESE DATA POINTS WITH OUR REPORT.
AND, UM, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH POSITIVE CONVERSATIONS.
SHOULD WE ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WAS JUST SAID, OR SHOULD WE WAIT? UH, LET'S WAIT TILL WE HEAR THE WHOLE THING, THEN WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT, YEAH.
THIS SHOULD ONLY TAKE A FEW MINUTES.
UM, AS USUAL, WE WON'T READ THE WHOLE THING TO YOU OBVIOUSLY.
OH, I'M STEPHANIE BILL BRAUM, THE DIRECTOR OF LIFE SAVING OPERATIONS AT AUSTIN PET'S LIVE.
UM, I JUST REALIZED TOO, THERE'S A TYPO IN HERE.
IT SAYS, UM, THE ANIMALS TRANSFERRED OUT BY AC IN JULY THAT SHOULD SAY AUGUST, THESE NUMBERS ARE ALL AUGUST NUMBERS.
UM, SO THIS FIRST PAGE HAS THE BREAKDOWN OF THE TYPES OF ANIMALS THAT WE TOOK IN FROM AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER IN AUGUST.
UM, BASED ON LAST MONTH'S CONVERSATION, I PULLED OUT THE BORN AND CARE JUST TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR THERE.
UM, IT'S NOT A, YOU KNOW, A HUGE NUMBER OF THE INTAKES, BUT IT IS A NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT WE ARE TAKING THAT PRESUMABLY MAY HAVE BEEN BORN AT AAC INSTEAD.
AND THEN OUR PAST, UM, FOR ANYONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW OUR PAST PROGRAM IS OUR POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES TO SHELTER SURRENDER PROGRAM.
THAT'S MEANT TO BE OUR INTAKE DIVERSION.
UM, BUT WE DO ALSO, YOU KNOW, IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, WE DO INTAKE DIRECTLY FROM THE PUBLIC THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, OCCASIONALLY ANIMALS THAT MAY OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN SURRENDERED TO AAC.
SO, UM, I'M HAPPY TO CLARIFY ANY OF THOSE NUMBERS.
I KNOW CHIEF HAS COME UP A COUPLE TIMES BASED ON OUR, OUR RECORDS.
I DID COUNT HIM IN OUR BEHAVIOR POLLS FOR THIS MONTH.
UM, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO, THAT MAKES SENSE.
WE'LL HAVE TO CLARIFY WHETHER
CUZ THERE WAS, UM, WE'RE TRANSFERRING HIM IN FOSTER, SO HE NEVER ACTUALLY CAME INTO OUR PHYSICAL SHELTER.
UM, ANYWAY, SECOND PAGE, UM, HAS A COMPARISON OF THE NUMBERS BETWEEN THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS.
SO THIS BREAKS DOWN OUR AUGUST INTAKE, THE NUMBER OF SURGERIES DONE AT THE SHELTER, THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS IN FOSTER, UM, A SNAPSHOT THAT'S A ONE DAY SNAPSHOT NUMBER.
UM, AND THEN THE TOTAL ADOPTIONS FOR AUGUST AS WELL, UM, BETWEEN THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS, THE NEXT SECTION SHOWS THE BREAKDOWN.
UM, THE PERCENTAGE OF INTAKES THAT WE TOOK IN, UM, THE PERCENTAGE OF AAC INTAKES THAT WERE THEN TRANSFERRED TO APA.
AGAIN, BASED ON LAST MONTH'S CONVERSATION, WE CHANGED, I CHANGED THIS NUMBER SLIGHTLY TO TAKE OUT THE, UM, BORN AND CARE NUMBERS AND THE PAST NUMBERS.
UM, SO THIS IS JUST DIRECT TRANSFER NUMBERS.
THERE IS A SLIGHT DISCREPANCY AGAIN BETWEEN THE AAC DASHBOARD AND WHAT OUR REPORTS SHOW WITHOUT COMPARING 1400 ANIMALS, A NUMBER BY A NUMBER.
I COULDN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT THE DISCREPANCY IS, BUT, UM, BUT YOU CAN SEE THERE BASED ON THE PERCENTAGES THAT EVEN WITH BORN AND KAREN PASS PULLED OUT, WE ARE STILL, UM, MEETING THE 12% OF TRANSFERS THAT'S REQUIRED IN THE LICENSE AGREEMENT.
THE NEXT SECTION IS, UH, A BREAKDOWN OF ALL OF THE MEDICAL ANIMALS THAT WERE TRANSFERRED TO US IN THE PRIOR MONTH.
SO IN JULY, UM, THIS IS THEIR STATUS AS OF WHEN THIS REPORT WAS WRITTEN.
UM, AND SO OF ALL THOSE MEDICAL ANIMALS THAT WE TOOK FROM AAC IN JULY, THEY HAD A SURVIVAL RATE OF 86%.
UM, AS OF THIS REPORT AND THEN THE LAST PAGE, THERE IS JUST OUR, UM, BREAKDOWN, OUR ANIMAL MATRIX BASED ON THE SHELTER, ANIMALS COUNT DATA.
SO, UM, HAPPY TO CLARIFY ANY OF THAT, THE, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT? OH, THE BORN AND CARE WOULD BE TAKEN AS, UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS IN THERE.
I THINK THEY GET COUNTED IN THE TRANSFERRED THE WAY WE DO OUR RECORD KEEPING THEY GET COUNTED IN THE TRANSFER NUMBERS BORN IN CARES HERE.
I KNEW I WAS ON THERE SOMEWHERE.
ANY QUESTIONS? CLARIFY ANY OF THAT FOR, UH, HAVE A COMMENT, HAVE A COMMENT, UH, UH, COMMISSION ZES YEAH.
UH, I, I WAS LOOKING AT RE AT THAT REPORT AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU SEPARATED THE BORN IN CARE.
I, I NOTICED THAT, SO I JUST, I THINK THAT WAS GOOD THAT YOU DID THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION AND FOR THE INFORMATION, UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT APA TAKES IN ANIMALS FROM AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, AND YOU SAID AT APAS OWN EXPENSE, BUT YOUR MAIN ADOPTION BUILDING THE TOWN LAKE BUILDING AT ONE OF THE MOST DESIRABLE
[01:25:01]
LOCATIONS IN THIS CITY IS SUBSIDIZED ENTIRELY BY THE TAXPAYERS OF AUSTIN.IS IT NOT? UH, MOST OF OUR ADOPTIONS DO NOT OCCUR THERE.
ACTUALLY MOST OF OUR ADOPTIONS OCCUR IN FOSTER HOMES.
DO YOU USE THE TOWN LAKE ANIMAL CENTER? YES.
WHAT DO YOU USE IT FOR? HOUSING ANIMALS.
WHICH IS DRAMATICALLY FEWER THAN YOU TOOK UNDER YOUR ORIGINAL AGREEMENT, CORRECT? UM, WE HAVE SURPASSED OUR AGREEMENT THIS YEAR.
WELL, THE, THE, NOT YOUR ORIGINAL AGREEMENT, CORRECT.
YOUR ORIGINAL AGREEMENT WAS 12% OR 3000 PER I GUESS I'M UNSURE WHY YOU'RE ASKING ME THAT.
WELL, UM, BECAUSE YOU, YOU, YOU DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE IN YOUR FIRST STATEMENT, YOU SAID APA TAKES ANIMALS FROM AAC AT OUR OWN EXPENSE.
WHAT IS IT NEARLY 2 MILLION SUBSIDY OF YOUR, THAT NUMBER IS BEING OF YOUR BUILDING WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER ON, UM, TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND, AND APPRAISERS.
IS IT, IS IT OVER A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR? I ACTUALLY NOT.
WAIT, I WANNA STOP THIS FOR A MINUTE.
MM-HMM
UH, IF, IF APA LEFT THE TOWN LAKE ANIMAL CENTER TOMORROW, MM-HMM,
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THERE'S LIKELY THERE WOULDN'T BE ANYTHING ELSE THERE BECAUSE IT'S IN A FLOOD PLAIN.
AND, UH, SO THAT'S SPECULATIVE.
SO, UH, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S NOT SPECULATE ABOUT WHAT SOMETHING'S WORTH THAT WE CAN'T REALLY CAN'T PUT A NUMBER ON.
I JUST, I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT JUST CONTINUOUSLY STIR THERE.
I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THERE IS A FALSE IDEA THAT THE, THAT SOMEHOW APA AND THE CITY ARE AT ODDS.
AND I'VE HEARD THIS SO LONG AND IT HAS POISONED SO MANY CONVERSATIONS, UH, THAT I JUST DON'T.
I DON'T SEE THAT AS THE CHAIR OF THIS ORGANIZATION IS, BUT BEING NEVER WORKED FOR ACC, NEVER WORKED FOR THE SHELTER, UH, KNOWN PEOPLE HERE FOR A LONG TIME.
I, I JUST DON'T SEE THAT APA IS A 5 0 1 C THREE INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT THAT WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER.
NOW THEY ARE RIGHT NOW WRITING A, AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THEM FOR THE, FOR THIS USE OF THIS LAND, FOR A SHELTER.
UM, WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
THAT IS A PRIVATE NEGOTIATION THAT ACCORDING TO ALL THE CITY, IT, IT, AND SO LET'S NOT GO THERE ONCE THEY AGREE ON IT AND FINALLY FINALIZE IT, IT'LL BE BROUGHT TO US AND WE CAN SAY YAY OR NAY, OR I LIKE IT, OR I DON'T LIKE IT AND RANT AND RAIL ALL WE WANT.
BUT AT THE MOMENT, THEY'VE COME TO US TELLING US THAT THIS IS HOW MANY ANIMALS, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE, THEY HAVE TAKEN WHAT'S GOING ON.
THEY'RE REQUIRED TO BE HERE FOUR TIMES A YEAR.
AND WE'VE ASKED THEM TO COME ONCE A MONTH.
THEY'VE GRACIOUSLY DECIDED TO DO THAT.
I THINK COMMISSIONER NORTON MAY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME INFORMATION I'D I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE.
UM, SO I IMAGINE YOU'LL GIVE US THE LINKS TO THOSE STUDIES FOR ME TO INTERVIEW, BECAUSE JUST FROM WHAT YOU MENTIONED, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT SEEM PROBLEMATIC FROM IT.
AND, AND I'M CURIOUS IF THERE ARE MORE ADOPTERS IN AUSTIN THAN THERE ARE ANIMALS AVAILABLE IN THE SHELTERS.
AND IF THERE ARE 8 MILLION GAP BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO WANT PETS AND PETS AND SHELTER, THEN HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU ADVOCATE FOR SPAY AND NEUTER? LIKE, I KNOW YOU ALREADY ADVOCATE FOR ANIMALS, BUT IF THIS GAP IS REALLY AS BIG AS IT, AS, AS YOU SAY IT IS, WOULDN'T, YOU HAVE TO SAY THAT IT'S THAT SPAY AND NEUTERING SHOULDN'T EVEN BE A PRIORITY BECAUSE WE'RE, CUZ THERE'S SUCH A DEARTH OF ANIMALS COMPARED TO THE OVERABUNDANCE OF AVAILABLE HOMES FOR THEM.
UM, I'M, I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW TO ANSWER THAT, CUZ THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR.
WE'RE NOT ADVOCATING FOR ANY CHANGES WITH SPAY NEUTER.
BUT IF YOU, IF THERE IS THIS BIG OF A GAP BETWEEN HOMES AND AVAILABLE ANIMALS IN SHELTERS, MM-HMM WHY WOULD ONE ADVOCATE FOR NEUTER? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
YOUR MISSION IS ELIMINATE THE KILLING OF PETS AND SHELTER.
MM-HMM
[01:30:01]
ANIMAL CARE, THE LESS ONE TOLERATES EUTHANASIA, THE MORE ONE HAS TO TOLERATE SUFFERING.SO IF YOUR ONLY GOAL IS TO PREVENT EUTHANASIA AT ALL COST, YOU ARE GOING TO INCREASE SUFFERING.
AND TO SAY THEY'RE NOT RELATED IS JUST NOT IN TOUCH WITH REALITY AT ALL.
AND THERE'S NOTHING IN YOUR THERE'S NOTHING IN YOUR YEAH.
NO MISSION STATEMENT ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ANIMALS, ANIMALS, WAIT A SECOND THAT WE, THIS IS A POINT OF ORDER.
WHAT'S THE POINT OF ORDER? THE, THE POINT OF ORDER IS YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT, THAT YOU FEEL ABOUT, BUT IT HAS NOTHING.
UH, I, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT THEY CAME HERE AND WHAT THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS WE ASK THEM.
UH YOU'RE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE SUFFERING OF SPAY NE OR NOT SPAY NEUTER OR, OR, OR EUTHANASIA OR NOT.
I'M JUST GETTING CLARIFICATION ON THEIR MISSION.
THEIR MISSION DOESN'T INCLUDE ANYTHING ABOUT PREVENTING SUFFERING IN ANIMALS.
ONLY PREVENTING THEIR KIDNEY IS THAT THAT'S NOT, NO, WAIT, WAIT, YOU ARE MISCHARACTERIZING THEIR MISSION.
THEY TELL US WHAT THEIR MISSION ARE AND YOU'RE TELLING NO I'M ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION.
YOU ARE, ARE TELLING THEM WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT.
I'M ASKING HER FOR CLARIFICATION.
YOU DIDN'T ASK A QUESTION, ASK A QUESTION.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLARIFY YOUR MISSION? DOES IT INCLUDE ANYTHING ABOUT PREVENTING THE SUFFERING, HAVING OF ANIMALS OR WHOLE MISSION STATEMENT? OKAY.
IF YOU'D LIKE, GREAT, THANK YOU.
I, I WOULD ADD THOUGH THAT WE WOULD NEVER ADVOCATE FOR DEATH WHEN THERE ARE PROBLEMS IN A SHELTER THAT CAN BE RESOLVED IN MANY OTHER WAYS, REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH SUFFERING, NOT RESULTS, THE SUFFERING THAT'S CLARIFICATION I'M ASKING FOR THE SUFFERING CAN ALSO BE RESOLVED BY A CAN ALSO BE RESOLVED BY OTHER WAYS.
UM, REGARDING THE MISSION STATEMENT, UM, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THAT'S ON YOUR TAX RETURNS AND UP UNTIL 2 8 20 18 AND YOUR TAX RETURNS ARE ONLINE ON YOUR, UH, YOUR MISSION STATEMENT WAS FOCUSED ON AUSTIN AND IN 2018 YOU REMOVED AUSTIN FROM THE MISSION STATEMENT.
IS THAT CORRECT? I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT YEAR.
WELL WE CAN LOOK IT UP, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE THAT'S WHAT IT WAS.
BUT WE HAVE MORPHED AS AN ORGANIZATION.
UM, REGARDING YOUR REPORT, UM, LAST MONTH YOU WERE GONNA SEND US SOME INFORMATION THAT I ASKED ABOUT, UM, ON YOUR COMMENT ABOUT THE IMPACT FOR THE RELEASE, RIGHT ON THE SURROUNDING AREAS AND HOW MANY ANIMALS CAME FROM THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
AND I DID NOT GET THAT FROM YOU.
SO DID YOU BRING THAT WITH YOU? WE SENT IT, WHEN DID YOU, I DIDN'T GET, WHERE DID YOU SEND IT TO? UH, I BELIEVE WE SENT IT THROUGH YOU.
DID ANYBODY ELSE? IT'S AN EMAIL.
IF YOU SEND ME INFORMATION BECAUSE OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, I CANNOT SEND IT TO ALL THE, I EASILY SEND IT TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS.
SO IF YOU WANT INFORMATION TO GET TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS, YOU SEND IT TO OUR LIAISON, WHICH AT THE MOMENT IS JASON, BUT BELINDA WILL BE BACK.
YOU RESEND IT AND SEND IT TO THEM AND, AND THEN THEY'LL SEND IT OUT.
I THOUGHT THERE WAS SOMETHING WAS SENT, THERE WAS SOMETHING SENT.
I, I DON'T REMEMBER WHO ALL WAS GOING.
IF YOU CAN LOOK IT UP AND FIND IT ON THE EMAIL, THEN THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S IN THERE SOMEWHERE.
AND DO YOU HAVE IT FOR THIS MONTH TOO? OR JUST FOR, THAT WAS LAST MONTH.
THAT WAS A YEAR TO DATE OF HOW MANY CAME FROM THE SURROUNDING COUNT? CORRECT.
BUT SO FOR NOW THE 792 ANIMALS THAT YOU TOOK IN, UM, IN AUGUST, UM, WERE ANY THAT ARE, WERE NOT AAC.
THESE ARE THE OTHER ONES WHERE ANY OF THOSE FROM THE SURROUNDING CRANNIES, WHICH ARE CALWELL HAYES, UM, WILLIAMSON AND CALDWELL HAYES, WILLIAM AND TRAVIS AND WELL, THERE'S ONE OTHER ONE, UM, WHERE THEY, THEY WOULD BE.
I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT, BUT YOU ARE PULLING ANIMALS FROM THOSE MM-HMM
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I DO, YES.
UH, COMMISSIONER MADULA, UH, NUMBER ONE, YOU, YOU TOOK AWAY MY, MY QUESTION.
CAUSE YOU SAID IT WAS A TYPO AND THIS WAS ACTUALLY AUGUST.
FIVE MINUTES BEFORE WE, SO THANK FOR THAT.
UM, AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION, UM, DR.
JEFFERSON, UM, YEAH, I ALSO THE LINKS TO THOSE STUDIES YOU MENTIONED, I THINK THAT
[01:35:01]
WOULD BE GREAT IF, IF YOU COULD SEND THEM TO JASON SO HE COULD SEND THEM TO ALL OF US.UM, AND THEN YOU, THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU IS YOU MENTIONED THAT APA DID A STUDY IN 2019.
UM, AND YOU FOUND, SORRY, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE, LITTLE HECTIC TONIGHT.
UM, AND I HAD MY QUESTION ON POINT THEN, AND, AND THEN LIFE HAPPENED AND NOW I'VE SOMEWHAT FORGOTTEN IT.
BUT YOU SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF YOU HAD, UM, THE STUDY SHOWED THAT PEOPLE WERE LIKE A, A BUNCH OF ANIMALS WERE ACQUIRED.
I THINK THAT THAT WAS MM-HMM
UM, LET ME, YOU SAID YOU GUYS DID ONE IN 2019, I BELIEVE.
UM, I'M GONNA HAVE TO TRY TO REMEMBER WHICH ONE I WAS TALKING ABOUT NOW.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHICH ONE I WAS SPEAKING ABOUT? UH, I DON'T THINK YOU PUT IN YOUR NOTES.
CAN I MAKE A COMMENT QUICK COMMENT? UH, GO AHEAD OR I'LL WAIT TO TELL HER WHAT I FOUND EMAIL THAT ABOUT THE FIVE COUNTIES, UH, ELLEN, DR.
JEFFERSON SENT IT TO THE COMMISSION ON AUGUST 19TH.
IT WAS ON FRIDAY 12, THE COMMISSIONERS.
THAT, THAT WAS MY ONLY I'LL CLARIFY.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS TO FIND OUT IF PEOPLE ARE PURCHASING PETS IN AUSTIN FROM SOMEWHERE, OR THEY'RE ACTUALLY ADOPTING THEM FROM LOCAL SHELTERS AND RESCUES.
WE ARE DOING A SURVEY RIGHT NOW, UM, FOR THE TRAVIS COUNTY, UM, TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT, UM, SUPPLY OF PETS TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEARLY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, THAT, UH, I WENT TO A SUPPLY AND DEMAND SUMMIT THAT WAS HELD BY, UM, MOST OF THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING, UH, BREEDERS AND CORPORATIONS WERE, UM, PRESENT AT THAT MEETING AND THE INFORMATION THAT WAS SHARED.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S PUBLIC OR NOT YET, WAS THAT, ALTHOUGH I THINK IT'S PART OF THIS HARE STUDY PETMART HARE STUDY WAS THAT 40% OF PEOPLE THAT ACQUIRED A PET GOT THEM FROM A SHELTER OR RESCUE GROUP IN 2019.
AND THAT NUMBER IS DECREASING YEAR OVER YEAR, EVEN THOUGH THE NUMBER OF A PET OF PETS BEING ACQUIRED IS GOING UP.
AND THE REASONS THAT WERE, UM, WERE SPECULATED AT THAT IS THAT SHELTERS HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH SINCE COVID BECAUSE MANY HAVE SHUT THEIR DOORS, MANY HAVE REDUCED CUSTOMER SERVICE, MANY ARE NOT EXCELLING AT ONLINE SALES, IF YOU WILL.
WHEREAS BREEDERS AS BRICK AND MORTAR, UM, PET STORES ARE SHUTTING DOWN, BREEDERS ARE GETTING REAL SMART ABOUT ONLINE ADOPTIONS OR ONLINE SALES AND DELIVERING PETS DIRECTLY TO DOORSTEPS.
UH, IN THAT SAME STUDY THOUGH, UH, WHEN YOU NOT ACTUALLY, THIS IS A DEI STUDY THAT HARE DID WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT 20% OF PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T ACQUIRE.
I MEAN, YEAH, OF THE PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T ACQUIRE PET FROM SHELTERS, 50% OF THEM TRIED TO THAT'S HUGE.
SO THAT'S A HUGE MISSED, MISSED OPPORTUNITY THAT SHELTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE, UM, UH, SHOULD BE RECOGNIZING AND TRYING TO MITIGATE FOR BECAUSE THE PET PET ACQUISITION'S NOT GOING AWAY, WE'RE POTENTIALLY DRIVING IT TO OTHER RESOURCES.
COMMISSIONER CLINTON, COMMISSIONER CLINTON HAS A QUESTION DR.
JEFFERSON, UM, HAVE, HAVE YOU OR YOUR ORGANIZATION EVER, UM, PROMOTED OR SUPPORTED SUFFERING OF ANIMALS? NO.
AND, UM, CAN YOU BRIEFLY SPEAK TO, UM, YOUR BACKGROUND IN ANIMAL WELFARE, HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT AND, UH, HOW MANY, UM, HOW MANY ANIMALS YOU PROBABLY TOUCHED, UH, IN YOUR YEARS? OH, I'M NOT SURE HOW TO GATHER THAT, BUT, UM, I CAN SAY THAT, UH, I BECAME A VETERINARIAN IN 1997 IMMEDIATELY.
