[00:00:05]
[CALL TO ORDER]
APRIL 8TH, 2024.THIS IS THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE TRAVIS COUNTY, AUSTIN ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.
UH, IT IS 6:00 PM AND WE HAVE A QUORUM AS FAR AS I CAN TELL.
EVEN WITHOUT SEEING COMMISSIONER NEER.
I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M NOT ON THERE, BUT I'M WORKING ON IT.
UH, IF YOU'D LIKE TO VOTE, I THINK WE DO HAVE TO SEE YOUR FACE, SO, UM, JUST BE, TRY, KEEP WORKING ON THAT.
UM, ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO ROLL CALL.
UH, COMMISSIONER, I'M GONNA TRY TO GET TO YOU LAST.
COMMISSIONER EMER SO WE CAN SEE YOUR FACE.
SHE WAS HERE, BUT WE LOST HER, SO SHE'S NOT AT THE MOMENT.
COMMISSIONER HERRERA WAS UNABLE TO, WELL, HE MAY BE LATE.
UH, HE HAD A PERSONAL, UM, CONFLICT.
UH, COMMISSIONER TUCKER IS NOT HERE AT PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON IS NOT HERE AT PRESENT.
UH, AND COMMISSIONER HOKE IS NOT HERE.
UH, COMMISSIONER SULA, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU YET.
UH, CAN YOU HEAR US? COMMISSIONER SULA? OKAY, BUT WE DID HAVE SEVEN, RIGHT? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
WE HAVE SIX UNTIL, UH, WE CAN SEE COMMISSIONER NEER OR HEAR COMMISSIONER MAGILLA
MAYBE IF COMMISSIONER NEER SNUCK INTO COMMISSIONER SMILLA'S BACKGROUND.
I WONDER IF ONE OF YOU COULD TRY LOGGING IN FROM A DIFFERENT DEVICE.
COMMISSIONER S MAGULA, YOU APPEAR TO BE UNMUTED NOW IF YOU WANNA.
ARE YOU THERE? IT'S NOT, SHE'S NOT REACTING TO ME, SO I'M NOT SURE IF SHE CAN HEAR US.
I THINK IT WAS THE ECLIPSE'S FAULT FOR ALL OF THIS.
SO FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE, AFTER WE GET OUR SEVENTH, HOPEFULLY SOON, UM, WE'LL GO TO, UM, CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS AND WE'LL JUST GO DOWN THE LIST.
IF YOU'VE SIGNED UP FOR MORE THAN ONE, UM, YOU WOULD HAVE THREE MINUTES PER ITEM IF YOU SIGNED UP FOR GENERAL PUBLIC.
THAT'S THREE MINUTES FOR IT AS WELL.
WE DO HAVE A VERY LONG AGENDA TONIGHT SO THAT WE ASK.
IF, IF YOU GUYS ARE SPEAKING, I, I CAN'T HEAR ANY AUDIO COMING FROM YOU GUYS.
YEAH, I'M, I'M NOT RECEIVING ANY AUDIO.
HAS ANYBODY GOT HER NUMBER?
CAN YOU CHAT TO HER IN THE ROOM? UH, WE HAVE TO HAVE IT TURNED OFF FOR SOME MORE REASONS.
WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY TO HER? UH, I MEAN, I, DOES SOMEONE HAVE A PHONE NUMBER FOR COMMISSIONER SULA? 'CAUSE I CAN, UH, CALL HER AND TRY TO DO TECH SUPPORT.
I'M ON MY PHONE IF SOMEONE CAN LET ME IN.
COMMISSIONER NEHMER, BUT WE CAN'T SEE YOU.
[00:05:07]
ALRIGHT, HERE WE GO.SO, COMMISSIONER S MAGULA, WE CAN, UM, UH, APPARENTLY CAN'T HEAR US, SO I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WORKS.
AND SHE CAN'T ACTUALLY HEAR US
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
THE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION, YOU DO HAVE THREE MINUTES PER ITEM THAT YOU SIGNED UP FOR IN GENERAL PUBLIC.HOWEVER, IT'S A VERY, VERY LONG AGENDA ITEM SO THAT WE ASK FOR YOU TO BE CONSIDERATE OF, UM, EVERYONE ELSE'S TIME.
UH, I HAVE KAILYN N UM, KAILYN ME, I'M BEN.
I'D RATHER SPEAK DURING THE WALK SECTION NUMBER.
IS THAT RIGHT? THIS IS HOW WE DO IT, UH, HERE.
UH, SO WE'D PREFER FOR YOU TO GO AHEAD AND DO IT NOW.
THE, AND THE REASON WE DO IT IS 'CAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE AND NOT HAVE TO STAY FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS.
UM, I, I PROMISE YOU WE'RE ALL LISTENING.
UM, BUT WE TRY TO BE AS, UM, OPEN TO THE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION AS POSSIBLE.
IT'S NOT IF, UM, UH, IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, THERE IS A, UH, POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO WAIVE THE ORDINARY RULE AND HAVE YOU BE ABLE TO SPEAK WHENEVER YOU'D LIKE TO, UM, BEFORE THE ITEM.
SO IF IT'S YOUR PREFERENCE TO SPEAK AT THAT POINT RATHER THAN NOW.
UH, IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, UM, THEN WE'LL DO THAT.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO ALLOWING THEM TO SPEAK LATER BEFORE THE ITEM? THAT'S FINE THEN.
SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO WAIT, THAT'S FINE.
SO IT'S KAITLYN, BEN, AND PETE.
SO, UH, WE'LL REMEMBER TO DO CI CITIZEN COMMUNICATION AGAIN.
UH, I NORMALLY COME HERE AND TALK ABOUT SPAY AND NEUTER, BUT I'M COMING HERE BECAUSE I'M KIND OF CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.
