[CALL TO ORDER]
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TODAY IS THE MAY 8TH, 2023, REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.
I'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AT SIX O'CLOCK.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO DO ROLL CALL.
UH, WHY DON'T WE START ON THIS SIDE, OR ACTUALLY I CAN JUST CALL THEM OUT.
COMMISSIONER NEER WE CAN SEE YOU, BUT WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
HE APPEARS LIKE SHE MIGHT BE FROZEN.
COMMISSIONER NEMER? UH, YEAH, SHE'S MOVING.
WELL, WE KNOW COMMISSIONER NEMER IS PRESENT.
WE CAN SEE HER, BUT WE CANNOT HEAR HER CUZ I'M NOT SURE SHE CAN HEAR US.
SHE IS NOT VISIBLE, BUT APPEARS TO BE LOGGED IN.
COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON, IF YOU CAN HEAR US, WE CANNOT SEE YOUR, UH, I CANNOT SEE YOUR VIDEO.
SO COMMISSIONER HUDDLESON, WE CAN SEE YOU.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR US.
COMMISSIONER NEMER? WE CANNOT SEE YOU ANY LONGER.
WE HEARD COMMISSIONER HUDDLESON.
COMMISSIONER NEMER? CAN YOU HEAR US? YEAH.
THEY CAN HEAR EACH OTHER, BUT NOT UP.
AND BEFORE WE START, I WOULD, UH, LIKE TO, UM, APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER KATIE JAR, UH, THE MAYOR'S PRIOR APPOINTEE, WHO IS NO LONGER, UH, WHO IS, HAS ROLLED OFF THE COMMISSION, AND WE APPRECIATE, UH, COMMISSIONER JAR AND ALL SHE HAS DONE FOR US AND THE ANIMAL WELFARE COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO WELCOME COMMISSIONER LONEY AND GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
BY THE WAY, IT'S LONEY, NOT LOONY.
THE PLACARD HAS A MISSPELLING.
I LEARNED THAT EMBARRASSINGLY, UM, A FEW MINUTES AGO.
UM, I HAVE BEEN A PRACTICING ATTORNEY FOR ABOUT THE LAST, UM, SEVEN YEARS.
I STARTED MY CAREER IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND I'VE BEEN IN ANIMAL WELFARE LAW FOR THE PAST, UH, ABOUT THREE YEARS.
FIRST AS THE TEXAS STATE DIRECTOR FOR THE HS U S AND NOW AS A STAFF ATTORNEY FOR AUSTIN PE LIFE.
UM, AND I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT WORKING ON ISSUES AT THE INTERSECTIONAL SPACE BETWEEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ACCESS TO HOUSING, UM, AND PETS AND HOW IT IMPACTS OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
UH, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING JUST FROM HEARING THE BACKGROUND THAT, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE REMOTE CAN'T HEAR US, ALTHOUGH THEY CAN HEAR EACH OTHER.
SO NOT SURE WHAT TO DO ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT IS INFORMATION IF ANYBODY'S CURIOUS WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO WE'LL GO TO, UM, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
UH, WE HAVE TWO MONTHS OF MINUTES, UH, TO APPROVE THE MARCH 13TH, 2023 MINUTES AND APRIL 10TH, 2023 MINUTES.
UH, I HAVE, YES, YOU'RE RIGHT.
UH, LET'S GO TO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
ON THE, UM, SIGNUP SHEET WHICH AGENDA ITEM THAT PEOPLE ARE, HAVE SIGNED UP FOR.[00:05:01]
SO, UH, UNLESS ANY HAS ONE HAS AN OBJECTION, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO JUST ALLOW THEM TO SPEAK IN ORDER, EVEN IF IT HAPPENS TO BE ON AGENDA ITEM.IS THAT ALL RIGHT WITH EVERYONE? ANY OBJECTION TO THAT? OKAY.
CAN I SUGGEST THAT MAYBE SOMEONE OUTSIDE OF THE COMMISSION COMMUNICATE WITH COMMISSIONER NEER AND COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON? SO THEY DON'T, SO THEY KNOW WHAT'S BEING MOVE ON AND THAT WE CAN HEAR THEM
IS IT, UH, SUBJECT TO THAT, ARE WE READY TO GO WITH, UM, CITIZEN COMMUNICATION? YES.
AND YOU CAN COME SIT UP, UH, IN THE CHAIR AND SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE.
UM, I'M A VOLUNTEER AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, AND I WANTED, I HOPE I DON'T START CRYING FANCY.
GIGI WAS MY CHAMPION DOG THAT A, UM, AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER EUTHANIZED ON APRIL 12TH AFTER 12 DAYS IN RAPE BABIES QUARANTINE.
THIS WAS HER FIRST FIGHT OFFENSE, AND SHE WASN'T EVEN PLED TO ANY RESCUES FOR TRANSPORT.
SHE WAS MY BEST FRIEND IN AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, AND I ADVOCATED ENDLESSLY FOR HER ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA.
I TOOK HER ON OUTINGS AND BROUGHT HER LOTS OF GIFTS AND TREATS, AND I SPENT A LOT OF QUALITY TIME BONDING WITH HER.
SHE WASN'T ALLOWED A SECOND CHANCE.
UM, AND NINE MONTHS OF HER SITTING IN A KENNEL, 23 HOURS A DAY, LIKE SO MANY OF THE DOGS, UM, YOU KNOW, IT JUST, IT'S JUST REALLY NOT HEALTHY FOR THEM.
UM, AND SHE WAS ONLY GETTING OUT MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A WEEK, WHICH IS JUST HORRIBLE.
UM, SHE WAS A VERY ACTIVE DOG.
SHE HAD BEEN ADOPTED AT ONE POINT AND RETURNED, AND I THINK THAT REALLY AFFECTED HER.
UM, BUT I LOVED HER A LOT AND SHE'S NOW DEAD BECAUSE MANAGEMENT DECIDED SHE WASN'T WORTH A LIFE.
AND I FEEL LIKE IF, IF AUSTIN PETS ALIVE WOULD STEP UP AND TAKE IN MORE DOGS IN THE SITUATION WOULD BE, WOULD NOT BE AS COMMON.
I KIND OF FEEL THAT SHE WAS MADE AN EXAMPLE OF WHEN SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED A WARNING AND MAYBE MOVED UP COLORS TO YELLOW DOT OR ORANGE DOT, UM, OR TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER RESCUE.
I REALLY LOOKED FORWARD TO TAKING HER SWIMMING AND DOING OVERNIGHTS THAT THAT WAS TAKEN FROM ME AND WITH AND FROM HER TO NO, TO NO REGARD TO HER NEEDS.
AND I FEEL LIKE THESE DOGS WERE SUFFERING AND THEY NEED MORE ASSISTANCE IN ENRICHMENT THEIR OWNERS, ABANDON THEM, AND THEN US VOLUNTEERS WORK SO HARD LOVING THEM AND HELPING THEM TO JUST HAVE THEM BE PUT DOWN WITH NO REGARD TO OUR RELATIONSHIP.
IT'S JUST REALLY, REALLY HEARTBREAKING.
UM, AND UNTIL RECENTLY, I WAS AT THE SHELTER ALL DAY TODAY AND DID, DID A FEW, UM, OUTINGS WITH SOME, WITH ONE OF MY OTHER CHAMPION DOGS.
BUT, UM, IT'S BEEN REALLY HARD TO GO BACK THERE BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH HER AND, AND JUST THE STATE OF THE SHELTER AT THIS POINT.
DOGS LIVING IN TRUCK PORT AND IT'S LIKE 95 DEGREES OUT THERE, EVEN WITH AIR CON OR NO AIR CONDITIONING.
BUT EVEN WITH THE FANS BLOWING, IT'S JUST BLOWING HOT AIR.
THERE'S DOGS LIVING IN THEIR FILTH AND ROLLING CRATES THAT MAYBE ARE GETTING OUT ONCE A DAY.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY'S BURNT OUT.
UM, BUT BACK TO GIGI, I MEAN, I SENT EMAILS AND I, AND PLEADS AND I DIDN'T GET RESPONSE FOR THE TWO EMAILS I SENT OUT, AND I JUST KNOW SHE WASN'T GIVEN A CHANCE TO GO, UM, TO A RESCUE.
SO I JUST, I HOPE THAT, UM, HER DEATH CAN, MAYBE SOMETHING GOOD CAN COME FROM IT.
HI, I'M KAYLA, LET ANIMAL CENTER AND I HAVE BEEN VOLUNTEERING FOR NINE MONTHS.
THE, I'M THERE EVERY DAY FOR FOUR HOURS AND I DON'T WORK BECAUSE OF MY DISABILITY.
I HAVE TAKEN EVERY MENTORSHIP SEASONS A AVAILABLE FOR, UM,
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VOLUNTEERS.SO I'M KNOWLEDGEABLE IN EVERY DEPARTMENT.
I LOVE VOLUNTEERING THERE, BUT I HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE ORANGE STOCK CREW.
I FEEL LIKE THEY BULLY VOLUNTEERS IN ME AND THEY ACT LIKE THEY RUN THE PLACE.
THEY MAKE IT SEEM LIKE WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING AND THEY ACT LIKE THEY KNOW EVERYTHING.
THEY DON'T SEEM FOLLOW, THEY DON'T SEEM TO FOLLOW THE RULES.
EXAMPLE OF WEARING THE VOLUNTEER SHIRTS, THEY AREN'T VERY WELCOME, WELCOMING, AND FRIENDLY.
SO NEW VOLUNTEERS TO NEW VOLUNTEERS.
I HAVE POSTED STUFF ON ACC, FACEBOOK, AND A GROUP OF ABOUT MY CHAMPION DOG THAT I HAVE BONDED WITH.
SO I KNOW HIM VERY MUCH LIKE HE'S MY OWN DOG.
I'M THERE EVERY DAY WITH HIM AND THEY ALL START GANG IT UP ON ME.
UM, MICROMANAGEMENT, EVERY VIDEO I POST, I HAVE BROUGHT IT UP TO THE VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR AND THEY SEEM TO ACT LIKE THEY CAN'T DO NOTHING.
AS FAR AS I KNOW, WE ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS AND SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY.
NO MATTER IF YOUR AND ORANGE DOT VOLUNTEER, THE FACT THAT THEY ARE A CREW MAKES IT FEEL LIKE HIGH SCHOOL AND IT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL LEFT OUT.
THEY HAVE DIRECT MESSAGED ME IN ANOTHER VOLUNTEER BLAMING THE FACT THAT A DOG RECENTLY GOT EUTHANIZED AND BLAMING THE VOLUNTEER.
THE ORANGE DOT CREW HAS SO MUCH POWER AND IT MAKES THE ENVIRONMENT FEEL TOXIC FOR OTHER VOLUNTEERS AND MAKES THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER NOT FUN TO BE VOLUNTEERING THAT THERE HAS BEEN A, THERE HAS TO BE A WAY WITH AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER TO BREAK UP THE CREW.
ALL VOLUNTEERS SHOULD FEEL EQUAL.
REGARDING, REGARDING THE COLORS, DOT COLORS IT HAS BEEN.
IT'S JUST HAVING A CREW FEEL INCLUSIVE.
IT, IT'S BETTER IF STAFF COULD TRAIN VOLUNTEERS ON MORE ADVANCED DOG WALKING.
SO, UM, WE JUST HAVE A TOXIC WITH VOLUNTEERS AND ORANGE DOG CREW, JUST LIKE BULLYING THE BLUE DOTS.
I HAVE CONSTANTLY POSTED STUFF ON FACEBOOK, AND YET THEY HAVE SAID, HEY, YOU PULLING THIS DOG, YOU NEED TO TOSS, TREAT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA MAKE THIS DOG.
HE'S ALREADY PUPPYISH TWO YEARS OLD.
I'M IN TRAINING HIM TO BE NOT JUMPY, MOUTHY.
AND YET THEY ARE TELLING ME WE SHOULD TOSS TREES.
NO, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, TREAT DOGS LIKE THEY, UH, I'M SORRY, I RAN OUTTA TIME.
UM, MORGAN DONNELLY, CHAMPION.
MY NAME IS MORGAN AND, UM, I AM SPEAKING ABOUT AN ITEM THAT IS ON THE AGENDA.
IT'S ABOUT THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM.
SO I'M SURE A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL ARE ALREADY AWARE OF, BUT I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS MY CONCERNS, UM, THAT I'VE BECOME AWARE OF IN BEING INVOLVED IN CAMPAIGNS TO TRY TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT JUST HOW NOT NATURAL IT IS AND, UM, UNKIND IT IS TO KEEP ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY IN PLACES LIKE AQUARIUMS. UM, SO THERE HAVE BEEN UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATIONS, WHICH YOU MIGHT ALREADY BE AWARE OF, THAT HAVE, UM, FOUND OUT ABOUT CITATIONS.
UM, AND THE AQUARIUM HAS RECEIVED AN OFFICIAL WARNING FOR VIOLATING THE FEDERAL ANIMAL WELFARE ACT DUE TO ITS NEGLIGENCE AND DISREGARD OF ANIMAL AND HUMAN SAFETY.
AND YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY ALSO HEARD ABOUT THE TWO RECENT INCIDENTS WHERE CHILDREN HAVE BEEN BITTEN BY ANIMALS IN, IN THESE ENCOUNTERS.
BUT EVEN STILL, THE AQUARIUM, UM, PROMOTES AND ADVERTISES INTERACTION WITH THESE WILD ANIMALS AS SAFE AND FAMILY FUN.
AND I ACTUALLY DID MY OWN INVESTIGATION ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND WHAT I FOUND WAS REALLY UPSETTING AND, AND DISTURBING, UM, I'LL JUST GIVE A FEW EXAMPLES.
SO THEY HAVE THESE OPEN FISH TANKS WHERE THE WHOLE TOP OF IT IS EXPOSED, AND I SAW AN UNATTENDED CHILD, MAYBE ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN, AND HE WAS JUST STICKING HIS HAND IN AND KIND OF PUSHING THE FISH DOWN AS THEY WERE SWIMMING BY.
AND I ALSO SAW A LEMUR, JUST THIS WILD EXOTIC ANIMAL.