WELL, A YEAR LATER GOT INVOLVED IN SHELTERS AS A VOLUNTEER, UM, REC THAT WAS BACK WHEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN WAS EUTHANIZING 85% OF INTAKE AND WAS COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED BY IT.
I STARTED EMANCIPATE FOUNDED EMANCIPATE BAY AND NEUTER TO TRY TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF PETS THAT WERE COMING INTO THE SHELTER.
HOPING THAT THAT WAS THE SOLUTION.
UM, UNDER MY LEADERSHIP, WE SPAYED AND NEUTERED ALMOST A HUNDRED THOUSAND ANIMALS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND WE STILL HAD A 55% DEATH RATE AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHELTER.
SO IN 2008, I JOINED AUSTIN PETS ALIVE TO TRY TO MAKE, UM, TRY TO MAKE A BIGGER IMPACT, MORE DIRECT IMPACT ON NO KILL IN AUSTIN AND, UM, OUR ORGANIZATION
[01:40:01]
WITH SO MANY PEOPLE, UH, IN AND OUTSIDE OF IT HAVE, UH, BEEN ABLE TO, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE MONTH BY MONTH, WEEK BY WEEK, YEAR BY YEAR.UM, AND AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN WAS GROWING IN THEIR CAPABILITIES AND ABILITY TO PLACE ANIMALS, THE CITY OF BOSTON, UM, MOVED TO NO KILL IN 2011.
SO JUST TWO AND A HALF YEARS AFTER WE STARTED THAT, UH, WORK.
AND THEN SINCE THEN WE HAVE BEEN WORKING SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, I HAVE, UH, HELPED TO BUILD OUR PARVO UNIT, OUR NEONATAL UNIT, OUR DISTEMPER WARD, OUR, UM, BEHAVIOR SUPPORT, RINGWORM, ALL OF THE REASONS ANIMALS ARE KILLED IN EVERY SHELTER IN AMERICA.
WE HAVE DEVELOPED RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN AUSTIN FOR THOSE ANIMALS NOT TO BE KILLED.
AND, UM, WHAT I MEANT TO SAY ABOUT OUR FACILITY IS THAT THE, THE, THE MAIN PURPOSE FOR THAT FACILITY IS TO HOUSE THOSE NICHE PROGRAMS THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN ANIMALS WOULD NOT BE ALIVE WITHOUT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, TRYING TO BE BRIEF.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, UH, COMMISSIONER NORTON, UM, TO FOLLOW UP ON THE SUFFERING, UM, APA USED SHOT COLLARS FOR A LONG TIME, YOU CALLED IT A TOOL.
UM, DO YOU STILL USE SHOT COLLARS ON ANIMALS, OUR ORGANIZATION, UH, FOR TRAINING PURPOSES, WE TAKE DOGS.
AS YOU KNOW, FROM THIS COMMISSION, WE TAKE DOGS THAT ARE SLATED FOR EUTHANASIA BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO LIVE OUTCOME MEANS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHELTER.
AND WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE ONLY ORGANIZATION, UM, DOGS PLAYING FOR LIFE, WHICH I, I KNOW YOU'RE AWARE OF.
UM, THEY DO WORK THAT IS VERY CONTROVERSIAL AND WE HAVE, UM, UH, THEY WERE THE FIRST ORGANIZATION THAT POPPED UP THAT WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH DOGS ON MASS, IN A BEHAVIOR, UM, THAT ARE BEHAVIORALLY CHALLENGED.
AND WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A CITY AS LARGE AS AUSTIN TAKING IN WHAT WE ESTIMATE IS MAYBE 10, FIVE TO 10% OF ALL DOGS ENTERING THE SHELTER ARE GOING TO HAVE BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES.
AND SO, UM, YES WE HAVE AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAD, NO, WE HAVE NO HAVE NOT HAD ANY OTHER MODEL TO USE.
UM, SO UNLIKE ME BEING A VETERINARIAN, UM, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY BEHAVIORAL EXPERTISE EXCEPT FOR THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE COULD PARTNER WITH AS TIMES HAVE CHANGED.
AND THERE ARE MORE ORGANIZATIONS POPPING UP THAT ARE USING LESS, UM, LESS INVASIVE TOOLS.
UH, OUR METHODOLOGY IS ALSO GROWING.
SO DO YOU CURRENTLY USE SHOT COLLARS ON DOC? I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, BUT THE LAST TIME I CHECKED, IT WAS LESS THAN FIVE.
BUT YOU ARE DOING THAT AND WE ARE TRANSFERRING IN TO YOU.
WE ARE TRANSFERRING ANIMALS TO YOU USING, TO GET SHOT COLLARS.
UM, AND, UM, ONE QUESTION ABOUT, UM, UH, TRAINING, UH, FOR THE TRAINING FOR VOLUNTEERS, IF THE DOGS WERE JUMPY OR, UM, MOSTLY JUMPY, UM, THE TRAINING INCLUDED SPRAYING THEM IN THE FACE WITH, UH, WATER, UM, TAKING CANS WITH COINS IN THEM OR SOMETHING AND SHAKING THEM AT THE DOG, UH, STEPPING ON THEIR LEASHES, UH, TO GET THEIR, UH, EQUIPMENT ON IF THEY WERE JUMPY.
UM, AND ALSO THE STOP GO TECHNIQUE.
OR IF THE DOG WENT FAST, YOU'D JUST STOP AND JERK IT.
AND THEN THE DOG WOULD MOVE FORWARD.
ARE THOSE ALSO STILL TAUGHT TO YOUR VOLUNTEERS? I DON'T KNOW.
OUR, OUR STAFF, OUR BEHAVIOR STAFF IS, UM, IS TAKING METHODOLOGY FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES NOW.
SO BACK WHEN YOU WERE VOLUNTEERING AT AUSTIN PETZEL LIFE, WE HAD, UM, ONLY DOGS PLAYING FOR LIFE AS A ROLE MODEL.
AND SO NOW THAT IS CHANGING, THERE'S MANY MORE PROFESSIONALS COMING TO WORK WITH US AND TO HELP OUR TEAM GROW AND TO HELP HONESTLY, THE NATION GROW, BECAUSE THERE ARE NO OTHER PLACES BESIDES AUSTIN, WHERE ALL OF THESE DOGS ARE GIVEN A CHANCE.
SO MOST LIKELY THOSE TECHNIQUES ARE STILL BEING USED TO, I DON'T KNOW, WE CAN HAVE A, A BEHAVIOR PRESENTATION IF YOU'D LIKE.
BRUCE, CAN YOU LET ME KNOW? YOU SAID THAT AUSTIN HAS THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA PER INTAKE.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT IS? UM, SO THERE'S, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO READ BUDGETS FOR GOVERNMENTS MM-HMM
UM, AND IT IS APPROXIMATELY $51 A DAY TO HOUSE A DOG.
IS THAT A NUMBER I'VE HEARD AT THE CURRENT RATE? YEAH.
SO BY AUSTIN BEING SO COMMITTED TO NO KILL AND SO COMMITTED TO NOT EUTHANIZING ANIMALS, THAT'S DRIVING THE COST UP, CORRECT.
I MEAN, YOU PRESENTED IT LIKE IT WAS A BAD THING, BUT YOU'RE ALSO SAYING, OKAY, ACTUALLY I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING, BUT I THINK WHERE, WHERE THIS COMMISSION, WHAT I'M REQUESTING IS THAT THIS COMMISSION LOOKS AT IT AS A BUSINESS BUDGET AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU GET
[01:45:01]
THE MOST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK.I WOULD ARGUE THAT FOSTER HOMES IS A BETTER USE OF MONEY THAN GRADES.
SO THE POINT BRUN, THE POINT WHERE IT'S A BAD THING, UHHUH IS WHEN WE GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND ASK FOR MORE MONEY.
I MEAN, I JUST, UM, TRANSPORTING WHEN THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND THIS IS TRANS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS TAKING THE FOCUS OFF OF THE APA REPORT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY FOR THE OVERALL DOG POPULATION IS AT AROUND 72 DAYS.
UM, AND I'M COMING FROM A REGION OF THE COUNTRY WHERE IT'S CLOSER TO 14 DAYS WITH SIMILAR SIZE.
SO IT'S JUST, THAT'S A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT IN SHELTER AND A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME EFFORT SPENT ON THAT.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR COMING AND GIVING US THIS INFORMATION.
I JUST WANNA REMIND PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE BEING VERY NICE TO COME HERE AND SHARE THIS INFORMATION AND, AND WE THANK YOU FOR DOING IT AND WE CAN TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT AS A COMMISSION.
I MEAN, THAT'S OUR CHOICE, BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING.
[7. Discussion and Possible Action on the Establishment of Commission Rules for Questions, Comments, and Debate]
NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION RULES FOR QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, AND DEBATE.UH, NOW I WANT TO JUST, WE'RE GONNA GO TO, UH, STATEMENTS.
WE HAVE ONE PERSON, I THINK, UH, UH, LET'S DO THAT FIRST.
WHERE, WHERE IS IT? SEVEN, SEVEN.
I WASN'T SURE IF, SORRY, I WASN'T SURE IF I WOULD BE SPEAKING BEFORE AN ITEM WAS INTRODUCED OR AFTER IT WAS INTRODUCED, BUT, UM, SO REGARDING ITEM SEVEN, I'M AMBER ROLAND FROM DISTRICT ONE, UH, REGARDING ITEM SEVEN LAST MONTH, COMMISSIONERS FAILED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM AN ACTUAL MEMBER OF BOOTS ON THE GROUND STAFF, THEY SUPPORT SO STRONGLY ABOUT HOW A SPECIFIC AMENDMENT MADE TO A SPECIFIC ORDINANCE IMPACTS THE VETERINARY TEAM AT AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES, COMMISSIONER AND LICENSED VETERINARIAN NI STARTED TO LAY OUT HOW THAT SECTION WITH ITS BIG LANGUAGE CAUSES SHELTER, VETS, TO FEEL THEY CAN'T ALWAYS MAKE THE BEST MEDICAL DECISIONS FOR ANIMALS IN THEIR CARE.
I WAS VERY INTERESTED TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE, BUT SHE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE HER FULL POINT AND NO ACTUAL DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUE WAS ALLOWED.
INSTEAD, THIS COMMISSION HID BEHIND ROBERT'S RULES TO ABRUPTLY AND RUDELY IN THE DISCUSSION ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
ITEM SEVEN IS ABOUT QUOTE, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION RULES FOR QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, AND DEBATE, CUZ I GUESS ROBERT'S RULES AREN'T ENOUGH.
THERE WAS NEVER ANY ACTUAL PUBLIC DEBATE OR VOTE OR EVEN A NEUTRAL POLL TAKEN REGARDING WHETHER THE CITY SHOULD ADOPT NO KILL.
INTERESTINGLY, THERE WERE PLENTY OF PEOPLE BACK IN 2010 WHO ANTICIPATED QUITE SPECIFICALLY AND ACCURATELY WHERE THE STRICT IMPLEMENTATION OF NO KILL POLICIES WOULD LEAD US OVER TIME TO A SHELTER OVERFLOWING WITH LONG STATE PETS THAT ONLY A FEW PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO ADOPT TO EXHAUSTED AND BURNED OUT SHELTER PERSONNEL TO A FACILITY THAT'S OVERTAXED, SMELLY, AND UNAPPEALING, AND TO OVER DEPENDENCE ON PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY GOODWILL.
BUT THOSE PEOPLE COULDN'T BE HEARD OVER THE STAMPED TO NO KILL AND SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE TO A 95% LIVE RELEASE MANDATE LATER PAST.
I WOULD HOPE, ESPECIALLY IN THESE TIMES THAT SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS WILL RECOGNIZE THE DAMAGE THAT RESTRICTIONS ON REAL DISCORD COURSE AND DEBATE CAN CAUSE THAT YOU'LL CONSIDER THE HAZARDS OF NOT HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR AND PERHAPS EVEN DISCUSS AND DEBATE A WIDE VARIETY OF OPINIONS ON ISSUES THAT MAY COME BEFORE YOU, EVEN IF SOME ARE UNPLEASANT OR UNCOMFORTABLE.
IF THIS COMMISSION IS NOT THE PLACE TO HASH OUT, HOW TO WORK THROUGH CREATIVELY AND THOUGHTFULLY, SOME OF THE REAL BOOTS ON THE GROUND ISSUES THAT ARISE IN THIS MASSIVE NO-KILL EXPERIMENT, THEN WHERE IS THAT PLACE? PLEASE DO NOT VOTE TO RESTRICT YOUR OWN ABILITY TO ENGAGE IN REASONABLE DISCOURSE OR TO FIND THAT THERE MAY BE DIVERSE AND POSSIBLY EVEN BETTER INFORMED OR CONSIDERED PERSPECTIVES ON A GIVEN ISSUE.
PLEASE BE BOLD, PLEASE DISCUSS.
SO THIS ITEM, UH, UH, WE, WE ARE AS A COMMISSION, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER AND ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER SAYS THAT, UH, DURING A, THE DEBATE OF A MOTION, AND THIS IS NOT DURING OTHER DISCUSSIONS, THIS IS WHEN, UH, A MOTION IS MOVED AND SECONDED AND WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THAT MOTION ON A DEBATE OF A MOTION.
EVERYBODY, EVERY COMMISSIONER GETS TO SPEAK TWICE AND UNLESS THE COMMISSION DECIDES BY A TWO THIRDS, MAJORITY, OTHERWISE EACH PERSON GETS FOR, TO SPEAK FOR NOT MORE THAN 10 MINUTES.
[01:50:01]
NOW, SINCE WE HAVE A COMMISSION OF 13 PEOPLE, AND IF EVERYBODY SPEAKS TWICE FOR 10 MINUTES, THAT USES UP THE ENTIRE TIME WE HAVE THIS ROOM AVAILABLE.AND THE, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT, AND WE CAN WITH THE MAJORITY GO LATER, BUT PEOPLE HAVE TO STAY LATER.
UH, AND, AND IT COSTS THE CITY MONEY.
SO I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THIS, ABOUT HOW OTHER COMMISSIONS HAVE DEALT WITH THIS.
AND WHAT I DID IS LOOKED AT, AND WE HAVE THREE BIG SOVEREIGN COMMISSIONS, WHICH DECIDE CAN, CAN DECIDE ISSUES.
AND THAT STICKS, WE'RE NOT REALLY A SOVEREIGN COMMISSION, BUT, AND THEY'RE THE ONES WHO, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO DO WITH MONEY, LIKE THE PLANNING, COMMISSION AND DEVELOPMENT, LIKE, UH, THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS.
UH, SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MONEY INVOLVED.
SO THERE'S ALL THESE RULES THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT.
YOU KNOW, I WANNA DO THIS WITH MY DEVELOPMENT OR THAT, SO WHAT I DID IS NOTICE THAT, CUZ I KNOW SOME PEOPLE ON THESE COMMISSIONS IS THAT THOSE OTHER COMMISSIONS HAVE PUT RESTRICTIONS ON THE LENGTH OF TIME FOR DEBATE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THEY CAN'T GO ON FOREVER EITHER.
UM, SO WHAT I HAVE DONE IS I HAVE WRITTEN A VERY BRIEF, UH, UH, STATEMENT.
AND THIS IS FOR, UH, YOU FIND IT IN THE BACKUP AND THIS IS FOR US TO CONSIDER, THIS IS NOT ME SAYING THIS HAS TO BE DONE OR ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
BUT UH, BECAUSE THIS CAME UP, UM, WHICH SAYS FOR THE DEBATE OF ANY MOTION AND THIS IS JUST THE DEBATE OF MOTIONS, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED SO FAR.
WE HAVE NOT DEBATED ANY MOTION SO FAR AND PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN AT LENGTH, OKAY.
FOR THE DEBATE OF ANY MOTION, EACH COMMISSIONER MAY SPEAK TWICE.
I DON'T THINK YOU CAN CHANGE THAT FROM THE WAY I'M READING THEM.
AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO, BUT NO SPEECH MAY SEE THREE MINUTES WITHOUT MAJORITY APPROVAL OF THE COMMISSION.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE'RE SPEAKING AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE AND PEOPLE WANNA GET MORE INFORMATION, A MAJORITY SAYS, WELL, LET'S EXTEND IT TO FIVE MINUTES, BUT THEN YOU'D HAVE TO DO IT FOR EVERYBODY OBVIOUSLY.
SO, OR WE COULD PUT FIVE MINUTES IN HERE.
NOW WE COULD, IF THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMISSION DOESN'T WANNA PASS THIS FOR THREE MINUTES, LIKE TO PASS, NOW YOU KEEP IN MIND.
IF EVERYBODY SPEAKS, HOW MUCH TIME IT TAKES.
UM, AND ANY CHANGE WE MAKE, UH, HAS TO BE APPROVED BY TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY.
SO IF TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY DOESN'T APPROVE OF IT, THEN WE GO ON FOR 10 MINUTES, TWICE.
SO I'M TOSSING THAT OUT THERE.
UH, SO BECAUSE THIS IS A MOTION, DO I HEAR ANY EMOTION? IS THERE ANYONE BECAUSE I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO MAKE A MOTION.
I'VE JUST PRINTED THIS AS A STARTING POINT.
J I WILL MAKE YOUR MOTION FOR YOU SO THAT IT CAN BE DEBATED.
DO WE HEAR A SECOND? I SECOND.
SO COMMISSIONER CLINTON AND THOSE
SO NOW TO DEBATE THIS, WE GET 10 MINUTES EACH TWICE, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T CHANGED ANYTHING YET.
SO WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THIS? I'LL GO FIRST.
I AM AGAINST THIS, UM, FOR THE YEAR PLUS THAT I'VE BEEN ON THIS COMMISSION.
I HAVE NOT SEEN A DEBATE ON EMOTION.
GO THROUGH ALL 13 MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION FOR 10 MINUTES EACH AT LEAST ONCE.
AND THEN GO BACK FOR 10 MINUTES EACH A SECOND TIME.
IT HAS NOT HAPPENED IN THE YEAR PLUS I'VE BEEN HERE.
I THINK THIS IS LIMITING THE FREE SPEECH OF COMMISSION MEMBERS THAT MAY NOT NECESSARILY HOLD POPULAR VIEWS.
UM, AND I, I, I, I MORALLY DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS AND THAT DIDN'T TAKE 10 MINUTES.
NOW, THE WAY DEBATES ARE SUPPOSED TO GO, I'M UH, THIS ROBERTS RULES, I'M SUPPOSED TO PICK SOMEONE FROM THE OTHER SIDE WHO SUPPORTS THIS MOTION.
IS THERE ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION? OKAY.
SO NO WANNA SPEAK AS FAR THE MOTION.
SO I THINK YOU YOU'RE ALLOWED TO SPEAK YOURSELF IF YOU WANT TO.
SO WHAT, THE REASON I BROUGHT THIS UP IS BECAUSE AT THE LAST MEETING, WE HAD A COMMISSIONER WHO WANTED TO SPEAK TWICE FOR 10 MINUTES.
[01:55:01]
DID, SHE SPOKE ONCE FOR OVER 10 MINUTES.UH, AND THEN THERE WAS A RESPONSE AND THAT WAS, UH, UH, A COMMISSIONER SPOKE FROM THE OTHER SIDE FOR WHAT I, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE NOT READY TO DO THIS, YOU GOTTA HAVE YOUR CLOCK READY.
AND THIS IS WHAT THE, THE, UH, UH, UM, PARLIAMENTARIAN YOUR PARLIAMENTARIAN'S SUPPOSED TO DO.
AND, AND, UH, THE, THE OPPOSITE I SPOKE FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
UM, AND THEN WHAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THERE AT, AT THE TIME IS WE DIDN'T, THIS IS WHY I ANNOUNCED THIS.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MOVE OF THE PREVIOUS QUE MOVE, THE PREVIOUS QUESTION, WHICH WE COULD HAVE DONE AT THAT POINT AND LIMITED DEBATE.
BUT I JUST REALIZED THEN THAT IF, IF ONE PERSON COULD, COULD INSIST ON SPEAKING FOR 20 MINUTES ABOUT EMOTION, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE SIT HERE AND LISTEN FOR, LISTEN TO 20 MINUTES, ONE PERSON DO THAT.
UH, SO THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT THIS UP.
MAYBE, MAYBE THE COMMISSION DOESN'T WANNA DO IT.
MAYBE WE JUST WANNA LET THAT HAPPEN.
WHICH MEANS THAT GETS TO BE, WHAT DO THEY CALL THAT, UH, A FILIBUSTER OR WHATEVER ON THE COMMISSION? YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE SOMEONE SPEAK, UH, BUT I BROUGHT THIS UP BECAUSE I, BECAUSE THIS IS HOW OTHER COMMISSIONS SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
UM, WHAT COMMISSIONER MS. MAGULA SAID? UM, I ALSO ASKED, UM, THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, IF THIS IS COMMON FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TO, UM, LIMIT THE FREE SPEECH OF THEIR BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMISSIONERS.
AND, UM, SHE AGREED, LIKE YOU SAID, THAT THERE ARE SOVEREIGN BOARDS THAT HAVE ESTABLISHED THE RULES, BUT ALSO SAID, THIS IS NOT A PRACTICE THAT COUNCIL HAS ADOPTED.
SO IT WOULD NOT BE SOMETHING WE WOULD RECOMMEND.
THESE SHOULD NOT BE CHANGES TO BYLAWS.
IT WOULD BE PART OF THE RULES AND PROCEDURES DOCUMENT FOR MEETINGS.
IT'S PERMISSIBLE FOR A COMMISSION TO ADOPT CERTAIN RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR THEIR MEETING, BUT WE WOULD CAUTION AGAINST SETTING SHORT AND GENERAL SPEAKING LIMITS FOR COMMISSIONERS.