UH, ON THE 21ST OF MARCH, I FOUND FOUR DOGS AT THE END OF FALWELL LANE AND I 30, I LIVE OUT THERE IN DELL VALLEY, AND WE DO GET LOTS OF DUMPING OF THE CATS AND DOGS.
I CAME UP ON THEM 'CAUSE I WAS FIXING TO GO PICK UP SOME CATS OVER BY RO OFF BY THE HIGH SCHOOL IN DELL VALLEY.
UH, I CALLED ADRIAN IMMEDIATELY AND SHE GOT 'EM A NUMBER FOR A PICKUP, BUT IT COULD TAKE THREE DAYS.
I WENT TO PICK UP THE CATS, CAME BACK, LOOKED FOR THE DOGS.
AND TURNED, UH, THE NEXT DAY ON FRIDAY, I WENT BACK DOWN THE ROAD THERE BEFORE I DELIVERED MY CATS TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY FOR SPAYED AND NEUTER.
AND, UM, I CALLED AND THEY DIDN'T COME, BUT I LEFT A BIG PILE OF FOOD.
AND YOU CAN'T SAY KITTY, KITTY, KITTY FOR GET A CAT COME, OR THE DOGS DON'T COME, THE DOG, DOG, DOG, YOU KNOW.
SO I'LL CLAP MY HANDS AND HOLLERED AND PUT A BIG PILE OF FOOD OUT.
AND I LEFT TO TAKE THE CATS TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY.
AND, UH, WHEN I CAME BACK, UH, IT WAS AFTER NINE 30 THE FOOD WAS GONE.
AND I SAID, HALLELUJAH FOR THAT ONE.
UH, BUT I WENT BACK TO MY HOUSE 'CAUSE I CALLED AND I COULDN'T GET HIM TO COME BACK UP.
IN TURN, I WAITED UNTIL ABOUT ONE O'CLOCK.
I WENT TO AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, ASKED FOR MR. BLAND, TOLD HIM MY PROBLEM.
HE SAID, I'M SORRY, WE CAN'T TAKE THEM IN.
IF WE DON'T GET SOME ADOPTIONS THIS WEEKEND, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE SOME DRASTIC MEASURES.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, BUT I, YOU CAN KINDA KNOW WHAT HE'S GONNA, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IT.
I SAYS, WELL, I'M GONNA CALL THE HUMANE SOCIETY.
AND IMMEDIATELY ASHLEY SAID, I'LL COME GET 'EM.
AND SHE CAME OUT THERE AND I, WE HOLLERED AND CLAPPED OUR HANDS AND THEY CAME UP AND WE, SHE TOOK, SHE SAID, WE'RE FULL, BUT WE'RE GONNA TAKE 'EM.
AND THE FOUR PUPS WAS ADOPTED ALREADY.
BUT THAT, THAT IS WHAT WE PUT UP WITH OUT THERE.
AND I COULD NEVER HAVE TAKEN THEM IN.
AND I WANNA KNOW, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO WHEN A SITUATION IS LIKE THIS? HUMANE SOCIETIES HAS BEEN HERE 75 YEARS
[00:10:01]
IN THIS TOWN, AND THEY TAKE NOTHING OFF OF THE CITY EXCEPT FOR THE SPADE AND NEUTER OF THE CATS.THEY DON'T GET A FREE SHELTER.
THEY DON'T GET A FREE ANYTHING.
BUT YET THEY TOOK OUR DOGS IN AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE I WORRIED ALL THAT NIGHT.
'CAUSE WE HAVE LOTS OF COYOTES ON THE RIVER THERE.
IS THERE SOMETHING WE CAN DO IF, IF, IF THE HUMANE SOCIETY CAN'T TAKE IN AND I CAN'T TAKE THEM IN.
UM, I'M THE, I'M CHELSEA REMAN.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE BEHAVIOR PROGRAM AT AUSTIN PETS ALIVE.
AND I'M HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS SOME, UH, CONCERNS I HAVE AND SEEK CLARIFICATION ON THE STATUS OF THE PILOT PROGRAM AND RESOLUTION DISCUSSED IN ITEM NUMBER NINE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ILLUSTRATE MY CONCERNS BY TELLING YOU ABOUT A DOG NAMED SADIE.
AFTER TWO MONTHS OF BEING AT A A C, SADIE WAS PLED AND TRANSFERRED TO A PA AS AN URGENT MEDICAL CASE FOR SUSPECTED LYMPHOMA.
AND IT QUICKLY BECAME APPARENT THAT IN HER POOR CONDITION, OUR SHELTER ENVIRONMENT WAS NOT THE BEST PLACE FOR HER TO HAVE THE HIGHEST CHANCE OF IMPROVEMENT OF HER HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
SO WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF HER ARRIVAL, I REVIEWED HER A A C PAPERWORK AND THEN BROUGHT HER HOME WITH ME TO TRY TO GET AHEAD OF HER RAPID HEALTH DECLINE.
WHAT I DID NOT KNOW IN MAKING THIS DECISION WAS THAT SADIE HAD KILLED ANOTHER DOG IN HER PREVIOUS HOME.
UM, THIS INFORMATION IS ON RECORD AT A A C, ALONG WITH A NOTE THAT THEY WOULD REQUIRE A BEHAVIOR CONSULT TO BE DONE FOR HER DUE TO THIS INCIDENT.
HOWEVER, THIS CRITICAL INFORMATION WAS NOT DISCLOSED TO A PA AT ANY POINT THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
IN THE INTEREST OF UPHOLDING SAFETY FOR THE COMMUNITY, WE USE EVERY PIECE OF INFORMATION TO HAVE THE FULLEST PICTURE THAT WE CAN TO ADDRESS BEHAVIOR CHALLENGES AS NEEDED, EVALUATE APPROPRIATE PLACEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY, AND SET DOGS AND PEOPLE UP FOR SUCCESS THROUGH COUNSELING AND SUPPORT.
