[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
IS THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION ON AUGUST 14TH AT 2023, UH, AUGUST 14TH, 2023 AT 6:00 PM AND I'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL.
WHY DON'T YOU START OVER HERE AND WE'LL GO AROUND AND THEN GO ON MINE.
YOU CAN JUST GO AROUND AND SAY, SAY YOUR NAME.
D FIVE HERE, PAGE NELSON, DISTRICT FOUR.
AND WE HAVE, UH, THREE ONLINE.
YOU GUYS MIND, YOU PROBABLY CAN'T SEE EACH OTHER.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN, BUT JUST GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELVES.
LA ULA, DISTRICT ONE COMMISSIONER.
I KNOW LAUREN LOY, UH, REPRESENTING THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
SORRY, COMMISSIONER HASSAN, WE STILL CANNOT HEAR YOU.
I DIDN'T SAY WHICH DISTRICT I REPRESENTED.
YOU WANNA INTRODUCE YOURSELF? YES.
UM, ANN LINDA REPRESENTING DISTRICT THREE.
COMMISSIONER HASSEN, DO YOU HAVE YOUR AUDIO WORKING YET? YES.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A NEW COMMISSIONER TODAY, UH, COMMISSIONER WHITNEY HOLT.
AND I'VE ASKED, UH, COMMISSIONER HOLT TO INTRODUCE HERSELF.
I WAS TOLD I HAD 90 SECONDS, AND THAT'S, UH, ABOUT 75 MORE THAN I ACTUALLY NEED.
UM, I HAVE BEEN IN AUSTIN FOR JUST OVER A YEAR NOW.
UH, I CUT MY TEETH ON ANIMAL ADVOCACY IN THE HOUSTON AREA, UM, WHICH IS WOEFULLY
UM, I SPENT TWO YEARS, UH, AS A, UM, DIRECTOR FOR THE S P C A IN BRAZORIA COUNTY, UH, INCLUDING OUR SPAY NEUTER CLINIC THAT WE RAN DOWN THERE.
UM, AND PRIOR TO THAT, SPENT, UH, TWO YEARS RUNNING, THREE LITTLE PITIES RESCUE.
IT WAS THE SECOND LARGEST TRANSPORT RESCUE OUT OF HOUSTON.
UM, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE.
MOST OF MY, UH, ANIMAL EXPERIENCE DOES CENTER AROUND DOGS AND CATS, BUT I LOVE ALL THE ANIMALS, SO I'M VERY EXCITED, UH, TO SEE THAT MORE THAN JUST OUR FOUR LEGGED FRIENDS.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
UM, THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.UH, DO WE HAVE ANY ONLINE BY THE WAY? NO.
YOU THINK I'M FI FIGURING THIS OUT? ALL RIGHT.
UH, AN ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.
UM, I FIRST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF INFORMING ANY FUTURE ZILKER PARK PLANS.
UH, THE MAY DRAFT VERSION OF THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN WAS SLOPPY AND IT DID NOT FOCUS ON THE NEEDS OF ANY LIVING BEINGS.
THE CARBON EMISSION NUMBERS WERE WRONG, THE TREE COUNT WAS WRONG.
THE IMPERVIOUS NUMBER COVER NUMBERS WERE, UH, CONSTANTLY CHANGING AND OFTEN CONTAINED BA BASIC MATH ERRORS, JUST ARI ARITHMETIC.
AND OF COURSE, THOSE ERRORS WERE ALWAYS IN THE FAVOR OF THE PLAN, AND IT ALSO PROPOSED TO BUILD LARGE CONCRETE STRUCTURES WHERE DOGS PLAY AND ENDANGERED SALAMANDERS HABITAT.
AND SO I WANTED TO OFFER FOR A MINUTE IF IT'S HELPFUL TO, UH, GO OVER THE MAP THAT I GAVE YOU LAST TIME.
I DON'T, I KNOW IT'S NOT SUPER EASY TO READ AND YOU CAN TELL ME.
SO, UM, WHAT I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT TO YOU IS THAT THE RED INDICATES LARGE CONSTRUCTION ITEMS. SO YOU CAN SEE AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE, A LAND BRIDGE, AS WELL AS AN AMPHITHEATER AND A WELCOME CENTER.
AND THE BIG BLUE LINE AROUND THERE IS THAT SALAMANDER HABITAT.
THE LITTLE BLUE, UH, CIRCLES ARE SPRINGS.
AND, UM, TO ORIENT YOU, YOU CAN SEE BARTON SPRINGS ROAD,
[00:05:01]
OF TIME.AND THEN WE HAVE MOPAC UP THERE.
AND THEN AZ MORTON IS DOWN IN THE BOTTOM CORNER TO KIND OF ORIENT YOU TO WHERE ALL THIS CONSTRUCTION IS.
AND THEN, UH, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, GO AHEAD AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK.
UM, ANYWAY, UH, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER, UH, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO ASK THE CITY TO PLEASE CONSIDER LIVING THINGS IN ANY NEW PLAN OF ZILKER PARK.
AND, UM, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS.
I'VE BEEN SAYING THAT YOU ARE THE MOST HUMANE, UH, COMMISSION IN AUSTIN.
I APPRECIATE
I, I GET A LOT OF THINGS WRONG.
I I HAPPEN TO REMEMBER THAT ONE.
I WANT TO THANK THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION FOR CONSIDERING THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN AND FOR UNDERSTANDING THAT ALTHOUGH THE DRAFT PLAN HAS BEEN SHELVED, THE WORK TO HEAL AND CONSERVE THE PARK WILL AND MUST GO ON RE WHILE ZILKER WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR A NATURE AND RECREATION BASED PARK FOR THIS PARK, AND FOR A GREENER CITY OVERALL, ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF A NEW VISION ARE A PLAN THAT ONE IS CENTERED ON THE PROTECTION OF BARTON SPRINGS AND THE TWO ENDANGERED SPECIES, RATHER THAN ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND COMMERCIALIZATION OF THE GREAT LAWN.
A PLAN THAT COMMITS TO RE-WILDING MORE AREAS OF THE PARK, NOT TO EXCLUDE PEOPLE, BUT TO CREATE MORE WILDLIFE HABITAT TO SHARE WITH OTHER ANIMALS.
AND THIRD, AMIDST THE LARGE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT WOULD CREATE A LANDSCAPED ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE GREEN SPACE NEEDED BY PEOPLE AND ANIMALS AND NOT LEASED FOR CLIMATE MITIGATION.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING PREPARED.
UM, I JUST REALLY WANTED TO COME AND SAY THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US.
UH, I CAME LAST MONTH AND, UM, AND IT JUST AFTERWARD THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN OVER WHAT WE BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE VISION PLAN AND HOW IT WOULD AFFECT THE OTHER SPECIES OF THE PARK.
AND, UH, WASN'T EXPECTING ANYTHING.
UM, ESPECIALLY AT THE, COMPARED TO THE, THE, THE PARKS BOARD MEETING, UM, THAT WAS REALLY AMAZING TO ME THAT THEY, UM, LISTENED TO TO US FOR HOURS AND THEN WENT AHEAD AND VOTED IT THROUGH.
SO WHEN YOU ALL LISTENED TO US, UM, I WAS, WOW.
I THOUGHT, WELL, IF THEY SEEMED TO NOT CARE ABOUT PARKS, THEN MAYBE THE ANIMAL COMMISSION WOULDN'T CARE ABOUT ANIMALS.
BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
UM, I DO WANNA SAY, LIKE, I THINK A LOT ABOUT THE, THE WILDLIFE THAT LIVE IN THE NATURE CENTER.
UM, I REALLY WISH THAT THEY WEREN'T IN THE CITY LIMITS.
UM, EVEN THE ONES THAT ARE BONDED TO HUMANS.
UM, BUT SINCE THEY ARE, I WANNA, I WANT US TO PROTECT THEM AND LOOK OUT FOR THEM.
AND THEY ALREADY PUT UP WITH SO MUCH MOPAC IS RIGHT THERE.
UM, A C L, UM, TRAIL OF LIGHTS, ALL OF THE LIGHTS, NIGHT AND DAY, AND THE NOISES, NIGHT AND DAY.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ELEVATE THEM AS A CONCERN AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO ABOUT THAT IN THE FUTURE.
I SAW THE RESOLUTION AND IT WAS JUST, IT'S OUTSTANDING.
MY NAME IS ROBERT CORBIN, RESIDENT OF AUSTIN SINCE 1971.
AND FOR 25 YEARS, I WAS A DIRECTOR ON THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS BOARD.
I'VE CONTRIBUTED MONIES TO AUDUBON, NATIONAL WILDLIFE HAT FEDERATION, REDWOOD LEAGUE, AND MANY, MANY MORE ORGANIZATIONS.
I HAVE WORKED HARD TO PROTECT ANIMALS.
EXAMPLE ALONE AT LASALLE DELREY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IN SOUTH TEXAS.