AND THE LEMUR HAD HIS HANDS UP AGAINST THE CAGE LIKE THIS, THIS CAGE THAT WAS JUST KEEPING HIM IN THIS CAPTIVE, UNNATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
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AND I ALSO SAW A TORTOISE, WHICH WAS PROBABLY HUNDREDS OF POUNDS, AND THIS TORTOISE JUST WAS PUSHED UP AS FAR AS HE COULD GET INTO THE CORNER AND WAS JUST, IT WAS NEXT TO A STAFF DOOR, AND STAFF WERE COMING IN AND OUT AND JUST COMPLETELY IGNORING THIS TORTOISE.AND I ASKED IF ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS, IF THE TORTOISE WAS OKAY, AND THEY SAID, YEAH, HE'S FINE.
AND IT'S, TO ME, IT'S NOT ENOUGH THAT THE BASIC NEEDS OF ANIMALS ARE TENDED TO, AND EVEN THAT WE KNOW IS NOT HAPPENING AT AUSTIN AQUARIUM BASED OFF OF THESE INVESTIGATIONS BECAUSE THE ANIMALS ARE DENIED ROUTINE VET CARE.
AND THERE ARE JUST WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE AROUND FOR THE STAFF TO KNOW AND SEE ALL THE INTERACTIONS THAT THE KIDS AND PEOPLE ARE HAVING WITH ANIMALS.
BUT APART FROM THAT, IT'S, IT'S CLEAR THAT NOT ONE OF THESE ANIMALS' DESIRE IS TO BE LOCKED UP INSIDE OF A BUILDING WITH NO ACCESS TO SUNLIGHT OR FRESH AIR AND NO FREEDOM, AND TO BE VIEWED AS A SPECTACLE TO BE PROFITED OFF OF FOR THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.
AND I THINK WE ALL IN THIS ROOM KNOW THAT ANIMALS ARE VERY MUCH LIKE HUMANS AND THAT THEY PREFER AUTONOMY.
THEY PREFER TO NOT BE TOUCHED WHENEVER SOMEONE FEELS LIKE TOUCHING THEM.
AND IS THAT THE OFFICIAL TIMER? OKAY.
AND I JUST WANTED TO COME HERE TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT.
I THINK AS A CULTURE, WE NEED TO DO MUCH BETTER IN THE WAY THAT WE TREAT OUR ANIMALS.
AND A STEP TOWARDS DOING THAT IS DOING AWAY WITH PLACES WHERE ANIMALS ARE HELD IN CAPTIVITY, LIKE AT AUSTIN AQUARIUM.
UM, I LIVE IN AUSTIN AND I'M A RESIDENT OF TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, TODAY I ALSO WANTED TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN ABOUT THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM AND THE ANIMALS THAT ARE KEPT IN CAPTIVITY THERE.
UM, AND THE PAST COUPLE YEARS HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE OBVIOUS THAT THE BLATANT MISHANDLING CRUELTY THAT THIS BUSINESS INSTILLS UPON THE INNOCENT BEINGS HAS BECOME A PROBLEM.
AND IT'S CLEAR THAT WE CAN NO LONGER OVERLOOK THIS.
UM, THESE ANIMALS LIVE NOT ONLY IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS COMPLETELY UNNATURAL TO THEM, BUT ALSO ENDURE THE BURDEN OF NEGLECT, ABUSE, AND ISOLATION.
INSTEAD OF LIVING IN A, A LIFE WHERE THESE ANIMALS ARE FREE TO ROAM, LIVE OUT THEIR NATURAL INSTINCTS, THEIR DIGNITY IS STRIPPED AWAY FROM THEM, AND THEY'RE PUT INTO A SITUATION WHERE PROPHET IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THEIR WELLBEING.
IT'S CLEAR THAT THESE ANIMALS DO NOT BELONG IN CAGES TO BE PRO POKED AND PRODDED, UM, FOR AMUSEMENT, BUT FOR THE REST OR FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.
IN FACT, IT DOESN'T TAKE A WHOLE LOT OF IMAGINATION TO BELIEVE THAT YOU WOULDN'T WANT THIS FOR YOURSELF.
SO WHY DO THEY DESERVE IT? ADVISOR COMMISSION.
I'M JUST HERE TO ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO BRING THESE CONCERNS, UM, UP THE LADDER OF CITY COUNT TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE THE D JURISDICTION OVER THE AREA, UM, THAT THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM RESIDES IN, SO THAT WE CAN MOVE TOWARDS A MORE COMPASSIONATE WAY OF INTERACTING WITH ANIMALS AND PUT AN END TO SUPPORTING BUSINESSES LIKE THIS.
AND, UM, I ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM.
ANIMALS OF THE AQUARIUM ARE TAKEN OUT OF THEIR NATURAL HABITAT, LIVING IN FORCED ENCLOSURES WITHOUT ANY NATURAL SUNLIGHT.
AND THEY'RE FORCED TO BE USED AS PROPS FOR THE AQUARIUM STAFF TO PROFIT FROM.
THEY SHOW SERIOUS SIGNS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND OSIS.
IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT THEY ARE NOT HAPPY AND THEY'RE NEGLECTED, AND THE STAFF SHOW SUCH DISREGARD FOR THEIR LIVES.
THERE WAS AN INCIDENT IN WHICH ABOUT 600 LIZARDS WERE RELEASED BECAUSE THEY WERE JUST CONSIDERED UNNECESSARY.
AND DURING UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATIONS, WHICH MORGAN REFERRED TO, ONE WORKER DESCRIBED TO THE UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATOR THAT THEY KILLED ONE OF THE LIZARDS WITH A LARGE ROCK.
UM, I'VE OBSERVED THESE STAFF HANDLING LARGE SNAKES OUTSIDE ON THE SIDEWALK BY A BUSY FEEDER ROAD BLASTING MUSIC, NOT CARING FOR HOW THE SNAKE FEELS, NOT CARING FOR IF THEY WOULD'VE GOTTEN LOOSE AND BEEN KILLED ON THE ROAD.
THEY'RE NOT HAPPY IN ENCLOSURES, FORCED TO BE HANDLED BY THE PUBLIC.
WHAT ARE, WHAT DO WE WANNA TEACH CHILDREN? DO WE WANNA TEACH THEM TO BE COMPASSIONATE TOWARDS OTHERS? BECAUSE ALLOWING THIS
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AQUARIUM TO BE OPEN, PAYING TO SEE THE ANIMALS THAT ARE FORCED TO BE IN THE AQUARIUM, AND TAKING CHILDREN TO THE AQUARIUM AND TEACHES THEM THAT IT'S OKAY TO ABUSE AND NEGLECT THESE ANIMALS BECAUSE THEY'RE DIFFERENT THAN US, BUT THEY'RE NOT ANY DIFFERENT IN THE WAYS THAT MATTER.THEY FEEL THEY WANNA BE HAPPY.
I'M NOT OKAY WITH TEACHING CHILDREN THAT, AND I HOPE YOU AREN'T EITHER THE AQUARIUM ISN'T SAFE FOR ANIMALS AND IT'S NOT SAFE FOR THE PUBLIC IN THERE.
MS. MITCHELL, CAN I ASK A FOLLOW UP? I'M SORRY.
CAN I ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION? SURE.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THE STAFF HAVING LARGE SNAKES OUTSIDE.
IS THAT, THIS IS THE FIRST THAT I'M HEARING OF THAT.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THEY DO? I'M NOT SURE OF HOW OFTEN THEY HAVE DONE IT, BUT I HAVE OBSERVED IT A COUPLE TIMES.
DO THEY SEEM TO BE, IS THAT PART OF THEIR ADVERTISING? ARE THEY, IS IT ENRICHMENT? WE DON'T KNOW.
HELLO, MY NAME IS CHRISTIAN AND I LIVE HERE IN AUSTIN.
I AM AN EDUCATOR, AND I'VE ALSO COME HERE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I JUST WANTED TO ASK IS, IS WHAT VALUES IS AQUARIUM EVEN PROVIDING IN THE FIRST PLACE TO OUR COMMUNITY? RIGHT? LIKE, IT'S NOT AN AQUARIUM THAT'S ENGAGED IN ANY KIND OF CONSERVATION WORK AT THE VERY, AT THE MOST, WHAT YOU COULD SAY IS THAT IT'S EDUCATING, YOU KNOW, THE YOUTH, AND THIS IS A CLAIM THAT THEY PUT FORWARD ON THEIR WEBSITE.
UM, AND IT'S ALSO A CLAIM THAT I JUST FIND DEEPLY DISTURBING, RIGHT? BECAUSE I DO NOT THINK THAT YOU CAN LEARN MUCH FROM AN ANIMAL WHO IS, WHO HAS HAD THEIR ENTIRE WORLD TAKEN FROM THEM, THAT YOU, THEY'VE BEEN DISPLACED FROM THEIR ENVIRONMENT.
AND SO I'M VERY DIS SUSPICIOUS ABOUT WHAT THERE IS TO ACTUALLY LEARN FROM AN ANIMAL THAT'S KEPT IN THESE KINDS OF ENCLOSURES.
AND MOREOVER, IN ADDITION TO THERE BEING AN ABSENCE OF ANY, YOU KNOW, CONTENT TO THE AQUARIUM, I ALSO THINK THAT IT, IT MIGHT INSTILL, UH, CERTAIN LESSONS ON THE YOUTH THAT I WOULD CONSIDER BOTH FALSE AND ALSO DANGEROUS.
UM, WHEN WE ARE WATCHING ANIMALS IN THESE KINDS OF CAGES BEHIND GLASS, UM, WHAT WE ARE LEARNING IS TO SORT OF SEE THIS IMBALANCE.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE THE ONES WITH OUR FREEDOM.
WE ARE THE ONES WITH THE POWER, AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE SORT OF BEHOLDEN TO THAT TO US.
THEY'RE ONLY AS A SORT OF SOURCE OF ENTERTAINMENT.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S JUST A REALLY DISTURBING THING TO BE TEACHING OTHERS.
AND ONE THAT JUST, JUST WORRIES ME.
UM, AND SO I, UH, I I ALSO WANTED TO COME OUT HERE AND, YOU KNOW, JUST SORT OF BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TIDES IN IN, IN OUR SOCIETY ARE CHANGING.
PEOPLE ARE BECOMING MORE AWARE OF THIS, UM, AND ARE THERE'S GROWING DISCONTENT WITH LIKE AQUARIUMS AND THE KINDS OF LESSONS THAT THEY TEACH.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AS A KIND OF CLOSING REMARK, UH, I THINK THAT IF WE TRULY ARE INTERESTED IN EDUCATION, LIKE THE BEST LESSON WE WOULD LEARN WOULD BE WALKING INTO AN AQUARIUM AND SEEING NO ONE THERE BEHIND, LIKE CAGES OR BARS.
AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
KRISTEN HASSEN? YEAH, YOU CAN JUST PASS HIM DOWN.
WE CAN, I THINK I GAVE AWAY MY COPY.
AND GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
I AM SPEAKING TONIGHT FROM THIS SIDE OF THE TABLE.
UM, THERE WAS A TRAINING, UH, THAT WAS REQUIRED, NEWLY REQUIRED TO BE IN PERSON FOR COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I TRAVEL FOR WORK, UH, WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE FIRST, UH, SCHEDULED MEETINGS.
AND SO, UH, THE CLERK'S OFFICE IS STATING THAT I AM CURRENTLY ON A BREAK, SO I AM HERE AS KRISTEN.
UM, BUT I'M PRESENTING INFORMATION THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
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UM, MYSELF, UM, AND COMMISSIONER DO, WERE SUPPOSED TO PRESENT ON DATA AND REPORTING.UM, THAT ITEM WAS ALSO REMOVED.
UH, SO I'M JUST GONNA REALLY QUICKLY THEN WALK YOU THROUGH THE, UH, REPORT.
I CONDENSED IT INTO 10 PAGES IN A WORD DOCUMENT.
AND I JUST WANNA HIT SOME HIGH POINTS.
THERE IS, I THINK, UH, AN UNDERCURRENT OF LET'S KILL MORE DOGS, UM, TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, BECAUSE WE AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET OURSELVES OUT OF IT OTHERWISE.
UM, AND THIS IS, UH, ARTICULATED IN STATEMENTS LIKE WHAT DIRECTOR BLAND SAID.
UH, RECENTLY, I'M GONNA JUST, UH, QUOTE THAT HE SAID ON A K XC N STORY, ALL THE SHELTERS ARE SEEING LESS ADOPTIONS AND MORE ANIMALS COMING IN.
SINCE THE PANDEMIC, THE EXIT RATES LESS ADOPTIONS, RESCUE PARTNERS CAN TAKE LESS, LESS TRANSFERS.
WE HAVE SO MANY KENNELS THAT, YOU KNOW, BEING A MUNICIPAL SHELTER, WE'RE NOT A SANCTUARY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT NO KILL MEANS A DOG CAN LIVE HERE 10 YEARS UNTIL IT'S NATURAL FOR OLD DEATH.
THE STORY WAS CALLED AUSTIN'S ANIMALS.
AUSTIN'S ANIMAL SHELTER TOOK IN THOUSANDS FEWER PETS LAST YEAR.
SO WHY IS INTAKE RESTRICTED? UM, AND THE STORY ALSO, UM, THEY CITE DIRECTOR OF BLAND IS SAYING MEDIUM AND LARGE, DRUG ADOPTIONS HAVE GONE DOWN DISPROPORTIONATELY.
UM, I AM REALLY, UH, SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT ANIMALS LIES ARE AT STAKE HERE.
AND WHEN THE DIRECTOR IN AAC ARE, ARE, UM, AT BEST MISREPRESENTING WHAT THE DATA SAYS FROM THE AUSTIN OPEN DATA PORTAL THAT WE'RE REALLY PUTTING ANIMALS AT RISK DUE TO MISINFORMATION.
AND SO I FELT, UM, AS DID, UM, WHEN WE HAD INITIALLY PLANNED TO PRESENT THIS, THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INCREASE IN ANIMAL INTAKES.
THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INCREASE IN OWNER SURRENDER INTAKES.
UH, THERE ARE NOT MORE ANIMALS COMING IN THAN ARE LEAVING.
THOSE NUMBERS HAVE REMAINED CONSISTENT.
UM, THERE IS NOT A DECREASE IN ADOPTIONS.
ADOPTIONS ARE ACTUALLY KEEPING PACE, UH, BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF INTAKE.