HAVING THIS INFORMATION IS NOT ONLY BE HELPFUL, UM, IN INC IN ENSURING THE SAFETY OF OUR STAFF AND DOGS ON SITE, BUT WOULD ALSO BE USING CONSIDERATION FOR OUR ASSESSMENT AND PLACEMENT PROCESSES TO HELP EVALUATE THE BEST OPTIONS AND COURSE OF ACTION FOR SADIE.
HAD THIS INFORMATION BEEN SHARED, SADIE WOULD'VE BEEN DESIGNATED AS ONLY BEING ALLOWED TO GO TO A DOG FREE HOME.
AND I THEREFORE WOULD NOT HAVE BROUGHT HER TO MY HOME IN AN UNKNOWINGLY PLACED SADIE, MY DOGS AND MYSELF IN A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION, A SITUATION THAT WAS EASILY AVOIDABLE.
UNFORTUNATELY, SADIE HAS SINCE PASSED AWAY DUE TO HER MEDICAL CONDITION, BUT HER STORY'S NOT A UNIQUE ONE.
WE CONTINUE TO WITNESS INCONSISTENCIES AND LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE REPORTING PROCESS.
AND DESPITE ASSURANCES OF A SIX MONTH PILOT PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES, WE HAVE YET TO SEE ANY TANGIBLE IMPROVEMENTS IN RECORDING ACCURACY OR UPDATES TO BITE SCALE CATEGORIZATION.
WE'RE MOVING CLOSER AND CLOSER TOWARD IMPLEMENTING FATAL CONSEQUENCES FOR THE ANIMALS.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO RECEIVE UNFAIR REPORTING ABOUT AND THEREBY, UH, BEING SET UP TO FAIL.
I FEAR THIS AND WILL HAVE NO IMPACT ON COMMUNITY SAFETY AT THIS RATE, AND WILL ONLY RESULT IN MORE UNNECESSARY KILLING OF DOGS.
THEREFORE, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS THAT MY INTENTION IN RELAYING THIS IS BY NO MEANS TO FINGER POINT OR PLACE, UH, PLACE BLAME, BUT FROM MY DESIRE TO HELP FIND A SOLUTION.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER THAT I WOULD LOVE TO COLLABORATE WITH A A C ON SOLUTIONS TO ESTABLISH A MORE ROBUST DATA TRANSFER PROCESS BETWEEN OUR ORGANIZATIONS, UH, PRIORITIZING COMMUNITY SAFETY AND REDUCING UNNECESSARY EUTHANASIA.
AND ADDITIONALLY, I'M SEEKING CLARIFICATION ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE PILOT PROGRAM AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION, UH, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO ENSURING DATA REPORTING ACCURACY, TIMELINE OF NEW BITE SCALE UTILIZATION AND OVERSIGHT MEASURES.
CAN I ASK FOR A FOLLOW UP? SURE.
UH, SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU FEEL THAT THERE ARE DOGS FROM A A C WHO BITE HISTORY IS NOT DISCLOSED TO A PA WHEN YOU TAKE THEM.
UH, DOES A PA ALWAYS DISCLOSE BITE HISTORY OF DOGS TO PEOPLE YOU ADOPT TO YES.
ALWAYS, ALWAYS FIGHT HISTORY THAT HAPPENED PRIOR TO BEING AN A PA.
ANY INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, WE FEEL IS REALLY HELPFUL TO BEST SET EVERYBODY UP FOR SUCCESS.
SO WE DO SHARE ALL THE INFORMATION AND GIVE THEM SUPPORT ON IT.
EVERYTHING YOU GET FROM A A C YES.
ANY HISTORY THAT WE HAVE? I THINK WE'VE MOVED PAST CLARIFICATION OF THE POINTS MADE BY THE SPEAKER.
DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION THAT'S RELATED TO THE POINT MADE BY THE SPEAKER? OKAY.
NO, I JUST, IT WAS VERY SURPRISING, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS FULLY CLEAR ON THAT.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? HI, MY NAME'S CAROLINE CLAY.
I LIVE IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN WITH MY HUSBAND AND OUR RESCUE PITY MIX CHEDDAR.
I'M ALSO A LOVABLE VOLUNTEER AND WE'RE CURRENTLY FOSTERING PIPPI.
UM, I AM HERE TONIGHT TO, BECAUSE I SPOKE WITH SADIE LAST WEEK, SHE WAS REALLY HELPFUL AND SHE MENTIONED THAT A A C IS MODELING OFF OF KANSAS CITY PET PROJECT AND THAT I SHOULD CHECK IT OUT.
AND THIS IS THE NONPROFIT THAT RUNS THE CITY SHELTER IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.
SO WE AGREE, UM, WITHIN THE ANIMAL WELFARE VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS AN AMAZING ORGANIZATION WORTH EMULATING FOR CONTEXT, THEIR
[00:15:01]
MOTTO IS SOLUTIONS NOT EXCUSES.AND THEY HAD A LIVE RELEASE RATE OF 93.4% IN 2023.
DESPITE, LIKE US SEEING A HUGE INCREASE IN INTAKE, THEY PROVIDED CARE FOR OVER 16,000 ANIMALS AND GET 40 TO 60 NEW DOGS AND CATS PER DAY.
SO I SHARED THIS TO EMPHASIZE THAT OUR CHALLENGES IN AUSTIN ARE SADLY NOT UNIQUE.
THIS IS HAPPENING NATIONWIDE, BUT I'M HOPEFUL BECAUSE KC PET PROJECT SHOWS THE ACHIEVABLE SOLUTIONS EXIST AND THEY PROVIDE A BLUEPRINT.
SO THEY HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION ONLINE THAT WE COULD USE NOW FOR BEHAVIOR.
AND THEY ATTRIBUTE THEIR SUCCESS TO HAVING ONE OF THE MOST PROGRESSIVE DOG BEHAVIOR ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY.
AND THEY HAVE 14 LOCATIONS FOR ADOPTIONS IN KANSAS AND MISSOURI.