OVER SEVERAL RECENT VISITS, I SPENT AT LEAST 200 HOURS PICKING UP 5,000 POUNDS OF TRASH, OF WHICH 1000 POUNDS WAS VERY SHARP, BROKEN GLASS, OFTEN PROTRUDING LIKE SABERS FROM THE ONE SQUARE MILE SANDY DRY LAKE BED AREAS.
[00:10:01]
ALL ACROSS THE LAKE BED IN JUST ONE CORRIDOR, THEY HOPED WOULD BE SAFE.NOW WILDLIFE CROSSES SAFELY EVERYWHERE AS I CAN WITH ELATION, SEE FOOTPRINTS EVERYWHERE.
I HAVE SAVED HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS FROM MAIMING INJURIES.
AND LIKE MOST EVERYBODY, I HAVE MY RANGE OF PREFERENCES TODAY.
HOWEVER, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT DOG OWNERS IN OUR CITY, BUT NOT TO CHASTISE THEM FOR ILLEGALLY INVADING AUSTIN'S FEW PRECIOUS WILDLIFE PRESERVES OR ALLOWING THEIR DOGS TO CHASE DEER OR RIP APART AND POLLUTE RIPARIAN AREAS OF OUR SENSITIVE STREAMS. NOT EVEN CHASTISE THEM FOR RUNNING KIDS AND OLD PEOPLE, OR THE VULNERABLE OUT OF OUR PARKS, NOR TO EXPRESS MY ANGER AT THE THOUSANDS OF INJURIES, INCLUDING A PERMANENT ONE.
I HAVE THEIR DOGS PERPE PERPETRATE ON HUMANS AND OTHER DOGS IN OUR ENVIRONMENT EVERY YEAR.
NO, I AM HERE TO SUPPORT DOG OWNERS AND CAT OWNERS TOO, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THEM TO BE VERY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY AMONG OTHERS.
IF YOU VISITED A VET, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN.
TO ILLUSTRATE DOG TEETH CLEANING COSTS TODAY BY PHONE.
I WAS TOLD THAT I KNEW THIS IN THE PAST, ACTUALLY.
360 TO $840 FOR SIMPLE CLEAN THAT TAKES 30 TO 60 MINUTES.
BUT THE COST CAN EASILY GO OVER $900, WHICH I BET IT DOES ALL THE TIME.
I'M PROPOSING THAT ANYONE WITH ONE YEAR TRAINING EXPERIENCE AT AC A C C COULD JUST AS GOOD OR ALMOST AS GOOD AS A VET AT 30% THE PRICE, DO THE CLEANING.
AND I MEAN, REALLY, IF AT LEAST AS OF AUGUST 14TH, 23, I CAN LEGALLY HAVE MY DOG PUT DOWN, I SHOULD LEGALLY BE ABLE TO CHOOSE ANYONE I WANT TO CLEAN MY DOG'S TEETH VET OR NO VET.
AND I SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE ANYONE.
I WANT TO DO A LOT OF OTHER DOGGY PROBLEMS TOO.
AND YOU KNOW WHY IT IS, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT VETS WILL DO EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER, LIKE PUT OUT OBFUSCATE, OBFUSCATING SILLINESS TO PREVENT IT SO THAT MONIES SHOULD, THAT SHOULD STAY IN PET OWNERS' POCKETS FLOW INTO THE VET'S POCKETS? SO YOU GUYS AND EVERY PET ORGANIZATION SHOULD ADVOCATE TO OPEN UP THE BUSINESS MODEL.
SO LOTS MORE PEOPLE CAN HAVE THEIR OWN PET VET BUSINESS AND SIMULTANEOUSLY SAVE PET OWNERS LOTS OF MONEY.
UH, DOROTHY LOPEZ BARNETT, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
I HAVE BEEN TO SEVERAL COMMITTEE COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS, UH, DURING THIS FIGHT OF THE VISION PLAN.
AND YOUR RECOMMENDATION RESPONSE WAS OUTSTANDING.
I REALLY, REALLY ENJOYED READING IT.
I WAS SURPRISED AFTER LAST MONTH'S MEETING, YOU GUYS WERE QUICK LEARNERS.
YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT THE VISION PLAN AND TO FEED YOU INFORMATION AND YOU REALLY STEPPED UP.
I HAVE, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT YOUR, UH, RECOMMENDATION.
UH, ONE OF THE PLUSES I HAVE NOT, YOU ARE THE FIRST GROUP THAT HAS ASKED FOR ANY CON CONSULTATION WITH THE INDIGENOUS TRIBES THAT USED TO LIVE HERE, THAT HAS BEEN BANDIED ABOUT.
BUT I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU, YOU HAVE THAT IN THERE GOING FORWARD.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I REALLY LIKED WAS THAT YOUR VISION IS NATURE OR RECREATION BASED, THAT, THAT PRIORITIZE DAILY USAGE.
MY DAUGHTER'S IN THE PARK EVERY MORNING.
MY HUSBAND'S IN THE PARK WITH EVERY, EVERY MORNING WITH, WITH OUR DOGS.
WE HAVE A PITY, BY THE WAY, UH, AND AN AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD.
AND IT IS A WONDERFUL PLACE, WONDERFUL PLACE.
I WOULD ASK THAT YOU ALTER YOUR RECOMMENDATION AND YOU ARE RECOMMENDING TWO OF THE THREE GARAGES BE, UH, ELIMINATED.
I WOULD ASK THAT YOU ELIMINATE ALL THREE.
AND THAT'S ALL THAT I, I THINK THAT, THAT, UH, YOU HAVE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB HERE, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I WANTED TO PUT TOGETHER AN ELEGANT SPEECH WITH DATA OF HOW MANY DUMP DOGS SLASH PUPPIES BORN ON
[00:15:01]
THE STREETS ARE CURRENTLY OVERWHELMING AUSTIN, BUT I DON'T HAVE TIME.AND THE TRUTH IS, YOU JUST NEED TO LOOK AT AUSTIN LOST AND FOUND PETS, OR PASS, OR NEXTDOOR OR THE RING APP OR NEIGHBORHOOD PAGES TO KNOW THE CITY IS FLOODED WITH LOOSE DOGS AND PEOPLE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING WITH NO FUNCTIONING SHELTER.
I DID NOT HAVE TIME BECAUSE I'M CURRENTLY FOSTERING THREE STREETS DOGS, A FERAL CAT, AND HELPING TEND TO THE COMMUN CATS ON THE EAST SIDE.
ON TOP OF MY OWN FOUR ANIMALS ALL ADOPTED FROM THE SHELTER, AS WELL AS WORKING FULL-TIME, TENDING TO A LARGE FAMILY.
ALL OF MY FOSTERS ARE ABOUT ONE YEAR OLD, MOST LIKELY BORN ON THE STREETS, BECAUSE IF YOU LEAVE INTACT ANIMALS ON THE STREETS WITH NO SHELTER TO BRING THEM TO, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BREED AND BREED AND BREED.
WHY AM I TELLING YOU THIS? BECAUSE I AM ONE OF YOUR AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER FOSTERS, AND THIS IS THE SAME POSITION MANY ANIMAL LOVERS IN AUSTIN ARE IN RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE IN DRAINAGE PIPES AND UNDER HOUSES AND ON BUSY STREETS AND ADVISING PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THE ANIMAL.
I'M CURRENTLY FOSTERING FOUR STREET ANIMALS THAT HAD NO SHELTER TO GO TO.
I HAVE ALSO HAD, I HAVE HAD SIX STREET DOGS TOTAL SINCE FEBRUARY, AS WELL AS THANKFULLY RETURNING FIVE ADDITIONAL ANIMALS TO THEIR OWNERS.
EVERY ANIMAL UNDER MY CARE HAS BEEN SPAYED, NEUTERED, VACCINATED, GIVEN PREVENTATIVES, REGISTERED, MADE, COMFORTABLE, ENRICHED, 95% OUTTA MY POCKET.
EVEN STILL, I FEEL LIKE I AM AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL COMPARED TO WHAT MANY, MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE DOING.
THE FACT I CAN COME HERE TONIGHT IS A LUXURY MANY DON'T HAVE WITH HOW MUCH THEY ARE DOING.
SO WHEN A DISTEMPER BREAKS OUT AT THE SHELTER, WHICH I HOPE YOU REALLY LOOK INTO AND YOU DON'T GET THE FOSTER RESPONSE YOU WANTED, I HOPE YOU REALLY LOOK INTO WHAT AUSTIN FOSTERS ARE DOING WITH DOGS IN THIS COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, INSTEAD OF ASSUMING THEY DON'T CARE OR ARE ON VACATION.
I'M GLAD SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE SO MANY THINGS, NICE THINGS TO SAY ABOUT Y'ALL.
UM, MY NAME IS GARY PEREZ AND, UM, I AM THE, UH, FORMER CUSTODIAN OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH LAND TRUST IN MIRANDA CITY, TEXAS, WHERE THE PILGRIMAGE IS FROM, AS FAR AWAY AS CANADA, CANADA WOULD COME TO MY GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE AND HAVE THEIR CEREMONIES ON THEIR PROPERTY.