THERE COULD BE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, POTENTIALLY A SPECIFIC ITEM AT MEETING WHERE A LIMITATION COULD BE SET FOR THAT MEETING OUT OF RESPECT TO THE TIME CONSTRAINTS OF THE AGENDA, UM, TO HAVE A GENERAL RULE IN PLACE FOR ALL ITEMS. THAT IS NOT SOMETHING WE WOULD ADVISE AS IT MAY LIMIT DIFFERING VIEWS AND MEMBER PARTICIPATION.
I THINK IT'S NOT SOMETHING COUNCIL DOES.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING, UM, WE SHOULD DO.
UH, I'VE LOOKED IT UP AS TO WHAT COUNCIL DOES AND THEY DON'T MENTION IT, BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYBODY IN A DEBATE ON COUNSEL OR ANYBODY TOOK ANYWHERE CLOSE TO 10 MINUTES.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THEIR MEETINGS GO TO 2:00 AM, THEY JUST DON'T DO IT.
AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYBODY ASKED TO SPEAK FOR 10 MINUTES OR 20 MINUTES ON ANY, UH, MOTION IN THIS MEETING.
IT HAS NEVER, IT NEVER CAME UP.
UM, SO, SO AS YOU JUST SAID, IT, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A, A COMMON ISSUE.
IT'S, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS.
WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA SEE EVERYBODY WANTING TO SPEAK FOR 20 MINUTES ABOUT EVERY TOPIC.
I WILL SAY LAST MONTH I HAD PUT ABOUT 60 HOURS OF RESEARCH AND PREPARATION AND WRITING INTO, INTO THE TOPIC THAT I SPOKE ON.
AND I DO THINK THERE WAS SOME BROAD PUBLIC INTEREST IN IT.
IT WAS COVERED ON A PROMINENT AUSTIN POLITICAL BLOG.
UM, THE NEWS COVERED IT ON FRIDAY.
I THINK IT'S A TOPIC THAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS DISCUSSION ON.
AND, UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT'S THE KIND OF RESEARCH AND EFFORT INTO TOPICS THAT THIS COMMISSION SHOULD TRY TO ENCOURAGE, UM, RATHER THAN TRY TO STIFLE.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES.
UM, SO I HAD THE SAME RESPONSE OFF.
UM, I GOT A SIMILAR RESPONSE WHEN I REACHED OUT TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE THAT THEY CAUTION AGAINST SETTING THIS SORT OF SPEAKING LIMITATION FOR COMMISSIONERS, AND IT IS NOT PRACTICED AT THE COUNCIL IS ADOPTED.
UM, AND I FIND IT INTERESTING, CUZ I'M OBVIOUSLY JUST GOING THROUGH MY NEW BOARD MEMBER TRAINING AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, STATEMENTS ALL OVER THE AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV WEBSITE REGARDING ROBERT'S RULES.
AND I'VE HIGHLIGHTED SOME OF THEM, BUT, YOU KNOW, TO PUT SIMPLY ROBERT'S RULES ENSURE THE RULE OF THE MAJORITY WHILE PROJECTING THE RIGHTS OF THE MINORITY AND ABSENT MEMBERS.
AND IT IS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF DELIBERATIVE ASSEMBLIES THAT ALL QUESTIONS BE THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED BEFORE TAKING ACTION.
I KNOW THAT MY COUNCIL MEMBER PUT ME UP HERE TO DEBATE ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ANIMALS IN THIS CITY.
AND IF THAT TAKES 20 MINUTES ON AN ISSUE, THAT'S MY RIGHT THREE MINUTES IS NOT ENOUGH TO COVER THESE
[02:00:01]
ISSUES IN DEPTH WHEN THEY NEED THAT SORT OF COVERAGE.I, I HONESTLY, I READ THIS AND, AND I, I THOUGHT THIS LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY'S INDIVIDUAL AGENDA.
THIS IS NOT WHAT THE CITY PUT ME UP HERE FOR.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND IF WE LOOK AT JUST WHY WE'RE HERE, EACH SINGLE MEMBER OF US UP HERE WE'RE EQUAL AND OUR RIGHTS ARE EQUAL.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE MOTIONS AND TO SPEAK IN DEBATE.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO NOMINATE.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO HOLD OFFICE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD GO SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT WE POSTPONE THIS MOTION INDEFINITELY.
UH, YOU, YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONE, UH, THAT IS NOT DEBATABLE, BUT IT GETS MOTIONED AND SECONDED AND THEN WE VOTE ON IT.
SO IF YOU MAKE THAT MOTION THEN AS THERE'S A SECOND FOR THAT, THE MOTION.
THAT SECOND, THERE'S A SECOND TO THAT MOTION.
SO HOW MANY VOTE TO PO UH, TO POSTPONE THIS INDEFINITELY? SO THE MOTION FAILS.
SO IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YES.
I'D LIKE TO SPEAK IF IT'S GO AHEAD.
I, THE, THE ONLY THING I'M GONNA, I'LL JUST SAY A COUPLE OF OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THIS.
I MEAN, I, I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE PREPARED TO VOTE ON THIS THIS EVENING BECAUSE I JUST SAW THE LANGUAGE OF IT TODAY.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WERE TRYING TO DO.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU SOUGHT OUT INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THE ACTUAL RULES ARE BECAUSE AS SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE NOW MENTIONED, WE'VE NEVER BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE WE'VE HAD ANY MEMBER SPEAK FOR TWO, 10 MINUTE PERIODS.
I'M NOT PASSING JUDGMENT ON THAT BEING GOOD OR BAD, I'M SIMPLY SAYING IT HASN'T HAPPENED.
AND I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION SINCE THE DAWN OF MAN.
IT FEELS LIKE, UM, AND YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS FREE SPEECH CONCERNS, I REALLY AM NOT PREPARED TO DEBATE ANY OF THAT EITHER.
UM, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS PUT ON FOR DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION, JUST MEANING WE'RE DISCUSSING IT.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY NEEDS TO PANIC THAT IT'S NECESSARILY GONNA GET PAST TONIGHT.
ALTHOUGH I SUPPOSE IT COULD, I DON'T KNOW.
I'M NOT VOTING FOR IT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER TONIGHT.
UM, BUT THE OTHER PIECE OF IT IS WE MAY NOT EVEN BE IN THIS POSITION IF WE COULD ALL JUST BE SORT OF A LITTLE BIT MORE CIVIL IN OUR PRESENTATION.
AND I INCLUDE MYSELF IN THAT AND BE MORE CIVIL TO OUR STAFF PARTNERS FROM THE SHELTER AND OUR PARTNERS FROM OTHER PLACES LIKE PETS LIVE.
I THINK WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING KIND OF AN UPTICK IN, AND I BELIEVE COMMISSIONERS MAGULA POINTED THIS OUT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO IS A LACK OF CIVILITY OR SOME DETERIORATING CIVILITY ON THIS COMMISSION.
AND I'VE BEEN ON THIS COMMISSION, LIKE I SAID, A LONG TIME.
AND IT'S SUPER FRUSTRATING THAT WE HAVE ALL THESE PROBLEMS AT THE SHELTER, BEEN IN THE CITY WITH ALL OF THESE EXTRA ANIMALS, BUT WE CAN'T EVEN HAVE CIVILIZED DISCUSSION HERE.
WE CAN'T NOT TALK OVER EACH OTHER.
WE CAN'T FOLLOW ANY OF THE ACTUAL ROBERTS RULES WITHOUT FIGHTING ABOUT WHAT THE ROLES MEAN.
UM, IT'S MONDAY NIGHT, IT'S 8 0 5.
WE'RE GONNA BE HERE FOR A LOT LONGER BECAUSE OUR AGENDAS ARE ALWAYS PACKED.
I, I JUST PLEASED WITH EVERYONE TO JUST REMEMBER, HEY, YOU KNOW, WHAT, IF YOU'RE GONNA SPEAK FOR YOUR FULL 20 MINUTES, GREAT KNOCK YOURSELF OUT, BUT PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T CUT EACH OTHER OFF AND PLEASE BE CIVIL.
AND, BUT FOR NO OTHER REASON TO ASSIST WHOEVER IT IS THAT YOU'RE TAKING MINUTES, IF IT'S BELINDA JASON OR WHOEVER IT IS, BECAUSE IT'S JUST REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT TO GET ANYTHING DONE.
AND TO REALLY EVEN GARNER THE ENERGY TO COME TO THESE MEETINGS ON ONE OF THE MOST NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART ISSUES WHEN PEOPLE CAN'T TREAT EACH OTHER WITH SOME RESPECT, THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.
UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS YOU'VE SPOKEN TWICE? NO, I HAVEN'T.
MM-HMM
SO, UM, YEAH, LAST MONTH, LIKE I SAID, I, I HAD PUT A TON OF RESEARCH INTO THAT AND A TON OF PREPARATION, AND I HAD SPECIFICALLY PREPARED STATEMENTS FOR TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEAK FOR 10 MINUTES, BECAUSE THAT WAS SET OUT AS THE RULE, UM, TO MEETINGS PRIOR, AS IT SAYS, IN ROBERT'S RULES.
AND DURING MY PREPARED COMMENTS, I WAS NOT, UNCIVIL WAS NOT UNKIND.
I WAS PREVENTED FROM SPEAKING A SECOND TIME, AND THAT WAS A CHANGE THAT SHOULD HAVE REQUIRED A VOTE TO, TO CHANGE THE RULES OF DEBATE.
UM, AND, AND ANOTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT RESTRICTING IT TO THREE MINUTES IS UNFAIRLY GOING TO PUT RESTRICTIONS ON PEOPLE FOR WHOM ENGLISH IS NOT THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE OR FOR ANYBODY WHO MIGHT NEED EXTRA TIME FOR VARIOUS REASONS.
SO, SO THIS, THIS SORT OF, UM, RESTRICTION, UM, I THINK IT'S TOO MUCH AND UNFAIRLY DISADVANTAGES, VARIOUS
[02:05:01]
PEOPLE.ANYBODY ELSE? UH, UH, JUST, JUST A QUICK STATEMENT, CRAIG COMMISSIONER GERALD IS HAVING TROUBLE GETTING BACK IN.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE AV FOLKS CAN HELP WITH THAT.
I, UM, I DON'T SEE HER IN THE LIST, BUT SHE CAN TRY EXITING AND COMING BACK IN, SHE SAYS SHE DOESN'T SEE HER APPEARING ON HER.
SHE'S ALSO NOT IN THE, UH, OKAY.
IS THERE, DOES ANYBODY ELSE WANNA SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? OKAY.
SO THAT MEANS WE CALL THE VOTE.
NOW, IN ORDER FOR THIS TO PASS, IT HAS TO HAVE, LET'S SEE, TWO THIRDS, WHAT ARE TWO THIRDS? IT HAS TO HAVE, UH, NINE VOTES TO PASS AND IF IT DOESN'T, THEN WE JUST DO WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE.
SO, UH, LET'S VOTE WHO VOTES FOR THE MOTION FOR THE MOTION WHO VOTES AGAINST THE MOTION? SO THAT'S ONE FOR FOUR AGAINST AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS ABSTAINING.
AND EVERYBODY ELSE HERE IS ABSTAINING AND COMMISSIONER JAR IS NOT, NOT PRESENT.
[8. Discussion and Possible Action on AAC Monthly Reporting of Data]
OKAY.DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON ACC, MONTHLY REPORTING OF DATA.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ON THAT? I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, THAT, UH, JASON WAS A LITTLE CLEARER, THE WAY YOU HAD THAT SET UP, YOU KNOW, TO THIS TIME TO COMPARE IT.
SO, AND, UH, JUST A QUICK UPDATE.
UM, I KNOW I MENTIONED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, OUR IT LIAISON WAS GONNA REACH OUT TO Y'ALL TO TRY TO SET UP THE MEANS ABOUT THE DASHBOARD AND GET FEEDBACK.
UNFORTUNATELY, HE'S BEEN ON LEAVE.
UM, AND SO ONCE HE'S BACK AT THAT WILL BE TAKEN UP AGAIN, BUT JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THAT QUICK UPDATE.
THAT'S WHY IT HADN'T HAPPENED YET.
AGAIN, I REALLY APPRECIATE JASON THAT YOU FINE TUNE, UH, TOO, SOME FEEDBACK CAN FIND TUNE THIRD REPORTING.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS, UM, UM, IT WOULD BE GOOD ALSO, UH, WHEN WE'RE SHOWING NOW YOU'RE SHOWING THE, UH, FOR THE YEARS 20 22, 20 21, 20 20, I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A STEP EVEN FURTHER.
AND THIS IS FOR YOU JUST TO THINK ABOUT, AND IF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS AGREE IS THAT, HEY, WE HAVE THE NUMBERS, BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN? UH, YOU KNOW, IS THE TREND GOOD? UH, FOR EXAMPLE, INTAKE, IS IT, IS IT GOING DOWN MAY, MAYBE THAT GREEN OR YELLOW OR RED GREEN, IT MEANS GOOD.
FOR EXAMPLE, UH, ADOPTIONS ADOPTIONS GO HIGHER THAT'S WILL BE GREEN AND IT WILL BE GOOD.
SOME IF IT'S GOING DOWN COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS MONTHS, IT WOULD BE RED.
SO, UM, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE IT EASIER TO UNDERSTAND.
AND IN THAT JUST, I MEAN, WE'RE GOING THE RIGHT PATH IS WE, WE NEED TO MAKE IT EASIER TO LOOK AND UNDERSTAND IF IT'S IMPROVING OR NOT IMPROVING.
[9. Discussion and Possible Action on Transferring Austin Animal Center Animals to Other Communities]
LET'S MOVE ON.SO NOW THIS IS NINE DISCUSSION AL ACTION ON TRANSFERRING AUSTIN CENTER ANIMALS TO OTHER COMMUNITIES.
AND, UH, DO WE, HAVE, WE HAVE PEOPLE CATHERINE, CATHERINE GIBB.
CATHERINE, CAN YOU HEAR US? HI.
UM, MY NAME IS CATHERINE GIBBS AND I AM THE CO-OWNER OF R DOG RESCUE THAT RESIDES IN ONTARIO, CANADA.
[02:10:01]
AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER BECAUSE THEY WERE REFERRED TO US BY ONE OF OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS THAT WE WORK WITH.UM, OUR MISSION IS TO SAVE DOGS IN TEXAS THAT ARE AT RISK, OBVIOUSLY.
SO WE BRING THEM UP TO CANADA AND GET THEM ADOPTED HERE.
AND WE HAD AN EXPERIENCE RECENTLY THAT WE JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE COMMISSION.
AND WE WERE MENTIONED A COUPLE TIMES ALREADY.
I'M SURE YOU GUYS HEARD THE NAME CHARLIE COME UP.
SO, UM, A DOG NAMED CHARLIE WAS OFFERED TO US, UH, THROUGH THE TRANS COURT PROGRAM AND WE DECIDED TO TAKE CHARLIE OUT CANADA.
AFTER ONE OF OUR DOGS THAT WAS SCHEDULED TO COME WAS NOT ABLE TO COME BECAUSE THEY HAD A, UH, RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION.
SO CHARLIE WAS A LAST MINUTE ADD TO OUR TRANSPORT.
UH, WE WERE PROVIDED WITH MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION FOR CHARLIE, WITH PRE REVIEW FOR EVERY DOG THAT GETS ONTO OUR TRANSPORT.
WE ASKED SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING HIS DENTAL, AND IF WE NEEDED, IF HE NEEDED ANY FURTHER MEDICAL TREATMENT WHILE HE WAS IN TEXAS, UH, WE WERE ASSURED THAT THERE WAS NO ADDITIONAL MOVE.
IT NOTED THAT HE HAD PLAQUE AND GINGIVITIS, WHICH IS NORMAL FOR SENIOR DOGS AND, UM, NO OTHER CONCERNS.
SO WE PUT CHARLIE ON A TRANSPORT TO CANADA, AND UNFORTUNATELY WHEN CHARLIE ARRIVED IN CANADA, HE WAS VERY SICK.
UM, WITHIN 48 HOURS OF ARRIVING, CHARLIE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL, CITING FOR HIS LIFE AND WAS UNABLE TO RECEIVE PROPER TREATMENT DUE TO A COLLAPSED TRAC THAT WAS NOT KNOWN, I GUESS.
UM, SO UNFORTUNATELY 11 DAYS AFTER THAT CHARLIE PASSED AWAY AND WE HAD A VERY LARGE VETTING BILL TO DEAL WITH.
SO WE WENT TO SOCIAL MEDIA LIKE WE DO NORMALLY TO ASK FOR DONATIONS TO HELP PAY FOR SOME OF HIS VETTING COSTS.
UM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET BACK A LARGE PORTION OF THAT.
AND AFTER CONVERSING BACK AND FORTH WITH AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, WE WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THEY STEPPED UP TO COVER A PORTION OF HIS MEDICAL BILLS AS WELL.
UM, HOWEVER, WE WANT TO JUST MAKE IT KNOWN THAT IT IS NOT A MISSION OF OURS TO SHUT DOWN THE TRANSPORT AT ALL.
WE DO BELIEVE THAT THE PROGRAM IS REALLY GREAT AND THEY DO GREAT THINGS.
HOWEVER, WE HAD A REALLY UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCE HAPPEN.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE THAT WE DO BELIEVE THAT THE TRANSPORT PROGRAM IS ESSENTIAL TO CLEARING UP THE SHELTERS.
HOWEVER, OUR MISSION WAS TO ENSURE THAT THE VETTING IS PROPERLY DONE AND THAT THESE DOGS ARE PRIORITIZED AND MEET SURE THAT THEY'RE HEALTHY TO TRAVEL BEFORE THAT HAPPENS.
SO THAT WAS OUR MAIN GOAL IN THAT.
UM, SO WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT AND BE HERE TONIGHT FOR THAT PURPOSE.
WE HAVE ANOTHER PERSON TO SPEAK, WHICH IS BEVERLY LUNA.
HI, MY NAME IS BEVERLY, BUT I'M ALSO WITH AUSTIN LOST AND FOUND PETS.
I'M ALSO SPEAKING ABOUT THE DOG Y'ALL KNOW IS CHARLIE.
UM, CHARLIE WAS POSTED ON OUR PAGE ALONG WITH, UM, ANOTHER DOG, DOLLY DOLLY BELONGED TO JULIA MCGUIRE ON THE MICROCHIP.
AND CHARLIE BELONGED TO HER SON, ZACH MCGUIRE.
WHO'S AN ADULT AND HAD PREVIOUSLY BELONGED TO ZACH'S ELDERLY FATHER WHO IS NOW DECEASED.
UM, I HAD TRIED CALLING THE NUMBER ON THE MICROCHIP AND IT HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED FOR JULIA MCGUIRE.
AND I FOUND HER ON FACEBOOK AND REALIZED SHE HAD A SON NAMED ZACH AND I REACHED OUT AND SENT HIM A PICTURE OF THE TWO DOGS TOGETHER AND SAID, WE'RE TRYING TO REACH JULIA ABOUT THESE DOGS.
HE, UM, HE DIDN'T SEE IT FOR A WHILE AS WE'RE NOT FACEBOOK FRIENDS.
UM, SO I CONTACTED MARK SL AND SAID, I FOUND THE OWNER OF THIS DOG AND HERE'S HIS NUMBER.
UM, SUBSEQUENTLY HE GOES TO THE SHELTER TO PICK UP FLASH.
HE BRINGS HIS MOTHER WITH HIM.
HIS MOTHER IS ON THE MICROCHIP OF THE DOG DOLLY THAT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER KNOWS CAME IN WITH FLASH.
THEY BOTH SH SHOWED THEM THEIR IDS.
UM, UM, THE ONLY PICTURE THEY HAD OF THE DOGS, THEY WERE BOTH EXPERIENCING TEMPORARY HOMELESSNESS.
AGAIN, THE ONLY PICTURE THEY HAD OF THE DOGS WAS THE ONE I SENT.
THEY DID NOT TRY TO PRETEND THAT THAT WAS THEIR PHOTO.
UM, THE ONLY OPTION THEY WERE GIVEN WERE, WERE, WELL, YOU CAN GIVE VET RECORDS.
AND THEY SAID THEY HAD A MOBILE VET AND THE ONLY RECORDS WOULD'VE BEEN IN STORAGE, UH, THEY ASKED IF THEY COULD SEE CHARLIE.
UM, THEY SAID HE WILL COME TO US, HE'LL RUN TO US.
[02:15:01]
NOT ALLOWED TO SEE CHARLIE, UM, TO, TO SAY THAT THAT ZACH MCGUIRE WAS EXTREMELY UPSET IS PUTTING IT MILDLY.AND HE HAS ASKED THAT REBEL RESCUE, PLEASE RETURN HIS DOG'S ASHES.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SIT THERE FOR A MINUTE THOUGH, I, CUZ WE MAY, WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS ON THIS.
AND SINCE SHE'S, UH, UH, THE ONE WHO TALKED TO THE OWNER, SHE MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS SHE MIGHT HAVE.
UH, SO FIRST OF ALL, I PUT THIS AS UNDER THE TRANSPORT PROGRAM, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY UP FRONT FOR THOSE WHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT IT.
I THINK THE TRANSPORT PROGRAM IS, IS A POTENTIALLY GOOD PROGRAM.
AND IN NO WAY, IS THIS DISCUSSION GEARED TO HOW LONG THE TRANSPORT PROGRAM? THAT'S NOT THE POINT.
THE POINT IS, UH, TO ME AND WHY I PUT ON HERE.
THIS GUY IS, UH, HE'S IN MY DISTRICT.
UH, AND, UH, SO THIS IS A CONSTITUENT AND WHAT HAPPENED HERE WAS UNFORTUNATE.
AND THE QUESTION IS, HOW CAN WE AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE? NOW DON HAS, HAS SENT US ALL AN EMAIL AND I'M SURE YOU'VE READ IT.
AND I HAVE THE SALIENT POINTS HERE.
I COULD, I COULD REREAD IT IF PEOPLE NEED ME TO, BUT I WOULDN'T HAVE TO.
UH, ALSO, UH, UH, ZACH ZACHARY, ZACH ZACHARIA ZACHARIA HE GAVE, UH, A STATEMENT TO, UM, UH, GAVE A STATEMENT TO US THAT CUZ HE COULDN'T MAKE IT HERE BECAUSE HE'S WORKING HE'S HE'S LIKE HE'S WORKING TONIGHT.