AND THAT IS FOR A POPULATION OF 509,000.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A LARGER POPULATION IN AUSTIN PROPER AND MUCH LARGER IN THE AUSTIN METRO AREA.
SO MY QUESTION IS, UM, WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE MODELING AFTER THE CASEY PET PROJECT? WE WOULD LOVE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN FOR THE COMMISSION, WE FEEL IT'S CRUCIAL TO REINSTATE THE BEHAVIOR AND ENRICHMENT TEAM AT A A C AND TO LOOK AT FACILITIES TO SUPPORT AUSTIN'S POPULATION GROWTH SINCE THAT FACILITY WAS BUILT MANY YEARS AGO AND DOES NOT MATCH OUR POPULATION.
WE WANNA KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOU IN MAKING THAT RECOMMENDATION.
DR. BRUCE HAS A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
I'M JUST CURIOUS, DOES YOUR, UM, RESCUE HAVE A BEHAVIORIST OR A ENRICHMENT PROGRAM IN PLACE? WE HAVE TRAINING.
OH, MACY IS ON OUR BOARD, SO SHE WOULD BE BETTER TO ANSWER THAT.
BUT WE DO, YEAH, WE DO HAVE TRAINING FOR OUR DOGS AND, UM, WOULD ASSUME BE ENRICHMENT IN OUR PROGRAM IS EVALUATED AND GIVEN AN APPROPRIATE TRAINING PLAN BY BEHAVIORIST THROUGH
UH, COMMISSIONER HOLT, DO YOU HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION? NOT A QUESTION, JUST A REQUEST FOR THE SPEAKER.
COULD YOU, WOULD YOU MIND EMAILING ME? I'D LOVE TO CHAT WITH YOU A LITTLE MORE.
AND SORRY FOR LOOKING BACK AT MACY.
BUT WE'RE REALLY PASSIONATE AND IT'S A GREAT GROUP AND WE WANT TO ASSIST YOU IN HELPING THE ANIMALS.
AS CAROLINE SAID, I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT AND TREASURER OF A LOCAL RESCUE CALLED LOVABLE.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE APPROVED TONIGHT.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY IN THE AGENDA, SO I'D REALLY LOVE FOR US TO PUSH THAT A MONTH DOWN THE ROAD SO THAT EITHER WE CAN SEE RECOMMENDATIONS AND MAKE COMMENTS ON THAT.
OR IF THERE AREN'T RECOMMENDATIONS, I'D LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME UP WITH SOME MYSELF TO SUBMIT TO YOU GUYS.
UM, JUST FOR THE RECORD, AT LEAST, I DON'T KNOW OF THE OFFLINE COMMISSIONERS, BUT THE ONLINE COM, THE PERSON, THE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE HERE DO NOT HAVE BUDGET RE RECOMMENDATION PROPOSAL TODAY.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE'S NOT ONE IN THE BACKUP MATERIALS, BUT THAT MAY, THAT MAY CHANGE LATER.
BUT THAT'S AS FAR AS I KNOW AS OF NOW.
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I BELIEVE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC CAN CONTACT US ABOUT BEING ON THE WORKING GROUP.
AND WE, WE GET SURPRISINGLY FEW EMAILS, SO FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US AS WELL.
THANK YOU CHAIR CLINTON AND COMMISSIONERS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
MY NAME IS PAT RES AND FOR CLARIFICATION, CAN I JUST ASK, I HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND THEN CAN I RESERVE TIME FOR SPEAKING ON ITEM 12 LATER WHEN IT COMES UP, AS YOU SAID EARLIER, THAT YOU WOULD ALLOW, OKAY, SO YOU WANT TO USE THREE MINUTES NOW AND THREE MINUTES AT 12? YES, PLEASE.
I ALSO HAVE YOU SIGNED UP ON 10? WHEN DO YOU WANNA USE THOSE MINUTES? UM, I'M GONNA ELIMINATE 10 AND JUST SPEAK OKAY.
UM, MY COMMENT HAS TO DO WITH THIS AGENDA AND I WANNA JUST COMMEND YOU 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT AGENDA.
AND I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK, UM, OUR CITY CLERK STAFF, UH, ERIC ANDERSON, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER YOUR NAME.
SO I WANNA THANK STILL HELPFUL, THANK YOU.
BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY, VERY GOOD AGENDA AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF HOW FAR ALONG THIS COMMISSION HAS COME AND THE GOOD WORK YOU'VE BEEN DOING.
UM, AND I'M REALLY WANNA MAKE A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS OR REQUESTS
[00:20:02]
ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT I THINK COULD BE BETTER.UM, THE FIRST ONE IS THAT I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD POST A DRAFT AGENDA TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE MEETING, BECAUSE YOU USUALLY KNOW AT THE END OF YOUR MEETING WHAT'S GONNA BE ON THE NEXT AGENDA.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE EITHER BRING THINGS UP AT THE MEETING OR, YOU KNOW, YOU POSTPONE SOMETHING AT THE MEETING.
SO ALL THOSE THINGS ARE ALREADY KNOWN TO YOU.
THEY POST A DRAFT AGENDA TWO WEEKS BEFORE AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO STICK WITH THAT.
WHEN IT GETS CLOSE TO THE 72 HOUR DEADLINE, YOU CAN ADD TO IT, YOU CAN SUBTRACT, MY GLASSES ARE BROKEN, SO I HAVE TO JUST HOLD ON TO THEM.
UM, YOU CAN ADD TO IT, YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, TAKE SOMETHING OFF.
HOPEFULLY YOU WON'T TAKE SOMETHING OFF.
'CAUSE IF PEOPLE PREPARE, UM, TO COME FOR THAT, YOU WILL CONSIDER IT.
BUT YOU CAN MAKE CHANGES UP UNTIL, UNTIL THE 72 HOUR DEADLINE.