I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE TRIBES AND THEIR PRACTICES, THEIR CEREMONIAL PRACTICES, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY COME FROM, HOW FAR THEY HAVE TO TRAVEL, EVEN TO THE EXTENT TO HOW THEY GOT THEIR CEREMONIAL RIGHTS AS PART OF MY JOB.
AND TO SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE IN MY POSITION WAS TO ALSO, UH, HELP THEIR CEREMONIES BECOME MORE ACCURATE SO THAT THEY'RE BONAFIDE AND SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T RUNNING CEREMONIES.
UM, UH, WHILE BACK I DISCOVERED THE FOUR FOUNTAIN SPRINGS ALONG I 35, UH, SAN ANTONIO AND AL AND, AND, UH, SAN MARCUS AND BARTON SPRINGS ON A 2000 YEAR OLD PIECE OF ROCK ART.
AND MYSELF AND MY SCIENCE TEAM PUBLISHED IN THE BULLETIN FOR TEXAS ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY LAST YEAR.
UM, CURRENTLY, UM, I AM THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF OF THE PAUA PEOPLES OF GUILA IJA, BOTH IN GUILA AND THE STATE OF TEXAS.
I SERVE AS THE CULTURAL PRESERVATION OFFICER FOR THE INDIGENOUS GOVERNOR FOR THE STATE OF GUILA, MEXICO.
AND JUST TO, UM, TOOT MY HORN A LITTLE BIT BACK IN 1998, MYSELF, US FISH AND WILDLIFE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND A CONTRACTOR, UH, OUT OF FLORIDA, HELPED TURN THINGS AROUND FOR BARTON SPRINGS WHEN WE INTRODUCED TECHNOLOGY, UNDERWATER TECHNOLOGY WE WERE USING AT SEAWORLD TO HELP REDUCE THE INCIDENTAL TAKE THAT WAS TAKING PLACE HERE AT BARTON SPRINGS WITH THE BARTON SPRINGS SALAMANDER.
SO, ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP ANYONE I CAN INTRODUCE YOU TO, UH, PLEASE JUST LET ME KNOW.
UM, BILL BUNCH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UM, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR, UH, SERVING OUR COMMUNITY AND, UH, FOR, UH, MOVING FORWARD WITH THE RESOLUTION YOU HAVE.
UH, IT'S VERY EXCITING TO SEE THAT HUGELY AN IMPORTANT AND POSITIVE STEP.
UM, I'M REALLY JUST HERE AS A RESOURCE IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT BARDEN SPRING SALAMANDER THAT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO ASK.
[00:20:01]
INSTRUMENTAL IN MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF LITIGATION TO GET THE SPECIES RECOGNIZED AS ENDANGERED AND PLACED ON ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST.UM, AND, UM, JUST WANTED TO UNDERSCORE THAT, YOUR HONOR, TO HAVE GARY HERE.
HE REALLY IS AN INCREDIBLE, UH, FIGURE IN THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS.
UM, CONNECTING THE, YOU KNOW, THE FOUR FOUNTAIN SPRINGS, AS HE MENTIONED, TO THE NATIVE AMERICAN ROCK ART AND SOME OF THE TRADITIONAL ORAL TRADITIONS IN COSMOLOGY OF, OF THE TRIBES THAT WERE HERE BEFORE WE, UH, YOU KNOW, GET CHASED OFF MOST OF THEM, UNFORTUNATELY.
UH, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR 'EM, PLEASE, PLEASE DO, UH, CALL 'EM BACK UP, AND I'M SURE YOU'D BE, UH, WILLING TO, TO ADDRESS THEM.
AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO INVITE YOU TO BARTON SPRINGS UNIVERSITY THIS YEAR.
IT'S TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH AT THE SPRINGS.
UH, I BELIEVE, UH, AS HE'S DONE BEFORE AND PREVIOUS ROUNDS OF BARTON SPRINGS UNIVERSITY, THAT GARY WILL BE TEACHING A SESSION, UH, THERE, UM, THAT, THAT DAY.
THAT IS THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THE MINUTES.UH, ITEM NUMBER ONE, APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING ON JULY 10TH, 2023.
UH, I DON'T KNOW, UH, IF ANYBODY GETS THOSE OTHER THAN ME, BUT I DID LOOK AT THEM.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF JUST SMALL NETS THAT I WOULD PROPOSE, UM, ON APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING.
UH, IT HAS COMMISSIONER HASSAN AS BEING EXCLUDED.
AND I HAD, UH, WE, WHAT WE HAD PASSED WAS PRESENT, BUT EXCLUDED.
UH, I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT, UH, PART OF THE, OF WHAT WE PASSED ON.
UM, AND THEN ITEM NUMBER, UH, AND THEN FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. THERE WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF AMBIGUITY.
IT SAYS, UM, COMMISSIONER HERRERA ASKED THAT THE AGENDA ITEM BE MOVED FORWARD.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT TO THE NEXT MEETING SO IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE PASSED IT AT THAT STAGE.
'CAUSE MOVE FORWARD WAS A LITTLE AMBIGUOUS AS TO WHETHER WE PASSED IT OR WHETHER, UH, HE WAS ASKING THAT IT BE POSTPONED.
SO IF WE COULD JUST SAY, MOVED FORWARD TO THE NEXT MEETING OR POSTPONED.
UH, SAME THING WITH, UM, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. IT SAYS WE, THE, THE COMMISSIONERS AGREED TO MOVE FORWARD THE AGENDA ITEMS, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS TO THE NEXT MEETING.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COULD I GET A, UM, MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES WITH THOSE CHANGES? SO, SO MOVED.
COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON? UH, ALL, UH, IS THERE ANY, UH, DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE ARE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
[2. Staff Briefing on FY2023-2024 Animal Services Budget. ]
IS ITEM NUMBER TWO AND STAFF BREEDING, BRIEFING STAFF BRIEFING ON, UH, FISCAL YEAR 20 23, 20 24 ANIMAL SERVICES BUDGET.UH, DON BLANC, CHIEF ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER.
I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH WHAT WE CAN TELL YOU.
UH, WE HAD FOUR PHYSICIANS, UH, THAT WERE TEMPORARIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE, WE'VE ASKED TO BE PERMANENT PHYSICIANS FOR ANIMAL CARE.
AND THESE, THESE ARE ITEMS THAT, UH, ARE ON THE CITY, IN THE CITY BUDGET CURRENTLY, AND THAT WE HOPE TO GET APPROVED.
WE HAVE ONE POSITION, UH, THAT WAS MOVING FORWARD FOR, UH, A DATA ANALYSIS WITH IT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR, FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS, AND THAT ACTUALLY MADE IT OUT OF THE BUDGET OFFICE.
SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL GET THAT AS WELL, WHICH IS GOING TO SAY, SOLVE A LOT OF OUR ISSUES.
WE ALSO, UH, RECEIVED FUNDING OR COULD POSSIBLY GET FUNDING A ONE-TIME FUNDING TO CONTRACT WITH AN ANIMAL BEHAVIORIST.
UH, THEY KNOW THAT, UH, FULL-TIME ANIMAL BEHAVIORIST ARE FAR AND FEW BETWEEN, AND THIS WOULD BE A GOOD STOP GAP UNTIL WE COULD FIND SOMEONE THAT WE COULD TAP INTO SOME OF THE, MAYBE THE, THE LOCAL ONES AND GET A LITTLE OF THEIR TIME HERE AND THERE.
AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD STEP FORWARD.
UH, WE ALSO WERE GIVEN FUNDING TO CONTINUE THIS PAST YEAR.
WE HAVE HAD A CONTRACTED SECURITY OFFICER DURING OPEN HOURS AT THE SHELTER, AND WE WERE GIVEN FUNDING TO CONTINUE WITH
[00:25:01]
THAT AS WELL.ONE OTHER THING THAT IS NOT ON THIS PAGE, THAT THE BUILDING SERVICES DEPARTMENT IN THEIR BUDGET, UH, THEY WERE GIVEN, COULD BE GIVEN A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO HELP US WITH DEVELOPING, UH, SOMETHING FOR SMALL DOGS.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS A BUILT ON SITE OR PRE-BUILT BUILDING THAT WE COULD PUT RAISED KENNELS IN THAT COULD BE SANITIZED, HOSED OUT, HAVE A DRAINAGE SYSTEM RATHER THAN A, A CAT, A CRATE THAT WAS BUILT FOR A CAT.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE HAD ASKED FOR LAST YEAR.
AND BUILDING SERVICES HAS THAT IN THEIR BUDGET FOR OUR USE THIS YEAR.
IF IT GOES THROUGH ALSO FROM, UH, COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER VELAS OFFICE IS ASKING FOR ONGOING FUNDING OF 1.2 MILLION TO BE APPLIED TOWARDS OUR CONTRACTED SPAY AND NEUTERING IN THE COMMUNITY FOR FREE DAYS.
SO THOSE ARE THE ITEMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN OUR BUDGET.