UH, THERE IS NOT A LACK OF TRANSFERS GOING OUT TO PARTNERS.
UH, THERE IS NOT A LACK OF STAFFING.
STAFFING IS 11 POSITIONS HIGHER THAN A PERIOD WHEN THE INTAKE WAS ALMOST DOUBLE WHAT IT IS TODAY.
UH, AND THERE'S NOT A LACK OF FUNDING.
THE BUDGET IS APPROXIMATELY 4 MILLION GREATER THAN WHAT IT WAS WHEN INTAKE WAS DOUBLE WHAT IT IS TODAY.
UM, ALL OF THIS IS, THANK YOU.
DID YOU WANNA SUMMARIZE? YOU'RE WELCOME.
TO SUMMARIZE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SUMMARIZE.
ALL OF THIS IS CONTAINED IN THESE CHARTS.
ALL OF THESE CHARTS WERE TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM AUSTIN DATA SOURCES, INCLUDING THE AUSTIN OPEN DATA PORTAL, UH, AND THE AUSTIN BUDGET AND STAFFING INFORMATION ON THE CITY WEBSITE HERE.
SO, BY PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND, AND, UH, HAVING THIS THREE MINUTES, WHAT WAS THE OBJECTIVE OF YOU PRESENTING THIS? UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.
I, I THINK I, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT AS THE COMMISSION IS MAKING, UH, DECISIONS, HAVING DISCUSSION AND ASKING THE DIRECTOR WHAT IS GOING ON, WHICH HAPPENS REPEATEDLY, THAT THE COMMISSION IS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY'RE BEING PRESENTED WITH REAL INFORMATION AND WHEN THEY'RE BEING PRES PRESENTED WITH MISINFORMATION AND SPECULATION BECAUSE, UH, THE WAY THAT WE INVEST RECOMMEND INVESTING MONEY, THE WAY WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET, ALL OF THIS SHOULD BE BASED IN FACTS AND DATA, NOT IN SPECULATION AND MISINFORMATION.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE DISPARITY BETWEEN INTAKE AND OUTCOME SINCE 2015, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS? I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ME.
DO YOU, UH, YOU, YOU'VE GONE THROUGH NUMBERS EXTENSIVE THIS TOGETHER.
DID YOU PUT THIS TOGETHER? WITHOUT GOING OVER NUMBERS EXTENSIVELY? I THINK, UH, IF YOU HAVE A FACTUAL QUESTION, OBVIOUSLY I DO, OBVIOUSLY, MY QUESTION.
OBVIOUSLY, SHE PUT TOGETHER INFORMATION WITH FACTS QUESTION.
WELL, MAYBE SHE COULD JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE DISPARITY IS? DO, ARE YOU CALLING ME SO FAR FROM COMMISSIONER? NO.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE DISPARITY IS? THAT'S THE PARLIAMENTARIAN HAS A POINT OF ORDER.
THIS IS A PARLIAMENTARIAN WHO HAS ACCUSED COUNCIL COMMISSION MEMBERS ORDER JULY PAPER OUT OF ORDER.
THE PARLIAMENTARIAN HAS A POINT OF ORDER, THE PARLIAMENTARIAN ALLOWED TO SPEAK.
COMMISSIONER NIELSEN, YOU NEED TO, YOU NEED TO NOT, YOU NEED STOP AND YOU NEED TO ASK THE FACTUAL
[00:30:01]
QUESTION OR YOU'LL BE SHUT DOWN.NO, I, UH, THE QUE THE FACTUAL QUESTION I ASKED WAS, ARE YOU AWARE OF WHAT THE DISPARITY IS BETWEEN THE ANIMALS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO THE SHELTER AND THE ANIMALS THAT HAD LEFT THE SHELTER SINCE 2016? UH, I BELIEVE THE WORD, I THINK THAT, I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEAN WHEN YOU USE THE WORD DISPARITY.
UH, THE DIFFERENCE, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ANIMALS THAT HAVE COME INTO THE SHELTER AND THE ANIMALS THAT HAVE LEFT THE SHELTER? THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IN, IN INTAKE AND OUTCOME.
SO WHAT I WANNA, UM, JUST POINT THE COMMISSIONER STUDENT PART OF THIS IS BECAUSE MANY OF YOU ARE NEW, THE REPORTS FROM 2013 ON ARE ALL CONTAINED ON THE BOARDS AND COMMISSION'S WEBSITE.
AND SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED IN REPORTS SINCE AT LEAST THAT TIME.
AND SO, NOT ONLY CAN YOU USE THE OPEN DATA PORTAL, BUT YOU CAN ALSO GO BACK INTO THE REPORTS.
AND PART OF THIS REPORT, UM, IS TO SHOW THAT IN THE UP UNTIL 2021, THERE WAS WERE REPORTS PROVIDED THAT, AS COMMISSIONER NIELSEN'S POINTING TO DID ALLOW US TO SEE COMPARATIVE DATA.
SINCE THAT POINT, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SEE THAT.
AND SO UNDERSTANDING DATA COMPARATIVELY IS REALLY DIFFICULT, THOUGH.
I BELIEVE THE QUESTION THAT YOU'RE ASKING, ALTHOUGH I'M STILL NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND IT, IS CONTAINED WITHIN THE, UH, 10 PAGES OF CHARTS INCLUDED HERE.
UM, CHAIR, COMMISSIONER, SCHOLA.
SO, UH, UH, I'M SORRY, I'M GONNA INTERRUPT HERE BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WHEN A INDIVIDUAL WAS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, WE AS MEMBERS COULD ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION, BUT WE CANNOT QUESTION THE PERSON, IS THAT WE CAN ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
I, WE WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE IN DEBATE.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR INFORMATION? PERFECTLY APPROPRIATE.
WE WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE DEBATE PROCESS.
I HAVE ONE FINAL FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
WHO WAS THE LAST TIME COMMISSIONER NI YOU WERE AT THE SHELTER? UH, I WAS AT THE SHELTER SEVERAL TIMES.
ACTUALLY, UH, A FEW MONTHS AGO.
I TRIED TO VOLUNTEER AND I TRIED TO FOSTER, AND I WAS DECLINED FROM BOTH.
UM, SO IT'S BEEN SEVERAL MONTHS SINCE I'VE BEEN THERE, BUT I WAS THERE REGULARLY PREVIOUSLY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
UM, MS. HASSAN, UH, ROCHELLE, VICTOR VIC.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR. TUCKER FOR, RECOMMENDED ME TO GET VOUCHERS.
AND I WILL TELL YOU, I GOT SIX VOUCHERS TO GO TO DR.
AND, UH, IT, IT, IT MAKES ME HAPPY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT DOGS ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF, AND WE HAVE GOTTA REALIZE THE MALES ARE READY 7 24, THEY CAN GO ACROSS THE STREET AND THEN GO ACROSS THE STREET AND BREED WITH ANOTHER ONE.
SO WE GOT A, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
AND THE YOUNG LADY THAT SPOKE FIRST, I STARTED CRYING THERE BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE IN THE CARPORT.
AND, AND I'M JUST, I'M BEGGING Y'ALL TO, LET'S, LET'S GET SOME SPADE AND NEUTER.
I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT WE WAS GONNA GET ACCOMPLISHED AT THIS MEETING.
AND I WANNA TELL YOU THAT, UH, YESTERDAY OR DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY, SOMEBODY FROM, UH, THAT HAD A CAT THAT CAME FROM APA AND IT HAD A MEDICAL ISSUE AND THEY COULDN'T TAKE CARE OF IT.
THEY TOOK IT TO APA, THEY REFUSED IT.
THEY TOOK IT TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY, THEY TOOK IT IN, AND APA WENT AND PICKED IT UP.
THIS IS SOME OF THE PROBLEMS. LAST MONTH, I TOLD TOLD YOU ABOUT A DOG THAT SOMEBODY HAD, AND I GUESS APA REFUSED TO TAKE IT.
THEY TOOK IT TO THE AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY AND THEY TOOK IT IN.
THEY HAD A VOUCHER AND THEY COULDN'T GET IN.
THIS IS THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE HAVING IN THIS TOWN, THAT THEY'RE BRINGING ANIMALS INTO THIS TOWN.
AND THEN IN TURN, YOU KNOW, HERE A FEW YEARS BACK, WE GRIPED, WE PROTESTED, WE STOOD OUT AND, AND JUST WENT, WHAT WENT WILD ABOUT THESE PUPPY MILLS? SORRY, PETS ALIVE.
I THINK YOU'RE A PUPPY MILL BECAUSE YOU WANT ALL THE PREGNANT CATS, ALL THE PREGNANT DOGS THAT COME INTO OUR CITY SHELTER.
YOU WANT 'EM, YOU WANT 'EM TO HAVE THE BABIES.
AND THEN YOU, THEN YOU HOLLER.
LET'S, IF A DOG COMES INTO OUR CITY SHELTER, LET'S, LET'S GET HER FIXED.
LET'S DON'T HAVE HER HAVE PUPPIES BECAUSE WE GOT TOO MANY.
YOU NEED SOMEBODY TO ADOPT, TO FOSTER.
[00:35:01]
THE TIME.YOU FIXED THAT LITTLE DOG'S LEG.
DID YOU LET IT GO? YOU, YOU DID.
YOU LET IT GO TO A FOSTER HOME WITHOUT IT BEING NEUTERED.
I DON'T CARE IF HE WAS A BABY.
YOU DON'T LET NOTHING OUT OF THE AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY THAT ISN'T FIXED.
AND I THINK YOU NEED TO DO THE SAME THING.
FIX IT BEFORE IT GOES TO A FOSTER HOME, BECAUSE IT CAN BREATHE.
WHEN IT'S IN A FOSTER HOME, THE MALE DOGS CAN GET LOOSE.
YOU KNOW, AND I'M JUST TELLING YOU, IT JUST HAPPENS.
SOMETIMES THEY JUMP THE FENCE JUST LIKE THEY CLIMB OUT THE WINDOW.
I AM AN AUSTIN RESIDENT AND I'M AN ANIMAL RIGHTS ADVOCATE.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE MATTER OF THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM.
I BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS MATTER, AS I BELIEVE NON-HUMAN ANIMALS ARE NOT IN IT.
THEY'RE NOT SOMETHING, THEY ARE SOMEONE.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM HAS BEEN EMBROILED IN LEGAL TROUBLES FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
IN 2018, THE CITY OF AUSTIN FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE AQUARIUM FOR OPERATING WITHOUT PER PROPER PERMITS, VIOLATING BUILDING CODES AND MISTREATING ANIMALS, INCLUDING SHARKS AND OTHER MARINE LIFE.
THE AQUARIUM WAS ALSO FINED $150,000 BY THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IN 2019 FOR DISCHARGING WASTE INTO THE LOCAL SEWER SYSTEMS. IN 2020, A FORMER EMPLOYEE FILED THE LAWSUIT AGAINST THE AQUARIUM, ALLEGING THAT SHE WAS FIRED FOR REPORTING SAFETY VIOLATIONS AND ANIMAL AND AND ANIMAL MISTREATMENT TO MANAGEMENT.
THE AQUARIUM HAS DENIED ANY WRONGDOING, BUT THE LAWSUITS REMAIN ONGOING AND IT REMAINS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
HOWEVER, ALLOWING VISITORS TO SWIM WITH AND TOUCH WILD ANIMALS AS THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM DOES, IS A VIOLATION OF ANIMAL WELFARE AND CONSERVATION PRINCIPLES.
WILD ANIMALS BELONG IN THEIR NATURAL HABITATS, NOT IN CAPTIVITY FOR HUMAN ENTERTAINMENT.
THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM'S PRACTICES SUBJECT THESE ANIMALS TO UNHEALTHY AND STRESSFUL CONDITIONS, WHICH CAN LEAD TO PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES.
ADDITIONALLY, THESE INTERACTIONS PUT BOTH THE ANIMALS AND HUMANS AT RISK OF INJURY AND DISEASE.
SOCIETY MUST RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF ALL LIVING BEINGS AND WORK TOWARDS PROMOTING ETHICAL AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES THAT RESPECT THEIR WELFARE AND CONSERVATION.
AS AN AUSTIN RESIDENT, I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM'S PRACTICES AND THAT IT IS STILL ONGOING.
IT ALLOWS PUBLIC ENCOUNTERS WITH THESE WILD ANIMALS AND HAS A HISTORY OF ALLOWING VISITORS TO INTERACT WITH THESE ANIMALS AND BEING INJURED.
ONLINE REVIEWS, RECOUNT, DISTURBING EXPERIENCES, INCLUDING DISGUSTING FACILITIES AND ENCLOSURES AND ANIMALS FORCED TO LIVE IN CRAMPED SQUALID CONDITIONS WHERE THEY ARE PRODDED BY THE PUBLIC ALL DAY WITHOUT MONITORING.
PETER'S INVESTIGATION IN 2022 REVEALED THAT THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM DENIED REPTILES NEEDED VETERINARY CARE, LEAVING THEM TO DIE.
DURING THE INVESTIGATION, A LIMMER WAS HELD IN SO IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT, AND WORKERS RECOUNTED THAT SOME SNAKES HAD GONE MISSING WHILE OTHERS WERE FOUND DEAD IN THE FACILITY.
IT IS CRUCIAL TO PROMOTE ETHICAL AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES THAT RESPECT ANIMAL WELFARE AND CONSERVATION.
AND WE MUST WORK TOWARDS A FUTURE WHERE ALL ANIMALS, INCLUDING THESE WILD ANIMALS, CAN LIVE FREE FROM EXPLOITATION AND INTERFERENCE.
WE SHOULD BE JUST AS APPALLED ABOUT THE MISTREATMENT OF THESE ANIMALS AS WE ARE ABOUT THE MISTREATMENT OF ANIMALS LIKE CATS AND DOGS.
JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T BARK OR MEOW DOESN'T MEAN THEY ARE ANY LESS DESERVING OF PROTECTION.
LAST REMARK, YOU AS THE CITY COUNCIL HAS THE POWER TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, SO PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, WE ARE THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION, UH, NOT THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO WE, WE DO NOT HAVE, UH, DIRECT AUTHORITY, BUT WE CAN MAKE RECO RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE ANIMAL, TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
THAT IS ALL THE LIST THAT I HAVE.