UH, AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE STATEMENT THAT HE TALKS ABOUT, LIKE, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, WHEN, UH, WHEN HE WENT TO THE SHELTER DOES NOT LINE UP WITH THE STATE WITH THE INFORMATION IN YOUR STATEMENT AND THAT'S KIND OF A, THAT'S A PROBLEM.
UM, SO IF WE COULD GET SOME CLARIFICATION, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GOT THIS INFORMATION, UH, DIRECTOR BLAND, BUT WHY DID THEY NOT GIVE CHARLIE, UH, OR FLASH BACK TO, UH, UH, THE OWNER, THE PERSON WHO CAME IN WHO SAID HE WAS THE OWNER FROM THE INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVED, THAT THE ADOPTION MANAGER AND RECLAIM MANAGER PLACED IN THIS DOCUMENT, THE GENTLEMAN CAME IN AND STATED HE WAS HERE TO RECLAIM HIS ANIMAL AND THEY ASKED HIM FOR SOME PROOF AND HE TURNED AND WALKED AWAY.
SO, UH, THAT'S NOT, AND SEE THIS BECOMES, UH, HE SHED, HE SAID, SHE SAID THING, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT HE'S TOLD US AT ALL.
AND THIS IS WHAT OUR EMPLOYEE THAT DEALT WITH HIM, TOLD US WHO, WHO WAS, WHO TAUGHT, WHO TALKED TO HIM AT INTAKE OR WHEN HE CAME IN, IT WAS ONE OF THE SUPERVISORS OVER CUSTOMER SERVICE.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S CONSISTENT EITHER.
THIS PERSON TOLD YOU THAT HE JUST TURNED AROUND AND WALKED OUT.
THAT'S WHAT SHE TOLD HER MANAGER.
YES, IT, WHAT IS THE VIDEO SHOW? ISN'T THERE NOT VIDEO EVERY IN THE LOBBY.
SO WOULD THERE NOT BE A VIDEO OF WHAT ACTUALLY OCCURRED? IS IT, HAS IT BEEN LOOKED AT, I PERSONALLY HAVEN'T LOOKED AT A VIDEO, I'LL HAVE TO GET IN THE MORNING TO TRY TO PULL THE SECURITY FOOTAGE.
BUT IF IT'S AT THE RECLAIM STATION, THEN YES, WE SHOULD HAVE A DIRECT SHOT OF THE INTERACTION THAT HAPPENED ON AUGUST 9TH.
SO HE HAS ASKED, COULD YOU PLEASE PULL THE SECURITY VIDEO? HE SAID, SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE A VIDEO.
IT WAS HE AND HIS MOTHER WHO WERE THERE AND HE SHOWED THEM THE MICROCHIP NUMBER OF, OF THE DOG THAT CAME IN AS WELL.
HE DESCRIBED THE WOMAN AS BEING BETWEEN 28 AND 33 AND HISPANIC COULD BE ONE OF YOUR SUPERVISORS, BUT MAY NOT BE ONE THAT I KNOW HERE.
LET ME, YOU KNOW WHAT, LET ME READ HIS STATEMENT.
JUST BEAR WITH ME BECAUSE THIS MIGHT GIVE US SOME INFORMATION I, OR, OR I COULD PLAY IT.
UH, OH, WELL, IF SHE GOTTA PLAY, THIS IS HIM.
SHE CAN PLAY THIS HIS STATEMENT BECAUSE IT JUST, YOU
[02:20:01]
KNOW, WE JUST NEED TO GET THE FACTS, YOU KNOW, JUST TELL ME WHAT, OKAY.I THINK IT SHOULD BE WORKING OUT.
OKAY, GO AHEAD, ZACH, HOLD UP TO THE MIC.
UM, I GOT A PHONE CALL ABOUT FLASH AT THE CLINIC.
I FORGOT WHAT THE NAME OF IT IS EXACTLY.
BUT I WENT IN WITH MY PHONE, UH, AND I ALSO TOOK MY MOTHER WITH ME.
UH, AND THE LADY THAT WAS THERE, I DON'T REMEMBER HER NAME, BUT SHE WAS A LITTLE LADY MIGHT HAVE BEEN 28, BETWEEN 33.
SO SHE WAS STILL PRETTY YOUNG.
UH, I SHOWED HER THE PICTURE THAT WAS, UH, SENT TO ME THAT HAD FLASH AND, UM, DOLLY IN IT.
SO I HAD DOLLY'S CHIP NUMBER ON THERE AND EVERYTHING.
UH, BUT I THINK THE MAIN PROBLEM WAS, UH, WITH HER WAS THAT I DIDN'T HAVE PICTURES OF HIM.
AND THE REASON THAT WAS WAS CUZ I ORIGINALLY HAD A SAMSUNG AND I WENT OVER TO APPLE.
SO I COULDN'T JUST SIMPLY LIKE TRANSFER MY PICTURES THROUGH ICLOUD CUZ YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST TWO DIFFERENT PLATFORMS. UH, SO ANYWAYS, I, I SHOWED HER MY ID.
I SHOWED HER, UH, THE CHIP NUMBER FOUR DOLLY TO PROVE THAT, HEY, YES, I KNOW THESE DOGS.
AND UH, AT THE TIME I WASN'T GOING BE ABLE TO LIKE KEEP PEOPLE HOLD THE FLASH BECAUSE I WAS LIVING IN HOTELS AT THE MOMENT.
BUT I WAS GONNA GIVE TO A FRIEND OF MINE WHO, UH, LIVED IN SOUTH AUSTIN, UH, JUST SO HE COULD HOLD ON TO HIM UNTIL I GOT MY LIVING SITUATION UNDER CONTROL.
BUT UM, YOU KNOW, I DID SHOW HER IDS SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY SHE DIDN'T LET US GO BACK THERE, SAY, HEY FLASH.
CAUSE YOU KNOW, IF I CALLED HIS NAME, HE WOULD RAN UP ALSO.
SO, UH, THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE HIM IN THE SYSTEM AS, AND THEY HAD HIM AT 10 YEARS OLD WHEN IN FACT HE WAS MORE LIKE A 15 YEAR OLD DOG.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, JUST TO TRANSFER IN ITSELF, UH, PROBABLY TOOK A TOLL ON, UH, I, AND I DON'T KNOW, CAUSE THEY SAID HE HAD LIKE HEAT STROKE OR SOMETHING.
I HAVE TO GO BACK AND LIKE, BUT UH, KNOW I DON'T WANT HER FIRED OR ANYTHING, BUT I DO WANT THEM TO LIKE AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, TALK TO HER ABOUT, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS SITUATION WAS HANDLED WRONGLY THAT MAYBE IF YOU GUYS COULD JUST FIX THAT PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE, THAT WOULD BE FINE.
BUT UH, REALLY THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
IF YOU'LL NEED TO GET AHOLD OF ME, UH, MY NUMBER IS 7 3 7 2 8 0 5 5.
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
AND, AND SO, UH, I WAS GONNA ASK YOU QUESTIONS THAT, DID YOUR MOTHER SHOW THEM HER ID TOO? UH, YEAH SHE DID.
AND SO THEY KNEW YOUR MOTHER'S NAME WAS JULIE MCGUIRE, WHO WAS THE OWNER OF DOLLY, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND THEY KNEW DOLLY CAME IN WITH FLASH THAT'S UM, HOW DOES THAT? YEAH.
THERE'S LIKE, YOU CAN TELL THERE'S A PICTURE AND THEY'RE BOTH LIKE SIDE SIDE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OTHER THERE, YOU EVEN HAD LIKE PUT LIKE, HEY, THEY CAME IN TOGETHER OR WHATNOT.
SO I'M SURE LIKE IF THEY GO AND THEY LOOK AT SECURITY FOOTAGE, CAUSE I'M SURE THERE'S A CAMERA IN THERE.
LIKE SHE DOESN'T HAVE A CAMERA IN YOUR OFFICE ANYMORE.
AND YOU SAID AT ONE POINT SHE ACTUALLY TOOK YOUR PHONE FROM YOU TO LOOK AT, OH NO, I DATED HER TO SHOW HER LIKE, YEAH, ANYTIME I'M TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT LIKE A, CAUSE I DO THAT EVERYWHERE I GO.
SO THAT YOU SEE LIKE, OH THIS IS WHO I'M TRYING TO GET AHOLD OF OR WHATNOT.
AND, AND SO AFTER SHOWING YOUR ID AND YOUR MOM SHOWING HER ID, SHOWING THE PICTURE OF THE TWO DOGS TOGETHER, DOLLY AND FLASH, SHE, SHE WOULD NOT LET YOU HAVE HAVE FLASHBACK AND SHE WOULD NOT LET YOU EVEN GO SEE FLASH.
I ALL, I AT THE VERY LEAST JUST WANTED TO GO BACK THERE AND CHECK ON HIM.
BUT CAUSE I TOLD HER LIKE, HEY, IF I GO BACK THERE, HE'S GONNA RUN UP TO ME.
UM, CAUSE TO ME THAT WOULD BE LIKE THE ULTIMATE PROVE THAT YOU'RE THE OWNER, BUT THE DOG'S NOT JUST GONNA RUN UP AS STRANGER.
AND SO WHAT DOES CHARLIE, WHAT DID, DID FLASH NORMALLY DO IF A STRANGER CAME UP TO HIM? MAYBE SUSPECT, YOU KNOW, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW, LIKE MAYBE HE GOT USED TO PEOPLE UP THERE TOO, SO WHO'S, WHO'S A SAYING, YOU KNOW? RIGHT.
SO, UH, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED, UH, AND
[02:25:02]
UH, THIS IS BEFORE HE WAS, UH, FOSTERED AND HE WAS FOSTERED BY COMMISSIONER NORTON AS IT TURNS OUT.UH, SO, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THEN SO I, AND, AND, AND, UH, UH, DIRECTOR BLAND HAS WRITTEN WAYS THEY'RE GONNA CHANGE THE TRANSPORT, WHICH SOUND GOOD TO ME.
UH, THE THING IS THAT WHEN THE VETS LOOKED AT CHARLIE, THEY, OR FLASH, THEY UNDERESTIMATED HIS AGE, YOU KNOW, BUT HE WOULD STILL WOULD BE TOO OLD TO TRANSPORT, I ASSUME AT THIS POINT.
SO THE, THE QUESTION HERE IS, IS MAYBE NOT ONE, SO MUCH A TRANSPORT IT'S LIKE, WHAT KIND OF SOPS DO YOU HAVE TO FOR GIVING PEOPLE THEIR DOGS BACK IF THEY COME TO THE SHELTER AND THEY SAY, THIS IS MY DOG.
IT IS COMMON FOR US TO ASK FOR PROOF, UH, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD FOLKS THAT SEE SOMETHING THAT'S HIGHLY, YOU KNOW, SOUGHT AFTER, ON OUR WEBPAGE AND COME IN AND STATE THAT THAT'S THEIR DOG.
AND THEN AN HOUR LATER, WE START MAKING ARRANGEMENTS, YOU KNOW, GET THE DOG SPAY AND NE AND GET IT BACK TO 'EM AN HOUR LATER, THE ACTUAL OWNER COMES IN WITH VERIFIED PROOF.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ALWAYS TRY TO ASK FOR PROOF.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, UH, MARK SLOPE HAD CALLED THIS THAT AFTERNOON TO TRY TO GET A BACK AHOLD OF HIM.
AND HE NEVER RETURNED CALLS AF THE DAY HE LEFT ON THE NIGHT.
DO YOU, I WILL SAY THAT HE, HE SAID HE DID NOT GET ANY MESSAGES FROM ANYONE AT AAC.
SO HE SAID, THAT'S, HE SAID, SHE SAID, HE SAID HE DIDN'T GET ANY MESSAGES.
UM, UH, CUZ I MEAN, THIS IS, THIS IS JUST, I THINK, CONCERNING AND I'M WORRIED.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, YES.
SO, UM, WHAT KIND OF DOG WAS CHARLIE OR CHIHUAHUA FLASH? A CHIHUAHUA.
SO YOU'RE SAYING A 10 TO 15 YEAR OLD CHIHUAHUA IS A HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER ANIMAL THAT SOMEONE WOULD COME IN TRYING TO GET, THIS IS NO.
I SAID WE'VE HAD THAT IN THE PAST.
THAT'S WHY WE ALWAYS ASK FOR PROOF.
SO IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS IN A HOUSE, FIRE LOSES EVERYTHING, THEIR DOG ESCAPES, THEIR CAT ESCAPES.
THEY HAVE NO PROOF THAT THAT'S THEIR ANIMAL AND YOU DO NOT LET THE ANIMAL COME UP TO THEM.
YOU DON'T LET THEM SEE THE ANIMAL.
HOW CAN YOU KNOW THAT THAT PERSON IS TRYING TO JUST GET AN ANIMAL? HOW DO YOU, I MEAN, THE FACT THAT HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO EVEN SEE THE DOG OR THE DOG WASN'T BROUGHT YOU, YOU COULD HAVE HAD ONE LESS DOG IN YOUR SHELTER THAT DAY.
AND I, YOU KNOW, NOT IN CONTROL OF EVERY, I CAN'T BE THERE WITH EVERY SINGLE PERSON AT EVERY SINGLE MOMENT, BUT YES, WE MAKE OUR EFFORTS TO TRY TO GET ANIMALS OUT OF THERE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY WE ADVOCATE FOR MICRO SHIPPING SO WE KNOW WHO THEY BELONG TO AND THEY CAN GO HOME.
WE, WE, WE RATHER HAVE THEM IN THE HOMES WHERE THEY'RE LOVED THAN, THAN THERE.
SO I, I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION, WHY THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
SO HAS, HAS THAT BEEN ADDRESSED SINCE THIS ISSUE? IF AN OWNER COMES IN WITHOUT PROOF, BUT SAYS THAT'S MY DOG, ARE THEY ALLOWED TO SEE THE DOG TO SEE IF THE DOG RUNS UP TO HIM, WAGGING TAIL? WE NORMALLY LET PEOPLE GO TO THE SHELTERS TO TRY TO FIND THEIR DOGS.
IF THEY'RE, WE HAVE A, IF, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, HEY, I HAVE THIS, YOU KNOW, BROWN TERRIER MIX LOOKING THING THAT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE THAT.
THEY GO BACK TO THOSE KENNELS AND SEE THAT DOG AND SEE IF THAT IS THEIR DOG.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A COMMON PRACTICE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED DURING THIS SITUATION.
I BELIEVE IT'S BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN TAGGED FOR TRANSPORT.
HE WOULD'VE BEEN PUT IN A NON-PUBLIC AREA.
UH, WAS HE IN A NON PUBLIC? HAD HE BEEN I, YES.
ACCORDING TO THE DATE HE HAD BEEN, UH, WHAT WAS THAT? IF YOU LOOK AT IT? WELL, YES.
IF, IF HE HAD BEEN TAGGED FOR TRANSPORT AND HE'S IN A NON-PUBLIC AREA, DO YOU LET THE PERSON SEE THE DOG, EVEN THOUGH HE'S BEEN TAGGED FOR TRANSPORT, IF HE, WHERE HE WAS AT AT SMALLVILLE, HE WOULD'VE STAYED THERE AND IT WOULD'VE HAD A TAG HUNT THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN SPOKEN FOR AND I'M NOT AVAILABLE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHEN HE WENT TO THE FOSTER PROGRAM.
UH, SO WHAT WAS THAT INFORMATION ABOUT SMALLVILLE? DID YOU HAVE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THAT? NO.
I MEAN, ALL I WAS GONNA OTHER REITERATE IS THAT THEY SHOWED THE EMPLOYEE, THE MICROCHIP NUMBER FOR THE DOG THAT CAME IN WITH HIM, DOLLY AND HAD A, SHOWED THE PICTURE OF THE TWO OF THEM TOGETHER.
DO YOU HAVE THAT PICTURE? I DO.
[02:30:01]
BECAUSE I HAVE THE TEXT SO I CAN SEE, I TEXTED HIM THIS PICTURE AND THIS IS WHAT HE SHOWED THEM.HE BROUGHT HIS MOTHER, HIS MOTHER SHOWED HER ID AND THEN NAME ON THE MICROCHIP MATCHED THIS DOG.
THIS IS FROM AUSTIN, LOST, FOUND PETS.
SO IF HE, IF HE WAS GONNA LIE, HE COULD HAVE SAID, I TOOK THIS PICTURE, BUT HE WOULDN'T DO THAT.
YEAH, I'M I, THIS IS A COMPLICATED SITUATION.
I'M JUST HOPING TO GET SOME, SO WHAT, WHAT DATE DID HE GO IN TO TRY TO? HE WENT IN ON THE NINTH.
HE WENT AND IT WAS, HE, I HAD TALKED TO HIM, I GUESS, ABOUT 11 AUGUST 9TH.
AND I HEARD HIM SAY TO SOMEONE, DO YOU WANT TO GO WITH ME TO, TO THE SHELTER? LET'S GO GET FLASH.
AND I ASSUMED THAT TURNED OUT TO BE HIS MOTHER.
AND THEN HE TEXTED ME BACK ABOUT ONE O'CLOCK AND SAID THEY WON'T LET ME HAVE FLASH BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY PICTURES OR VET RECORDS.
AND THEN HE SAID, HE SHOWED THEM THE MICROCHIP NUMBER.
HE SHOWED THEM THIS PHOTOGRAPH AND THEY BOTH SHOWED THEM THEIR IDS.
AND I, AND I KNOW IT CAN BE AN ISSUE BECAUSE AT, BECAUSE AT, YOU KNOW, AT BIG PLACES WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF STAFF, LIKE IF, IF ONE PERSON IS AWARE OF SOMETHING, LIKE NOT EVERYBODY IS NECESSARILY AWARE OF IT.
SO, BUT I KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE AT O UH, THAT AT HUMANE SOCIETY WERE DOLLY'S MICROCHIP HAD INDICATED.
SO THE MOTHER OF, OF DOLLY UHHUH ADOPTED DOLLY FROM THE AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY ABOUT NINE YEARS AGO.
AND SO WHEN, WHEN, AND, AND AAC WAS ABLE TO FIGURE THAT OUT, RIGHT? YES.
AND THEY CONTACTED AUSTIN, THE IMPLANT SOCIETY FACILITY.
BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET IN TOUCH WITH THE SCHEDULE WITH THE REGISTERED OWNER.
AND THEN I KNOW, WELL, FROM READING THE, THE MEMOS ABOUT IT, UM, AAC ASKED AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY.
CAN YOU ALSO TAKE THIS OTHER DOG THAT DOLLY WAS FOUND WITH? AND UNFORTUNATELY THEY DIDN'T HAVE ROOM BECAUSE YEAH.
THAT CHARLIE DID NOT COME FROM A RIGHT AUSTIN.
WELL, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY, YEAH.
SO WAS DOLLY RECLAIMED DOLLY WAS NOT RECLAIMED.
I TOLD THEM DOLLY WAS ALREADY GONE.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? DOLLY WAS GONE, BUT SHE HAD ALREADY BEEN GIVEN TO THE AUSTIN HUMANES SOCIETY.
OH, WAS DOLLY RECLAIMED FROM AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY? I DON'T BELIEVE SO, BUT I THINK IT WAS, IT WAS TOO LATE.
WHAT DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? SHE WAS THEIR DOG, BASICALLY.
SHE HAD ALREADY BEEN GIVEN TO THE AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY.
SHE WOULD HAD TO RE ADOPT THE DOG.
SO SHE DID, SHE RE ADOPTED THE DOG.
OH, SO SHE DID RECLAIM THE DOG.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK SHE'S, I DON'T THINK SHE'S RE ADOPTED THE DOG.
CUZ I WAS JUST, CAUSE I WAS THINKING RIGHT.
IF SOMEBODY AT AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY HAD KNOWN THAT THAT DOG WAS WITH ANOTHER DOG AT AAC AND THAT THEY HAD FINALLY HEARD FROM THE PERSON REGISTERED TO THE MICRO SHIP.
SO THAT'S WHY I THINK IT IS, IT IS KIND OF IMPORTANT TO KNOW.
SO I, I THINK HIS, HE, HE STATED HIS BIG CONCERN WAS HIS DOG.
WAS AND ON THE, AND HIS, HIS AGE UHHUH.
HE SAID I'VE HAD HIM, AT LEAST WE'VE HAD HIM AT LEAST SINCE 2008.
AND THEN, UM, WAS DOLLY'S MICROCHIP NUMBER ON THE AUSTIN LOST AUSTIN FOUND POST AT ALL? NO.
THEY DON'T PUT MICROCHIP NUMBERS ON AUSTIN LOST AND FOUND POST.
WELL, SOMETIMES PEOPLE DO, BUT WE ASKED THEM VERY RARELY TOOK IT OFF.
SO, BUT I RESEARCHED IT AND SAW IT WAS REGISTERED TO JULIA MCGUIRE.
HAVE YOU, HAVE YOU SEEN ZACHARIA'S ID? DOES HE HAVE, I ASSUME HE HAS AN ID BECAUSE HE DRIVES.
SO THE, THE IT'S I MAYBE I'M WRONG.
OH, SOMEONE WHO DID PALMER PALMER HAD A QUESTION GO PALMER.
UM, AND SO DON, IF THERE IS, AND, AND MAYBE THINGS HAVE CHANGED, IF THERE'S A POTENTIAL OWNER OR A, A POSSIBLE OWNER, DO YOU STILL MAINTAIN A TAG LIST OR A RECLAIM LIST AT THE SHELTER OF ANIMALS THAT HAVE POTENTIAL OWNERS IDENTIFY THAT YOU'LL BE TRYING TO CONTINUE TO REACH? YES.
ALL THOSE ANIMALS THAT COME IN MICROCHIP, THEY DO GO ON A TAG LIST AND WE TRY TO CONTACT ALL OF THEM.