AND DO YOU MIND TELLING US WHERE, WHERE IT IS IN THE PROCESS? UH, THEY'VE HAD PUBLIC MEETINGS, THEY'VE HAD COUNCIL DELIBERATIONS AND STARTING, UH, THE 16TH IS THE FIRST DAY THAT THE BUDGET WILL, UH, COULD BE APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO THE DELIBERATIONS IN COUNCIL START ON THE 16TH, AND THEN THEY HAVE THE 17TH AND 18TH IF THEY NEED THOSE ADDITIONAL DAYS.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER BRUCE? DR.
BRUCE, SORRY, FOR THE SPAY NEUTER FUNDING, IS THAT FUNDING THAT THEN YOU WOULD DIRECT THE CONTRACTING OF IT WOULDN'T BE ASSIGNED AT THE TIME IT WAS GIVEN, WOULD IT? IT IF, IF I'M, I'D HAVE TO REMEMBER HOW THE, HOW HIS ORDINANCE WAS OUT HERE, HOW HIS DIRECTION WAS WRITTEN, BUT I THINK IT'S JUST, UH, ONGOING FUNDING, UH, FAR AS SPAYING AND NEUTERING IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT WOULD ALLOW A THIRD VENDOR POTENTIALLY IT, IT COULD, BUT I THINK THE REASON, THE WAY THAT THEY FORMULATED THEIR NUMBERS IS THEY DID HAVE A, A MEETING WITH, UH, OUR CONTRACTED DEMANDS A PET PROVIDER.
AND THEY SAID THAT IN WHAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PURCHASING A DIFFERENT, ANOTHER ADDITIONAL MOBILE UNIT.
AND IN 2024, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE, UH, SERVICES AND FACILITIES STAFFING FOR SIX DAYS A WEEK.
THAT STILL DOESN'T ADDRESS THE LARGE DOG ISSUE THOUGH, RIGHT? 'CAUSE THEIR MOBILE UNITS DON'T HAVE CAPACITY FOR LARGE BREED DOGS.
I'LL SHARE WITH YOU SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M SUPPOSED TO, BUT I, IN, IN CONVERSATIONS WITH EMANCIPATE, THEY HAVE, UH, APPARENTLY A BRICK AND MORTAR CLINIC, UH, ON I 35 AND 180 3.
AND, UH, THEY HAVE OBTAINED THE ADDITIONAL SPACE NEXT TO THEIR CLINIC.
AND THEY ARE PLANNING ON, UH, DOING SURGERIES THERE, LARGE DOG SURGERIES, PERMANENT LARGE DOG SURGERY, KENNEL, A FACILITY.
AND SO THAT IS, UH, ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THEY'RE PLANNING ON, UH, HELPING THAT LOAD.
I, UM, SOMEONE SENT ME THE ADDENDUM.
I, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TELL ME IF THIS IS INCORRECT OR CORRECT, BUT WHAT I READ, WHAT I WAS SENT WAS ALLOCATE 1.2 MILLION TO THE ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICES TO FUND INCREASED NO COST SPAY NEUTER FOR PETS IN AUSTIN.
THIS AMOUNT SHOULD ENABLE OUR NONPROFIT PARTNER TO ADD TWO MORE FREE SPAY NEUTER DAYS PER WEEK, IMPROVING OUR ABILITY TO MEET COMMUNITY DEMAND.
IS THAT CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU UNDERSTAND? I THINK THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS WRITTEN.
COMMISSIONER ES OUT OF CURIOSITY, THE TOTAL REVENUE IS 2 MILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.
UH, WHAT PERCENT COMES FROM ANIMAL ADOPTION FEES AND WHAT PERCENT? TRAVIS COUNTY? 50 50 OR, AND NO, THE, THE TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, I'D HAVE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS NEXT YEAR'S TOTAL'S GONNA BE.
I THINK LAST YEAR'S TOTAL WAS 1.2 MILLION.
SO I THINK OUR, OUR ADOPTION FEES AND, AND REVENUES FROM, UM, CITATION, NOT CITATIONS, UM, DANGEROUS DOG FEES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UH, I THINK THAT'S RIGHT AROUND, UH, 300,000.
SO MOST OF THE REVENUE ACCOUNTS FROM TRAVIS COUNTY? THAT'S CORRECT.
TYPICALLY AROUND 2 MILLION PER YEAR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I, KRISTEN, COMMISSIONER HASSEN.
UM, WHEN YOU SAY A CONTRACTED VETERINARY BEHAVIOR OR A CONTRACTED BEHAVIORIST, ARE YOU REFERRING TO A VETERINARY BEHAVIORIST OR, UM, ARE THERE ANY CREDENTIALS TIED TO THAT, UH, FUNDING ITEM? I THINK IT SAID CERTIFIED BEHAVIORIST.
IT DID NOT HAVE TO BE A VETERINARIAN
[00:30:01]
CERTIFIED BEHAVIORIST.SO THAT COULD BE BY ANY CERTIFYING BODY OF IT OF ANY KIND.
IT, IT DIDN'T STATE, IT JUST SAID CERTIFIED BEHAVIORIST.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
UM, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SAID CORRECTLY.
SO IT'S CONTRACT FOR THE FIRST YEAR, BUT THE GOAL IS TO BRING SOMEONE ON FULL-TIME FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR? WELL, THAT IS WHAT, UH, I'VE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE.
UH, WE, WE WERE GIVEN DIRECTION FROM THE DIOCESE LAST YEAR.
ONE OF THE COUNCIL OFFICES PUT IN THAT THIS YEAR THEY NEEDED TO FUND A POSITION AND THIS WAS THE BUDGET'S OFFICE, UH, LOOKING AT ALL THE PARAMETERS AND, AND WHAT IT WOULD TAKE.
AND THIS WAS THEIR SUGGESTION.
AND I, I HAD ONE MORE QUESTION RELATED TO THE, UM, CARE EMPLOYEES.
YOU SAID THAT THERE WERE FOUR TEMPS WHO WERE MOVING TO FULL-TIME.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TEMPS WILL STAY TEMPS? UH, WE HAVE ABOUT 47 TEMPS THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM CURRENTLY.
AND I DON'T KNOW THE BREAKDOWN OF HOW MANY ARE DIRECTLY IN ANIMAL CARE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NOT ABOUT THE BUDGET PORTION? ABOUT BUDGET? YEAH, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, WHAT, UH, WHAT, HOW MUCH OF AN INCREASE IS THE 20.2, ASSUMING THAT THE SPAY NEUTER IS NOT PUT IN OVER THE CURRENT BUDGET? DO YOU KNOW THE, OVER THE FISCAL YEAR 23? YEAH, JUST HOW MUCH OF AN INCREASE IS IT? IT, IT'S, IT WAS, I THINK, UH, 1918 POINT.
IT'S ALMOST JUST MIGHT AS SAY 19 MILLION LAST YEAR.
SO IT'S ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS DIFFERENCE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? OKAY.
[3. Overview of Monthly Reports provided by Animal Services Office.]
MOVE TO OVERVIEW OF THE MONTHLY REPORTS.UM, I THINK JASON GARZA IS ONLINE AND I THINK HE'LL TALK ABOUT THE STATISTICS IF HE CAN.
JA, JASON, IF YOU'RE THERE, WE CANNOT HEAR YOU.
OKAY, WELL, I WILL TRUDGE FORWARD.
UM, THE LIVE OUTCOME RATE FOR JULY WAS 97.69%.
UH, 859 ANIMALS WERE BROUGHT TO THE SHELTER.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKDOWN ON THE REPORT THAT YOU WERE GIVEN.
61 ANIMALS WERE RETURNED TO THEIR OWNERS.
LET'S SEE, FOR THE MONTH OF JULY, WE HELD SIX NEW VOLUNTEER ORIENTATIONS, INTRODUCING 151 ADDITIONAL PEOPLE TO THE SHELTER PROGRAMS. UH, TOTAL VOLUNTEER SERVICE HOURS FOR JULY WAS 7,186.
WE HAVE, UM, 10 OPEN FULL-TIME POSITIONS.
TWO ARE ALREADY HIRED, WAITING ON START DATES.
THREE ARE IN PROCESS OF BEING HIRED.
AND THERE'S THREE POSITIONS THAT ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING POSTED FOR TEMPORARIES.
WE HAVE FOUR TEMPORARY POSITIONS THAT WERE OPEN AND THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING, UH, INTERVIEWED AND HIRED AT THIS POINT.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OVER OUR REPORT? COMMISSIONER HASSEN.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS I SORT OF SEE IT ALLUDED TO IN THIS REPORT AND OTHERS, BUT, UM, I WAS LOOKING AT THE INTAKE DOG INTAKE NUMBERS ARE DOWN THERE WERE SO FAR THIS YEAR, THE SECOND LOWEST IN AACS HISTORY FOR DOG INTAKE.
UM, IS THAT, IS THAT REFLECTED ANYWHERE IN THE REPORT THAT WE ARE SEEING HISTORICALLY LOW INTAKES OF DOGS? I THOUGHT THAT, UM, MR. GARZA PROVIDED Y'ALL WITH A SUMMARY YEAR TO DATE THAT SHOWS, UH, YEAR TO DATE ANIMALS THAT CAME IN.