UM, IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE, UM, WHY DON'T YOU SIGN UP? I THINK I EMAILED BEFORE,
[00:40:23]
UH, LUCY FERNANDEZ.UH, Y'ALL HEAR ME? OKAY, GREAT.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
UM, LONGTIME WATCHER, UM, FIRST TIME SPEAKER IN PERSON.
UM, MY NAME IS LUCY FERNANDEZ.
I AM THE POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES TO SHELTER SURRENDER PROGRAM MANAGER AT AUSTIN PETS LIVE.
UM, I'VE ALSO, UH, BEEN A VOLUNTEER WITH TRAPPERS FOR TWO YEARS, UM, VOLUNTEER IN THE PARK OF ICU FOR, UH, TWO YEARS.
AND, UH, A CITIZEN OF AUSTIN FOR SINCE 2005.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO COME AND SPEAK, UH, TODAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, BASICALLY THE, THE ACCESS TO CARE.
I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH THE INITIATIVE FOR, UM, ACCESS TO SPAY NEUTER AND STUFF, SO OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ALL ABOUT THAT.
UM, BUT THE LOGISTICS BEHIND IT AND THE DEVILS AND THE DETAILS.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF, UM, BRING THAT TO ATTENTION.
UH, THE PAST PROGRAM, UH, HELPS.
UM, IT'S BASICALLY INTAKE DIVERSION, UM, THAT WE COVER FOR THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND IT IS PRIMARILY, UH, FOCUSED TO TRAVIS AND WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
UM, WE, UH, WE GET EMAILS FROM PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ASKING FOR A HELP FROM APA AND WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT RESOURCES, UM, NOT ONLY WITHIN AUSTIN PETS LIVE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP FOLKS, UM, WITH FEEDING THEIR ANIMALS, UM, ACCESS TO CARE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, TAKE SUPER, A LOT OF PRIDE IN THAT.
AND A LOT OF THAT COMES WITH THE COLLABORATION THAT I HAVE WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THOSE INCLUDE, UH, AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, UM, BASTROP, UM, SAVE AN ANGEL, UM, TEXAS HUMANE HEROES, AND JUST A LOT OF HUMAN, UH, SERVICES AGENCIES.
UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT, UH, I WANNA TOUCH ON IS THE ACCESS TO CARE, UM, REQUIRES US TO BE COMPASSIONATE AND HUMANIZING ONE ANOTHER.
UM, THE JUDGMENT, THE BIASES, THINGS LIKE THAT ARE JUST BASICALLY, UM, MAKING IT A LOT HARDER FOR US TO DO THE WORK THAT WE DO.
UM, KEEPING PETS WITH THEIR FAMILIES, UM, KEEPING THEM HOME.
WE DON'T WANT 'EM IN A SHELTER, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, AND IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, UH, SO IT'S JUST A LOT EASIER IF WE JUST TALK TO THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND HELP THEM.
AND THE WAY THAT WE DO THAT, UM, THE BEST AND THE SMARTEST WAY TO DO THAT IS TO WORK TOGETHER AND COLLABORATIVELY.
UM, AND SO IF AND WHEN, YOU KNOW, GREAT SPAY NEERS PASSED, UM, BUT HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE ACCESS THAT TO PEOPLE, UM, TO FURTHER ANIMALS? UM, ANIMALS ARE OUR PROPERTY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, SO WE CAN'T FORCE PEOPLE MANDATES AND, AND FINDING PEOPLE AND PENALIZING ISN'T, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST NOT THE EASIEST WAY TO ENFORCE THAT.
EDUCATING PEOPLE, TALKING WITH THEM INSTEAD OF AT THEM.
THEY HAVE TO BE A PRIORITY, UM, IF YOU WANT TO ACTUALLY GET THE WORK DONE.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK ON THAT AND, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR Y'ALL'S TIME AND, AND EVERYTHING.
I'VE COME HERE A COUPLE TIMES TO TALK ABOUT THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM.
SO TODAY WILL BE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM AND OTHER REPUTABLE SERVICES AND ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN AUSTIN THAT DO ALSO TAKE CARE OF ANIMALS.
SO, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM IS A FOR-PROFIT COMPANY.
UH, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS INSTANCES WHERE THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM HAS SACRIFICED THE WELFARE OF THEIR ANIMALS AND THE SAFETY OF THEIR VISITORS FOR MONEY.
IN THE SAME UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION THAT A COUPLE PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED, THERE WAS AN EMPLOYEE WHO ADMITTED THAT THE OWNERS OF THE AQUARIUM MADE THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY JUST IN ONE DAY FROM THAT ONE FACILITY THAT WAS REQUIRED TO GET VET CARE FOR AN IGUANA WHO HAD BROKEN BONES.
AND THE AQUARIUM MADE THE DECISION TO NOT GET THAT VET CARE FOR THEIR ANIMAL.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE ANIMALS.
IN, UM, THE PAST 10 YEARS THAT THE AQUARIUM'S BEEN OPERATING, THEY'VE BEEN SUED MANY TIMES BY VARIOUS FAMILIES WHOSE CHILDREN HAVE BEEN ATTACKED, REALLY BY THE ANIMALS THAT ARE AT THEIR FACILITY.
AND INSTEAD OF PAYING TO ACTUALLY FIX AND MAKE BETTER THE, THE CONDITIONS OF THEIR FACILITY, THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM HAS ESSENTIALLY DONE NOTHING.
AND IT'S THAT PROGRAM, THAT PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS THEIR VISITORS TO TOUCH PET PROD, FEED ANIMALS AT ANY GIVEN POINT THAT MAKES THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM VERY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER ACTUALLY REPUTABLE FACILITIES.
THEY ALLOW PEOPLE TO TOUCH THEIR ANIMALS WITH NO AGE LIMIT, NO TIME LIMIT, NO LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT CAN BE INTERACTING WITH A GIVEN ANIMAL AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
NO LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF BOOKINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN HAVE
[00:45:01]
WITH ONE ANIMAL IN ONE DAY BECAUSE THEY DON'T BOOK AT ALL.AND THE WORST THING IS THERE'S LITTLE TO NO SUPERVISION WHEN PEOPLE DO INTERACT WITH THESE ANIMALS.
SO WHAT ESSENTIALLY HAPPENS IS THAT THE MORE THAT PEOPLE PAY, THE MORE PEOPLE CAN INTERACT WITH ANIMALS.
AND THE CONSEQUENCE OF THAT IS THAT KIDS GET ATTACKED WEEKLY INSIDE THAT FACILITY.
SO DESPITE, DESPITE ALL THESE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THIS AQUARIUM AND ACTUALLY GOOD ANIMAL WELFARE FACILITIES THAT DO EXIST IN AUSTIN, IT STILL REPRESENTS AUSTIN.
THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM STILL REPRESENTS HOW MUCH AUSTIN CARES ABOUT, WELL, ABOUT ANIMALS AND THEIR WELFARE.
AND IT REPRESENTS HOW MUCH AUSTIN CARES ABOUT THE SAFETY OF CHILDREN, WHO ARE THE PEOPLE THAT GO TO THE AQUARIUM MOST.
AND THE EXISTENCE OF THIS AQUARIUM SEEMS TO SHOW THAT AUSTIN DOES NOT CARE ENOUGH, BUT THE HARM THAT THEY REGULARLY IMPOSE UPON THEIR EMPLOYEES, THEIR ANIMALS, AND THEIR VISITORS WHO ARE MOST OFTEN KIDS, SHOWS THAT WE HAVE TO START CARING.
AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FACILITIES, I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME CHANGE MADE TO ENSURE THAT IT CANNOT HARM AS MANY PEOPLE AND AS MANY ANIMALS AS IT REGULARLY DOES.
WE ARE GONNA MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
I'LL GET THE ORDER CORRECT ONE OF THESE DAYS.UM, SO WE HAVE TWO MONTHS OF MINUTES TO APPROVE THE MARCH 13TH, 2023 MINUTES, AND THE APRIL 10TH, 20, 23 MINUTES.
I DID NOTICE ON THE SECOND PAGE OF THE MARCH 13TH MINUTES, UM, UNDER THE AQUARIUM ISSUE, IT SAYS, VICE CHAIR CLINTON ASKED TO INVOLVE THE TEXAS HUMANE SOCIETY, AND THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF, OF THE UNITED STATES.
UM, SO HS U S, BUT WITH THAT CHANGE, I HAVE NO OTHER CHANGES.
UH, DOES ANYONE, I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY MY FAULT AND NOT YOURS.
UM, MS. HA,
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? SO IT'S UNANIMOUS WITH ALL COMMISSIONERS VOTING IN FAVOR OF BOTH MINUTES.
[2. Overview of monthly report provided by the Animal Service Center]
STAFF BRIEFING OVERVIEW OF MONTHLY REPORT PROVIDED BY THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, SIR, THE APRIL MINUTES AS WELL.YES, WE APPROVE BOTH, BOTH OF THEM.
YES, THE MOTION WAS TO APPROVE BOTH MONTHS.
JASON GAR WITH ANIMAL SERVICES.
UM, I'M GOING TO DO A BRIEF LOW INTRO BEFORE I KICK IT OVER TO DON.
UH, THE LIVE OUTCOME RATE FOR APRIL WAS 96.6%.
WE HAD A TOTAL OF 1,070 ANIMALS THAT WERE BROUGHT TO THE SHELTER.
A TOTAL OF 4 67 ANIMALS WERE ADOPTED, AND A TOTAL OF 84 DOGS WERE RETURNED TO THEIR OWNERS OUT IN THE FIELD.
APOS WERE ABLE TO RETURN 47 ANIMALS TO THEIR OWNERS.
THEY IMPOUNDED 164 INJURED ANIMALS AND DELIVERED 76 WILDLIFE ANIMALS TO, UH, AUSTIN WILDLIFE RESCUE.
THEY DID ENTER, UH, 235, 223, I'M SORRY, RABIES EXPOSURE REPORTS AND SUBMITTED NICE SPECIMENS FOR RABIES TESTING.
OF THOSE, WE HAD THREE POS, THREE BATS THAT WERE ENDED UP BEING POSITIVE.
AND SO I'M GONNA KICK IT OFF TO DON RIGHT NOW TO GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS AND, UH, WELCOME NEW COMMISSIONER.
UH, THE, UH, MONTH OF APRIL SAW OUR TOTAL VOLUNTEER SERVICE HOURS OF 6,692.
SO, UH, WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN APRIL, WHICH IT WAS MUCH NEEDED.
AND THAT IS A TOTAL OF VOLUNTEERS GROUPS THAT COME AND VOLUNTEER AS WELL AS COMMUNITY SERVICE THAT'S DOING THE VOLUNTEER WORK THERE.
ONE OF THE THING, WE HAD 78 EMERGENCIES THAT WE TREATED, UH, AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER DURING THE MONTH.
AND WE HAVE IN OUR VACANCY REPORT OF THE 16, UH, FULL-TIME POSITIONS AND THE THREE TEMPORARY POSITIONS THAT ARE OPEN, THERE ARE ONLY TWO THAT ARE CURRENTLY OPEN AND POSTED.
ALL THE REST ARE IN THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING, UH, YOU KNOW, CANDIDATES OR BACKGROUND CHECKS OR INTERVIEW PROCESS.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS.
THE ONLY, WE HAVE A FULL-TIME VET POSITION THAT'S POSTED, AND A, A HR ASSISTANT IS A TEMPORARY, THAT'S THE ONLY CURRENTLY OPEN POSITIONS.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS IN PROCESS OF BEING FILLED.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE THRILLED ABOUT THAT.
UH, COMMISSIONER DAZADI, I PUT IN TWO REPORTS THAT, UH, IT'S, I KNOW IT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT, YOU KNOW, NICE AND PRETTY AND LOOKING GOOD, BUT IT, IT'S, IT'S GIVING YOU THE INFORMATION THAT YOU WERE ASKING FOR.
[00:50:01]
I, I TOLD YOU, I THINK THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME, STILL SOME INFORMATION IN HERE THAT'S NOT CORRECT, BUT AT LEAST IT GIVES YOU THE ENDING INVENTORY IN THE BEGINNING INVENTORY EACH MONTH UNTIL WE CAN, UH, COME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER.I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT WE DO HAVE FOR NEXT MONTH THE, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH EMPLOYEE THAT, UH, SUPPORTS US, UH, THROUGH, UH, THE IT SERVICE.
UH, HE IS GOING TO BE HERE AND HE'S GOING TO TALK TO Y'ALL ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE THINGS YOU MIGHT, YOU'VE REQUESTED, AS WELL AS WHAT OUR LIMITATIONS MIGHT BE FROM A BANDWIDTH STANDPOINT AND WHAT SOFTWARE IS NOT SUPPORTED ANY LONGER.
THAT DOESN'T ALLOW US TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE USED TO DO IN THE PAST.
SO HE WILL BE HERE NEXT MONTH, DO A PRESENTATION.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE UNLESS THERE'S QUESTIONS.
AND I, I, THOSE, I NOTICED THAT YOU, THAT THE INVENTORY, UH, AND THAT'S REALLY APPRECIATED AND ALSO THAT YOU'RE GONNA BRING SOMEONE FROM THE IT GROUP FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
WOULD YOU MIND WALKING US THROUGH THAT INVENTORY REPORT? I, I WAS LOOKING THROUGH IT AND, UM, DO YOU MIND WALKING US THROUGH IT? SURE.
I COULD, UH, TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT.
THAT, THAT THIS REPORT IS SOME, SOME OF YOU ALREADY ON THIS COMMISSION GET THIS ON A DAILY BASIS.
UM, IT IS, UM, PRODUCED EARLY MORNING.
UM, IT SHOWS THE OUTCOMES AND INTAKES FROM THE PREVIOUS DAY.
LIKE IF YOU PULL THE ONE THAT, UH, FROM THE INVENTORY OF, OF APRIL 1ST, UH, IF YOU LOOK ON THE SECOND PAGE, IT SHOWS THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY ON THE 31ST, THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT CAME IN WERE 40.
AND THE ANIMALS THAT, UH, WERE OUTCOMES WERE 25.
UH, IT STILL HAS THAT LOST IN THERE THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REMOVE YET.
AND THAT, THAT IS, UH, NOT A NUMBER THAT IS ANIMALS THAT ARE BEING PUT IN AND THEY'RE NOT IN OUR SYSTEM.