BUT HAVING THE DRAFT AGENDA EARLY ON WOULD BE VERY, VERY HELPFUL.
UM, IT WOULD ALSO HELP TO START TO GET, UM, BACKUP DOCUMENTS EARLY ON SO PEOPLE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BE THINKING ABOUT OR WHAT, WHAT THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THOSE DRAFT DOCUMENTS AND, AND THE DISCUSSION.
UM, MY OTHER ONE THAT'S ALONG THOSE LINES IS TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE DON'T VOTE ON AN ITEM THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND SUBSTANTIVE THE FIRST TIME YOU DISCUSS IT AT A MEETING.
UH, IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE VERY GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS, AND I THINK YOU HAVE BEEN HAVING GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF YOU WOULD ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO HEAR YOUR DISCUSSION AND THEN COMMENT AGAIN AFTER WE'VE HEARD WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.
AND IT WOULD ALSO BE GOOD FOR YOU YOURSELVES TO HEAR EACH OTHER, YOUR THOUGHTS, AND THEN COME BACK AND VOTE THE NEXT TIME.
SO, UM, ALONG THOSE LINES, THAT'S WHAT I WANNA MENTION ABOUT ITEM 10.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT ITEM 10 BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HEARD THE DISCUSSION YET.
I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION TONIGHT ON THE FISCAL YEAR 20 24, 25 ANIMAL SERVICES BUDGET.
AND I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE A NEW CITY MANAGER AND THE NEW CITY MANAGER IS STARTING, I THINK NEXT MONTH, RIGHT? MAY NEXT WEEK.
SO THAT'S WHEN THE CITY MANAGER'S GONNA START WORKING ON GETTING UP TO SPEED ON WHAT THE CURRENT CITY MANAGER HAS BEEN DOING.
SO THAT GIVES YOU PLENTY OF TIME.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
TO ITEM NUMBER ONE, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.UM, NUMBER ONE, APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING ON FEBRUARY 12TH, 2024.
I DID PERSONALLY REVIEW THE MINUTES THEY APPEARED TO BE CORRECT.
UM, THE ONLY THING I DIDN'T REVIEW IS IF SOMEONE STEPPED AWAY, UM, AND WAS LISTED AS A WAY I DIDN'T PERSONALLY GO BACK AND LOOK AT VIDEO.
SO, UM, I'LL MENTION THAT IN THE FUTURE, IF, IF ANY PERSON IS, IS STEPPING AWAY OR, OR IS ONLINE AND MIGHT MISS SOMETHING TO THE EXTENT THAT, UM, UH, YOU WANT TO APPEAR ON THE RECORD, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT IT APPEARS CORRECTLY IN THE MINUTES.
'CAUSE I'M PERSONALLY NOT GONNA BE DOUBLE CHECKING, UH, STAFF ON WHO DID WALK IN AND OUT DURING A SESSION.
BUT THAT SAID, UM, THAT IS THE MOTION.
DO WE HAVE A, A, A MOVEMENT COMMISSIONER LINDER MOVES TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
NISSEN? UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY OF THOSE HERE.
AND COMMISSIONER SULA, CAN YOU HEAR US NOW? SHE CAN.
SORRY, I HAVE A VERY SPOTTY WIFI CONNECTION OUT HERE, SO I, I'M FOLLOWING, BUT I, I'M, I AM NOT GETTING EVERY WORD.
YOU MIGHT BE BETTER OFF THAT WAY, UH, ON US, NOT NOT THE PUBLIC, OBVIOUSLY.
[2. Staff briefing regarding monthly reports provided by the Animal Service Center]
BRIEFING, UH, STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING MONTHLY REPORTS PROVIDED BY THE ANIMAL SERVICE CENTER.I'M JUST GONNA COVER, UH, I'M GONNA COVER MARCH AND I'LL HAND IT OFF TO DAWN.
SO, LIVE OUTCOME RATE FOR MARCH WAS 97.09%.
WE HAD A TOTAL OF 900 ANIMALS THAT WERE BROUGHT TO THE SHELTER.
UM, 480 ANIMALS WERE ADOPTED AND A TOTAL OF 91 DOGS AND CATS WERE RETURNED TO THEIR OWNER, EITHER THROUGH A STRAIGHT UP RTO OR AN RTO ADOPT.
UM, ANIMAL PROJECTION RETURNED 23 ANIMALS TO THEIR OWNERS IN THE FIELD.
WE WERE ABLE TO HAND OUT 36 FENCING APPLICATIONS AND IMPLANTED ONE MICROCHIP.
UH, WE DID IMPOUND 141 INJURED ANIMALS AND DELIVERED APPROXIMATELY 30, APPROXIMATELY 37 ANIMALS TO AUSTIN WILDLIFE RESCUE.
WE DID ENTER 200 AND RA 81 RABIES EXPOSURE CASES, UM, AND YEAH, OF THE, UM, WE ALSO HAD 68 TOTAL COYOTE RELATED ACTIVITIES.
AND SO RIGHT NOW I'LL KICK IT OVER TO DON.
[00:25:02]
GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.UH, FAR MARCH, WE HAD, UH, SIX ORIENTATIONS FOR NEW VOLUNTEERS, BRINGING 143 ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS TO THE SHELTER.
DURING MARCH, WE HAD A TOTAL OF ALL OF VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS OF 5,722 HOURS.
AND, UM, EXCUSE ME, WE HAD CURRENT, WE HAD CURRENTLY WE HAVE, UM, 11 FULL-TIME POSITIONS THAT ARE OPEN, THREE ARE POSTED AND EIGHT ARE IN PROCESS.
UH, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE ONBOARDING PROCESS FROM EITHER INTERVIEWING TO BACKGROUND CHECKS TO, YOU KNOW, HIRING.
SO, UM, AND WE WE'RE TRYING TO HIRE, UH, FOUR TEMPORARIES THAT ARE IN PROCESS AT THE PRO AT THE MOMENT ALSO.