SO THAT'S NOT IN THE, UH, REPORT THIS MONTH.
UM, AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A DISTEMPER OUTBREAK, UM, AND IT IS,
[00:35:01]
UH, HOW MANY ANIMALS ARE SICK RIGHT NOW? ARE YOU GONNA ADDRESS THAT IN A SEPARATE ITEM? UH, NO, I WAS NOT.UM, WE STARTED, WE, WE HAD SIX POSITIVE CASES AND WE IMMEDIATELY STARTED WORKING WITH SOME OF OUR PARTNERS AND THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN.
AND, UH, WE HAD 58 ANIMALS TESTED AND 18 OF THOSE CAME BACK POSITIVE.
UH, SO THAT IS WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK, UH, WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AND SOME OF OUR PARTNERS IN, UH, SAVING ALL THESE LIVES.
AND JUST ONE MORE QUESTION, UM, ON THAT ARE HOW MANY, UM, SO THAT WOULD BE 18 PLUS SIX, BUT HOW MANY ARE SYMPTOMATIC OR SHOWING ANY SYMPTOMS? BECAUSE WITH THAT MANY DECEMBER CHASES, WE CAN PRESUME A WIDESPREAD OUTBREAK.
WELL, THOSE ARE ALL THAT TESTED POSITIVE, WHETHER THEY, UH, WERE SHOWING SYMPTOMS OR NOT, THEY DID, UH, TESTING AND SENT THAT ALL TO THE UNIVERSITY, AND THOSE WERE THE ONES THAT CAME BACK POSITIVE.
AND SOME OF THESE ANIMALS HAD BEEN IN THE SHELTER FOR, UH, MANY, MANY MONTHS.
SO THERE ARE NO MORE SYMPTOMATIC DOGS? NO, THERE ARE SYMPTOMATIC DOGS.
I CAN'T TELL YOU THE BREAKDOWN ON HOW MANY WERE POSITIVE THAT ARE SHOWING SYMPTOMS VERSUS HOW MANY WERE POSITIVE THAT WEREN'T SHOWING SYMPTOMS AT THIS TIME.
BEYOND THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN TESTED THOUGH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SYMPTOMATIC DOGS BEYOND THE 58 THAT WERE TESTED? UH, THEY DID PULL SOME ADDITIONAL TESTS TODAY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY THEY ENDED UP PULLING OF DOGS THAT, UH, MIGHT'VE SHOWED SOME SIGNS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? CAN YOU TELL US, UM, ABOUT THE TREATMENT OF THE DOGS, UM, THAT HAVE TESTED POSITIVE OR ARE SHOWING SYMPTOMS? I KNOW THAT, UH, NO, I, I CAN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT ALL THE BETTS ARE DOING, UH, THE PROTOCOLS THAT THEY'RE USING.
I JUST MEAN LIKE, WHO'S, WHO'S DOING IT OR IS IT HAPPENING? WELL, WE, WE HAVE SENT, UH, AS MANY AS, UH, ONE OF OUR RESCUE PARTNERS HERE LOCALLY COULD TAKE.
AND WE FILLED UP THEM WITH AS MANY AS THEY THEY CAN TAKE.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, THAT'S WHY WE'RE PUTTING OUT A FOSTER PLEA.
WE ARE ISOLATING THOSE THAT ARE SHOWING, UH, OR TESTED POSITIVE SO THAT WE CAN ISOLATE AND TREAT.
UH, SO, UH, THEY'RE FOLLOWING ALL THE PROTOCOLS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE UNIVERSITY IS SUGGESTING, I ASSUME THAT'S AUSTIN PETS ALIVE, IS THAT RIGHT? OR IS THAT SOMEONE ELSE? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND HOW MANY, DO YOU KNOW ROUGHLY THAT THEY TOOK THE LAST I HEARD IT WAS 17, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY SINCE THEN.
ARE THERE ANY THAT THEY DIDN'T TAKE? WELL, THEY HAVE TAKEN EVERYTHING THEY COULD TAKE UNTIL THEY GOT FULL.
RIGHT? ARE THERE ANY THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE? THEY SAID, NO, WE CAN'T TAKE ANYMORE.
I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE AT THIS POINT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
UM, HOW DO SHELTERS, ARE SHELTERS ABLE TO, UM, UM, D DON'T CHECK, NOT DON'T CHECK A FILTER.
OR BEFORE WHEN ANIMALS COME IN, CAN THEY SHELTER TO FIGURE OUT IF A, A DOG HAS TO STUPER? THEY CAN.
UH, BUT I'M NOT, WE HAVE SEVERAL VETS HERE AND I'M GONNA LET THEM ASK THE ANSWER THAT QUESTION BECAUSE THEY, THEY CAN PROBABLY GIVE YOU MORE CLINICAL INFORMATION THAN I COULD.
ARE YOU ASKING IF THERE'S A SIMPLE SCREENING TEST FOR ASYMPTOMATIC DOGS FOR DISTEMPER? NO, I, I'M, MAYBE I'M NOT ASKING MY QUESTION CORRECTLY.
SO THERE'S A DISTEMPER OUTBREAK.
WHY DID THAT HAPPEN? OH, BECAUSE THERE'S DISTEMPER IN THE COMMUNITY AND WHEN THE ANIMALS ARE BROUGHT INTO THE SHELTER YES.
UH, SHELTERS, AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, BUT DO SHELTERS TYPICALLY HAVE A WAY, DO THEY CHECK FOR DISTEMPER TYPICALLY? I DON'T KNOW.
I IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT EASILY TESTED FOR, ESPECIALLY IN AN ASYMPTOMATIC ANIMAL.
SO IT, YEAH, IT'S NOT LIKE A EASY, QUICK, UH, TABLETOP FECAL SAMPLE PARVO TEST.
BUT EVEN THEN, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WHENEVER YOU'RE INTERPRETING A SINGLE TEST FROM AN ANIMAL, YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT ONE ANIMAL'S HISTORY, WHICH WE USUALLY DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SYMPTOMATIC OR NOT.
IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE EASILY, EASILY SCREENED FOR, FOR, IT CAN BE MUCH MORE EASILY PREVENTED IN THE COMMUNITY WITH WIDESPREAD VACCINATION.
AND SO HEADING IT OFF AT THE PAST IS, I THINK PREVENTATIVE MEASURES IS WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT.
[00:40:01]
AND I THINK THE MAIN PREVENTATIVE MEASURE IS DRAMATIC VACCINATION IN THE COMMUNITY.UM, I'M DEALING WITH A DISTEMPER OUTBREAK AT ANOTHER SHELTER IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
UM, AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER IS NOT UNIQUE RIGHT NOW.
UM, SAN MARCOS HAS A CURRENT OUTBREAK GOING ON.
UH, BASTROP COUNTY CLOSED EARLIER THIS SUMMER.
LIKE I SAID, I'M DEALING WITH AN OUTBREAK RIGHT NOW.
IN MY INSTANCE, THE DOGS WERE TRANSFERRED IN AT THE END OF MAY AND DIDN'T START SHOWING CLINICAL SIGNS UNTIL JULY.
SO THEY WERE HEALTHY NORMAL DOGS PART OF OUR MAIN POPULATION UNTIL THEY STARTED SHOWING SIGNS MID-JULY.
AT THAT POINT, THEY START ROUTINE UPPER RESPIRATORY QUARANTINE.
UM, AND WE DON'T ACTUALLY DIS CHECK FOR DISTEMPER UNTIL THEY'RE NOT RESPONDING TO TYPICAL THERAPY.
SO THOSE DOGS TYPICALLY SPEND A WEEK OR MORE IN ISOLATION WITH OTHER DOGS BEFORE WE WOULD EVEN THINK TO TEST THEM, BECAUSE THERE IS A HUGE LIST OF VIRUSES AND BACTERIA THAT CAUSE UPPER RESPIRATORY SIGNS IN DOGS.
AND SO ONCE YOU DO TEST, YOU SEND THOSE SWABS FROM THE NASAL SWABS OUT.
UM, AND THOSE TAKE ABOUT FIVE DAYS TO COME BACK.
AND SO THERE'S ALWAYS A DELAY IN THE INFORMATION THAT YOU GET.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, I'LL REITERATE KIND OF WHAT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER IS SEEING, WE'RE SEEING THROUGHOUT CENTRAL TEXAS RIGHT NOW IS WE HAVE HAD, UH, DISEASE CROP UP IN ADULT DOGS THAT HAVE THEIR TWO VACCINES ON BOARD.
SO THOSE DOGS AREN'T DYING OF DISTEMPER TYPICALLY, BUT THEY DO HAVE, HAVE QUITE PROLONGED UPPER RESPIRATORY SIGNS WITHIN THE SHELTER.
SO YEAH, IT'S OFTEN QUITE DELAYED BETWEEN THE TIME AN ANIMAL COMES IN AND WHEN SIGNS ARE SEEN.