[02:35:01]
THAT ARE MICRO CHIPPED OR IS IT ALSO ANIMALS THAT YOU MIGHT RECEIVE INFORMATION ABOUT A POTENTIAL OWNER SAY FROM A FINDER OR FROM A NEIGHBOR OR FROM SOMEONE THAT CAME DOWN AND SAW THE ANIMAL AT THE SHELTER? JASON WAS ANSWERING THAT? UM, YEAH, IF WE GET ANY INFORMATION ABOUT A DOG WHILE IT'S ON RECLAIM, I MEAN, OUR APOS ARE TRYING TO POTENTIALLY WORK ON ANY, ALL IN ALL LEADS THAT WE CAN GET IN ORDER TO, TO, SO WAS, WAS CHARLIE OR FLASH PUT ON THE RECLAIM OR TAG LIST? AND IF SO FOR HOW LONG? IT, IT LOOKS LIKE HE CAME IN ON THE FIRST AND STAYED ON STRAIGHT WEIGHT UNTIL THE, UNTIL THE FIFTH.UM, I DO SEE SOME NOTES FROM OUR APOS.
UM, YEAH, BEVERLY, I GUESS THE QUESTION WOULD BE, WHEN DID, WHEN WAS, DID AUSTIN AUSTIN FOUND NOTIFYING MARK AND WAS THE DOG THEN PUT ON, UH, RECLAIM OR TAG LIST? AND IF SO, HOW LONG TO STAY ON THERE AND WHAT OTHER ATTEMPTS WERE MADE ON THE EIGHTH? AND THEN AGAIN, ONCE I WAS NOTIFIED THAT HE HAD DIFFICULTY RETRIEVING THIS DOG, AND I SAID TO MARK, WHO WOULD, WHO WOULD TRY TO, TO CLAIM A 14 OR 15 YEAR OLD DOG IS THEIRS? UM, I JUST GOT NO RESPONSE WHATSOEVER FROM MARK, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT, BUT IT WAS A WHILE BEFORE HE SAW MY FACEBOOK MESSAGE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT FACEBOOK FRIENDS AND THE MOTHER, HER TELEPHONE NUMBER HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED.
AND IN THE, IN THE PAST, UM, ANIMALS COMING IN TOGETHER, EVEN IF THEY'RE BOTH NOT MICRO CHIPPED, THAT MIGHT BE AN INDICATION OF A POSSIBLE OWNER.
IS THAT CORRECT? I GUESS JASON, FROM WHEN I WAS MORE, UH, UH, IN INVOLVED IN THE DAY TO DAY OF THE SHELTER.
IF, IF THEY COME IN TOGETHER, UM, THEN YEAH, IT THERE'S POTENTIALLY THAT THEY MAY COME FROM THE OWNER.
AND SO, UM, I THINK WITH, WITH THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WHEN WE FOUND THE, THE, THE, THE CHIP AND IT WORKED IT BACK TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY, WE, WE WORKED ON THE MAIN SOCIETY AS A POSSIBLE RECLAIM FOR THE, FOR CHARLIE.
UM, UM, BUT SO DID, DID CHARLIE HAVE ANY NOTES ON HIS RECORD THAT SAID HE CAME IN WITH A DOG, WITH A MICROCHIP REGISTERED TO SOANDSO? YES, THERE ARE.
I CAME IN THE, YEAH, IT SAYS, CAME IN WITH DOLLY WHO HAD A CHIP.
DOES IT HAVE THE OWNER'S NAME ON THE, YOU DON'T NEED TO GIVE ME THE NAME, BUT DID IT HAVE DOLLY'S OWNER'S NAME? UH, IT LOOKS LIKE IT DID, AND WE CALLED THE NUMBER, BUT, UH, BUT SO IF, IF THE GENTLEMAN HAD COME IN INQUIRING ABOUT FLASH OR CHARLIE WITH THE MOTHER, THE, THE MOTHER'S NAME WOULD'VE BEEN, IT SOUNDS LIKE ON CHARLIE OR FLASH'S RECORD, IS THAT CORRECT? AS A POTENTIAL, UH, UM, RELATIONSHIP FOR A POSSIBLE OWNER? I MEAN, I WOULD HAVE TO VERIFY WITH THE APOS, BUT YEAH, I THINK THEY WOULD DO THAT.
IT LOOKS LIKE WITH THIS THOUGH, WE DIDN'T GET, UM, A RESPONSE AND WE TOOK OUR, TOOK DOLLY AT LEAST OFF RECLAIMING.
SO THEN CHARLIE, UM, UH, ON THE SIXTH.
I'M SORRY, BUT DOES CHARLIE'S RECORD SAY THAT HE CAME IN WITH A DOG NAMED DOLLY WITH THE MICROCHIP REGISTERED TO SO AND SO, YES.
BLIND, IF, UM, SOMEONE DOES WALK AROUND AND THE DOG JUMPS ALL OVER HIM AND THEY SAY, OH, IT'S MY DOG.
UM, THEY WOULD STILL BE REQUIRED TO SHOW PROOF.
WOULDN'T YOU CONSIDER THE MICROCHIP, IF THE DOG CAME IN TOGETHER, WOULDN'T IT GENERALLY BE CONSIDERED ENOUGH PROOF THAT THEY HAD THE MICROCHIP NUMBER OF THE OTHER DOG AND THEY HAD THE ID OF THE PERSON THAT THE DOG IS MICROCHIP TO.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH PROOF YOU WANT WHEN SOMEONE HAS LOST THEIR HOME, PARTICULARLY, EXCUSE ME, BUT IT'S STILL THE ISSUE OF, WE STILL HAVE TO LOOK AT THE RECORD TO SEE IF THAT CONVERSATION CONVERSATION ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE.
SO THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE HERE.
UM, SO, UM, MY NEXT QUESTION IS, UM, IF SOMEONE DID WANNA RECLAIM, UH, A DOG AND SAID, HEY, LOOK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS MY DOG, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE IT KNOWS ME.
UM, BUT I NEED TO GET MY VET RECORDS.
AND MY VET'S NOT, I IT'S GONNA TAKE TWO DAYS TO GET THEM.
YOU WOULD HOLD, WOULD YOU HOLD THE DOG FOR ANOTHER TWO DAYS, UM, WHERE WE'D SEE, LIKE ON THE KENNEL CARD WHERE IT SAYS HOLD EXTENDED OR SOMETHING, IS THAT ABSOLUTELY.
[02:40:01]
SEE, THAT IS COMMON PRACTICE, UM, FOR HOLDS FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.UM, VARIOUS REASONS I SHOULD SAY.
UM, AND THEN, UM, IF DURING THE TIME A PERIOD WHERE THE DOG IS TAGGED FOR TRANSPORT AND ACTUALLY TRANSPORTS, UM, IF THE OWNER SHOWS UP, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE DOG WOULD BE RETURNED TO THE OWNER.
IF THE OWNER SHOWED PROOF OF, UM, OWNERSHIP, EVEN THOUGH AT THAT POINT, THE DOG IS OWNED BY AAC.
AAC WOULD PULL IT FROM TRANSPORT.
OH, I DON'T DISAGREE THAT THAT'S THE PROCESS.
I'M SAYING THAT IT APPEARS TO ME AND I CERTAINLY DON'T CAN'T SEE ANY REASON THIS MAN WOULD LIE.
I, I, I THINK THERE'S AN EQUITY QUESTION HERE.
UH, THIS GENTLEMAN HAD LOST HIS HOME AND HE WAS LIVING, UH, APPARENTLY HE WAS LIVING IN HOTELS OR SOMETHING.
AND, UH, HIS, HE HAD GOTTEN A NEW PHONE AND HE COULDN'T TRANSFER THE PICTURES FROM THE OLD PHONE TO THE NEW PHONE.
HE, HE SAID THAT IN HIS, UM, STATEMENT.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST, UH, I, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHY STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES ARE A GOOD THING, YOU KNOW, SO THAT IF I DON'T KNOW WHO THIS PERSON WAS, WHO HE TALKED TO, BUT IF THEY'RE LIKE A NEW HIRE OR NOT, AS YOU KNOW, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, IS, IS AS TOP AN EMPLOYER, SOMETHING, YOU HAVE A PROCEDURE BY WHICH SAID, LOOK, THIS IS WHAT YOU DO.
SO THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO RATHER THAN JUST TELL 'EM NO, YOU CAN'T SEE THE DOG.
YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE, AND, AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO INVESTIGATE THIS BECAUSE THIS SUPERVISOR IS A TENURE EMPLOYEE.
THAT'S BEEN THERE DOING THIS AS A SUPERVISOR FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
SO THAT'S WHY I TOOK THIS AS YOU KNOW.
SO, SO YOU THINK, YOU KNOW WHO IT IS BASED ON HIS DESCRIPTION? NO, WE KNOW WHO THE EMPLOYEE WAS THAT SPOKE WITH HIM.
WHO SAID THEY SPOKE TO HIM? YES.
AND YOU CAN PULL THE CAMERA WE YOU'RE GONNA ATTEMPT TO.
BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST WILL SAY THIS, THAT, THAT WHEN THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SERVICES, THE SHELTER, PARTICULARLY NO KILL SHELTER SERVES IS THAT THEY GET, THEY LOOK AT ANIMALS AS FAMILY AND THEY TRY AND KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER.
I MEAN, AND IF YOU FAIL TO DO THAT, I MEAN, EVEN BY MISTAKE OR BY ACCIDENT, I MEAN, I'M NOT EVEN TRYING NO BLAME OR POINTING FINGERS, BUT IF THAT BEGINS TO BREAK DOWN, YOU BEGIN TO LOSE SUPPORT FOR THE SHELTER, FROM THE PEOPLE YOU NEED TO GET THE SUPPORT FROM.
AND SO THAT'S PROBABLY MY, MY BIGGEST CONCERN.
AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THEN THIS SPREADS AROUND AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD PSA MOMENT FOR MICRO SHIPPING, YOUR PET.
UH, THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO.
OF COURSE NOT, NOT EVERYBODY DOES IT.
AND THEN YOU PUT STUFF ON THE INTERNET AND NOT EVERYBODY HAS A COMPUTER AND YOU WANT A PICTURE ON A PHONE AND NOT EVERYBODY HAS A PHONE.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? YEAH.
MOST PEOPLE DO THE MAJORITY DOES, BUT ARE ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS? YES.
UM, I HAD A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
THE FIRST IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE, I THINK ONE OF THE, UH, RECEIVING SHELTERS WHO WAS ASKED TO SPEAK TONIGHT IN FAVOR OF THE TRANSPORT PROGRAM HAD SPOKEN, UM, SHE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT, AND I MAY HAVE WRITTEN IT DOWN SLIGHTLY INCORRECTLY, BUT SOMETHING ABOUT WE, WE ONLY WANT ANIMALS TRANSPORTED TO US, YOU KNOW, TO SAVE THEM.
UM, AND IT, IT SEEMS PRETTY CLEAR HERE THAT, THAT, THAT WASN'T THE CASE THAT THE, THIS ANIMAL DIDN'T NEED TO BE SAVED BY AN OUT-OF-STATE RESCUE.
THAT, UH, THERE WAS SOMEONE HERE WHILE THE ANIMAL IS STILL IN THE ANIMAL SHELTER'S CUSTODY WHO CAME FORWARD, UM, WITH SOME EVIDENCE, UH, THAT IT WAS THEIR ANIMAL.
AND IT, I THINK HAS BEEN, HAS BEEN STATED.
IT WAS A, AT LEAST ACCORDING TO THE SHELTER, 10 YEAR OLD DOG, UM, THIS ISN'T ONE THAT I THINK PEOPLE WOULD RACE TO THE SHELTER TO LIE ABOUT, UM, THEIR ANIMAL.
I THINK, UH, WE HAVE TO BE, I DO AGREE WITH YOU CHAIR THAT WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN WE ASSUME WHAT IS EVIDENCE, WHAT EVIDENCE A NORMAL PERSON WOULD HAVE, UH, ABOUT, UH, THEIR ANIMAL, UM, PHONES ARE PHONES ARE DANG EXPENSIVE, AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY HAS, UM, IPHONES OR, OR EVEN SAMSUNGS OR, OR, OR WHATEVER ELSE.
UM, SO I THINK WHERE THE SYSTEM BROUGHT DOWN HERE IS THAT THIS WAS AN
[02:45:01]
ANIMAL THAT DIDN'T NEED TO BE ON TRANSPORT.AND THAT'S ASIDE FROM THE ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED NOW ABOUT THE AGE OF THE ANIMAL.
UM, BUT THIS WAS AN ANIMAL THAT DIDN'T NEED TO BE ON TRANSPORT, MIGHT MY FEAR.
AND ONE OF MY FEARS THROUGHOUT THIS TRANSPORT HAS BEEN THAT WE ARE FAVORING, UM, OUT OF CITY, OUT OF STATE, NON TAXPAYERS OVER TAXPAYERS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEEN CURED, BUT I STILL, I HAVE A REAL BIG PROBLEM WITH OUT OF STATE RESCUES, BEING ABLE TO PUT, HOLDS ON ANIMALS DURING THE WHOLE PERIOD, BUT ADOPTEES NOT BEING ABLE TO, I THINK THAT'S ADOPTERS NOT BEING ABLE TO.
I HOPE THAT'S BEEN CHANGED NOW.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE FAVORING PEOPLE OUT OF STATE OVER OUR OWN LOCAL TAXPAYERS.
AND, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN SOMEONE COMES IN, UM, TRYING TO RECLAIM, UH, 10 TO 15 YEAR OLD, 10, 10 AT THE YOUNGEST, ACCORDING TO THE SHELTER, 15 OR MORE, ACCORDING TO THE OWNER, WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO RECLAIM AN ANIMAL, LET'S DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO HELP THEM BE REUNITED WITH THE ANIMAL.
I DON'T, I THINK THAT WE SOMETIMES ALSO DON'T REALIZE HOW WE COME ACROSS.
IF WE SAY TO SOMEBODY, SHOW ME PROOF.
HE MAY HAVE WALKED OUT THAT MAY, THE VIDEO MAY SHOW THAT TO ME, IT ACTUALLY DOESN'T DOESN'T MATTER.
AND THAT HE SAID, OR SHE SAID, UH, SOMEONE CLAIM CAME IN TO TRY TO RECLAIM A, AT LEAST 10 YEAR OLD ANIMAL, UH, AND PREVENT IT FROM GOING ALL THE WAY TO CANADA ON A, ON, IN A TRUCK OR A CAR OR WHATEVER, UM, EASILY WE COULD HAVE PUT ANOTHER ANIMAL IN THAT TRANSPORT.
I, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WOULD'VE EVEN PAUSED TO TRY TO FORCE THAT PERSON TO COME UP WITH BETTER, UH, EVIDENCE.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF SOMEONE'S COMING TO RECLAIM AN ANIMAL THAT IS NOT A, YOU KNOW, GOLDEN RETRIEVER PUPPY OR A GOLDEN DOODLE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UM, THAT WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO, TO GET THAT ANIMAL BACK INTO THEIR HOME AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO THINK.
I HAVE A FIRST OF ALL, I'M SO SORRY THIS HAPPENED.
I THINK IT WAS A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE INTERVENTIONS THAT COULD HAVE GONE DIFFERENTLY, UM, FROM THE TRANSPORTATION SIDE OF THINGS.
I'M CURIOUS IF THERE IS CURRENTLY A, UM, AGREEMENT WITH THE RECEIVING SHELTERS IN PLACE, WHEN YOU DO HAVE AN UNEXPECTED DEATH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A PARVO OUTBREAK AND THOSE ARE FAIRLY EASY TO PROVE THROUGH TESTING, BUT IS THERE A SYSTEM IN PLACE FOR A KNEE CROP SCENE? SO AN EXAM OF AN ANIMAL BY A PROFESSIONAL AFTER THEY'VE PASSED, IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR AGAIN.
SO IF THERE IS AN OUTBREAK OF SOMETHING THAT'S UNDERLYING, OR IF IT'S A PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION OF SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T DETECT BEFORE THE ANIMAL WAS TRANSPORTED, IS THERE A WAY TO GET CONCISE ANSWERS ON THESE, IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN AGAIN SO WE CAN, YOU KNOW, USE IT TO IMPROVE PROGRAMS, OR JUST TO HAVE AN ANSWER IN THAT SITUATION? I WOULD ASSUME THAT THE RECEIVING SHELTER, AS LONG AS WE FOOTED THE BILL FOR IT, THAT THEY WOULD PROBABLY ARRANGE THAT.
BUT WE'D HAVE TO ASK, UH, I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT THIS, THIS PARTICULAR DOG, UH, YOU HEARD THE RESCUE SAY THAT WE PULLED A DOG OFF, OUR BETS DID.
AND, UH, THIS WAS A LAST MINUTE SUBSTITUTION AND THIS ANIMAL WAS ON THE FLOOR AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC IN PUBLIC VIEW FOR TWO DAYS, WITHOUT ANY ADOPTIONS BEFORE THEY DID TAG IT.
I, I CAN SAY THAT I SAW ON THE CLASSIC CANINES PAGE, THEY SAID THAT THE DOG WAS ON THE FLOOR FOR TWO HOURS BECAUSE CLASSIC CANINES WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT IT.
THAT'S HOW I FIRST LEARNED THE DOG WAS ON TRANSPORT, NANCY NA UH, COMMISSIONER NEER.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, OR THANK YOU CHAIR.
UM, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED BECAUSE I, I THOUGHT THAT I'VE HEARD THAT THAT DOG WAS ACTUALLY IN FOSTER WITH, UH, ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS HERE.
AND IN FACT, SHE HAD NOTICED THAT THE DOG WAS COUGHING AND HAVING PROBLEMS WHILE IT WAS ON A LEASH.
AND WHETHER SHE FAILED TO TELL SOMEBODY OR THE VETS FAILED TO GET THE CORRECT INFORMATION, IT WAS KNOWN THAT THIS DOG WAS HAVING MEDICAL ISSUES PRIOR TO TRANSPORTATION.
AND I'M TRYING TO DECIDE WHERE THE BREAKDOWN CAME FROM.
DID COMMISSIONER NOR NORRIS NOT, UM, GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION, THAT THE DOG WAS ILL OR DID YOUR VETERINARIANS FAIL TO YIELD TO HER CONCERNS? OR WHERE WAS THE BREAKDOWN?
[02:50:01]
UH, LESS, LESS ASKED COMMISSIONER NORTON TO CLARIFY THAT SINCE SHE WAS THE FOSTER, UM, THE DOG WAS NOT ILL AND THE DOG DID NOT HAVE A COUGH.UM, CHARLIE LIKE MANY SMALL DOGS AND THE SMALL DOGS I'VE HAD.
UM, WHEN I, HE WAS PERFECTLY FINE BRINGING HIM HOME, UH, WHEN WE PUT HIM ON A SLIP LEASH AND HE WENT OUT, HE WAS, HE HAD A LOT OF ENERGY AND HE WAS REALLY FAST AND HE PULLED AND IT CAUSED HIM TO COUGH LIKE DOGS DO WHEN THEY LITTLE DOGS DO.
UM, I'VE LEARNED BECAUSE I HELP IN SMALLVILLE, UM, AT AAC TO WRAP THE LEASH ON HIM.
SO, UM, HE, UH, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE, SO I GAVE HIM, UH, WARM, UH, SOME WARM FOOD THAT TO HELP US THROW OUT, WHICH WORKED FOR MY OTHER DOG, WHO HAD THIS PRO WHO HAD A, UM, OCCASIONAL COUGHING.
AND, UH, HE WAS FINE AFTER THAT.
UM, I DROVE HIM IN, UM, FROM MY HOUSE.
WE HAD HIM PROBABLY UP TO AN HOUR BEFORE HE TRANSPORTED.
UM, HE WAS NOT, ABSOLUTELY NOT COUGHING AT ALL.
UM, TO GIVE YOU A DIFFERENCE, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER NEER, UM, A COUPLE WEEKS PRIOR TO THAT, WE HAD ANOTHER SMALL DOG AND, UM, HE WAS GOING TO TRANSPORT AND HE STARTED COUGHING.
I WAS, UM, CONCERNED ABOUT THE COUGH.
I CONTACTED THE TRANSPORT TEAM VET SERVICES, SAW HIM, UM, UH, LATER THAT AFTERNOON, I THINK, OR THE NEXT DAY, UM, HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION AND TAKEN OFF OF THE TRANSPORT.
AND I ACTUALLY DIDN'T KEEP HIM BECAUSE I CANNOT HAVE, UH, YOUR EYE DOG IN MY HOUSE.
I HAD A 16 YEAR OLD, UM, CHIHUAHUA AT THE TIME.
UM, SO I WAS VERY, UH, ATTUNED TO THAT.
UM, I ALSO TO, UM, COMMISSIONER CLINTON ABOUT TRYING EVERYTHING, WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD TO CALL HIM FLASH.
WE WENT IN DIFFERENT ROOMS. HE NEVER RESPONDED TO THE NAME FLASH.
HE DIDN'T RESPOND TO THE NAME, CHARLIE, BUT HE DID NOT RESPOND TO THE NAME FLASH.
UM, SO WE, UM, TRIED TO DO THAT AS FAR AS THE COMMENT THAT HE WAS.
CAN WE GET BACK TO MY QUESTION? I DON'T THINK THIS IS YOUR TIME, JOANNE.
SO FOR YOUR QUESTION, NO, HE WAS NOT SICK IF HE, IF I THOUGHT HE WAS, ISN'T IT TRUE.
COMMISSIONER NORTON, ISN'T IT TRUE THAT YOU TOLD COMMISSIONER NASER THAT YOU WERE CONCERNED THAT YOU THOUGHT THE DOG WAS SICK AND THAT YOU GAVE HIM COUGH MEDICINE TO TRY AND HELP HIM? OH, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
I DID NOT GIVE HIM COUGH MEDICINE.
I WOULD NEVER GIVE AN ANIMAL COUGH MEDICINE WITHOUT GOING THROUGH VET SERVICES.
I DON'T EVEN HAVE COUGH MEDICINE FOR ANIMALS AT HOME.
UM, WE, UH, I RELAYED TO THE TRANSPORT TEAM WHEN I DROPPED HIM OFF THAT, UM, HE SHOULD TRAVEL WITH THE HARNESS BECAUSE HE HAS THAT TYPICAL THING THAT SMALL DOGS GET IF YOU PULL ON, BECAUSE HE'S SO FAST.
AND HE HAS SO MUCH ENERGY THAT IF HE PULLS ON THE LEASH, HE'LL START COUGHING.