SO, UH, OUR NUMBERS, UH, ARE BEING FILLED VERY QUICKLY, UM, THAT WE HAVE OPENING, BUT IT'S CREATING THAT CHAIN EFFECT BECAUSE WE'RE PULLING, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE FROM ANIMAL CARE GETS THE JOB IN A, IN A MOVING UP.
AND SO THAT OPENS THEIR POSITION.
SO IT'S KINDA LIKE IT'S A DOMINO EFFECT.
SO, UH, BUT WE'RE KEEPING THEM FILLED AND MOVING ALONG REALLY WELL.
SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THE PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING.
AND AS OF, UH, LAST WEEK, ALL OUR A PO POSITIONS WERE FILLED, SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THAT.
DID ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OVER THAT PART? COMMISSIONER NEER? I DO HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL LET DON FINISH.
WAS THERE MORE THAT YOU WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT? NO, THAT'S, THAT'S OKAY.
UM, ABOUT A MONTH AGO, UH, THERE WAS A SITUATION THAT CAME UP AT MY WORK AND I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT NOW THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INTAKE OF THE SHELTER AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BECAUSE WE HAD SOMEONE WHO FOUND A CAT IN AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE AND WERE TOLD THAT NO ONE COULD COME AND HELP US WITH THAT.
AND THAT WE JUST NEEDED TO LET THE CAT GO IN THE UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE.
AND I HAD TO TELL THEM WHO, THAT I WAS ON THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION IN ORDER FOR SOMEONE TO LISTEN TO ME.
AND THAT CAUSES ME A GREAT DEAL OF CONCERN FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO DOESN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY OR CAN SAY, HEY, I'M ON THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.
CAN I TALK TO DON? OR CAN I TALK TO JASON SO THAT I COULD GET SOMEONE OUT THERE TO GET THIS CAT OUT OF AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE THAT IT WAS CLEARLY NOT GOING TO GET OUT OF? SO I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT 3 1 1.
I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE RESPONSE TO PEOPLE.
NOW, I'VE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED YOU TURNING PEOPLE AWAY WITH FOUND ANIMALS.
AND I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT, WHY WE'RE AT THAT POINT RIGHT NOW WHERE WE'RE TURNING PEOPLE AWAY WHEN THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WE COULD HAVE DONE EXCEPT KEEP THAT ANIMAL IN AN OFFICE BUILDING DOWN DOWNTOWN.
I DON'T KNOW THE REASON WHY THAT THEY WOULD'VE TOLD YOU THAT.
UH, IF IT WAS, YOU KNOW, 3 1 1, IF IT'S A HEALTHY ANIMAL THAT IS NOT SICK OR INJURED, THEY WILL TAKE A REPORT AND TURN THAT IN AND WE, IT GOES IN THE QUEUE AND IT WAS THICK.
AND THAT'S WHY I KEPT PUSHING.
AND JASON SHOULD REC SHOULD RECOGNIZE THIS BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY TALKED TO JASON AND FINALLY SENT SOMEBODY OUT THERE.
SO, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING JASON, TO SAY? SO IF, IF I REMEMBER THIS ONE.
UH, ONE OF OUR SUPERVISORS CAME TO SPEAK ME.
DID YOU FIND CAT? I HAD THE CAT AND ACTUALLY BROUGHT IT OUT TO Y'ALL.
WELL, YEAH, AS I UNDERSTAND, THEY, THEY LOOKED AT THE CAT AND THEN THEY FOUND ITS OWNERS.
I THINK THEY RETURNED THE OWN, THE CAT IN THE FIELD.
IT DID WIND UP BEING A RETURN TO OWNER, BUT HAD NO ONE COME OUT THERE WITH A MICROCHIP SCANNER TO, FOR US TO, THAT HAD IT UNDERGROUND AND UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE.
THAT CAT WOULD'VE NEVER BEEN RETURNED TO OWNER.
I CAN DO, DO YOU SEE THAT? THE, THE, THE DISCONNECT THERE THAT CAT WOULD'VE WAS I WAS TOLD TO LEAVE THAT CAT IN AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE AND WITHOUT SOMEBODY COMING OUT TO SCAN THAT CAT, WE DIDN'T GET THAT CAT.
WE WOULD NOT HAVE GOT THAT CAT BACK TO AN OWNER.
AND WITHOUT ME BY HAVING TO SAY THAT I AM ON THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.
THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY IT GOT TO YOU.
JASON, WHAT IS A PERSON WHO IS NOT ON THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION? THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING TO THIS OUT THERE THAT ARE OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE CITY COUNCIL CONSTITUENTS, WHAT ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THESE ANIMALS THAT WERE SICK? ANIMAL WAS SICK.
AND, AND FROM WHAT I UNDER WITH Y'ALL, I'M SORRY.
AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, YES.
ONCE IT, ONCE WE LEARNED THAT IT WAS SICK, THEN WE HAD A, UH, SOMEONE WAS SENT OUT THERE TO GO VERIFY AND, AND GRAB THE ANIMAL IF THEY COULD AND POUND IT.
SO WE WILL RESPOND TO SICK AND INJURED ANIMALS.
YOU, YOU KNOW, IF IT APPEARS HEALTHY THOUGH, IT, IT DOES BECOME A LOWER PRIORITY.
'CAUSE BY THE TIME WE'RE ABLE TO GET AN A PO OUT THERE, WE USUALLY CAN'T FIND THE ANIMAL.
SO IF IT IS SICK AND INJURED, WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO GET THEIR, IT UPS THE PRIORITY FOR US.
[00:30:01]
THE OFFICER DID, UH, WAS, WAS NOTIFIED THAT IT WAS SICK, HE WENT OUT, FOUND THE, FOUND THE CAT WAS ABLE TO SCAN IT AND THEN GET IT BACK TO ITS DONOR.I, AGAIN, I DO APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT WHAT WERE WE SUPPOSED TO DO IF I HADN'T SAID THAT? I WAS ON THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION AND HAD A CAT AND A DOWN IN AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE.