THAT IS, YOU KNOW, PUT IN BY CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE LOST AN ANIMAL.
SO THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS ACTUALLY IN OUR SYSTEM.
AND, UM, THEN THE TOP PAGE SHOWS THE INVENTORY, AND THEN IT SHOWS THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT ARE ACTUALLY AT THE SHELTER VERSUS THAT ARE OFFSITE IN FOSTER OR AT A RESCUE PARTNER BEING EVALUATED.
AND, AND JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME PERSPECTIVE, THOSE, UH, AT THAT SAYS SHELTERED ONLY WHEN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LARGE DOGS ON, UH, 4 0 1, IT SAID 340, AND WE HAVE 272 LARGE KENNELS THAT'S USING HALF OF THE 600 S SMALL DOGS.
UH, THERE WAS 12 SMALL DOGS AND PUPPIES.
AND, UH, WE HAVE 37 KENNELS FOR THAT, AND WE HAVE 164 FOR CATS AND KITTENS.
SO THOSE ARE, UH, JUST A BREAKDOWN THAT THE, IT PULLS FROM OUR SOFTWARE.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR GOING THROUGH, UH, A HIGH LEVEL THROUGH THE REPORT.
SO BASICALLY THIS BY DAY REPORT, CORRECT? YES, THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTOOD.
DO YOU, I KNOW IT'S THE BEGINNING AND, UH, YOU DID MENTION BEFORE THAT IT WAS, UH, IT'S NOT EASY, UH, TO GET THIS INFORMATION.
UM, BECAUSE THE AG GUESS THERE'S SOMETHING, THE DATA'S NOT AS CLEAN.
I, I STILL, UM, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE IT, BUT I, I STILL BELIEVE, OR I THINK THAT, UH, YOU MUST KNOW SOMEHOW HOW MANY ANIMALS YOU HAVE EVERY MONTH AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH.
AT THE END OF THE MONTH, LIKE WHEN YOU, FOR THE YEAR, YOU DO REPORT HOW YOU END WITH HOW MANY ANIMALS.
SO YOU SOMEHOW YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT DATA BECAUSE YOU MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON THAT.
IT CANNOT BE JUST IN THE INCOME INCOMING, IN TAKING OUT OUTGOING, AND I'M, I'M JUST COM IT'S A CONVERSATION HERE AND, AND, AND THIS REPORT WE GET DAILY AND, AND UTILIZE IT AS WELL.
DON'T, SO YOU GET THAT DAILY, BUT DON'T YOU HAVE SOMETHING CUMULATIVE FOR THE MONTH? WELL, WE GET OUR REPORTS THAT ACCUMULATE MONTHLY, YES, BECAUSE YOU, YOU NEED, I MEAN, TO MAKE A DE DECISION, YOU FOR AN ORGANIZATION, IT CANNOT NOT, I MEAN, DAILY IS GOOD TO GET, BUT YOU NEED THE BIGGER PICTURE, WHICH I'M SURE YOU DO GET, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M
[00:55:01]
ASKING FOR.I, I LIKE THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING THIS DAILY, WHAT YOU SEE DAILY, BUT UH, I KNOW YOU'RE GETTING THE IT PER PERSON NEXT WEEK AND IT, IT'S APPRECIATED THAT YOU, UH, SHARED THIS.
WOULD YOU, LIKE, IS THIS SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET ON A DAILY BASIS? SORRY? IS THIS SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET ON A DAILY BASIS? SOME OF YOUR COMMISSIONERS ALREADY GET THIS ON A DAILY BASIS.
IF ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER WOULD LIKE THIS, JUST SEND US AN EMAIL AND WE'LL MAKE SURE.
RIGHT NOW FROM, BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I SEE THIS, I, I CANNOT SAY TO YOU BECAUSE I HAVE TO LOOK AT IT CLOSELY, BUT IF, IF I, IF I, IF I'M TO CHOOSE, UH, IT, IT'LL BE MONTHLY, QUARTERLY, AND ANNUALLY BECAUSE YOU THEN YOU CAN SEE TRENDS AND THIS IS MICROSCOPIC, BUT I NEED TO LOOK AT THE REPORT TO REALLY, UH, GIVE YOU GOOD FEEDBACK.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR GENERATING SOMETHING.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, GOOD EVENING.
UM, YEAH, SO I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.
UM, I'LL START WITH THE, THE VACANCY REPORT.
WHAT, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ANIMAL CARE SPECIALISTS, ANIMAL CARE, ANIMAL CARE WORKERS? ARE THOSE THREE DIFFERENT JOB DESCRIPTIONS? I MEAN, SO I MEAN, CUZ I SEE THAT YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, PREPARING INTERVIEWS AND ALL THIS STUFF, SO, BUT I DIDN'T, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN THOSE.
SO WE'VE TRIED TO CREATE SORT OF LIKE A TIERED SYSTEM WITHIN THE ANIMAL CARE WORKER LINE MM-HMM.
SO AN ANIMAL CARE TECHNICIAN IS SOMEONE THAT WE GIVE DELEGATE MORE RESPONSIBILITIES TO.
SO THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY THE FOLKS THAT ARE HANDLE THE END OF THE DAY BUSINESS.
SO THEY'RE DOING THE NIGHTLY INVENTORY, HEALTH CHECKS, WHATNOT.
AN ANIMAL CARE SPECIALIST IS A SORT OF OUR LEAD, SO NOT QUITE A SUPERVISOR, BUT THEY ARE ABLE TO SORT OF LEAD THE DAY.
THEY HELP OUT WITH, WITH ANIMAL MOVEMENT THROUGH THE SHELTER.
THEY ALSO WORK WITH SOME OF OUR PARTNERS TO COORDINATE AND WORK WITH OTHER TEAMS AS WELL TO SORT OF COORDINATE TRANSFERS, FOSTERS, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH THESE, WITH OUR VS TEAM TO COORDINATE SURGERY POOLS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE, WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO IS SORT OF CREATE A GRADUATED SCALE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS COULD BE SORT OF INCENTIVIZED TO, TO KEEP AT THE WORK AND, AND TRY FOR H HIGHER PAY POSITION.
AND THEN I, I DON'T SEE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE EVER SEEN THE DOG WALKING POSITIONS ON HERE.
ARE THOSE CLASSIFIED AS ANIMAL ENRICHMENT SPECIALISTS? YES, THEY ARE.
AND THAT THE, UM, IT'S A TEMPORARY POSITION.
AND ARE THOSE ALL FILLED AT THIS TIME OR IS THIS THIS ANIMAL ENRICHMENT SPECIALIST POSITION ON HERE? IS THAT A, THAT THAT IS A FULL-TIME STAFF.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE UNDER THE TEMPORARY SIDE.
HAVE, UH, ONE PART-TIME, UH, PERMANENT STAFF.
BUT THIS, THIS IS YOUR REGULAR FULL-TIME STAFF THAT'S ON THAT.
SO THE, SO THE THREE VACANT TEMPORARY POSITIONS, ARE THOSE ALL DOG WALKERS UNDER TOTAL VACANT POSITIONS? TEMPORARY.
YOU HAVE THREE POSITIONS YOU JUST SAID THAT'S ALL.
NO, THE TEMPORARY POSITIONS, UH, ARE, UH, A VETERINARIAN POSITION.
AND, UM, SO THESE THREE UNDERNEATH THE VET SERVER? YES, THOSE ARE THE THREE.
SO YOU'VE GOT ONE DOG WALKER IDENTIFIED FINALIZING OFFICER.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THAT, UM, ON YOUR DATA SLIDES HERE, UM, LET ME FIND MY QUESTIONS.
I GUESS MY FIRST ONE, SINCE IT'S IN FRONT OF ME, UM, AND IT'S OUT OF ORDER, I APOLOGIZE.
UM, ON THE INTACT ANIMALS ADOPTED IN RETURN TO OWNER, YOU HAVE EIGHT INTACT ANIMALS THAT WERE ADOPTED IN APRIL.
HAS, HAS FOLLOW UP, BEEN DONE TO GET THEM SPAYED TO APPOINTMENTS.
SO YEAH, WE, WE, WHEN WE HAVE TO, UH, UTILIZE THE, UM, THE SPAY NEUTER AGREEMENT ADOPTION SPAY NEUTER AGREEMENT, WE DO FOLLOW UP WITH THEM TO SEE ABOUT GETTING THE ANIMAL ESSENTIALLY, UH, SURGERIZED, I DON'T THINK THAT'S A WORD, BUT I USED IT THAT WAY.
UM, BUSINESS AND THEN TO FINALIZE THE ADOPTION, SO STAFF OR CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF ARE CONSTANTLY FOLLOWING UP WITH THEM.
SOMETIMES BEFORE THE, EVEN THE ADOPTION PROCESS, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND TELL THEM WHAT THE SURGERY DATE IS SO THAT THEY WAY CAN BRING THE ANIMAL.
UM, THE OTHER PIECE I THINK YOU'RE ASKED IS SORT OF THE INTACT ANIMALS THAT LEFT, THAT ARE RETURNED TO OWNER? NO, I WAS, I WAS JUST INTERESTED IN, IN THE, IN THE EIGHT THAT WERE ADOPTED INTACT.
[01:00:01]
YEAH, THEY ARE FOLLOWED UP WITH AND THEY ARE COMING BACK.THE OTHER PIECE OF IT IS THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN, UM, CLEARED MEDICALLY OR RIGHT.
UM, MY NEXT QUESTION IS GONNA BE ON, UM, THE RTOS.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS RETURN.
CURIOUS, UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY IDEA WHY RTOS ARE SO MUCH DOWN? LOOKING FROM LAST APRIL WHEN THERE WERE 137 RETURNED TO OWNER, AND THIS YEAR 84, UM, WITH INTAKE BEING ABOUT THE SAME ACCORDING TO THE, THE INTAKE SLIDE, I DON'T FIRE ARE SUCH A DRASTIC DROP, THAT'S ABOUT A 40% DROP IN RTOS, UNFORTUNATELY.
I HAVE, WISH I HAD A GOOD ANSWER FOR YOU.
I MEAN, LOOKING AT SORT OF PART OF MY DAY DOES, I WILL KENNEL SURF SORT OF THE, THE, UH, VIRTUAL KENNEL ON CAMILLE AND JUST LOOK UP NOTES AND, AND FORTUNATELY LIKE IF WE DO HAVE LEADS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE EITHER GETTING NON-RESPONSIVE, UH, INFORMATION FROM PREVIOUS OWNERS OR, OR, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL WE'LL TEND TO GET FEEDBACK LIKE, OH, I REHOMED THAT PET, BUT I, I CAN'T FIND THAT CURRENT OWNER.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE STAFF FOLLOWING UP ON A DAILY BASIS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND THAT, THAT SORTS WITH ANY SITUATION AS WELL, WE, IF AN OWNER IS, YOU KNOW, UH, ARRESTED OR HAS TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL, THEN WE'LL CONTINUOUSLY FOLLOW UP WITH THAT SO THAT WAY WE CAN TRY TO GET THAT PET BACK TO A DONOR.
UM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, YEAH, WE'VE SEEN A PRETTY SHARP DECLINE IN, IN, IN SORT OF THOSE CASES BEING FULFILLED BACK TO THE OWNER.
UM, AND THEN MY FINAL, UH, TWO, TWO OTHER QUESTIONS HERE.
UM, YOU SAID THAT NO DOGS WERE TRANSFERRED OUT OF STATE THIS IN APRIL.
UM, BUT IS, IS YOUR PRO HIRED SOMEBODY IN THERE? WE HAVE, AND, UH, THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH ALL OF THOSE OUT-OF-STATE PARTNERS AND THEY HAVE, UH, JUST NOT BEEN ABLE TO PULL BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T HAD THE SPACE IS WHAT THEY'RE TELLING US.
UM, MY FINAL QUESTIONS ARE, UM, UH, THE WAIT TIMES FOR PEOPLE OWNER SURRENDERING PETS AND FOR STRAY INTAKE.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE LAG TIME IS BETWEEN SOMEBODY CALLING TO GET AN OWNER SURRENDER APPOINTMENT? THEM ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO SURRENDER THE ANIMAL AND STRAY INTAKE? IF A PERSON COMES IN WITH A STRAY, UH, I KNOW INTAKE IS LIMITED, SO HOW LONG BEFORE THEY'RE ABLE TO ACTUALLY GET THAT ANIMAL TURNED OVER TO AAC? I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK.
CURRENTLY WHAT IT IS TODAY, IT'S BEEN RUNNING, UH, TWO TO FOUR WEEKS ON BOTH, OR FOR OWNER SURRENDERS AND STRAY INTAKE, UH, ON OWNER SURRENDERS, UH, STRAYS I THINK IS, IS IS LESS TIME BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE OTHERS HAVE A PLACE TO STAY.
SOME OF THESE STRAYS ARE BEING PICKED UP AND HELD AND THEY CAN'T HOLD 'EM VERY LONG, SO WE TRY TO MAKE THOSE APPOINTMENTS SOONER.
IF I COULD ASK FOR A FOLLOW UP TO, IF WE COULD GET LIKE A TIMELINE ON WHAT THAT IS, WE CAN SEND THAT OUT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE ONGOING FULL-TIME VETERINARY OPENING.
UM, I'M CURIOUS, I KNOW THE VETERINARY POSITION ISN'T EXECUTIVE LEVEL, BUT WITH THE PAYMENT STRUCTURE, IT SEEMS LIKE A HIGH ENOUGH LEVEL POSITION THAT PERHAPS A RECRUITER SHOULD BE USED TO FIND AND FILL THAT POSITION, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ONGOING NEEDS WITH BEHAVIOR AND THAT SORT OF THING.
NOT THAT YOU NEED TO HIRE A VETERINARY BEHAVIORIST, BUT SOMEBODY WITH A STRONG BACKGROUND IN BEHAVIOR AND SHELTER MEDICINE TRAINING.
HAS THAT ROUTE BEEN PURSUED TO GO OUT AND PROACTIVELY HIRE SOMEONE TO HELP YOU FIND AND FILL THAT POSITION? H R D HAS NOT OFFERED THAT TO US, UH, AT THIS POINT.