SO I REQUESTED THAT HE TRANSPORT WITH THE HARNESS, BUT I NEVER SAID HE WAS SICK.
I NEVER GAVE HIM ANY MEDICINE.
THIS DOG WAS COMPLETELY HEALTHY.
DID, DID YOU TELL, HE HAD COMMISSIONER THAT WOULD BE UNTRUE? DID, DID, DID YOU TELL ME HE HAD AN, AN INJURY ON THE NECK OR SOMETHING? I SAID THAT IT LOOKED LIKE HE HAD HAD SCARRING FROM POSSIBLY AN EMBEDDED COLLAR.
UM, I JUST HAPPENED TO NOTICE THAT WHEN I LOOKED AT HIS SPUR ONE DAY, UM, AND SO THAT MADE ME EVEN MORE CONCERNED TO NOT PUT, UM, UH, LEASH AROUND HIS, AROUND HIS NECK.
BUT THAT'S A TYPICAL THING THAT WE DO WITH SMALL DOGS, EVEN AT THE SHELTER, WE TRY NOT TO PUT SLIP LECHES AROUND THEIR NECK.
UM, AND THAT HAPPENS WITH BIG DOGS.
I HAD A DOG WHO HAD THE EXACT SAME REACTIONS, CHARLIE, AND HE WEIGHED 65 POUNDS.
HE PULLED REALLY FAST WITH A, WITH A SLIP COLLAR ON HE COUGHED, AND THEN HE EVENTUALLY CALM, CALMED DOWN.
IT WAS THE SAME THING WITH CHARLIE.
SO, NO, I DIDN'T, I ABSOLUTELY DID NOT TELL CRAIG, UH, COMMISSIONER NASER THAT THE DOG WAS SICK, THAT IT HAD A COLD OR THAT I GAVE IT ANY MEDICINE AT ALL.
UH LET'S UH, ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES.
UM, DO WE KNOW WHAT DAY THE DOG ARRIVED IN CANADA? IT'S IN THE AUGUST 13TH, AUGUST 13TH.
SO THE DOG WAS FIRST TAKEN TO A VETERINARIAN THERE ON AUGUST 16TH.
UM, IT WAS, IT WAS TREATED FOR A COUPLE DAYS, UH, BY A GENERAL PRACTITIONER.
UM, IT WAS, THEN IT WA IT THEN WENT TO AN EMERGENCY HOSPITAL AND A REFERRAL HOSPITAL AND NEVER SAW A SPECIALIST.
UM, IT WAS TREATED THERE FOR THREE DAYS AND DISCHARGED AND GONE HOME, CUZ IT, IT WAS DOING WELL.
[02:55:01]
IT, IT APPEARS SEVERAL DAYS LATER IT WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE, TO THE GENERAL PRACTITIONER AND EUTHANIZED.UM, AND THERE'S NO INDICATION ANYWHERE IN THE RECORD THAT A COLLAPSING TRACHEA ISSUE WAS, YOU KNOW, BEFORE IT WAS SAID THAT THE DOG COULDN'T RECEIVE APPROPRIATE TREATMENT BECAUSE IT HAD A COLLAPSING TRACHEA AND THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
THAT'S NOT ANYWHERE IN THIS RECORD.
THAT'S NOT ANYTHING I'VE EVER SEEN.
UM, AND, AND, AND SO THIS, THIS, THIS DOG WAS IN CANADA FOR THREE DAYS BEFORE IT WAS TAKEN TO THE VET.
IT THAT, UH, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT WHAT, UM, THERE WAS, THERE IS A FACEBOOK POST FROM THE RESCUE MM-HMM
I HAVE THE DOG'S FULL RECORDS, FULL MEDICAL RECORDS FROM CANADA.
I'M TALKING, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A MEDICAL RECORD.
I'M TALKING ABOUT A FACEBOOK POST.
WELL, FROM THE PEOPLE FROM THE RESCUE WHO RECEIVED THE DOG, RIGHT? SO I, I WOULD, I WOULD TRUST A MEDICAL RECORD OVER A FACEBOOK POST.
IT DEPENDS ON WHEN THE MEDIC, WELL, THE MEDICAL RECORD ESTIMATED HE WAS 10 YEARS OLD, SO I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY DO THAT.
NO, THERE'S NO BIOLOGICAL BASIS FOR BEING ABLE TO AGE A DOG OVER 10 YEARS.
BUT YOU SAID YOU'D TRUST A, A MEDICAL RECORD AND I CHOSE TRUST A MEDICAL RECORD OVER A FACEBOOK POST, ABSOLUTELY POINT OF ORDER, POINT OF ORDER, POINT, POINT OF ORDER, POINT OF ORDER, UH, COMMISSIONER NE NI IS GETTING WAY BEYOND.
YEAH, THIS IS A, THIS IS NOT, UH, THIS IS NOT A DEBATE ON A MOTION, BUT I AGREE.
I AGREE THAT LET'S JUST DROP IT CUZ WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION HERE AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE SPENDING TIME ARGUING.
THAT'S WHAT A MEDICAL VETERINARY MEDICAL DOES.
THAT'S THAT'S THAT LET'S DROP IT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE HAVE EVER WANT TO HEAR FROM ME, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER MITCHELL.
UM, I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, THE, THE FIRST AND THEY'RE NOT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT FLASH, UM, IT'S JUST ABOUT THE TRANSPORT PROGRAM.
SO IS THE TRANSPORT PROGRAM LARGELY USED? I MEAN, WHAT, AGAIN, KIND OF SIMILAR QUESTION TO WHAT I ASKED BEFORE, WHAT'S THE MAKEUP OF THE DOGS GETTING TRANSPORTED? ARE YOU TRANSPORTING MANY MEDIUM OR LARGER DOGS OR IS IT PRETTY MUCH THE SMALLER DOGS? LIKE, LIKE FLASH, WE CAN PULL THAT UP AND, AND GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION, THE BREAKDOWN.
BUT, UH, WE DO TRANSPORT, UH, QUITE A FEW MEDIUM AND LARGE DOGS AND WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE THAT SOME OF OUR, UH, LONGER STAY DOGS AND DOGS WITH SOME, UH, BEHAVIOR CHALLENGES HAVE ACTUALLY GONE ON TRANSPORT WITH SOME OF THESE RESCUE GROUPS.
SO I'M SORRY, JUST TO CLARIFY THEN BY QUITE A FEW, DO YOU MEAN LIKE ROUGHLY HALF OR I, I JUST DUNNO WHAT THAT MEANS.
JASON WILL HAVE TO PULL THE NUMBER TO GIVE YOU THE BREAKDOWN.
I CAN'T RECALL RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, ALL THE ANIMALS THAT WE'VE SENT TO TRANSPORT AND WHAT THE MAKEUP WOULD BE, CUZ I DON'T DON JASON DEAL WITH THAT.
JASON, DO YOU HAVE ANY ANECDOTAL AS YOU DID BEFORE ON THAT, DO YOU WANNA WAIT TO PULL IT UP? IT'S I MEAN, YOU KNOW, ME, I'M ALWAYS LIKE TRUST AND VERIFY.
UM, IT IT'S A GOOD MIX OF, OF, OF MEDIUM TO LARGE DOGS.
UM, BUT I'LL RUN THE REPORT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, BREAK, GIVE YOU THE BREAKDOWN TOMORROW.
AND THEN REALLY MY ONLY OTHER QUESTION IS I, I, I DON'T REMEMBER IN PAST YEARS HAVING A TRANSPORT PROGRAM OR HAVING IT PLAY MUCH OF A ROLE, I MEAN, IS THIS A PRETTY, IT'S A FAIRLY RECENT THING FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I'M CORRECT IN THAT, CUZ I, I JUST DON'T REMEMBER AS DOING NEAR THE AMOUNT OF TRANSPORT THAT'S GOING ON NOW.
IF, IF ANY, UM, AND MAYBE, MAYBE SOMEONE CAN ANSWER THAT MAYBE NOT.
AND MAYBE I'LL JUST THROW IT OUT THERE AS A STATEMENT, BUT I, I JUST DON'T REMEMBER TRANSPORT BEING A LARGE PART OF THE EQUATION.
THE, THE WAY WE CLEARED THE SHELTERS WAS ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, THE FOSTER PROGRAM AND FOSTER TO ADOPT.
AND SO I'M, IS THIS SORT OF A NEW PRACTICE IN WITH YOU GUYS WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION ONLY GOING OUT OF STATE? UH, WE'VE TRANSPORTED, UH, LOTS OF DOGS IN STATE, UH, AND YOU KNOW, LOCAL AS WELL AS WITHIN THE STATE, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS BEFORE I GOT HERE.
AND SO JUST THE OUT-OF-STATE TRANSPORT IS SOMETHING THAT'S NEW.
THANKS FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
[03:00:01]
HAVE, UH, TWO QUESTIONS REAL QUICK.ONE BACK TO FLASH HAVING ENDED UP ON TRANSPORT, HE COULD, WOULD'VE BEEN A, A CANDIDATE FOR RTO ADOPT IF HE DIDN'T HAVE PROOF OF OWNERSHIP, CORRECT.
SINCE HIS STRAIGHT HOLD HAS PASSED AND HE WAS THE PROPERTY OF THE CITY, HE WAS AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION, UH, ON THE FLOOR BEFORE.
SO WAS THAT OFFERED TO, DO WE KNOW IF THAT WAS OFFERED TO THE OWNER? WE'D HAVE TO INVESTIGATE THAT.
SO THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ANOTHER WAY WITHOUT PROOF IF HE WANTED TO TAKE THE DOG HOME, WOULD'VE BEEN THROUGH ADOPTION.
AND THEN ONE OTHER QUESTION IS I, I HAD, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE, THE TRANSPORT PROGRAM FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW AND I GUESS I'VE HAD SOME TROUBLE GETTING INFORMATION ON IT.
I HAD REQUESTED, UH, STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR THE TRANSPORT PROGRAM AND I'M GUESSING SINCE I FILED A PIR AND IT WAS, UM, RESPONDED TO THAT THERE ARE NO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
ALL I RECEIVED WAS A CHECKLIST.
AND THEN A SPREADSHEET THAT ORIGINATED ON THIS DIFFERENT SHELTERS FROM AUSTIN PETS LIVE OR AMERICAN PETS ALIVE.
WOULD THAT BE CORRECT AT THAT TIME? THAT WAS CORRECT.
WE HAVE, UH, WORKED ON, UH, THE SO P DEALING WITH THE AGES THAT WE WOULD SEND ON TRANSPORT, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, PUPPIES AS WELL AS OLD DOGS AND THAT'S BEING FINALIZED.
UM, SO AT THAT TIME YOU PROBABLY REQUESTED THAT THAT'S ALL WE HAD.
IT WAS LIKE THREE WEEKS AGO THAT I REQUESTED IT.
SO WE HAD, WE'VE HAD NO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR THE YEAR PLUS THAT THE PROGRAM'S BEEN RUNNING.
NO MA'AM ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY A POINT THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER NEWHOUSE BROUGHT UP.
UM, I DID ASK IF, UM, HE WAS, WHEN I SAW THE POST ABOUT HIM, IF I NEEDED TO RETURN HIM AND THAT WOULD HE BE AN RTO ADOPT, UM, AND WAS TOLD, UM, THAT WOULD BE AN RTO ADOPT, BUT THEY HAD TO WAIT TO HAVE PROOF THAT, UM, THE, UH, PROOF OF OWNERSHIP, WHICH IS THE ISSUE AND, UM, THAT WAS NEVER ESTABLISHED.
AND SO I NEVER BROUGHT HIM BACK TO FOR AN RTO ADOPT, BUT IT WOULD, BUT TO YOUR QUESTION, WOULD HE HAVE BEEN AN RTO ADOPT IN MY UNDERSTANDING YES.
FROM MY CONVERSATION WITH THE TRANSPORT TEAM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? OKAY, WELL, LET'S MOVE ALONG THEN.
I HOPE WE'VE ALL LEARNED SOMETHING.
UH, SO NOW WE'RE GOING ON TO LET'S SEE, UH,
[10. Discussion and Possible Action on the Austin Animal Center Space Crisis]
DISCUSSION AND A POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE AUSTIN SPACE ANIMAL CRISIS.NUMBER 10, WE HAVE A FEW PEOPLE WHO STILL WANT TO TE SPEAK.
IF THEY'RE STILL WITH US, UH, UH, NEHA CAR.
I DON'T THINK THEY WERE EVER HERE.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE.
LET'S LET'S DO THE ONLINE ONE FIRST.
CAN YOU HEAR ME AWESOME? WE GOT YOU.
CAN YOU Y'ALL HEAR ME? YES, YES.
I'M A CURRENT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER EMPLOYEE AND FORMER EMPLOYEE OF AUSTIN PET LIVE.
I'VE WORKED IN THE AUSTIN SHELTER WORLD FOR ROUGHLY FOUR YEARS.
SO I DO WORK PRIMARILY WITH CATS.
I DO WITNESS THE AWFUL OVERCROWDING OF LARGE DOGS EVERY DAY.
I WALK THROUGH THE HALLS AND SEE THE KENNELS.
I SEE THE PAIN AND NOT ONLY THE DOG'S EYES, BUT ALSO IN THE EYES OF MY COWORKER WHO, WHO CARE AND GIVE SO MUCH.
I FEEL LIKE AUSTIN LIVE CURRENT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY IS CONTRIBUTING TO OUR PROBLEM.
AUSTIN PET LIVE SITS ON CITY, PROPERTY AND FUNCTIONS.
THANKS TO THE VOLUNTEERS, DONORS AND FOSTERS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEIR WORKFORCE IS THE AUSTIN NIGHTS.
AUSTIN PET LIVE NEEDS TO DO MORE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS IT BY FOCUSING ON LOCAL ANIMALS, AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, AUSTIN, PETS, ALIVE, AND AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY SHOULD BE UNITED IN OUR COMMON GOAL OF HELPING ANIMALS.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE FIGHTING OVER RESOURCES INSTEAD OF FULLY UNITING TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR THE ANIMALS OF OUR CITY.
I KNOW AUSTIN PETS ALIVE, LOVES AND CARES DEEPLY FOR THEIR ANIMALS.
I WITNESSED IT IN THE YEARS I WORKED THERE.
[03:05:01]
I WORKED THERE.HE, HE SHOWED ME A LOT ABOUT WHAT IT MEANT TO WORK IN THIS WORLD, BUT I FEAR VERY AMBITION FOR THEIR MISSION, MOTIVATES THEM TO NEGLECT THE NEEDS OF THEIR COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITIES THAT ALLOWS THEM TO FUNCTION AS THEY DO.
I ALSO BELIEVE TRAVIS COUNTY SHOULD CONTRIBUTE MORE FUNDING TO OUR OPERATIONS.
WE MAY BE CALLED AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, AND MANY OF OUR ANIMALS COME FROM OUR NEIGHBORING TOWNS BY OUR INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS.
PERHAPS THESE EXTRA FUNDS COULD GO TOWARDS OTHER SOLUTIONS LIKE BUILDING MORE FACILITIES OR PROVIDING TEMPORARY HOUSING.
I'M NOT SURE, BUT I JUST KNOW RIGHT NOW THIS ISN'T WORKING AND WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO FIND A SOLUTION BECAUSE DIVISIONS ONLY MAKE THIS WORSE.
UH, WE HAVE, LET'S SEE, THAT'S ALL THAT'S ONLINE.
SO WE HAVE IN PERSON, WE HAVE ANDREA TREATMENT TOY.
UH, THIS MICROPHONE'S ON IF YOU WANNA SIT THERE.
HI, I'M ANDREA TRUMAN TAZI, A FORMER EMPLOYEE, AND NOW VOLUNTEER AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
TWO WEEKS AGO, I WAS FINISHING UP A VOLUNTEERING SHIFT AROUND 8:00 PM AND MADE MY WAY TO THE TRUCK PORT.
I HAVE SEEN DOGS IN POPUP CRATES NOW FOR MONTHS AT AAC AND ENROLLING KENNELS SQUEEZED INTO EVERY CORNER OF THE SHELTER AND NOW THE RESIDENT CRATE.
BUT WHAT I SAW ON THE TRUCK PORT THAT NIGHT SHOOK ME TO MY CORE.
THERE WERE OVER 50 DOGS IN POPUP CRATES, MANY OF THEM, LARGE DOGS THAT HAD LITTLE SPACE TO MOVE AND STRETCH AT 8:00 PM.
MOST OF THE DOGS HAD NOT BEEN FED ALL DAY AND MANY WERE WITHOUT WATER.
WHILE STAFF WERE TOLD TO PRIORITIZE WALKING THESE DOGS.
THERE WAS NO DOCUMENTATION OR SIGNAGE TO NOTE WHEN, OR IF THEY HAD RECEIVED ANY BREAKS THAT DAY DOGS WERE SITTING IN THEIR OWN URINE AND FECES FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG, WITHOUT ANY MEANS OF MOVING OR ESCAPING.
THE FILTH THAT NIGHT BOOTS ON THE GROUND STAFF WERE DOING EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO FINISH FEEDING THE DOGS AND ENSURE THAT THEY HAD WATER.
AS I JOINED TO HELP ONE STAFF MEMBER TOLD ME SHE CRIES EVERY MORNING ON HER WAY INTO WORK.
AND EVERY EVENING WHEN SHE LEAVES, HOW IS THIS SUSTAINABLE? NOW ALMOST TWO WEEKS LATER, THERE ARE EVEN MORE DOGS ON THE TRUCK.
PORT I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT, WELL, OVER A HUNDRED DOGS ARE HOUSED IN CRATES THAT ARE SHELTER.
NOW, CRATES THAT ARE MEANT FOR TEMPORARY USE, NOT AS PERMANENT HOUSING.
OFTEN THEY'RE FOUND WITHOUT WATER AND THEIR CRATES COVERED IN FECES.
IT'S BEEN WELL INTO THE NINETIES AND HUNDREDS HUNDRED DEGREES THESE PAST FEW WEEKS.
AND TO BE LEFT WITHOUT WATER IS NOT ONLY UNACCEPTABLE, BUT UTTERLY CRIMINAL VOLUNTEERS HAVE LIMITED ACCESS BACK THERE TO HELP.
AND WHILE STAFF ARE TOLD TO PRIORITIZE, WALKING AND CARING FOR THOSE DOGS, THOSE SAME STAFF MEMBERS ARE STILL REQUIRED TO CARE FOR THEIR USUAL ANIMALS IN THEIR DESIGNATED KENNEL RUNS AND HAVE NO SUPPORT FOR MANAGEMENT AND TAKING ON THE OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF EXTRA WORK.
WHILE MANY CAN ARGUE THAT THIS IS A NATIONWIDE PROBLEM, DOES THAT GIVE OUR MANAGEMENT A PASS TO SIT BACK AND WASH THEIR HANDS OF THE PROBLEM HAPPENING HERE IN OUR CITY AND TO OUR ANIMALS? I HAVE NEVER SEEN A MEMBER OF LEADERSHIP TEAM OUT IN THE KENNEL RUNS ON THEIR OWN ACCORD.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN THEM INITIATE ENGAGEMENT WITH BOOTS ON THE GROUND STAFF OR VOLUNTEERS FOR THAT MATTER.
AS A MANAGER AND LEADER, I WOULD EXPECT THAT IN THE MOST DIRE TIMES OF NEEDS SUCH AS NOW, THEY WOULD STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND ACTUALLY WORK TOWARDS SOLUTIONS AND PROVIDE MORE SUPPORT FOR THEIR STAFF.
BUT INSTEAD I'VE ONLY EVER SEEN THEM PUT UP DEFENSES AND BUILD WALLS AROUND THEMSELVES.
IT'S NOT THAT RIGHT NOW IS THE ONLY TIME WE'VE BEEN IN A SPACE CRISIS OR HAD LONG STAYS.
WHO'VE LIVED IN OUR KENNELS FOR A WELL OVER A YEAR.
THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A LONG TIME.
AND MANAGEMENT HAS DONE NOTHING TO HELP OUR PERPETUAL CRISIS, NOTHING TO SUPPORT THE STAFF AND RECRUIT AND RETAIN VOLUNTEERS THAT ACTUALLY DO THE WORK DAY IN AND DAY OUT FOR OUR ANIMALS.
AND NOW WE ARE HURTING MORE THAN EVER, AND LEADERSHIP IS THREATENING TO KILL FOR SPACE.
AND SO WHAT THEN WE KILL FOR SPACE.
DOES THAT SOLVE ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS? NO.
I WANNA SHARE WHAT A REALLY WISE FRIEND AND ADVOCATE RECENTLY SAID WHAT DOESN'T HAPPEN SIMPLY BECAUSE WE KILL DOGS SO THAT THERE ARE LESS DOGS AT THE SHELTER IS ACTION ON ANY OF THE FOUNDATIONAL ISSUES THAT ARE ACTUALLY CAUSING THE PROBLEM.
WE WON'T SUDDENLY HAVE MANAGEMENT WHO EMBRACES QUALITY OF LIFE AND BEHAVIOR PROGRAMMING.
WE WON'T SUDDENLY GET EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, KILLING DOGS DOES NOT ADDRESS THE ACTUAL PROBLEMS, BUT IT DOES CREATE A HELL OF A LOT OF TRAUMA WHILE FAILING TO RESOLVE MUCH OF WHAT'S CAUSING THE CURRENT CRISIS.
UH, FIRST A COUPLE QUICK THINGS, UH, FEELING ATTACKED FROM ALL DIRECTIONS IS THE VERY DEFINITION OF A TOXIC WORKPLACE.
UM, I HAVE PERSONALLY BROUGHT IN THREE DOGS, TIED UP OUTSIDE AAC THIS WEEK ALONE, AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN CLOSED INTAKE YET.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, WE'VE NEVER SENT AGGRESSIVE DOGS ON TRANSPORT.
[03:10:01]
MAY BE STRANGE DAYS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT ANYWAY, YOU'RE GOOD.I WAS HERE TO TELL YOU HOW SINCE LEARNING ABOUT THE INTENSE, EMOTIONAL TURMOIL THEY HAVE CREATED IN THEIR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS THAT AAC LEADERSHIP HAS REALLY TAKEN AN INTROSPECTIVE LOOK AND TURNED THINGS AROUND.
BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT OVER THE LAST FOUR MONTHS, SINCE I MADE MY FIRST PLEA TO THE COMMISSION, LEADERSHIP HAS DONE NOTHING BUT CLOSE RANKS, EVEN FURTHER, DIG THEIR HEELS IN AND DOUBLE DOWN ON THEIR INSISTENCE THAT NONE OF THE CRISIS WE FIND OURSELVES IN IS THEIR FAULT WHERE MUNICIPAL SHELTER, NOT A SANCTUARY LOOK AT DALLAS AND HOUSTON.
I TOLD YOU THAT WE WERE FIGHTING FOR THE SOUL OF AAC, BUT IT TURNS OUT THAT WE WERE FIGHTING FOR SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER, THE SOUL OF NO KILL ITSELF.
AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU TODAY THAT WE ARE RAPIDLY LOSING THIS FIGHT THROUGH CAREFULLY CRAFTED PUBLIC POSTS AND THE INEVITABLE WEARING DOWN OF STAFF CONVICTION BY KEEPING THEM TOO EXHAUSTED TO FIGHT LEADERSHIP HAS BOTH HAS TURNED BOTH PUBLIC AND STAFF OPINION AND GETS NO KILL.
OH, SEE HOW TERRIBLE IT IS TO KEEP DOGS AND CRATES, SEE HOW THEY SUFFER.
IF ONLY WE COULD EUTHANIZE ALL THESE UNADOPTABLE DOGS THAT NO ONE WANTS, THEN WE WOULD BE BETTER AND PEOPLE ARE BUYING IT HOOK LINE, AND SINKER LET'S MAKE A POST.
THAT MAKES IT SOUND LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO PLACE A MONSTER ON THE STREETS, KEEPS STIR THE POT AND THEN POINT AND SAY, SEE THE PUBLIC DOESN'T WANT THESE DOGS PLACED EITHER.
THE FACT THAT MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE DON'T EVEN LIVE IN THIS STATE.
AND WE'RE CLEARLY PART OF THE ANTI PIT BULL AGENDA.
NOW WE HAVE PROOF THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT PEOPLE WANT US TO DO.
THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH AAC THAT THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO WAY IT COULD WAY I COULD COVER IT IN THREE MINUTES FROM NI FROM MANIPULATING BITE SEVERITIES TO ALLOW FOR KILLING, WITHOUT NOTIFICATION TO OFFERING ANIMALS ONLY THE BAREST OF TIMELINES, LEGALLY ALLOWED TO GET OUT ALIVE, TO HIDING DOGS AWAY IN THE SIX HUNDREDS AND MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR EVEN OUR RESCUE PARTNERS TO VIEW AT RISK ANIMALS.
THIS LEADERSHIP HAS PROVEN OVER AND OVER THAT THEY ARE NOT COMMITTED TO THE SPIRIT OF NO KILL.
INSTEAD OF BEING PROACTIVE, LEADERSHIP HAS SHOWN OVER AND OVER THAT THEY ENGAGE IN KNEE JERK REACTIONS, SUCH AS NOT ALLOWING VOLUNTEERS TO HELP WITH CREATED DOGS ON THE TRUCK PORT AND RULING THAT ANIMAL STUCK IN THE SIX HUNDREDS CAN NO LONGER BE FILMED.
INSTEAD OF SAYING THAT WE, WHAT CAN WE DO TO FIX THIS? LEADERSHIP HAS INSTEAD ENGAGED IN A RETALIATORY CAMPAIGN AGAINST THOSE WHO SPOKE UP IN SUBTLE, BUT VERY CLEAR WAYS.
THE BEHAVIOR TEAM, PLAYGROUP BEHAVIOR, DOGS, AND MYSELF AS THE BEHAVIOR TEAM SUPERVISOR HAVE BEEN TARGETED.
ALL THAT I HAVE RECEIVED FOR MY EFFORTS TO SPEAK OUT ARE MY WORST EVER SSPR, A NON-DISCIPLINARY DISCIPLINARY MEETING, LISTING EVERYTHING I'M DOING WRONG SO THAT I CAN BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AT A LATER DATE AND BEING SCOLDED FOR NOT DOING ENOUGH DESK WORK WHEN WE ARE DROWNING IN DOGS.
AND MY HANDS ON WORK IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO BE HONEST, IT'S WORKING, I'M DOING MY BEST TO JUST KEEP MY HEAD DOWN AND STAY OUT OF SIGHT.
BUT EVEN THOUGH LEADERSHIP MAY HAVE DEFEATED ME PERSONALLY, I AM SO GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE ELSE WHO HAS TAKEN UP THE FIGHT.
WE WILL NOT GO QUIETLY INTO THE NIGHT AND WE WILL NEVER STOP FIGHTING FOR WHAT'S.
UH, SO NOW, UH, THE TOPIC IS DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON US ANIMAL CENTER SPACE, CRISIS.
UH, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? I DO.
SO I REALLY THINK THERE'S SO MUCH ABOUT THIS SPACE CRISIS THAT HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF THE SHELTER THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT TONIGHT, AND I AM INCREDIBLY PASSIONATE ABOUT SPAY NEUTER AND, YOU KNOW, JUST AT A QUICK GLANCE HERE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ADOPTION NUMBERS OF PUPPIES AND KITTENS, WE'VE GONE FROM 57%, UH, IN 20, 20, 59 PUPPIES AND KITTENS IN 2165 PUPPIES AND KITTENS THIS YEAR, UM, YOU KNOW, EMANATE IS DOING 252 SPS AND NES A MONTH.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE APA POLES, 53% OF THE ANIMALS THAT APA PULLED FROM US LAST MONTH WERE EITHER PREGNANT ANIMALS OR NEONATES.
SO WHEN I LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS, WE ARE FALLING WOEFULLY SHORT IN THE WORLD OF SPAY NEUTER.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK SPAY NEUTER, IT'S ONE FULL-TIME DOCTOR FOR EVERY 250,000 CONSTITUENTS, ESSENTIALLY, UM, TO KEEP UP WITH THAT, THE POPULATION OF ANIMALS THAT THAT POPULATION OF HUMANS WOULD SUPPLY.
SO, YOU KNOW, I DON DON'T SEE THAT WE ARE STOPPING THE FLOW OF ANIMALS INTO THE SHELTER IN ANY MEANINGFUL WAY AT THE MOMENT.
UM, I DRIVE BY AAC AND ALL OF THE EMANCIPATE VEHICLES ARE PARKED THERE.
THEY'RE NOT EVEN GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITIES AND THE CLINICS THAT ARE IN OPERATION ARE NOT TARGETING DIRECTLY.
THE CLIENTS THAT ARE MOST AT NEED FOR THESE SERVICES.
I ALSO SEE VERY LITTLE IN THESE BRIEFINGS ABOUT HOW WE'RE REACHING OUT TO SOME OF OUR UNHOUSED COMMUNITIES.
[03:15:01]
HEARD, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE BRENDAN IS A LIAISON TO THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITIES, BUT I DON'T SEE SPECIFIC PROGRAMMING TO DELIVER TARGETED VACCINATIONS, MAKE SURE THOSE FOLKS ARE GETTING ACCESS TO SPAIN AND NEUTER GOING TO THOSE CAMP, CAMPING COMMUNITIES TO DELIVER THOSE SERVICES IN MASS.YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS HISTORICALLY DONE RABIES DRIVES AND MICROCHIP CLINICS.
AND, AND I, I'M JUST, I SEE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THINGS OUTSIDE THE WALLS OF THE SHELTER.
AND I GUESS I'M, I'M CURIOUS, AND I GUESS EXCITED TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS THIS EVENING TO SEE WHAT OTHER, UM, COMMISSIONERS ARE, ARE THINKING ABOUT THOSE SORTS OF ISSUES.
DON, DO YOU WANNA ADDRESS THAT COMMISSIONER? YOU ARE CORRECT THAT, UH, THE NUMBER OF SURGERIES THAT ARE BEING DONE ARE LESS THAN THEY HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY BY SOME OF OUR OTHER PARTNERS, UH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY, THEY DON'T, THEY TELL US THEY DON'T HAVE THE STAFFING, UH, EITHER THE PHYSICIANS OR THE TECH STAFF TO SUPPORT THE NUMBERS.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR THAT THEY'RE SO FAR BOOKED OUT.
YOU'VE HEARD THAT THIS EVENING FROM OTHER FOLKS AND, UM, BRENDAN DOES DO OUR OUTREACH AND HE DOES, UH, DO IT ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.
WE DID TRY, UH, AT THE VERY BEGINNING TO DO SOME, YOU KNOW, LARGE, UH, ENCAMPMENT SHOW UP TO DO RABIES VACCINATIONS, AND IT WAS NOT WELL RECEIVED.
UH, HE, HE WORKS BETTER ON A MORE INDIVIDUAL TYPE BASIS AND HE MAKES TRIES TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THESE ANIMALS ARE KEPT WHERE THEY ARE LOVED RATHER THAN BEING BROUGHT IN.
AND, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, SEE US GET BACK TO THE, THE POINT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CLINICS OUT IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT NEED THOSE COM THAT NEED THOSE SERVICES.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SHOW UP AT SOME OF THESE BRICK AND MORTAR CLINICS THAT ARE FROM AREAS THAT ARE NOT OUR TARGET ZIP CODES THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST INTAKE.
AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO THAT.
SO DO YOU KNOW WHY THE DECISION WAS MADE TO KEEP THE BRICKS AND MORTARS OPERATIONAL VERSUS GETTING THE MOBILE UNITS OUT IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY'RE MOST AT NEED? NO, I DO NOT.
THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, EMANATE MADE THAT CALL BASED ON THEIR STAFFING MODELS.
SO EMANS AN INDEPENDENT 5 0 1 C THREE.
BUT WE, WE HAVE A VERY LARGE CONTRACT WITH THEM.
AND WE SHOULD HAVE SOME ABILITY TO DIRECT THOSE SERVICES WITH THAT AMOUNT OF FUNDING FLOWING THEIR WAY.
AND, AND THEY, THEY DO GO OUT IN THOSE AREAS, BUT NOT BRING THE UNIT AND THEY PASS OUT VOUCHERS FOR THEM TO SHOW UP AT THEIR BRICK AND MORTAR.
SO THEY'RE STILL GOING OUT TO OUR AREAS, BUT THEY'RE ASKING THEM TO COME IN INSTEAD OF BEING DONE THERE AT SITE ON SITE.
SO WHEN YOU SAY THAT THE NUMBERS ARE DOWN 252 SPACE AND NE SEEMS VERY MINIMAL TO ME.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S BEEN HISTORICALLY RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD? NO, I DO NOT, BUT WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.
UM, ANY, ANYBODY ELSE WANNA MAKE ANY COMMENTS? YES.
SO I SEEM TO RECALL AT THE MEETING LAST MONTH, COMMISSIONER HERRERA, BRING UP SPAN, NEUTER, AND MOTION TO HAVE THAT ON.
WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT WAS, UH, BELINDA DIDN'T CATCH IT, BUT BELINDA IS NOW OUT.
AND, UH, I WENT BACK AND LISTENED TO THE TAPE TO MAKE SURE, AND I SAID, YEAH, IT'S ON THERE.
AND I SENT AN EMAIL SAYING, THIS IS ON, THERE SHOULD BE ON THERE, BUT IT WAS VERY LATE.
AND, UH, BELINDA, UH, LOUISE SAID, ACTUALLY SAID, DON'T PUT IT ON THERE.
AND HE ASKED JUST, IF IT COULD BE PUT ON THE NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA THAT YOU WOULD BRING IT UP AT THE NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA.
SO, SO IT WILL BE ON THE OCTOBER AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
AND, AND WE'LL DISCUSS IT IN A MINUTE AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE SAY THAT AGAIN, BUT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT.
UH, SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE, WITH LONG MEETINGS.
GOTTA GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE RECORD.
I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, UM, IN CASE YOU DID KNOW CUZ YOU'RE NEWER, UM, AT THE MICROCHIP EVENTS THAT WE HAVE, UM, WE ASK ABOUT SPAY NEUTER AND WE DO GIVE, UM, VOUCHERS, UM, FOR EMAN PET.
AND I SAY, WE CUZ I'M PART OF THE MICROCHIP WORKING GROUP.
[03:20:01]
UM, AND ACTUALLY WE HAD ONE EVENT WHERE EMANCIPATE WAS THERE AND THE PEOPLE COULD DRIVE UP AND MAKE APPOINTMENTS IF THEY WANTED RIGHT AWAY.SO IT'S NOT A HUGE AMOUNT IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT ONE OF THE EVENTS WE GAVE OUT, UM, 72 SPAY NEUTER VOUCHERS.
SO HOPEFULLY THEY'LL THEY'LL USE THEM.
SO WE DO TRY TO JOIN THAT MICROCHIP EVENT FROM THOSE OF US ON THE MICROCHIP WORKING GROUP WITH, UM, ALSO, UM, PUSHING SPAY NEUTER AND, AND THEY ARE, UH, LUIS AND LUIS'S, UH, COMMISSIONER HERRERA.
ISN'T HERE TO SPEAK TO IT, BUT HE'S, UM, TRYING TO DO MORE OF THOSE TYPE OF EVENTS IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITIES LIKE WE DID WITH DISTRICT THREE SO WE CAN GET MORE ACTIVITY IN THOSE AREAS.
SO WE FORMED A, UM, SPACE CRISIS WORKING GROUP AT THE REFORMED, THE SPACE CRISIS WORKING GROUP AT THE MAY MEETING.
BUT, UM, AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY MEETINGS CALLED SINCE THE END OF MAY, UNLESS COMMISSIONER NEWHOUSE WAS CALLED ONE AND I HAVEN'T, HAVEN'T BEEN INFORMED THAT WAS COMMISSION, NEW HOUSE SUBMIT AND COMMISSION HASEN.
DO YOU WANNA ADDRESS THAT? YEAH, THERE HAVE BEEN NO ADDITIONAL MEETINGS THAT HAVE BEEN CALLED.
UM, WE HAD RESUBMITTED, UH, AND ASKED FOR THE, THE COUNCIL TO REVISIT THE INITIAL WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, AND THEN WE HAD ALSO ASKED, UM, WHEN WE HAD FOLDED THE FIRST WORKING GROUP AND THEN STARTED TO VISIT ON THE SECOND ONE FOR TO SEE IF THE SHELTER WOULD PARTICIPATE, UH, IN THE WORKING GROUP LIKE THEY DO WITH, UM, MICROCHIPPING AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER, AND WE'VE NOT HAD ANY COMMUNICATION REGARDING IT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UH, I, I, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE RECENT POSTS ON REDDIT AND TIKTOK
ARE THOSE, WERE THOSE SOMETHING THAT THE SHELTER APPROVED? I DON'T HAVE EITHER ONE OF THOSE PLATFORMS, BUT NO, WE DID NOT PUT ANYTHING OUT ON REDDIT OR TIKTOK.
WE CAN'T USE THOSE, UH, PLATFORMS. OKAY.
CUZ SOMEONE HAS PICTURES FROM BACK IN, YOU KNOW, ON THE CARPORT, WHICH I DON'T THINK YOU LET THE PUBLIC INTO, IT LOOKS LIKE THOSE MIGHT HAVE BEEN PICTURES TAKEN BY STAFF COULD BE STAFF.
UH, IT COULD BE SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, DROPPING OFF A DOG BACK THERE.
I, YOU KNOW, I, I HAVEN'T SEEN IT.
MY, I HAVE A REAL BIG CONCERN ABOUT THAT AND MY CONCERN IS THAT IT'S NOT GONNA HELP.
UH, OH, I WOULD ALSO SAY, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, AND I HAVE TO, I HAVE TO SAY THIS, I KX A N INTERVIEWED ME TODAY AND I MAY HAVE MISSPOKEN ABOUT NOT HAVING VOLUNTEERS ON SUNDAY.
AND SO I WANNA SAY THAT HERE, CUZ YOU, YOU HAD DID, HADN'T HAD ANYONE IN THERE ON SUNDAY AND THEN YOU ALLOW THE VOLUNTEERS IN, BUT THE SHELTER WAS NOT OPEN ON SUNDAY, BUT YOU DO ALLOW VOLUNTEERS IN, CORRECT? YES.
WE'VE ALWAYS ALLOWED VOLUNTEERS TO COME IN ON SUNDAYS.
UH, BECAUSE JUST THE STATEMENT THAT THE SHELTERS NOT OPEN ON SUNDAY.
I MEAN THE VOLUNTEERS THAT ALREADY COME IN THERE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, SO THEY COME ANYWAY, BUT THAT'S GONNA MAKE IT HARD FOR YOU GET NEW VOLUNTEERS ON SUNDAY JUST BECAUSE YOU, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT'S THE ADVERTISEMENTS OUT THERE THAT WELL WE'RE CLOSED ON SUNDAY AND PEOPLE BRING, UH, YOU KNOW, AND I JUST WANT, I BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS.
I, WHEN I WAS A YOUNG GUY, I WAS IN NEW YORK CITY.
I WAS A PIANIST PLAYING FOR DANCE COMPANIES AND I HAD NO MONEY AND I WANTED TO MAKE A LIVING.
AND WHAT I DID WAS I WOULD JUST, I MEAN, I WOULD GO ALL OVER THE CITY, ALL THESE MAJOR DANCE COMPANIES, FAMOUS PEOPLE.
BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT OIL THING HAPPENED AND THE, THE BOTTOM FELL OUT OF FUNDING FOR DANCE COMPANIES.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE BIG OIL EMBARGO DURING THE, UH, CARTER ADMINISTRATION.
AND I COULD GET UNEMPLOYMENT, BUT IT WAS REALLY VERY LITTLE UNEMPLOYMENT BECAUSE I WASN'T FULL TIME, BUT SO I WAS GETTING UNEMPLOYMENT.
BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT, I HAD TO, WHAT I DID, IT WAS LIKE FREE MONEY, BUT I WASN'T PLAYING.
AND WHAT I NOTICED IS MY PLAYING STARTED FALLING OFF THE PEOPLE WHO ASKED ME TO PLAY STAR FALLING OFF.
AND IT WASN'T UNTIL I JUST THREW AWAY THAT UNEMPLOYMENT AND JUST STARTED GOING OUT AND GETTING
[03:25:01]
GIGS, THEY EXPANDED AND EXPANDED AND EXPANDED.NOW WHY I'M SAYING THIS IS, IT LOOKS TO ME WHEN I THINK OF THE SHELTER.
AND I THINK OF, OF, UH, YOU NEED FOSTERS, YOU NEED ADOPTIONS, YOU NEED VOLUNTEERS MORE FOSTERS, MORE ADOPTIONS, MORE VOLUNTEERS, OKAY.
THE MORE YOU ARE OPEN, THE MORE FOSTERS YOU WILL GET, THE MORE ADOPTIONS YOU'LL GET.
AND THE MORE VOLUNTEERS YOU'LL GET BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL BE COMING TO THE SHELTER, NEW PEOPLE WILL BE COMING TO THE SHELTER, PEOPLE YOU HAVEN'T REACHED YET.
UH, THAT I, I THINK THAT THERE'S A REAL PARALLEL THERE.
WHAT I LEARNED MANY YEARS AGO ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DO WHAT DO YOUR MISSION, YOU KNOW, DO IT WELL.
AND, UH, RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE WORRIES ABOUT THE RED THING.
IF YOU DON'T HELP US, WE'RE GONNA KILL THINGS.
YOU KNOW? I MEAN, IT'S LIKE THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE OPEN, WE'RE OPEN, COME ADOPT, COME VOLUNTEER, COME, YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF, AND I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE AND I UNDERSTAND ALL THAT.
I, I KNOW, BUT I'M, BUT I READ THIS AND I THINK ABOUT IT AND IT, AND I FEEL REALLY BAD ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, I'M WONDERING HOW TO HELP YOU GUYS DO BETTER.
AND THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHT, THAT'S IT.
YEAH, I KNOW IT'S LATE, BUT I HAVE QUESTIONS.
UM, WE ALL, I BELIEVE ALL OF US RECEIVED, UM, AN EMAIL FROM, UM, WOMAN THAT HAS A FACEBOOK PAGE HERE IN AUSTIN, ANIMAL WELFARE UNITED, UM, AND IN IT, SHE RAISES QUITE A FEW POINTS AND HAS SOME INTERESTING, UM, POINTS.
UM, THE ONE THING THAT I WANNA ASK ABOUT IS IT SAYS THAT THE SHELTER OFFERS A FINDER TO FOSTER PROGRAM FOR YOUNG PUPPIES AND KITTENS THAT IS NOT ADVERTISED TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, THIS WAS THE FIRST THAT I ACTUALLY HEARD AFTER BEING AN AAC VOLUNTEER FOR, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS THAT THERE'S A FINDER TO FOSTER PROGRAM AT AAC.
I WAS ONLY AWARE OF A FINDER TO FOSTER ON THE A, THE AUSTIN LOST AND FOUND PETS GROUP.
SO DOES, IS THERE ACTUALLY A FINDER TO FOSTER PROGRAM AT AAC? I DO KNOW THAT WHEN, UH, SOMEONE BRINGS IN SOMETHING TO THE PRC THAT THEY WORK WITH THEM TO TRY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN KEEPING THESE, WE'LL GIVE YOU THE SUPPLIES TO KEEP THEM, UH, UNTIL THEY'RE OLD, OLD ENOUGH.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE, WHAT THEY DEEM THE NAME OF THE PROGRAM.
DO YOU KNOW JASON? UM, NO, CUZ USUALLY BEFORE IT TO FOSTER, WE'VE HAD TO IMPOUND THE ANIMAL FIRST AND WHEN WE IMPOUND IT, WE HAVE TO KEEP IT AT THE FACILITY FOR THE STRAIGHT HOLD PERIOD.
SO, UM, THE ONLY TIME WE GET AROUND IT IS WHEN WE HAVE LIKE A MEDICAL ISSUE AND WE PLEA IT OUT FOR A RESCUE FOSTER.