AND SO AS PART OF THAT INITIAL CHECK FOR DISTEMPER, YOU'RE SENDING OFF AN UPPER RESPIRATORY PANEL THAT'S LOOKING FOR CANINE INFLUENZA, A BOARD, ATELLA, MYCOPLASMA, LIKE A LONG LIST OF THINGS EACH WITH, ITS KIND OF DISTINCT TREATMENT.
SO IT'S, IT REITERATES THE IMPORTANCE CERTAINLY OF HAVING GOOD VACCINE PROTOCOLS IN PLACE, VACCINATING ON INTAKE, MAKING SURE YOUR STAFF ARE TRAINED, HOLDING COMMUNITY VACCINATION EVENTS.
I MEAN, YOUR MEDICINE IS PUT TO THE TEST.
AND THEN ALSO THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT KEEPING PUPPIES IN THE SHELTER.
LIKE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO GET PUPPIES OUT INTO FOSTER IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT, BUT PARTICULARLY NOW.
I WANNA JUST GET BACK TO THE DIRECTOR AND APPRECIATE THE VETERINARY INFORMATION.
UM, BUT CURRENTLY THAT'S A REALLY BIG CONCERNING OUTBREAK.
UM, AND I'M WONDERING, UH, ABOUT IF THE DOGS IN THE SHELTER WERE ALL UP TO DATE ON VACCINES.
SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN THERE MORE THAN A YEAR.
UM, AND GIVEN THAT THEY WERE THERE A LONG TIME AND GETTING SICK IF THEY WERE UP TO DATE.
AND DIRECTOR BLAND, IF YOU KNOW THAT THE DOGS ARE BOTH BEING VACCINATED ON INTAKE AND ARE BEING KEPT UP TO DATE, UM, PARTICULARLY THE ONES THAT ARE TESTING POSITIVE, YES, THEY ARE VACCINATED AND THE VACCINATIONS ARE UP TO DATE, UH, AND HAD, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE VACCINATIONS AND THEY'RE STILL SHOWING SYMPTOMS. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING IS ACTUALLY, IF SOMEONE FINDS AN ANIMAL, UH, AND IS WILLING TO HOLD ONTO IT, WE WILL VACCINATE, UH, OUTSIDE THE SHELTER UNTIL THOSE, UH, VACCINATIONS TAKE, TAKE HOLD, BUT, AND, AND JUST ARE, SO ARE I NOTICED SAN MARCOS DOING A LOT OF MEDIA ABOUT IT, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH FROM THE SHELTER ALL OTHER THAN SAYING SIX DOGS WERE SICK.
ARE YOU PLANNING ADDITIONAL MEDIA AND PLEAS TO THE PUBLIC IN THE NEXT DAY? UH, WE SENT OUT A PRESS RELEASE, UH, LAST WEEK AND WE HAVE, UH, KEPT UP WITH, YOU KNOW, THE SOCIAL MEDIA SINCE THEN.
UH, WE, AFTER THE WEEKEND, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW MANY ANIMALS WERE, UH, LEFT THE SHELTER THROUGH FOSTER AND ADOPTION AND HOW MANY MORE WE NEEDED TO HELP WITH AS WELL.
BUT YOU DID THAT RELEASE WHEN THERE WERE SIX SICK SIX, I THINK SIX SICK DOGS.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE, DO, ARE YOU CONFIDENT THERE IS NO WIDESPREAD OUTBREAK BEYOND THE DOGS THAT HAVE TESTED POSITIVE? BECAUSE IF IT'S A LARGER ISSUE, IT SEEMS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU ALL QUICKLY DO MORE MEDIA? WE ARE TESTING CONTINUALLY, UH, OUR TEST, WE, WE TEST ONE DAY.
WE SEND THE SAMPLES OFF, THEY REVIEW THEM THE NEXT, AND ON DAY THREE WE HAVE THE RESULTS BACK.
SO WE DID ANOTHER ROUND OF TESTING OF ANIMALS TODAY THAT WILL GET THE RESULTS BACK ON WEDNESDAY.
SO WE, WE ARE DOING, UH, EVERYTHING WE CAN TO STAY ON TOP OF IT AND SOLICIT THE PUBLIC'S HELP.
COMMISSIONER HOLT, MY QUESTIONS IS ACTUALLY FOR THE VET AND THEN I MIGHT HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION FOR YOU BASED OFF WHAT THEY SAY.
UM, HOW LONG AFTER, I KNOW FOR PUPPIES IT'S A TWO VACCINE PROTOCOL FOR AN ADULT DOG.
IS IT A ONE ON INTAKE AT THE SHELTER
[00:45:01]
THAT'S, I GUESS FOR YOU? UH, IS IT ONE VACCINE WHEN THEY, IF AN ADULT DOG COMES IN, DO THEY JUST GET ONE VACCINE OR DO THEY GET A TWO, TWO WEEKS APART? UM, THEY GET TWO, YEAH.I BELIEVE IT'S TWO, TWO WEEKS APART FOR ADULTS.
THEY DO AS WELL AS PUPPIES? YES.
HOW SOME OF THESE ANIMALS, WE DON'T KNOW THEIR VACCINATION HISTORY, SO THIS COULD BE THEIR FIRST ONE.
SO WE DO VACCINATE ON INTAKE AND THEN TWO WEEKS LATER.
UM, HOW LONG AFTER THAT SECOND VACCINE, BEFORE THEY WOULD BE, I KNOW YOU'RE SAYING IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S SOME LIKE OUTLIERS, BUT LIKE TYPICALLY HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE FOR A DOG TO BE PROTECTED AFTER THAT SECOND VACCINE? YOU KNOW, THERE IS, I THINK A PAPER THAT SAYS IT CAN BE WITHIN HOURS.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT TO BE TRUE.
AND I'D SAY TWO WEEKS WOULD BE KIND OF STANDARD FOR IMMUNITY.
UM, BUT YEAH, AFTER THE SECOND ONE THERE, THERE IS, WELL, UM, EVEN AFTER THE FIRST ONE, IF YOU'RE USING A MODIFIED LIVE VIRUS, THERE SHOULD BE PRETTY GOOD PROTECTION.
BUT YEAH, IT, IT IS UNIQUE THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING ADULT DOGS WITH TWO VACCINES COMING DOWN.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S ALSO AN IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER OF ABOUT VACCINATION.
WE ARE PREVENTING MORBIDITY IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE DOGS, BUT WE ARE SEEING SOME ILLNESS AND SOME UPPER RESPIRATORY SIGNS.
AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION, SO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE Y'ALL VACCINE.
YOU, YOU SAID YOU VACCINATE ON INTAKE NOT AFTER THE THREE DAY RULE, BUT SOME SHELTERS YOU MM-HMM.
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY VACCINATING BEFORE THEY EVEN WALK IN THE DOOR.
WE DON'T PUT THEM IN HOLDING AND THEN PULL 'EM OUT OF HOLDING TO VACCINATE.
WE'RE VACCINATING 'EM BEFORE THEY EVEN GO INTO THE HOLDING KENNEL.
AND JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, 'CAUSE I THINK COMMISSIONER, UH, DR.
SO I JUST WANNA CONFIRM THAT OF THESE ANIMALS THAT ARE EITHER POSITIVE OR SUSPECTED, IF WE WERE TO GO BACK INTO THE RECORDS, CAN WE CONFIRM THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THEM WERE VACCINATED ON INTAKE? WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO, YES.
UH, THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD SAY, IF ONE WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, HIT BY A CAR AND THERE'S DOING LIFE SAVING AND CAN'T VACCINATE FOR SOME REASON, THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY EXCEPTION IT SHOULD BE.
UM, SO THEY, THE INTAKE, UH, TECHNICIANS HAVE PARAMETERS IN WHICH THEY WILL NOT VACCINATE.
AND IT DOES INCLUDE EMERGENCIES THAT ARE RUNNING A FEVER.
SO IF THE ANIMAL'S SHOWING ILLNESS ON INTAKE, THEY'LL HOLD UNTIL THAT ANIMAL'S NOT FEBRILE ANYMORE.
IF SOMETHING CAME IN AFTER SIX O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, IT WOULDN'T BE VACCINATED TILL THE NEXT MORNING.
BUT ANIMALS ARE VACCINATED ON INTAKE.
UM, AND THOSE VACCINES ARE HELD CORRECTLY FROM ANYTHING I'VE EVER WITNESSED.
AND WE ACTUALLY STARTED, UH, IF, IF THERE IS A FEVER IN ANIMAL SINCE WE STARTED SEEING DISTEMPER, WE ARE VACCINATING.
THAT IS, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE FEVER, WE, THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SUGGESTED WE DO THAT.
BUT THE FEVER ANIMAL WOULD BE SEGREGATED FROM THE PUBLIC.
UH, IN THE EVENT THAT IT WASN'T VACCINATED.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, 'CAUSE WE'VE HAD THIS, UH, LARRY, WHEN WAS IT, 2018? NO, WE HAD A REALLY BAD ONE IN 2011.