SO WE WERE TOLD TO LEAVE THERE BECAUSE IT WA UNLESS IT WAS SICK OR INJURED.
UH, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE, UH, CALL THAT CAME INTO THREE ONE ONE AND WHO HANDLED THAT AND GIVE THEM SOME ADDITIONAL EDUCATION.
BECAUSE IF IT WAS, YOU WERE TOLD, IF YOU TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS SICK, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A HIGHER PRIORITY AND THEY SHOULD HAVE ESCALATED THAT.
SO WE CAN LOOK AT THE INCIDENT.
WELL, THE OTHER, THE OTHER THING YOU SHOULD KNOW IS THAT I DID TELL THEM THAT IT WAS SICK, THAT IT HAD AN UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION.
AND I WAS TOLD THAT THAT DOESN'T MATTER.
THE FACT THAT THE CAT'S EYES ARE, ARE GLUED SHUT AND IT'S GOT AN UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION WAS NOT THE KIND OF SICK THAT, THAT THEY WOULD COME OUT FOR THAT, THAT KIND OF SICK THEY, THEY WOULD COME OUT FOR, WAS LIKE, IF IT WAS INJURED OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT AN UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION WHERE THE CAT HAD ITS EYES CRUSTED SHUT, WASN'T SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD DO.
SO I, I WOULD DEFINITELY, THE 3 1 1 REP TOLD YOU THAT.
HUH? JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE 3 1 1 REP TOLD YOU THAT NO.
ONE OF YOUR REPS TOLD ME THAT.
ONE, ONE OF THE WOMAN WHO I SPOKE TO WHO WAS WITH, UM, WHO WAS DIRECTING A RC, THE A RC, THE, AN THE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER, A CO WHO CAME OUT WAS ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS AND WAS WONDERFUL.
EXCEPT THAT WE NEED MORE ACOS LIKE HIM.
COMMISSIONER NEER, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, BUT YOU WERE, UM, WE LOST CONNECTION WITH YOU.
DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? NO, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE CITIZENS OF, OF TRAVIS AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY WHEN THEY FIND SICK AND INJURED ANIMALS.
WELL, WE CAN FOLLOW UP AND THEN JUST SEND A, A RECAP OF WHAT WE FIND ONCE WE TALK WITH DIFFERENT STAFF.
I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT, JASON.
COMMISSIONER HOLT, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NO.
COMMISSIONER SULA, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? SORRY.
UM, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION, UM, WHICH IS MORE A CURIOSITY QUESTION, BUT LOOKING AT THE INTAKES BY ANIMAL, IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO SEE 'CAUSE THERE'S TWO, UM, THAT ARE DIFFERENT SHADES OF PURPLE.
ONE IS BIRD AND ONE IS LIVESTOCK.
UM, COULD YOU JUST TELL ME, UM, FOR MY OWN EDIFICATION, WHAT THE SHELTER'S POLICY IS WHEN YOU RECEIVE LIVESTOCK, WHAT KINDS OF CALLS THOSE WOULD BE? AND, UM, HOW DO YOU, UH, UM, DEAL WITH THOSE ANIMALS WHEN THEY COME IN? SO IF IT'S, IF IT'S LIVESTOCK LIKE, YOU KNOW, UH, GOAT PIG, UM, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE, WE MAY BE ABLE TO HOLD IT FOR A LITTLE BIT UNTIL WE FIND A PARTNER AND GET IT TO THEM.
IF IT'S A BIGGER LIVESTOCK, LIKE WE, WE HAVE IMPOUNDED A HORSE OR A COW, WE WILL WORK WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AT, UH, SHERIFF'S, SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THEY'LL HOLD THE ANIMAL.
THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE LAND AND BIG PENS THAT, THAT TAKE CARE OF THOSE.
AND WHAT ARE LIKE THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH YOU WOULD INTAKE LIVESTOCK? UM, USUALLY IT'S DONE THROUGH MAINLY LIKE A, A NA UH, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF DISASTER OR STORM.
IT GETS AWAY UNTIL WE CAN FIND THE OWNER.
AND, AND THEY DO THE A PD DOES FIND, YOU KNOW, GET A CALL EVERY NOW AND THEN SURE.
FOR A, A STRAY COW THAT'S ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OR SOMETHING OUT THE RURAL AREA, SO.
SO THAT'S WHEN THOSE WOULD COME IN.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS DR. BRUCE? I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
UM, IS ONE OF THE POSITIONS THAT STILL OPEN THE VETERINARY POSITION? IT IS.
AND HAVE YOU BEEN RECRUITING FOR THAT OR IT IT WAS POSTED AGAIN RECENTLY.
UH, WE DID INCREASE THE SALARY AND, UH, WE DID POST ON SITES THAT WE HAVEN'T IN THE PAST.
UH, TRYING SOME DIFFERENT AVENUES.
UH, SO, UH, SOME OF THE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY VETERINARIANS MM-HMM.
SO WE TRIED SOME DIFFERENT AVENUES AS WELL.
SO HAS THERE BEEN DISCUSSION OF ACTUALLY HIRING A RECRUITER FOR THIS POSITION? 'CAUSE IT'S A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL POSITION TO BE ALLOWED TO BE EMPTY WHEN WE'RE IMPLEMENTING, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE NEW PROGRAMS ASSOCIATED WITH BEHAVIOR THAT REALLY NEED MORE SPECIALIZED VETERINARY ATTENTION.
I'M, I'M CURIOUS WHAT, WHAT USE OF A RECRUITMENT AGENCY HAS BEEN PURSUED AT THIS POINT? UH, NOTHING.
WE DON'T HAVE A BUDGET FOR THAT, SO WE HAVEN'T EXPLORED THAT OPTION.