BUT, AND I THINK WE HAD SOME, I'D HAVE TO CHECK, BUT WE HAD GOTTEN SOME LEGAL GUIDANCE ABOUT, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
CAUSE WE HAD ENTERTAINED LIKE HOW, HOW COULD WE ESSENTIALLY GET THE, THE ANIMALS ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT NOT ACTUALLY IMPOUNDING THEMSELVES.
AND SO, SO IF A, IF A PERSON BRINGS AN ANIMAL INTO THE SHELTER AND IS ONLY INTERESTED IN DOING LIKE A FOUND REPORT, BUT NOT HAVING THE ANIMAL INTAKE TO THE SHELTER, THAT'S NOT THE SAME AS THIS FINDER TO FOSTER.
IT'S JUST A, IT'S JUST LIKE A COURTESY POSTING, CORRECT? YEAH.
OF THE ANIMAL THAT, SO THAT IF SOMEBODY LOOKS ON THE SHELTER DATABASE OR WHATEVER IT IS, SHOULD BE A MILLION, A PETS PICTURE, THE PICTURE WOULD BE THERE WOULD MENTION THAT IT'S IN THE PUBLIC IT'S WITH THE PUBLIC.
AND NOT NECESSARILY AT THE SHELTER.
SO THEN YOU DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE THE FINDER FOSTER PROGRAM BECAUSE CITY LEGAL WASN'T WASN'T UP ON THAT? I GUESS WASN'T DIDN'T SAID YOU SHOULDN'T SO IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY, OKAY.
SO THAT'S INCORRECT INFORMATION.
OH, ANIMALS THAT, YOU KNOW, KITTENS OR SOMETHING AND SAY, WELL, CAN YOU KEEP THESE UNTIL THEY'RE OLD ENOUGH, UH, WITH THE MOM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WE'LL WORK WITH YOU AND GIVE YOU WHAT YOU SUPPLIES YOU NEED, BUT WE, WE CAN SURE.
CAUSE IT, IT SAYS THAT IT'S JUST YOUNG PUPPIES AND KITTENS IS WHAT THE, THE EMAIL SAID.
SO, UH, THAT KIND OF RAISED, MADE ME CURIOUS AS IF THIS WOULD BE ANOTHER OUTLET TO, UH, YOU KNOW, GET MORE FOSTERS INTO THE FOSTER PROGRAM, BUT I GUESS NOT.
JUST QUICK CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
WHEN YOU DO THE COURTESY POST OF THE FOUND ANIMAL, DO THEY GET AN, A NUMBER? NO.
WELL, YEAH, THEY, THEY DO, THEY DO.
UH, THEY, THEY DO GET AN, A NUMBER, UH, BUT IT, THEY'RE NOT FIGURED IN THE STATISTICS, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY THERE ON SITE.
[03:30:02]
OKAY.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA QUESTION THAT.
UM, ARE YOU SURE THAT THEY GET AN, A NUMBER BECAUSE I FOUND A DOG LAST WEEK, BROUGHT IT IN TO PET RESOURCE SENATOR TO SEE IF IT HAD TO CHIP AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF, UM, SAID, NO, I WE'LL HOLD ON TO THE DOG.
WE DON'T NEED NO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE CROWDED.
WE'LL, YOU KNOW, THEY FOUND A MICROCHIP ON THE DOG.
UM, SO I SAID, WE'LL CONTACT THE, THE MICROCHIP COMPANY.
WE'LL TRY TO GET IT BACK IF WE CAN.
UM, AND SO THE ANIMAL, SO THE ANIMAL THAT I WAS THERE LAST WEEK AND BROUGHT IN, UM, AND DID A FOUND REPORT ON, THEY DID NOT INTAKE.
THEY DID NOT GIVE IT AN A NUMBER, SO, OKAY.
I'LL HAVE TO CHECK BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, WHEN I KNOW THAT WHEN THEY PUT SOMEONE PUTS IN, YOU KNOW, A FOUND REPORT, THEY CAN DO THAT WITHOUT BRINGING THE ANIMAL IN.
AND I KNOW THAT IN OUR DAILY STATISTICS, IT COMES UP AND SHOWS, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S PULLING THAT FROM SOMEWHERE.
SO I ASSUMED IT HAD AN EIGHT, AN, A NUMBER BECAUSE THE STATISTICS THEY GET ON A DAILY BASIS, IT SHOWS HOW MANY OF THOSE WERE BROUGHT IN, PUT IN THAT DAY.
I JUST, I JUST KNOW THAT THE, THE, THE ONE THAT I BROUGHT IN, UH, DID NOT HAVE AN, A NUMBER ASSIGNED TO HER AND, UH, SHE'S NOW GONNA BE ADOPTED BY MY FAMILY.
SO THERE GOES THAT CUZ THE ORIGINAL OWNER HAD NO INTEREST IN HER AND SAID NOT MY DOG DON'T DON'T CALL ME AGAIN.
SO I SAID, WELL, WELCOME TO THE FAMILY LITTLE ONE
WELL LET'S UH, JUST, I, I JUST WANNA SAY BRAVO TO COMMISSIONER MAGULA YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
[11. Discussion and Possible Action on Inclusion of Animal Services in the City of Austin next Five-Year Strategic Plan]
UH, NUMBER 11, DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION.INCLUSION OF ANIMAL SERVICES IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN NEXT FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.
NOW YOU ARE GONNA GET US SOMETHING.
UH, I THOUGHT LAST TIME WE WERE Y'ALL WERE GONNA WRITE A LETTER TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE FOR INCLUSION.
I DON'T THINK A VOTE WAS TAKEN.
LETTER WAS GONNA BE DRAFTED TO SEND TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IN ORDER TO, WELL, LET'S, LET'S MAKE A MOTION, TAKE A VOTE SO THAT IF I WRITE IT, I KNOW I'M SPEAKING FOR THE COMMISSION.
CUZ I, I THINK THE REASON WE DIDN'T TAKE A VOTE IS CUZ RIGHT NOW THE CITY MANAGERS IS PREPARING, UM, IS MAKING PREPARATIONS TO FOR SD 28 OR WHATEVER IT'S GONNA BE CALLED TO PRESENT TO THE COUNCIL.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD, WOULD ULTIMATELY TAKE ACTION ON.
I THINK IT WAS MORE OF ALONG THE LINES THAT REQUESTING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE TO CONSIDER ANIMAL SERVICES BE INCLUDED IN NEXT YEAR.
SO, WELL LET'S JUST MAKE A MOTION.
AND SO YES, WE HAVE BEEN INVITED TO AN SD 28 MEETING.
SO THAT'S THERE, THAT'S HOPEFUL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE INVITED BEFORE WE WE'VE BEEN INVITED.
SO DO I HEAR A MOTION? ANYBODY WANNA, I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO MAKE A MOTION ON THE CHAIR YEAR MM-HMM
SO THE MOTION IS TO, TO, TO, UH, FOR THE CHAIR TO WRITE A LETTER TO WHO DO WE WRITE? CITY MANAGER, CITY MANAGER TO PLEASE INCLUDE ANIMAL SERVICES, ANIMAL SERVICES IN YOUR NEXT, UH, S THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION.
DO I HAVE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND, UH, UH, THAT'S COMMISSIONER NORTON.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? NO.
EVERY TIME I TURN MY VIDEO ON MY, I LOSE Y'ALL SO I, BUT I VOTE.
[12. Discussion and Possible Action on City’s Use of Cooling Centers]
DISCUSSION, POST ACTION ON CITY'S USE OF COOLING CENTERS.WHERE DID YOU FIND OUT? I HAVE FOUND OUT NOTHING.
SO, UM, I RECEIVED AN EMAIL AT THE END OF AFTER THE AUGUST MEETING STATING THAT THE OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM WAS IN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ARIANOS OFFICE.
UH, THAT WAS THE LAST I HEARD.
I HAVE HEARD NOTHING SINCE THEN.
AND IT'S APPARENTLY STILL THERE.
SO I, I EMAILED THE POINT OF CONTACT FROM THE HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, H S E M.
UM, AND I ASKED HIM, YOU KNOW, WHERE IS THIS? AND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH IT.
UM, I ALSO ASKED ABOUT FINDING CUZ ON THEIR WEBSITE, I
[03:35:01]
WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANYWHERE, UM, ANY STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES AS FAR AS NOT ONLY COOLING CENTERS, BUT NOW AS WE'RE MOVING OUT OF THE SUMMER AND INTO HURRICANE TORNADO SEASON AND THEN COLD WEATHER, BASICALLY ANY, UM, STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR THE INCLUSION OF PETS IN ANY OF THESE CENTERS.UM, I AM WAITING FOR A RESPONSE.
SO, AND, AND AS I SAID, UM, AFTER LOOKING AT THEIR, THE CITY WEBSITE FOR THEIR, THEIR GROUP, I, I COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING THAT SPOKE ABOUT PETS BEING INCLUDED EXCEPT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SERVICE ANIMALS, INTO CERTAIN AREAS.
UM, AND I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF WE ARE TOUTING OURSELVES AS THIS PET FRIENDLY CITY AND THE LEADER IN NO KILL AND WHATEVER IT IS, ELSE THAT WE WANNA SAY ABOUT HOW FRIENDLY AUSTIN IS TO PETS, I THINK THIS IS A HUGE, A HUGE FAILING OF THE CITY IN GENERAL, NOT TO HAVE ANYTHING ABOUT PETS IN THEIR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLANS FOR WHEN PEOPLE AND MASS HAVE TO BE GO IN.
I MEAN, I REMEMBER HURRICANE KATRINA AND WE HAD THE CENTER OVER OFF 180 3 THERE WHERE PEOPLE, WE HAD CRATES, PEOPLE HAD THEIR DOGS, WE CREATED THE DOGS, THE PEOPLE CAME AND WALKED THEM, FED 'EM DID ALL THAT.
WE JUST PROVIDED THE CRATES AND WE PROVIDED SOMEBODY THERE IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENED TO ONE OF THE ANIMALS WHILE IT WAS THERE.
SO, UM, IT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST.
SO I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN GET IT INCLUDED SOMEWHERE SO THAT IT'S IN THESE PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.
WELL KEEP US, UH, WE'LL KEEP IT ON THE AGENDA AND KEEP US APPRISED OF WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
I WOULD JUST, UH, WANT TO THANK, UH, COMMISSIONERS MULA FOR HER EFFORT ON THAT.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE, UH, COMMISSIONERS MULA TO, UM, TO COME UP WITH A, A RESOLUTION FOR NEXT.
YOU GET THE INFORMATION RESOLUTION.
I WOULD SUPPORT BASICALLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
UM, IF YOU WANTED TO SAY IT NOW, I'D SUPPORT IT NOW, BUT IF YOU WANNA WAIT A MONTH, I'LL SUPPORT IT THEN.
UH, LET ME, LET ME WAIT A MONTH CUZ I'M, I'D LIKE TO GIVE THEM THE CHANCE TO GET ME THE INFORMATION.
IF NOT, THEN I'LL DRAFT SOMETHING UP ON MY OWN.
[13. Discussion and Possible Action on City Building Code Changes for Birds]
UH, THE LAST ISSUE IS DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION ON CITY BUILDING CODE CHANGES FOR BIRDS.NOW, UH, THIS WAS ACTUALLY, I HAD TALKED WITH COMMISSIONER NELSON ABOUT THIS AND THE AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY HAS PUT OUT AND IT'S ON BACKUP.
IT'S THEIR, UH, RULES FOR, FOR BIRDS, UH, UH, FOR BIRD BUILD BIRD FRIENDLY BUILDING.
AND IF YOU READ THOSE, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU GOT A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH 'EM, BUT THE MAIN AREA OF COLLISION IS ACTUALLY LOW DOWN IN THE BUILDING.
SO THIS IT'S AND THESE RULES SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO THE RULES THEY PUT OUT HAVE ALREADY BEEN PASSED BY NEW YORK CITY.
SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DREAMING ABOUT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY MAJOR CI THE MAJOR CITY IN THE UNITED STATES.
UH, UH, UH, MY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL SAYS SHE WILL PRESENT THIS.
SO I HAVE, UH, WRITTEN A, IF YOU'VE GOTTEN A CHANCE TO READ THOSE ARE ALL THERE.
IT'S JUST, IT'S IT'S REALLY NICELY INCLUDED.
SO, UH, MY COUNCIL MEMBER ALSO SUGGESTED IF YOU'RE GOING TO ASK THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE THESE, THAT YOU WOULD ALSO ASK THE COUNCIL TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE US CONGRESS.
THAT'S LANGUISHING THAT WE'D ALSO INCLUDE ASKING TO WRITE A LETTER TO CONGRESS, SAY, PASS THIS BILL, BECAUSE THIS JUST ISN'T AN AUSTIN ISSUE.
I MEAN, BIRDS MIGRATE SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD, YOU KNOW, SO MY, UH, UH, WORDING IS THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS THE AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY'S MODEL FRIENDLY BUILDING GUIDELINES FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE FURTHER RECOMMEND THAT THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL WRITES A LETTER TO THE US CONGRESS TO RECOMMEND SUPPORT FOR THE BIRD SAFE BUILDINGS ACT.
THAT'S THE NAME, NAME OF THE ACT.
SO WHAT I WOULD NEED IS, UH, IF, IF YOU LIKE THAT, DOES ANYBODY WANNA MAKE A MOTION? OKAY.
COMMISSIONER NELSON MOVES IT RIGHT.
IT, SO IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? YES.
UM, DO WE KNOW, I KNOW AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A REALLY BIG NEED IN AUSTIN.
[03:40:01]
AND DO WE KNOW IF THAT IF PASSING THIS WOULD CAUSE BUILDING COSTS TO GO UP MORE SO THAT IT WOULD AFFECT AFFORDABLE HOUSING? OR IS THIS WHAT IT DOES BY USING THIS CERTAIN TYPE OF GLASS? IS IT SORT OF OUT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND? UH, THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.UH, WHAT, WHAT DEVELOPERS CALL MATCH STICK STRUCTURE, WHICH IS WOOD.
YOU KNOW, TWO BY FOURS, UH, IS MUCH CHEAPER THAN STEEL AND CONCRETE STRUCTURE.
SO IF THEY'RE GONNA BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, YOU, AND YOU CAN ONLY GO UP FIVE FLOORS WITH MATCH, STICK STRUCTURE.
UH, SO USUALLY IT'S DONE THAT WAY.
IF YOU BUILD IT WITH, WITH STEEL AND CONCRETE, THE BIRD FRIENDLY STUFF, DOESN'T CHANGE THE PRICE MUCH.
AND FOR WHAT I'M SEEING ALSO, AND I'VE SAT THROUGH A BUNCH OF CITY COUNCILORS ON THIS, I WOULDN'T CALL IT AFFORDABLE ANYWAY, IT'S JUST MORE AFFORDABLE OR, YOU KNOW, THEY PUT A PERCENTAGE ON IT, A MARKET PERCENTAGE.
SO I WOULD, I, I, I DON'T THINK THAT'S A BIG ISSUE PERSONALLY.
UM, I JUST WANT TO CONFESS THAT I KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
UM, AND, UH, I SOMEWHAT SHARE THE CONCERN THAT THE, MY LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, UH, COULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT SOMETHING ELSE.
SO THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY IS, IS WHETHER THE, UM, RESOLUTION COULD BE FRIENDLY, AMENDED TO SAY, TO ASK THE COUNCIL TO EXPLORE ADOPTING RATHER THAN TO ADOPT.
SO THAT AT LEAST STAKEHOLDERS WHO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS, UH, COULD WEIGH IN, UH, I WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD TERMIN NATURE.
YEAH, I'D BE, IF WE WANTED TO, UM, POSTPONE THE VOTE, I'D BE HAPPY TO DIVE DEEP INTO THIS AND FIND SOME ANSWERS ABOUT THOSE THINGS AND BRING IT UP FOR A VOTE, MAYBE.
UH, I MEAN, I COULD DO THAT TOO.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT REAL EMERGENCY, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE BUILDING THE, THE STATES IN PUT, I'D LIKE TO GET IN BEFORE THE STATE'S BEEN PUT, CUZ THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A TALL BUILDING, THAT'S IT? OKAY.
WELL, UH, IS THAT OKAY WITH EVERYBODY? CUZ THAT IS A CONCERN.
WE HAD TWO COMMISSIONERS, SO WE CAN, UH, POSTPONE THIS TILL NEXT MONTH AND WE'LL GET MORE INFORMATION ON THAT THAT I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ADD IT.
IT'S PROBABLY ALSO ONCE WE APPROVE IT, IT'LL PROBABLY GO THROUGH, THERE'S PROBABLY A COMMISSION THAT LOOKS AT THIS, SO YEAH.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ITEMS, UH, FOR THE AGENDA.UH, SO WE HAVE, UH, LET'S SEE, SO WE KEEP TWO, THREE, DO WE WANNA KEEP FOUR? WILL IT BE MORE TO SAM FOUR? NO, I CAN INCORPORATE THAT IN.
SO WE DO TWO AND THREE AND FOUR WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THREE.
MAYBE THERE'LL BE SOME OTHER NEW LITTLE TIDBIT.
UH, WE DON'T NEED SEVEN ANYMORE.
DO YOU THINK SO YOU WANNA KEEP EIGHT? WELL, NO, NO.
I, I WAS, I WAS JUST THINKING WE WERE GONNA ADD STUFF THAT'S I, I WOULD LIKE TO WITH THE, THE RED CODE, UH, THE PROGRESS RELEASE THAT THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER IS, IS SENDING OUT TOMORROW TO THE PUBLIC.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UH, WE UNDERSTAND, UH, THE STATUS AND WHAT IS, HOW CAN WE HELP AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER TO GET OUT OF THE BIND? SO WHAT ARE YOU ASKING FOR EXACTLY.
SO HAVE THAT PART OF THE AGENDA TOPIC.
I THINK WHAT SHE'S ASKING IS FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM BASED ON THE PRESS RELEASE FROM AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER TODAY ABOUT, UM, CLOSING INTAKE AND DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON THAT.
IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? IS THAT WHAT IS THAT WHAT IT IS? YEAH.
SO DISCUSSION POPS ACTION ON CLOSING INTAKE AT THE SHELTER.
[03:45:01]
WOULD THAT ONE SECOND? OKAY.UH, UH, DO WE WANNA KEEP THE TRANSFER THING ON HERE? YEAH.
I, I, I THINK IT SHOULD BE KEPT ON AT LEAST UNTIL WE GET AN ANSWER ON IF THEY GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE VIDEO, RIGHT? YES, YES.
LOOKING AT THE VIDEO AND ALL THAT.
SHOULD WE CHANGE THE NAME? JUST BECAUSE THAT OF, IT'S NOT REALLY A TRANSFER ISSUE, BUT JUST LIKE A, I DON'T KNOW, RETURN TO OWNER SOP.
LET'S YEAH, THAT, THAT'S MORE LIKE LET'S LET'S UM, PUT THAT, UH, RE UH, RETURNING, LOST DOGS TO OWNERS, PROCEDURES FOR RETURNING LOST DOGS TO OWNERS.
AND I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT, UH, I, I HEARD THE QUESTION ABOUT THE TYPE OF DOGS THAT ARE BEING PUT IN THE TRANSPORT.
UM, HOW'S THAT DECIDED SMALL VERSUS LARGE AND LONG STAY.
I KNOW THAT, UH, PARTNERS, THEY GET TO CHOOSE HACK THE, OKAY.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TRANSFERS NOW AND THE SIZE OF DOGS ON TRANSFERS OUTSIDE OF STATE, THE TRANSPORT.
I THINK KEEP, I WOULD KEEP THE TRANSPORT.
LET'S KEEP THE TRANSPORT ITEM.
AND LET'S ADD THAT ITEM ABOUT RETURNING DOG TO OWNERS.
UH, WE SHOULD KEEP DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION IN THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER SPACE CRISIS, BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO, WE DON'T 11 IS OUT, UH, 12.
WE NEED TO KEEP 13 IS OUT AND I THERE'S ONE I'D LIKE TO ADD 13 OR 13 IS POSTPONED ON IT.
WEREN'T YOU GONNA DO THE MEMORANDUM ON NUMBER 11? YEAH.
LET'S WRITE THAT JUST BECOMES MY HOMEWORK NOW.
UH, THERE'S ONE OTHER ITEM I'D LIKE TO ADD AND I'D LIKE TO PUT IT PRETTY EARLY.
MERLIN TULE, WHO IS THE BAT GUY WHO STARTED BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL.
UM, AND, UH, I GOT TO KNOW HIM THROUGH, I, I MEAN, I WAS CONCERNED WITH THE STATESMAN PUT AND ALL THAT, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THAT PUT IS GOING TO BE FINE WITH THE BATS, BUT HE, I WENT OUT THERE WITH HIM.
AND WE, HE TALKED ABOUT JUST THE LAND UNDER THE BRIDGE.
IT'S NOT ON THE POD, IT'S JUST LAND UNDER THE BRIDGE AND THINGS THAT AREN'T IDEAL FOR, FOR BATS THAT COULD BE MUCH BETTER.
AND SOME OF THIS IS REALLY LOW HANGING FRUIT.
I MEAN, IT'S STUFF THAT THE CITY COULD EASILY FIX, BUT HE WAS COMPLAINING.
HE SAYS, WHO DO I GO TO? I SAY, YOU GO TO OUR COMMISSION.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO, AND I TALKED TO HIM ABOUT, HE CAN COME ON OCTOBER.
UH, THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY FASCINATING GUY, UH, AND HE COULD COME AND GIVE US A LITTLE PRESENTATION ON THE BAT AND COME WITH A SERIES OF THINGS WE CAN RECOMMEND THE CITY COUNCIL TAKE TO MAKE THE BRIDGE EASIER FOR BATS ON, ON THE BATS, UNDER THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE.
AND, UH, WE'LL HAVE A GUEST SPEAKER, MERLIN TULE, DR.
DO WE NEED TO SECOND THAT TO GET A SECOND TO GET, YEAH.
UH, AND I, IT, IT, I THINK YOU'LL ALL BE VERY INTERESTED BY IT.
IT WAS 81 FIRST 81ST BIRTHDAY PARTY.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? THE SPAN NEUTER.
WE'RE ADJOURNED AT, UH, PRETTY LATE O'CLOCK UH, 9 51.
[03:50:21]
I.