UH, THEY ARE WORKING WITH US AND THEY DO KNOW THE, THE CHALLENGES WE'VE HAD TO TRY TO, UH, GET SOMEONE IN.
UH, SO WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM ON NEXT STEPS WHEN WE'RE UNSUCCESSFUL.
AND SO THAT COULD BE A STEP COMING DOWN THE LINE, BUT THEN IT HAS TO BE FUNDED AS WELL.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE AIDED BY A POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION BY THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION? UH, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
I, I, I WILL REPORT THAT, UH, YOU'LL NOTICE THE FULL-TIME VET
[01:05:01]
POSITION, IT WAS POSTED FOR A SHORTER PERIOD THIS TIME, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY HAD SOMEONE THAT WAS EXPRESSING INTEREST AND WE WERE THINKING THAT, UH, WE COULD GET THEM IN AND THEN CLOSE THE POSITION AND MOVE QUICKLY INSTEAD OF KEEPING IT OPEN FOR A MONTH.BUT IF, IF THEY DON'T APPLY, THEN IT WILL BE EXTENDED THE NEXT DAY.
WE DID HAVE SOMEONE APPLY, GO THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS AND BE OFFERED THE JOB, BUT THEY THEY TURNED IT DOWN.
UH, COMMISSIONER HERRA, I, I, I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT.
ARE YOU SURE? COMMISSIONER FIRST.
COMMISSION ID ASK
UM, I, I'VE BEEN, I THINK THE COMMISSION LIKE, UH, A YEAR, THREE MONTHS FOUR MONTHS AND ALL THIS DATA, ALL THIS STUFF THAT WE ASK.
UM, IT'S NOT TO PICK ON YOU OR AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, WE'RE, WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU AND THE, AND THE WELFARE OF THE ANIMALS AND THE COMMUNITY.
IT, IT IS FROM THIS YEAR AND IN FOUR MONTHS, I, I STILL SEE THAT WE DON'T GET THE FULL PICTURE.
SOMEBODY HAS TO GO INTO THE, UH, DATA PORT LIKE, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER KRISTEN HANSEN DID, AND DO THE DATA CRUNCH.
AND IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO BE HELPFUL TO YOU, WE NEED TO HAVE TRANSPARENCY AND BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING NEGATIVE TOWARDS YOU AT ALL, OR THE ORGANIZATION, BECAUSE E EVERY PERSON, THIS COMMISSION CARES ABOUT THE ANIMALS AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU AND I FOR THIS YEAR.
AND, AND THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, I, I STILL FEEL LIKE IT'S, WE'RE NOT GETTING A CLEAR PICTURE OF FREELY WHAT'S GOING ON, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTION MARKS JUST SEEING WHAT, WHAT THE DATA SHOWS IN THAT COMES FROM THE CITY, FROM YOUR, UM, DATA BANKS.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ALL FROM THERE.
AND, UH, WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT.
I JUST THOUGHT I WOULD MAKE THAT COMMENT AND WE THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE 16 REPORTS THAT WERE MANDATED, UH, BY ORDINANCE THAT ARE ON OUR WEBSITE THAT YOU CAN MANIPULATE, UH, FOR THOSE THAT WERE HERE A LONG TIME, YOU KNOW HOW MANY YEARS IT TOOK US TO GET THOSE, UH, IT, WE, WE, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A FULL-TIME IT PERSON THAT, UH, CAN GIVE US WHAT WE NEED IN A TIMELY MANNER.
UH, AND WE CONTINUE TO ASK FOR THAT EVERY YEAR.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, TRUST ME, YOU KNOW, WE FEEL YOUR PAIN AS WELL.
AND, UM, AS, AS THE CHIEF, AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AS THE CHIEF AND YOU'RE RUNNING YOUR ORGANIZATION, I'M SURE THAT YOU'RE PRESSING FOR THAT BECAUSE FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO BE RUN THINGS WELL, YOU, YOU NEED THAT INFORMATION.
IT'S, I MEAN, YOU'RE LIKE THE CEO OF THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER AND YOU NEED THE TOOLS.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, I JUST THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE MY COMMENT.
MR. HERRE, DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? YES, IT IS JUST A COMMENT AND CONGRATULATIONS, UH, FOR, UH, RETURN TO THE OWNER AND RECLAIM AFTER THREE, 301 DAY FOR THE DOG WHO WAS ON THE KENNEL.
THE WORK OF EVERYBODY TO MAKE THAT.
AND I THINK THE TEAM OF THE OS ANIMAL CENTER, UH, NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED BECAUSE THEY TAKE CARE AMAZING OF THESE DOGS FOR ALL THESE DAYS.
AND IT'S AN INVITATION, OF COURSE, TO EVERYBODY TO COME AND RECLAIM THEIR PETS.
THEY DON'T NEED TO DRIVE FROM MIAMI TO HERE.
THEY JUST CAN'T COME FROM 7 8, 7 4 4 OR FOUR FIVE OR 6 1 17.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER LINDER? UM, I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP SORT OF ON THE, UM, THE PREVIOUS POINT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL SORT OF HERE TO HELP AND WE'RE ON THE SAME TEAM.
SO, UM, AS SOMEONE WHO'S FAIRLY NEW TO THIS, I'M WONDERING WHAT ARE ONE OR TWO THINGS THAT THIS COMMISSION COULD DO RIGHT NOW THAT WOULD HELP YOU BE ABLE TO DO YOUR JOB BETTER, THAT WOULD HELP THE SHELTER FUNCTION, UM, MORE IN THE WAY THAT WE ALL HOPE AND YOU HOPE IT WOULD? I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE
[01:10:01]
MADE SOME GREAT, UH, PROGRESS RECENTLY, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT SPAY AND NEUTERING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO, UH, DO MORE SPAY AND NEUTERING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HAVE LESS ANIMALS, UH, COMING IN, I THINK THAT IS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, IS ON YOUR AGENDA.AND I THINK THAT IT'S, IT'S HUGE BECAUSE, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE SEEN THE DECREASE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WORKING TO, WITH SOME OF OUR PARTNERS TO INCREASE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS TRULY BENEFICIAL.
AND IF YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'VE ALWAYS HEARD US TALK ABOUT, UH, OUR STAFFING AND ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO ADVOCATE WITH YOUR COUNCIL OFFICE TO HELP US, UH, IS, IS TRULY BENEFICIAL BECAUSE, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR, UH, WE HAVE COUNSEL THAT ACTUALLY ADVOCATED FOR US.
SO WE, WE, IT, IT DOES HELP WHEN YOU TALK TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ON OUR STAFFING NEEDS.
CAN I ASK ANOTHER QUESTION? YES, OF COURSE.
I I, I WILL BE MY LAST QUESTION,
UM, UH, I THINK THIS, THE, THE LADY WHO CAME AND TALK ABOUT THAT DOG, MIN, MINDY IZED DOG TODAY, I'M SORRY, THE, THE DOG IS GIGI.
AND THERE WAS AN EMAIL THAT THEY SENT ABOUT AND SENT TO THE COMMISSION ABOUT THREE DOGS THAT, AND OF COURSE THEY SENT EMAIL.
SO I, I DON'T KNOW, I'M JUST ASKING BECAUSE THEY WERE SAYING THAT THERE WAS NOT NOTIFICATION AND, UH, AT ALL ABOUT THE THREE DOGS BEING EUTHANIZED AND OR REACHING OUT TO THE SHELTERS DOLLAR RESCUE PARTNERS AND NOT FOLLOWING THE 48 HOURS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ARE THE RULES, BUT, UH, I JUST THOUGHT I WOULD ASK, IS THAT FOR REAL, WHAT THEY WERE WRITING DURING THE EMAIL OR I DON'T, WE SO MANY EMAILS.
I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHICH ONE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT, UH, OH, IT'S THE ONE THAT, UH, THE ANIMAL THAT SHE CAME, THAT SHE SPOKE OF, UM, IT WAS, UH, A SERIOUS BODILY INJURY INJURY.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND THERE'S ANIMALS THAT CREATE PUBLIC SAFETY RISK, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS SOMETIMES THAT, UH, ARE NOT POPULAR, UNFORTUNATELY.
I, I, AND I'M SORRY, I, I DON'T HAVE INTERNET CONNECTION HERE, AND I COULD THEN PULL THE, UH, VO WORTH DOLLAR ANIMALS, BUT, UM, IT'S OKAY.
ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO
[3. Presentation of the Monthly Report by Austin Pets Alive!]
DISCUSSION ITEMS. UH, DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER THREE, PRESENTATION OF THE MONTHLY REPORT BY AUSTIN PETS LIFE.UM, NEIL HAY, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AUSTIN PETZEL LIFE.
I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF, UM, KIND OF FIRST OBSERVATION AND AN OFFER TO COMMISSIONER AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, OUR MISSIONS TO SUPPORT PEOPLE, UM, HELPING PETS.
AND IF COMMISSIONERS OR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, UM, BELIEVE THAT INDIVIDUAL CASES ARE WORTH DISCUSSING WITH US.
WE ARE ABSOLUTELY OPEN AND TRANSPARENT AND AVAILABLE FOR ANY DISCUSSIONS ON SPECIFIC CASES.
UM, OUR MONTHLY REPORT CONTINUES TO SHOW COMPLIANCE WITH OUR LICENSE COMMITMENT.
UM, 75% OF ALL AEC AEC TRANSFERS LAST MONTH CAME TO AUSTIN.
PETS ALIVE, I THINK, REFLECTING THE INFLUENCE OF KITTEN SEASON.
THE OTHER THING THAT IS ON THERE, I FELT WAS ENCOURAGING TO NOTE WAS GROWTH IN BOTH AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER AND OUR OWN FOSTER PROGRAM PLACEMENTS.
AGAIN, I THINK REFLECTING THE INFLUENCE OF KITTEN SEASON.
UM, LAST MONTH WE WERE ASKED TO ADD, UM, DEATH AND CARE DATA.
THE ONE OBSERVATION I WOULD ADD IS THE GAP BETWEEN OUR MONTH END AND THE SUBMISSION DATE FOR DETAILS TO THE COMMISSION.
THIS WAS VERY, VERY SHORT, SO IT WAS, I WOULDN'T SAY, UH, A HUGELY DETAILED ANALYSIS THAT WE ADDED.
SO IF THERE ARE PARTICULAR QUESTIONS THAT COMMISSION MEMBERS HAVE THAT THEY WANT TO ADDRESS US TO ADDRESS, UM, PLEASE JUST LET ME KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THOSE ARE ANSWERED IN THE FUTURE.
UM, THERE WAS SOME, THERE, I BELIEVE ONE OF THE QUESTIONS RELATED TO KITTENS AND PUPPIES THAT WERE BORN IN OUR CARE, WHICH ARE THEN PASSED.
SO, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT'S PULLED OUT.
SO FOUR KITTENS THAT WERE BORN IN OUR CARE TO ANIMALS THAT CAME FROM US ANIMAL CENTER, UM, PASSED, AND THREE PUPPIES BORN IN OUR CARE PASTED.
UM, SO ON THE, THE DESTINY CARE REPORT THAT YOU GAVE US, UM, YOU GAVE
[01:15:01]
US INFORMATION, YOU SAID THE 42 CATS, UM, PASSED 40 WERE UNDER ONE MONTH OLD.WHAT, WHAT WERE THE OTHER TWO? UM, THEY WERE ADULT CATS.
AND, UH, THE DOGS THE SAME THING.
YOU GAVE INFORMATION ON 25 OF THEM, BUT NOT THE OTHER FIVE.
SORRY, IT YES, THEY WERE ADULT.
UM, THANKS SO MUCH FOR PULLING THIS.
IT WAS, UM, INTERESTING AND I KNOW YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T HAVE, UM, A LOT OF TIME TO, TO ADD DETAIL IN THERE.
SO THERE WAS ONLY ONE NUMBER THAT KIND OF, UM, UH, CAUGHT MY EYE IN HERE.
AND THAT WAS THE, UM, THE NUMBER OF DEATHS FOR DOGS THAT WERE, UM, ONE TO THREE MONTHS OLD.
UM, AND I'M, I'M NOT A VET, BUT I KNOW, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE RISK IS, UM, HIGHEST FOR THAT FIRST, OOH, I'M SORRY,
AND WHEN I LOOKED ONLINE TO KIND OF SEE SORT OF COMPARABLE NUMBERS FROM PEER REVIEW STUDY, A LOT THEM SAID BETWEEN 75 AND 90% OF MORTALITY WOULD OCCUR IN THAT FIRST, UM, FIRST THREE WEEKS ACTUALLY.
UM, BUT HERE WE'VE GOT 40%, UM, OF THE, THE DUST YOU REPORTED THAT ARE OLDER THAN A MONTH.
SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD, I, YOU KNOW, THESE NUMBERS ARE SO SMALL THAT THAT COULD JUST BE ONE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF BAD INCIDENT.
SO I'M WONDERING, COULD YOU, UM, HELP KIND OF GIVE US CONTEXT THERE IS HOW TO UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, WITH THE CAVEAT THAT I WOULD NEED TO LOOK TO GET THE DETAIL TO GET YOU THE TRUE ANSWER.
MY GUESS WOULD BE THAT A LARGE PART OF IT IS ANIMALS THAT ARE COMING TO US EITHER AS MEDICAL URGENTS OR COMING TO US WITH PARVOVIRUS, UM, WHERE THE SURVIVAL RATE IS IMPACTED REGARDLESS OF, AND WE DO ACTIVELY SEEK TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR POWER OF ANIMALS.
AND MY GUESS WOULD BE THAT THAT'S THE LARGEST INFLUENCE THERE, BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE CAN PROVIDE MORE DETAIL FOR YOU.
THAT WAS MY THOUGHT AS WELL, SO THANKS.
I HAVE A WHOLE SPREADSHEET RIGHT HERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTION? YES, COMMISSIONER DOLE.
SO LAST MONTH THERE WERE, WHAT, 225 DIRECT TRANSFERS FROM AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER TO APA AND I, I CAN SEE IT'S EITHER MEDICAL OR LITTLE BABIES.
UM, HOW, HOW DO YOU GUYS DECIDE BETWEEN, I KNOW THERE'S A PERCENTAGE CONTRACTUAL PERCENTAGE THAT THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER OR APA HAS WITH THE CITY.