WELL, WE HAD THE, THE GREAT DEBATE OVER VACCINATING 2, 3, 4 DAYS AFTER INTAKE.
AND IT WAS DETERMINED IMMEDIATELY ON INTAKE AS SOON AS THEY, EVEN BEFORE THEY, THEY'RE IN THE DOOR, TO YOUR POINT, LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW OR, OR BEFORE THEY GO BACK INTO THE, THE HOLDING AREA, THEY'RE VACCINATED.
AND THERE WAS A, UM, INFORMAL TEST THAT WAS PERFORMED, UH, WITHOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, YEARS AGO, WHAT, IN 2000, I THINK IT WAS 1111, WHERE THE THEN CHIEF ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER WITHHELD VACCINATIONS AS A, AS AN EXPERIMENT
UM, WHICH FAILED MISERABLY OBVIOUSLY.
SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
AND THE, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE VACCINATE THAT WE'RE VACCINATING IMMEDIATELY ON INTAKE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WAS DECIDED AT THAT TIME.
THAT THE, THE EFFICACY OF THE VACCINATION GOES DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY HOUR AFTER HOUR.
UM, AND THEN THAT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE THE WORST PLACE TO BE IS, YOU KNOW, IN A, IN, IN A MASS SHELTER LIKE THAT WITH LOTS OF ANIMALS OR A PERSON WENT IN A HOSPITAL.
AND, UH, I THINK MY RECOLLECTION IS THE OTHER THING THAT WE LEARNED IN 2011 IS EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A POLICY AT SOME POINT OF VACCINATING UNDERTAKE THAT WHEN WE WENT BACK TO LOOK AT THE RECORDS, IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T HAPPENING.
UM, SO THAT'S MY, THAT'S MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS TO JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THAT THERE'S A PROTOCOL, BUT TO MAKE SURE THE PROTOCOL'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
AND SO MAYBE WE CAN FIND, UH, YOU THINK IT'S 19 OR 20 TOTAL ANIMALS RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE IT, IT WAS 18
[00:50:01]
FROM THE 58 TESTED.I WONDER IF WE CAN GO BACK AND, UH, LOOK AT THOSE 18 TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE VACCINATED ON INTAKE.
IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS COULD, WE THAT AND IT SHOWS THE DATE THEY WERE VACCINATED AND HOW LONG THEY'VE BEEN THERE.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
IF I CAN'T, I KNOW I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO PRODUCE THE INFORMATION HERE, BUT NO, WE, WE, WE ALREADY HAVE IT AND WE'VE LOOKED OH, YOU'VE ALREADY CHECKED.
AND I'LL JUST SAY AS AN ASIDE TOO, JUST AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, REMEMBER DISTEMPER IS COMING FROM THE WILDLIFE, SO IT'S COMING FROM RACCOONS.
AND IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ON MY CUL-DE-SAC, WE HAVE SIX RACCOONS.
WE'RE SEEING ON A DAILY BASIS, THAT'S NOT TYPICAL BEHAVIOR FOR WILDLIFE.
SO I HAVE A THEORY THAT WE'RE SEEING SO MUCH DISTEMPER BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS SEEKING WATER.
AND SO I THINK WE'RE SEEING WILDLIFE AND DOG FOOD, BO UH, DOG WATER BOWLS BEING COMMUNAL.
JUST FROM MY LITTLE MICRO COMMUNITY, I'M SEEING SO MUCH WILDLIFE IN OUR YARDS THAT WE WOULD NEVER SEE AND THEY ARE SEEKING WATER.
SO I WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, CAUTION PEOPLE MAYBE BLEACH OUT YOUR DOG BOWLS, PUT EXTRA WATER OUT UP HIGH FOR THE ANIMALS.
'CAUSE THEY'RE WATER SEEKING AND THEY'RE STRUGGLING IN THIS TOO RIGHT NOW.
UH, THAT'S A REALLY EXCELLENT POINT AND MIGHT BE ANOTHER GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE FROM THE SHELTER TO, UM, OFFER SOME BEST PRACTICES ABOUT REDUCING THAT INTERACTION BETWEEN WILDLIFE AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS IN THE CITY.
UM, BUT I, IF, UH, IT'S OKAY, I HAD A QUESTION THAT'S RELATED, BUT SLIGHTLY OFF THE, THE CURRENT, UH, TOPIC AND DIRECTOR BLAND, I'M REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT, UM, THE SUPPORT THAT Y'ALL ARE PROVIDING TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO FIND DOGS AND OFFERING TO VACCINATE THEM WITHOUT DOING DIRECT INTAKE INTO THE SHELTER FIRST.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT BEST PRACTICE IS TO OFFER THOSE SORTS OF SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE ASKING FOLKS TO HANG ON TO DOGS AND CATS THAT THEY FIND.
UM, I'M WONDERING HOW THAT IS GOING.
ARE YOU HAVING, UH, IS YOUR TEAM HAVING A LOT OF PEOPLE TAKING YOU UP ON THAT SUPPORT OR ARE YOU FINDING IT TO BE A, A SUCCESSFUL RESOURCE IN TERMS OF PROVIDING PEOPLE WITH THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO, TO KEEP THOSE PETS OUT OF THE SHELTER? IT'S, IT'S, UH, I THINK MORE PEOPLE ARE, ARE WILLING TO ASSIST UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE HAVE NOW CURRENTLY, UH, VERSUS JUST IF YOU FIND AN ANIMAL, HEY, WE TALK YOU INTO HELPING US OUT AND KEEPING IT UNTIL WE CAN FIND THE OWNER OR MAKE SPACE FOR IT.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I DO WANNA POINT OUT IS THIS IS AN EMERGENCY PROCEDURE.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE DOING UNDER AN EMERGENCY ORDER THAT WE CAN GO OUT AND, AND VACCINATE, UH, FOUND ANIMALS, OR IF SOMEONE'S WILLING TO HOLD IT, WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND GO TO THEIR HOUSE AND DO THAT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE'RE STEPPING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX TO DO.
UM, IT WOULD IT, IN ORDER TO LIKE BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE SORTS OF SERVICES, WHETHER IT'S ACCESS TO SPAY, NEUTER, VACCINATION, YOU KNOW, CRATES, LEASHES, COLLARS, FOOD, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, IT ARE YOU DO, IS THE SHELTER ABLE TO DO THAT WORK OUTSIDE OF THE EMERGENCY SITUATION OR WOULD THAT SORT OF PROGRAM DO YOU THINK REQUIRE A CHANGE IN, IN ORDINANCE AND NO, NO WORRIES IF THAT'S, IF YOU CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
WELL, UM, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING Y'ALL SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO
WE, WE CURRENTLY, UM, PROVIDE INFOR, UH, RESOURCES TO FOLKS THAT NEED SPAN AND NEUTERING.
WE USE A VOUCHER SYSTEM THAT, UH, WE CAN SEND THEM OUT WITH THAT TO HELP THEM OUT AND ASSIST.
UH, IF THEY CAN'T GET TO FRONT OF OUR FREE DAYS, WE CAN GIVE THEM A VOUCHER TO GO TO ONE OF THE BRICK AND MORTAR CLINICS.
UH, LAST, LAST, UH, MONTH IN JULY, WE GAVE OVER A THOUSAND, UH, PET ITEMS OUT INCLUDING CRATES, LEASHES, FOOD.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO TRACK AND WE DO ON A REGULAR BASIS BECAUSE WE, WHATEVER WE CAN DO, UH, THAT'S, UH, AND, AND A LOT OF THIS STUFF, YOU KNOW, IS STUFF THAT WE ASK FOR ON OUR DONATION LIST AS WELL THAT MIGHT NOT BE IN OUR DIRECT BUDGET.
UH, BECAUSE WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS, IS KEEP THOSE ANIMALS IN THE HOMES WITH THEIR LOVED AND CARED FOR.
AND IF WE CAN DO THAT BY HELPING THEM, UH, SPAY AND NEUTER OR VACCINATING OR SOMETHING, WE'RE GONNA GO THAT ROUTE AND ARE VACCINATIONS.
TY, ARE VACCINATIONS ALSO INCLUDED IN LIKE YOUR VOUCHER PROGRAM AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY GO TO, UH, GET THEIR SPAY AND NEUTERING, THAT IS PART OF IT.
IF IT'S NOT MICROCHIPPED, UH, VACCINATED AS WELL.
I'D LOVE TO SEE, UM, IF YOU NEXT MONTH HAPPEN, IF Y'ALL ARE TRACKING THIS AND HAVE NUMBERS, I'D LOVE TO SEE HOW MANY, UM, IF THERE IS A CHANGE FROM, UH, THIS MONTH COMPARED TO PRIOR MONTHS, UM, HOW MANY FOLKS HAVE BEEN MORE WILLING TO KEEP ANIMALS THAT THEY'VE FOUND.