HOW, HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT TO TAKE OR NOT TO TAKE? BECAUSE I ALSO HEAR FROM THE AUDIENCE SAY, OH, UH, APA DIDN'T TAKE THIS DOG OR DIDN'T TAKE THIS ANIMAL.
SO THERE MUST BE SOME CRITERIA.
UM, SO WHILE THE OVERALL PERCENTAGE THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO TAKE IS 12% OR JUST OVER 12%, UM, THERE ARE ALSO CATEGORIES WITHIN THAT WHERE WE ESSENTIALLY HAVE TO TAKE 100%.
SO WE ARE, WE AGREE TO TAKE 100% OF BOTTLE BABIES THAT COME FROM US ANIMAL CENTER.
UM, WE AGREE TO TAKE THE, UH, NUMBER OF, UM, BEHAVIOR DOGS THAT WE'VE AGREED TO TAKE EACH MONTH.
AND THEN IT KIND OF REALLY DEPENDS WHAT US ANIMAL CENTER ASKS US TO TAKE AND PRIORITIZE THIS TO US.
SO A LARGE NUMBER ARE ALSO MEDICAL URGENT ANIMALS THAT THEY ASK US TO TAKE.
SO THOSE ALL KIND OF CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THAT 12%.
SO IF, IF FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THE CENTER WERE TO SAY, WE'LL KEEP ALL THE BOTTLE BABIES, THAT WOULD CLEARLY LEAVE THEN A SIGNIFICANT GAP THAT WE WOULD LOOK TO HELP IN OTHER WAYS.
UM, BUT WE LARGELY DETERMINE INTAKE BASED ON CATEGORIES THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO TAKE, AND THEN ANIMALS THAT ARE PRIORITIZED TO US BY THE CENTER.
SO WHEN, WHEN WOULD YOU JUST NOT TAKE AN, UH, SPECIFIC ANIMAL? I, I, I'M NOT SURE.
UH, THERE WAS, UM, I, AND OF COURSE IT'S SOMEBODY FROM THE PUBLIC SAYING IT, SO I, I DON'T KNOW, I JUST HEARSAY.
THAT WAS MY OFFER AT THE BEGINNING IS OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT HERE TO ANSWER FOR EVERY POINT THAT'S MADE IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING.
AND IT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT, AND I'M SURE YOU SHARED SOMETIMES YOU HEAR THINGS AND YOU DO OR DON'T KNOW THE FULL DETAILS.
AND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT JUST TO, TO SIT AND NOT MAKE OBSERVATIONS.
SO IF WE WERE ABLE TO GET FULL DETAILS, I COULD CERTAINLY LOOK INTO THAT AND FIND OUT WHAT THE PARTICULAR CASE WAS, BUT SADLY, I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DETAIL TO MAKE THAT OBSERVATION FOR YOU
[01:20:03]
COMMISSION HEREK.ARE YOU, Y'ALL OVER CAPACITY AT THE SHELTER ARE, ARE AT OSIM PETZ ALIVE? YOU HAVE MORE THAN THE CAPACITY THAT Y'ALL HAVE, UM, IN PETS.
N I CAPACITY IS AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT QUESTION TO ANSWER ARE WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE ARE OVER CAPACITY.
WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT OUR SHELTER HAS MORE ANIMALS IN IT THAN IT IS SAFE FOR THERE TO BE IN OUR FACILITY.
CLEARLY, A LARGE PART OF OUR CAPACITY IS DRIVEN BY OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, MANY, MANY OF OUR ANIMALS ARE PULLED DIRECTLY TO MATCH WITH SPECIFIC FOSTER REQUESTS FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE MAKE THE COMMUNITY AWARE OF ANIMALS THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO HELP.
SO IF EVERY SINGLE FOSTER IN AUSTIN WERE FOR SOME REASON TO TURN AROUND AND SAY EVERY SINGLE ANIMAL NEEDS TO COME BACK TO TOWN LAKE TOMORROW, THAT WOULD CLEARLY GIVE US A BIG ISSUE.
BUT WE WOULD HOPE OUR COMMUNITY WOULD NEVER ASK US TO DO THAT.
THE QUESTION IS, DID Y'ALL HAVE OPEN SPACES AT THE LOCATION IN TOWN LAKE? UM, IT'S, IT'S OPEN KENNELS, YES.
I JUST DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU A MISLEADING ANSWER.
FOR ONE ANIMAL, FOR TWO ANIMALS, FOR THREE ANIMALS, WE ARE ALWAYS ABLE TO CREATIVELY FIND SPACE FOR ANIMALS THAT ARE IN NEED WITHOUT PUTTING CAPACITY OR ANIMALS AT RISK BY BEING IN UNSAFE FACILITIES AT TOWN LAKE.
BECAUSE I THINK WITH A CONTRACT WITH AUSTIN PET LIFE, IT'S STILL 60 KENNELS AT TOWN LAKE THAT WAS PART OF, UH, THE OIN ANIMAL CENTER.
AND TODAY I GIVE WATER TO FEW DOGS WHO WAS IN THE TRUCK PORT AND THE WATER AFTER FIVE MINUTES WAS VERY, VERY WARM.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL CAN HELP US WITH THAT DOGGIES THAT IS STRUGGLING VERY, VERY BAD.
BUT IF, IF Y'ALL HAVE, OF COURSE, IF Y'ALL HAVE OPEN SPACE WILL BE CREATE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, THANK YOU.
OH, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER NEMER.
I JUST HAD BASIC FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS THAT COMMISSIONER GO REY'S QUESTIONS.
UM, WHEN PEOPLE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT, UM, APA REFUSING TO TAKE A DOG OR A CAT OR SOMETHING, AM I INCORRECT? BUT I THOUGHT THAT APA DOES NOT TAKE DIRECTLY FROM PEOPLE USUALLY UNLESS IT'S A PARVO CASE.
SO THAT OBSERVATION IS CORRECT.
AND THE OTHER OBSERVATION THAT I'M STRUGGLING A LITTLE WITH IS THAT AN EPA ANIMAL WAS REFUSED BY APA.
WE ALWAYS, UM, TAKE BACK, UM, ANIMALS THAT ARE PREVIOUSLY OWNED BY APA.
UM, THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY IS THERE ARE OCCASIONS WHERE IN CONSULTATION WITH THE ANIMAL CENTER, WE DO ACCEPT ANIMALS DIRECTLY.
UM, BUT THOSE ARE SITUATIONS WHERE, UM, WE REACH OUT TO THE CENTER TO DETERMINE THAT US ACCEPTING THE ANIMAL IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CENTER.
JUST FOR CLARITY ON THAT, UM, AND I THINK IT'S, UH, WORTH MENTIONING FOR THE PUBLIC CAUSE I THINK AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY IS IN THE SAME SITUATION YOU GUYS ARE, BUT YOU'RE NOT ABLE TAKE RAISE, UM, THAT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE AUSTIN UH, ANIMAL CENTER, CORRECT? THAT THAT'S CORRECT.
IF THERE'S AN EXCEPTION TO THE GENERAL RULE, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S AN OWNER SURRENDER.
NELSON JUST ANSWERED THIS, BUT I WANNA JUST MAKE SURE I GET IT.
IF IT'S A PET THAT WAS ADOPTED FROM APA, YOU GUYS CAN TAKE THAT BACK? YES.
ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[4. Briefing by Emancipet on Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget and operations.]
UH, DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER FOUR, BRIEFING BY EMANCIPATE ON FISCAL YEAR 20 22 23 BUDGET AND OPERATIONS.IF WE HAVE SOMEONE FROM EMANCIPATE.
SO THIS WAS MY AGENDA ITEM AT THE TIME THAT THE DEADLINE WAS FOR PUTTING THE AGENDA TOGETHER.
I WAS WORKING WITH EMAN EMANCIPATE AND WE THOUGHT WE HAD A SENIOR STAFF MEMBER AVAILABLE, BUT IT TURNS OUT I DO NOT HAVE SOMEBODY FOR THIS TONIGHT.
UM, I HAVE KIND OF A BRIEF UPDATE, WHICH I CAN JUST GIVE UNDER ITEM FIVE AND THEY HAVE A ONE PAGE UPDATE, UM, ON THEIR, SO IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR, OR ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR BEFORE WE MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE? NO.
MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE,
[5. Discussion and possible action to approve a recommendation to City Council and the Travis County Commissioners Court regarding unspent spay/neuter funds.]
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL AND THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT REGARDING UNSPENT BAY NEUTER FUNDS, DR.UM, SO LET ME JUST START WITH SOME BACKGROUND
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ON THE DISCUSSION, UM, THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING WITH EMANCIPET SINCE OUR LAST MEETING.UM, DIRECTOR BLAND AND AMY MILLS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EMANCIPET, HAVE MET AND HAD I THINK, SOME VERY PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SPENDING DOWN FUNDS FOR THIS YEAR, UM, INCLUDING ADDING A FIFTH DAY, POSSIBLY PULLING THE SECOND MOBILE UNIT INTO SERVICE IN THOSE HIGH IMPACT AREAS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
AND THEN ALSO USING EMANCIPET FUNDS TO SUBCONTRACT WITH A THIRD PARTY VENDOR.
UM, SO THE THIRD PARTY VENDOR, UM, THE STAGE THAT THAT IS AT IS THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED A THIRD PARTY VENDOR WHO COULD POTENTIALLY DELIVER SERVICES FOR A THOUSAND ANIMALS IN AUGUST WITH 80% OF THOSE BEING DOGS IN OUR AREAS OF HIGHEST INTAKE.
SO THERE HAS BEEN, UM, A, UM, QUOTE ESSENTIALLY GIVEN TO EMANCIPATE AND SOME DISCUSSION OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, IT'S IN EMAN PET'S, UM, COURT AT THIS POINT TO SEE IF, IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE FACILITATED.
UM, THEY ALSO ARE, UM, LOOKING TO GET THEIR MOBILES IN THE FIELD MORE THROUGHOUT THIS FISCAL YEAR TO TRY AND MAKE UP SOME OF THAT BACKLOG.
I DID INCLUDE A, UM, ITEM HERE JUST TO BRING EVERYBODY UP TO DATE WITH THE SPENDINGS THROUGH SPECIFICALLY THE EMAN PET CONTRACT SINCE THAT'S THE LARGEST VALUE, UM, CONTRACT THAT THE CITY HAS FOR SPAY NEUTER SERVICES.
UM, AND I HAD TO DO SOME LEARNING OF SOME OF THIS NOMENCLATURE.
SO IF YOU LOOK, THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED THE DO AMOUNT, AND THAT'S THE DELIVERY ORDER, AND THAT'S BASED ON THE SPEND, THE ACTUAL SPENDING FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT IS KIND OF DIVVIED OUT IN THE ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE FOR EMANCIPATE WHEN, AND IF EMANCIPATE GOT TO THE, THE TOP OF THAT DO AMOUNT, THEN THERE WOULD BE A REQUEST FOR FUNDS THAT WOULD BE CAPPED AT THE CONTRACT AMOUNT.
SO THAT ONE POINT, UM, ONE TWO OH MILLION WOULD BE THE TOP CAP THERE.
SO THROUGH MARCH EMAN A PET HAS SPENT $320,000 PLUS OR MINUS SOME CHANGE, UM, OF THE MAX CAP AMOUNT OF JUST OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO THAT'S END OF MARCH WAS HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR.
THEY ARGUING UP THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT THE MOBILE UNIT IS OUT.
THEY WERE AT, UM, YOU KNOW, GEARING UP FROM NO SERVICE ONE DAY, TWO DAY, THREE DAYS.
UM, DIRECTOR OF LAND, ARE THEY AT THREE DAYS ROUTINELY NOW OR ARE THEY AT FOUR? THEY'RE AT FOUR.
UM, SO THERE IS ROOM FOR THEM TO GET BOTH OF THEIR MOBILE UNITS OUT IN THE FIELD AND PROVIDE ADDED SERVICE TO THOSE HIGH NEED AREAS AND POTENTIALLY DO THE, UM, CONTRACT WITH THE THIRD VENDOR.
UM, AND THAT IS A LOT OF GEARING UP TO DO IN WHAT ESSENTIALLY IS ABOUT FOUR MORE MONTHS OF SERVICE FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
UM, WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, I GUESS THE MEAT AND POTATOES HERE OF MY, UM, ITEM.
SO DO I MAKE MY MOTION AND THEN WE DISCUSS OR DO WE DISCUSS IN THE I, OKAY, SO, OKAY.
I TRY TO MAKE THIS A MEAT, A MEATY MOTION HERE.
SO THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS TO CITY COUNCIL AND THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THAT UNSPENT SPAY NEUTER FUNDS FOR THE 2223 FISCAL YEAR, NOT BE RETURNED TO THE GENERAL FUND, BUT THAT BE, BUT THAT THEY BE SET ASIDE TO BE USED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2324, FOLLOWING AN RFP PROCESS TO IDENTIFY A THIRD PARTY VENDOR TO CARRY OUT ADDITIONAL SPAY NEUTER SERVICES.
TARGET SPECIFICALLY TOWARD OUR POPULATION OF ANIMALS, MOST LIKELY TO BE CONTRIBUTING TO SHELTER INTAKE.
BRUCE AND WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER HERRE.
UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I HAVE A QUESTION, COMMISSIONER TUCKER.
IS, IS IT SAFE TO ASSUME THEN EMANCIPATE FEELS GOOD ABOUT EITHER REACHING THAT LEVEL OR SUBCONTRACTING AND CHIEF BLAND, DO YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE ARRANGEMENT OR ANY CONCERNS FROM STAFF? I GUESS THOSE ARE TWO QUESTIONS.
WITH MY CONVERSATION WITH EMANCIPATE HIT THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF SURGERIES THAT THE CITY'S FUNDING EVERY YEAR.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE WORKING TO GET HIT THAT GOAL THIS YEAR BEFORE THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
THAT IS WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW.
AND, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY DEDICATED, UH, TO DOING
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THAT.COMMISSIONER LINDER, I THOUGHT I MAY HAVE SEEN YOU.
JUST SMACK MY MICROPHONE AROUND.
OH, I CAN'T SEE IT CUZ IT'S LIKE, OKAY.
MICROPHONES AND I, UM, TELL ME YOUR SECOND
UM, SO MY QUESTION HERE IS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND, UM, WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING IS THAT WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, IF WE PASS THIS MOTION AND IT'S ABLE TO BE ENACTED, THAT IT WOULD APPLY ONLY TO UNSPENT FUNDS THAT EMANCIPATE ISN'T ABLE TO EITHER USE THEMSELVES OR TO SUBCONTRACT OUT FOR THIS YEAR.
SO THIS IS JUST KIND OF A BELT AND SUSPENDERS APPROACH AND OUR HOPE IS THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO USE THOSE FUNDS AND MEET THEIR TARGETS.
BUT IF THEY CAN'T, THIS IS JUST PURELY KIND OF A, UM, A BACKUP MEASURE.
SO I KEEP SAYING EMANCIPET, UM, BUT ACTUALLY THIS RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE ALL ENCOMPASSING TO ANY OF THE SPAY NEUTER CONTRACTS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
EMANCIPET I'VE BEEN USING AS AN EXAMPLE CUZ THEY HAVE THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF FUNDING AND THAT'S WHERE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, AROUND A MILLION DOLLARS HAVE GONE BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, SO AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY HAS A SPAY NEUTER CONTRACT, EMANCIPATE HAS A SPAY NEUTER CONTRACT, AND THEN THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, UH, OR TRAVIS COUNTY HAS, UH, INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR FUNDS SPECIFICALLY TOWARDS COUNTY ANIMALS.
AND SO I WANT THE RECOMMENDATION TO BE ALL ENCOMPASSING OF ALL OF THOSE BECAUSE I THINK COVID HAS PROVEN THAT ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY WERE TO LOSE ONE OF THEIR FULL-TIME VETERINARIANS IN THE NEXT QUARTER, THEY POTENTIALLY WOULD HAVE UNSPENT FUNDS.
SO, UM, YEAH, THE RECOMMENDATION IS MEANT TO BE ALL ENCOMPASSING.
AND I THINK, UM, JUST FOLLOWING UP ON THAT, IT'S NOT THAT YOU'RE ATTEMPTING TO TARGET EMANCIPATE, IT'S THAT YOU'RE ATTEMPTING TO TARGET UNSPENT SPIN NEUTER FUNDS.
SO THE IDEA BEING THAT IF WE'RE TRYING TO SEND THE POLICY MESSAGE TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT PLEASE DON'T PUT THIS BACK IN THE GENERAL FUND AT, AT UNSPENT FUNDS BACK IN THE GENERAL FUNDS.
WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S ALLOWED, BUT IF IT'S ALLOWED, PLEASE SET THEM ASIDE AND, UM, DEDICATE THEM TO SPAY NE.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR, UM, THE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU'VE HAD, UM, WITH THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
UH, AND THANK YOU FOR, UM, PUTTING ALL OF THIS TOGETHER.
UH, THIS INFORMATION, THIS CAME FROM CITY OF AUSTIN, RIGHT? JUST TO CLARIFY.
SO, UM, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, I, UH, WILL BE THE FIRST TO SAY THAT I, I THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS.
I SUPPORT, UM, WITH, WITH THE CAVEAT THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO TARGET ANY VENDOR.
WE'RE JUST SIMPLY SAYING TO THE EXTENT THERE ARE UNSPENT FUNDS ON SPAIN, YODER, WE WOULD ASK THAT THE CITY, UM, DEDICATE THEM IN THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
THERE ARE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
HECK NO, BUT I, OH, I WANNA THANK YOU DR.
BRUCE BECAUSE, UH, LAST TIME WE WENT THROUGH AND, AND DID ALL THIS WORK AND CAME BACK AND IT'S SOLID.
UM, WELL SAY PERSONALLY IT'S BEEN A GOOD LEARNING PROCESS.
I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH, UH, CITY WORKINGS VERY MUCH SO IT'S BEEN A, A GOOD LEARNING PROCESS FOR ME.
YOU COULD MAKE A COMMENT CUZ WE HAVEN'T CLOSED THE ITEM.
THERE COULD BE ANOTHER MOTION ON THE TABLE.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OR PROPOSALS FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE? NO.
LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX,
[6. Discussion and possible action to approve a recommendation, based on community input, to City Council regarding animal welfare in privately-owned aquariums within the City.]
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION BASED ON COMMUNITY INPUT TO CITY COUNCIL REGARDING ANIMAL WELFARE IN PRIVATELY OWNED AQUARIUMS WITHIN THE CITY.AND I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC WHO CAME AND SPOKE ON THIS TONIGHT.
I THINK IT REALLY REINFORCES, UM, HOW OUR COMMUNITY FEELS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THAT IT'S, UM, AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
AND RELATED TO THAT, I, UM, CALLED AND SPOKE WITH THE, UM, COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR FOR MY COUNCIL OFFICE AND I WAS UPDATING HER GROUP AND SHE RECOMMENDED THAT I HAVE A MEETING DIRECTLY WITH MY COUNCIL MEMBER, WHICH HE WANTED TO DO.
AND THAT'S BEEN, COULDN'T GET ON THE SCHEDULE TILL THE END OF MAY.
SO, UM, I WOULD, UH, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO TONIGHT IS POSTPONE THIS JUST TO NEXT MONTH SO THAT,
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UM, I CAN HAVE THAT MEETING AND, UM, THE, THE FINISHING TOUCHES CAN BE PUT ON THE RECOMMENDATION AND, UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT I'M HOPEFUL WILL HAVE, UM, A LOT OF WAIT WITH CITY COUNCIL AT THAT POINT.ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER SIX OR OTHER MOTIONS? NO.
UM, I ALSO, I KNOW I'M GOING BACK, BUT DR.
BRUCE, COULD YOU PLEASE PROVIDE A COPY OF YOUR MOTION TO STAFF SO THAT THEY GET THAT? OKAY.
[7. Discussion and possible action to approve a recommendation to council regarding the allocation of funds for a full time Community Cat Public Health Educator.]
AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL REGARDING THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS FOR A FULL-TIME COMMUNITY CAT PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATOR.SO MY MOTION IS, UM, THAT THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION, I SECOND, UM, I KNOW THAT, UM, DR.
OR MR. BLAND, DIRECTOR OF BLAND SENT AN EMAIL ABOUT THIS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I THOUGHT THAT YOU SENT AN EMAIL ABOUT, UH, THE POSITION.
SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHIME IN IF YOU, IF YOU WANTED TO.
I'LL JUST SAY WE DO HAVE A, UH, FULL-TIME PERSON IN THIS POSITION CURRENTLY.
AND, UH, BASED ON THE NUMBER, UH, THE, THE LACK OF SPANG AND NEUTERING FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND THE INCREASE OF, UH, KITTENS AND, AND CATS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, WE'VE HAD TO HIRE A TEMPORARY TO AUGMENT THIS POSITION.
AND SO IT, THERE IS A POSITION PERMANENT IN THIS SPOT, BUT WHAT I GUESS YOU'RE ADVOCATING FOR IS A SECOND POSITION YES.
FOR THE CURRENT TEMPORARY POSITION TO BE MADE A FULL-TIME PERMANENT.
IS THERE A SECOND? UH, SECOND DR.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS OR COMMENT? OH YES, DR.
OH, GETTING INTO THE DISCUSSION PORTION.
SO, UM, THIS IS A POSITION AS DIRECTOR BLAND WAS SAYING, THAT WAS ADDED IN SEPTEMBER OF 22 UNDER AN ADDITIONAL, UH, CURRENT PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATOR PERSON WORKING WITHIN THE SHELTER.
AND I'VE KIND OF COME TO THINK OF THIS AS, UM, THAT IN SHELTER POSITION BEING KIND OF THE 30,000 FOOT VIEW OF COMMUNITY CATS AND CATS WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
SO THAT'S, UM, SOMEBODY IDENTIFYING CATS THAT ARE WITHIN THE SHELTER FOR TNR, UH, RETURN TO FIELD, WHICH ONES CAN, CAN STAY, KIND OF HOW THEY'RE MOVING THROUGH THE SHELTER.
AND THEN THIS POSITION THAT STARTED IN SEPTEMBER OF 22 IS REALLY WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
THIS IS SOMEBODY WHO IS WORKING NOT NECESSARILY THE TRADITIONAL HOURS OF, UM, ANIMAL SHELTER WORKERS AND RETURNING PHONE CALLS, RESPONDING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT ACCESS TO CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, THAT'S WHAT I THINK OF WHEN I THINK OF THIS PERSON.
THAT THIS IS THE PERSON WHO'S, UM, ANSWERING PHONE CALLS WHEN THEY COME IN.
AND PEOPLE HAVE, UM, CALLS ABOUT NUISANCE CAT, NUISANCE CATS, COMMUNITY CATS WANTING SPAY NEUTER.
UM, AND SO THIS IS, I THINK THE POSITION THAT CAN VERY EASILY LEND ITSELF TO BEING THAT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, NOT AN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER, BUT SOMEBODY REALLY WITH A KIND OF A SPECIALIZED FOCUS ON CATS AND KEEPING CATS OUT OF THE SHELTER.
UM, AS PART OF THE SPAY NEUTER WORKING GROUP COMING TOGETHER AND TALKING WITH THE, UM, PRC AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER AND AGENCIES GIVING OUT VOUCHERS IN AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY, UM, THIS REALLY SEEMED LIKE THE POSITION THAT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO BE THE COLLABORATOR WITH ALL OF ALL OF THE GROUPS AND IS THE PERSON MANAGING THE CADDY SHACK AND DROPPING OFF CATS AT AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETIES WHO HAS THE FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTION WITH A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, SO WE WOULD LIKE TO, UM, I THINK I SPEAK FOR THE SPAY NEUTER WORKING GROUP STILL, UM, THAT REALLY, WE REALLY SAW THIS AS A POSITION THAT WOULD HELP COMMUNITY CATS AND, UM, KEEPING CATS OUT OF THE SHELTER LONG TERM IN, YOU KNOW, THE SPAY NEUTER PORTION IS A LARGE PORTION OF THIS JOB, BUT NOT THE PRIMARY FOCUS BY ANY MEANS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER TUCKER? I I HAVE A QUESTION.
CHIEF BLAND, ARE YOU SUPPORTIVE OF THIS POSITION OR IS WE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO SUPPORT GETTING ADDITIONAL STAFF? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
I MIGHT AS WELL FOLLOW UP CUZ I KIND OF HAD THE SAME QUESTION IN THE SENSE OF IS THIS WHERE YOU WOULD PRIORITIZE, UH, ADDING ADDITIONAL STAFF IF THIS WAS YOUR
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CHOICE AND, AND WHAT DR.BRUCE DESCRIBED THIS PERSON IS DOING, THAT IS WHAT THE PERMANENT FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE WAS TASKED TO DO AS WELL AND IT'S JUST TOO MUCH FOR ONE PERSON.
SO THAT'S WHY WE HAD TO BRING A TEMPORARY IN AND WITH THE GROWING, UH, NEED OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, IT IS, IS DEFINITELY A POSITION THAT, THAT WE WOULD SUPPORT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, UH, COMMISSIONER LOY.
UM, IF THIS PERSON IS COMMUNITY BASED AND THEY'RE REALLY OUT IN OUR COMMUNITIES, ARE THERE, UM, EXPECTATIONS OF TRAINING AROUND SORT OF CULTURAL COMPETENCY OR ENGAGING IN THAT COMPASSIONATE WAY THAT UM, UH, LUCY MENTIONED EARLIER? UH, JUST CURIOUS CUZ I KNOW SOMETIMES THERE CAN BE A LOT OF JUDGMENT AROUND PEOPLE WHO TAKE CARE OF COMMUNITY KIDS.
I WOULD DIRECT THAT TO DIRECTOR BLAND.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT SORT OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION TRAINING THE STAFF GET.
THE PERSON IN A TEMPORARY POSITION GOES THROUGH, UH, NEW HIRE ORIENTATION, YOU KNOW, LIKE A, AN EMPLOYEE WOULD.
SO ANYTHING THAT'S GIVEN TO AN EMPLOYEE WOULD BE GIVEN TO THE TEMPORARIES AS WELL.
I WOULD BE OPEN TO A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT ON THIS IF WE WANTED TO INCLUDE, UH, UP TO BEST PRACTICES AND SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE SPECIFIC FOR WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT.
ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S MOVE TO VOTE.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
WE CAN GO TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
I'LL REMIND YOU EVERYONE AND COMMISSIONER LOY, UM, CUZ YOU'RE NEW THAT, UH, WE, YOU COM UH, NEW AGENDA ITEMS DO NOT HAVE TO BE PROPOSED HERE.THEY CAN PROPOSED I'M SO LONG AS YOU HAVE A SECOND, YOU CAN EMAIL, UH, MS. HARE AND MYSELF AND WE CAN GET IT ON THE AGENDA.
UM, BUT THAT SAID, IF THERE ARE ANY AGENDA ITEMS THAT PEOPLE WANNA DISCUSS NOW, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
NELSON? YEAH, YOU HAVE MY POSTPONE ONE ON THERE OR DO I NEED A, UH, SO YES, LET'S, UM, MAKE SURE THAT ITEM NUMBER SIX, UH, IS PLACED BACK ON THE AGENDA.
ANY OTHER AGENDA ITEMS? NOW DO YOU WANT THE, UM, THE DATA, UH, AGENDA ITEM THAT PREVIOUSLY WAS ON TODAY'S, UM, AGENDA THAT WAS TAKEN OFF? DO YOU WANT IT PUT BACK ON? OKAY.
IT'S THE ONE THAT WAS ON TODAY'S AGENDA ITEM BUT TOOK, TAKEN OFF.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? OH, SORRY, YES.
I TAKE THIS TIME FOR LONG STAYS.
UH, I FIRST NEED TO TALK WITH O LIFE, HUMAN SOCIETY AND THE EMAIL CENTER TO SEE IF THEY CAN HELP US WITH A PRESENTATION AND INCLUDE US AS AN AGENDA ITEM.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO US TO ADD IT NOW OR HAVE THAT CONVERSATION? GET THAT? LET'S GO TO ADAM NOW.
SO WE'LL ADD BACK THE, UM, THANK YOU BELINDA.
LONG STATE, ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT.
IS THERE A MO MOTION TO ADJOURN? COMMISSIONER LINDA? IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER ES ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? IT IS UNANIMOUS.