[00:55:01]
UM, YEAH, JUST HEAR YOUR Y'ALL'S INSIGHT ON WHETHER YOU THINK THAT THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THROUGH THE VACCINATIONS, UM, HAS BEEN A, A USEFUL TOOL.I CAN GET, UH, SOME INFORMATION FROM OUR, UH, CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES THAT ARE HANDLING THAT AND WE CAN SURELY PROVIDE THAT.
I WAS JUST HOPING FOR SOME CLARITY.
SO THE, UM, SO A PERSON WHO FINDS A, FINDS AN ANIMAL, SO NOT, NOT UNDER THE EMERGENCY SITUATION.
A PERSON WHO FINDS AN ANIMAL AND AGREES TO FIND OR FOSTER, I BELIEVE IS THE TERM, THEY, THEY GET VACCINES, VOUCHERS AND ANY SUPPLIES THEY WANT, AND EVEN PET OWNERS CAN, CAN NORMALLY COME AND GET EMERGENCY SUPPLIES FOR THEIR PET OWNER CAN.
UH, WE DON'T DO FIND FINDER TO FOSTER.
UH, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE OUR LEGAL TEAM LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THAT.
BUT UNDER THIS EMERGENCY SITUATION, IF SOMEONE'S WILLING TO, WE WILL GIVE THEM THE VACCINATIONS AND OKAY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S NOT YOU, IT'S NOT JUST THE GOING TO THEIR HOUSE TO GIVE IT TO THEM.
IT'S THE PROVIDING IT AT ALL THAT'S DIFFERENT IN THE, IN THE EMERGENCY SITUATION.
WE, WE NORMALLY DO NOT GIVE VACCINATIONS TO SOMEONE THAT, UH, UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT'S NOT PART OF IT.
WE DO NOT SAY, HEY, LET US VACCINATE AND SEND IT BACK AND YOU KEEP IT.
THAT'S PART OF, NOT PART OF IT.
BUT, UH, BUT THE SUPPLIES WOULD BE POTENTIALLY YES.
I HAVE A QUESTION RELATED TO THAT.
WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO DO THAT? BECAUSE IF THERE ARE ANIMALS PRESUMABLY BYPASSING THE SHELTER AND GOING TO SOMEONE'S HOUSE WITH THEIR OWN PETS, THEN THEY'RE PUTTING THEIR OWN PETS AT RISK.
SO I, I GUESS I'M JUST WONDERING HOW COULD WE INCORPORATE SOMETHING LIKE THAT? WE HAVE LEGAL LOOKING AT THAT BECAUSE WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS, THEIR, THEIR LAWS, IT, UH, IT WOULD REQUIRE, AND WE'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE STARTED DOING THIS AND, AND HOW THEY'RE ACCOMPLISHING THAT.
SO WE'VE ASKED THAT QUESTION AND WE, 'CAUSE WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DO, UH, YOU KNOW, FIND HER TO FOSTER, UH, SUCCESSFULLY.
THEY'RE ALREADY GOING IN OUR SYSTEM AND SHOWING ONLINE WHEN SOMEONE FINDS ONE.
SO IT IS OUT THERE AND AVAILABLE AND IT'S JUST A WAY OF, CURRENTLY OUR CODE SAYS THAT IT TO BE CONSIDERED IMPOUNDED FOR THE 72 HOURS IT HAS TO PHYSICALLY BE IN THE SHELTER, AND THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE CHANGED.
I THINK ON THAT NOTE, IT DOESN'T SAY EITHER WAY.
UM, SO I THINK THERE'S JUST CONFUSION ON, IT JUST SAYS IMPOUNDED.
IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T DEFINE WELL, THAT'S LIKE INTERPRETING IT.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE THE, THE, THE STATE LAW, JUST IF ANYBODY'S CURIOUS, THE STATE LAW IS, UM, THE VETERINARY PRACTICE ACT, WHICH, UH, LIMITS WHAT VETERINARIANS CAN DO FOR ANIMALS THAT ARE NEITHER OWNED NOR IN A, IN THE, IN THE CARE OF A DESIGNATED CARETAKER.
AND SO THE, UM, THE CITY CODE WOULD HAVE TO, UH, COMPLY WITH STATE LAW TO ALLOW IT TO REACH ANOTHER GROUP.
AND THAT'S NOT SAYING THAT IT COULDN'T BE, BUT, UM, THAT'S NOT CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE CONTEMPLATED AT THE TIME THAT THE LAST ROUND OF AMENDMENTS WERE PASSED, WHICH WAS FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO NOW.
UM, SO I THINK THAT IT WOULD JUST, IT'D HAVE TO, IT PROBABLY WOULD REQUIRE A DEFINITION OF DESIGNATED CARETAKER OR A DESIGNATIONS OF CARETAKER, UH, TO BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE VETERINARY PRACTICE ACT, WHICH IS, WHICH ALLOWS, UH, VETERINARIANS TO REACH OUTSIDE OF AN OWNER BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO ESTABLISH AN OWNER RELATIONSHIP, UM, WITH, TO BE ABLE TO PRACTICE MEDICINE ESSENTIALLY JUST LIKE A DOCTOR HAS TO ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP.
I JUST LIKE IF AN ANIMAL GOES DIRECTLY INTO FOSTER CARE, THAT IS STILL CONSIDERED UNDER THE CARE OF AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
SO IS THE HOLDUP JUST LIKE WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE DEFINING THESE FINDERS AS FOSTERS UNLESS, LIKE I, UNLESS IT, UNLESS IT'S A, A NEONATAL KITTEN, UHHUH, UH, ANIMAL, YOU KNOW, ANIMALS HAVE TO SPEND 72 HOURS AT THE SHELTER BEFORE THEY GO INTO FOSTER CARE.
SO EVEN LIKE HIGH MEDICAL RISK, YOU'RE OKAY.
THERE'S A MEDICAL RISK EXCEPTION AND THAT'S THE ONLY ONE.
AS, AS NEEDED TO PROTECT, UH, TO PREVENT EUTHANASIA.
THAT ALLOWS THE ANIMAL TO GO INTO A, TO ACTUALLY TO, THEY CAN, THERE'S NOTHING THAT PREVENTS THEM TO GOING INTO, TO FOSTER IMMEDIATELY THAT ALLOWS THEM TO GO TO A THIRD PARTY, UH, DURING THE HOLD PERIOD.
THE HOLD PERIOD STILL APPLIES DURING THAT PERIOD.
UM, AN OWNER COULD STILL RECLAIM THEM DURING THAT PERIOD, BUT IF IT'S NEEDED TO, TO
[01:00:01]
PREVENT EUTHANASIA, THEY CAN GO TO A THIRD PARTY DURING THAT PERIOD.I THINK YOUR QUESTION MORE SPECIFICALLY WENT TO, WHY CAN'T WE JUST CALL THEM A DESIGNATED CARETAKER UNDER THE FOSTER PROGRAM? IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY SIMPLY DON'T HAVE A DIRECT TO FINDER PROGRAM, DIRECT TO FOSTER PROGRAM AT THIS POINT.
AND THAT, SO IT'S NOT THE LABELING THE FINDER AS A FOSTER, IT IS THE NEEDING TO SPEND THREE DAYS IN THE SHELTER THAT, NO, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO SPEND THREE DAYS IN THE SHELTER IF THEY WERE IN THE, IN THE CUSTODY OF THE, OF THE SHELTER.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT, THAT IS NOT CLEAR.
IT SAYS UPON A POUND IMPOUNDMENT.
SO IT DEPENDS ON HOW YOU, HOW ONE WOULD DEFINE IMPOUNDMENT.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE JUST UP AGAINST LIKE DEFINITIONS HERE AND NOT ACTUALLY THE INABILITY TO DO THIS IN A WAY THAT IS, SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE UP AGAINST CAUTIOUS LAWYERS.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD WEIGH IN ON AND PROPOSE, UM, EITHER A PROGRAM, PROGRAMMATIC PROGRAMMATIC SOLUTION OR A LEGAL SOLUTION AND AN ORDINANCE CHANGE.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS, UH, EXPLORED OR DISCUSSED MAKING A RECOMMENDATION ON IN THE PAST, A FINDER TO FOSTER LEGAL SOLUTION? IF THAT IS THE HOLDUP.
I DON'T BELIEVE WE'VE EVER TACKLED THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE OF WHAT CONSTITUTES IMPOUNDMENT AND HOW TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT ANIMALS CAN GET CARE OUTSIDE OF THE SHELTER SITUATION IF THEY'RE WITHIN THE CUSTODY OF THE SHELTER.
I MEAN, FINDER TO FOSTER PROGRAMS ARE REALLY COMMON ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
SO I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD PUT ON A FUTURE AGENDA, UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE DEFINITELY WAYS TO, UM, MAKE THESE PROGRAMS VIABLE FROM A, FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THEY'RE AN IMPORTANT PART OF BEST PRACTICES AND SHELTERING, UM, ESPECIALLY AS SHELTERS CONTINUE TO GET OVERCROWDED AND, UM, WE WANNA OFFER OUR COMMUNITY THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED TO BE PART OF THESE EFFORTS.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE AT THE POINT YET WHERE WE'RE TAKING FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.