IS THERE EMERGENCY BUDGETING THAT CAN BE DONE? I MEAN, IF YOU WERE TO STEP DOWN OR ONE OF THE EXECUTIVES WERE TO STEP DOWN, WHERE WOULD MONEY FOR RECRUITMENT FOR THOSE HIGH LEVEL POSITIONS COME FROM? PROBABLY FROM CITY HALL BUDGET.
UM, AND THEN I GUESS I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION TOO.
[00:35:01]
NUMBER OF TRANSPORT PARTNERS HAS GONE DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A, A BIG DEMAND ON PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO PULL ANIMALS AND THAT EVERYBODY IS FULL.BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS WITH YOUR RECENT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MONETARY INCENTIVE.
UM, I WAS CURIOUS HOW INCENTIVIZING PULL OF LONGER STAY AND LARGE BREED DOGS HAS GONE.
AND IF THAT HAS BEEN, UM, IF YOU'VE MADE, IF WHOEVER'S IN THAT POSITION HAS REACHED OUT AND MADE PERSONAL CONTACT WITH PREVIOUS GROUPS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN PULLING FROM THE NORTHERN STATES TO IDENTIFY THAT WE HAVE, UH, WE, EVEN THOUGH THEY TELL US THE SAME THING THAT, UM, THEY'RE GONNA PULL FROM OTHER SHELTERS THAT ARE AT NO KILL STATUS OR, YOU KNOW, IN THE 70 AND 80 PERCENTILES VERSUS OUR 97, WE STILL, WE REACH OUT AND TOUCH BASE WITH THEM, UH, PERIODICALLY JUST TO SAY, YOU KNOW, HEY, WE'RE FULL.
UH, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO? UH, WE DID HAVE, UM, WHEN WE PUT OUT THE NOTIFICATION THAT ANY RESCUE PARTNER THAT PULLED, UH, YOU KNOW, A LARGE KENNEL FROM US, UH, WAS WE WOULD GIVE THEM $150.
WE DID UP THAT TO TWO 50 AND WE HAD ONE RESCUE GROUP THAT PULLED FOUR MM-HMM.
SO I WAS INVOLVED WITH THAT RESCUE PULLING THOSE ANIMALS AND THEY WERE, UM, NEEDED THE PERSONAL EDGE FROM ME TO, TO DO THAT.
AND SO I'M CURIOUS IF WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, JUST CONTACT FROM A-A-C-A-A-C IF MORE RESCUES WOULD PULL WHEN THAT INCENTIVE IS OFFERED.
JUST LIKE I SAID, I, I HAD TO PUSH A LITTLE BIT TO BE INVOLVED IN THOSE, BUT IT DID INCENTIVIZE THAT GROUP AND SO I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WAS MARKETED OR HOW WIDELY IT WAS MARKETED, BUT IT DID ASSIST IN THE POLLS THAT I HELPED WITH.
EVERY ACTIVE PARTNER IN OUR DATABASE RECEIVED THE SAME MESSAGE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.
THIS IS A REQUESTED CAN I, SORRY, JUST COMMISSIONER HOLT.
SORRY, JUST SUPER QUICK ABOUT THE TRANSPORT THING, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND THE POLICY.
IT'S $250 FOR ANY RESCUE PARTNER THAT PULL, THAT PULLS A LARGE DOG.
THIS IS JUST THE FIRST I'M HEARING OF THAT.
I JUST, I DON'T KNOW HOW WIDE WIDESPREAD THAT INFORMATION IS AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO BE PART OF GETTING THE WORD OUT AND I WANNA MAKE SURE I HAVE IT CORRECT.
UH, WE, WE PUT OUT, UH, TWO WEEKS FOR THE $150 FOR ALL OUR PARTNERS WITH NO TAKERS.
WE INCREASED IT FOR TWO 50 PER MEDIUM TO LARGE DOG THAT, YOU KNOW, TAKES UP A LARGE KENNEL FOR TWO WEEKS.
AND, UH, WE HAD FOUR THAT LEFT.
I THINK THE TWO WEEKS HAS ENDED LAST WEEK AND WE MAY HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN.
AND SO WE WOULD HAVE TO PUT OUT ANOTHER NOTIFICATION, UH, THIS WEEK.
IT WAS LIKE A, IT WAS A TWO WEEK, IT WAS A TWO WEEK TRIAL TO HELP BUILD SPACE.
I'LL JUST FOLLOW UP WITH COMMISSIONER HOLT, IF YOU GUYS COULD LET US KNOW, UM, WHEN YOU DO THAT CONTEMPORANEOUSLY, WE COULD HELP SPREAD THE WORD.
[Items 3 - 5]
ITEM NUMBER THREE.THIS IS A REQUESTED STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING FISCAL YEAR 2023 ACTUAL EXPENDITURES, INCLUDING PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR EACH ANIMAL SERVICES PROGRAM.
IE SHELTER SERVICES, FIELD SERVICES AND SPAY UTER.
THE FINANCIAL SERVICES OFFICE, UH, SENT AN ATTACHMENT THAT WAS INCLUDED WITH YOUR PACKET.
UH, I THINK IT SAID A SO INFORMATION REQUEST ON THE TOP OF IT FOR 2023.
IT SHOWED, UH, YOUR EXPENDITURES FOR 2023 IN EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES OF THE SHELTER SERVICES, FIELD SERVICES AND PREVENTATIVE SERVICES.
AND THEN IT SHOWED OUR TOTAL OVERALL EXPENDITURES.
AND THEN IT LISTED, UH, THE EXPENDITURES FOR THE FIRST TWO QUARTERS, UM, IN THE 24 COLUMN.
UH, SO, SO FAR WE ARE AT, UH, APPROACHING 50% AND I THINK WE ARE RIGHT AT 52% IN OUR OVERALL SPEND FOR THE, THE WHOLE BUDGET.
BUT THERE'S CERTAIN AREAS THAT, UH, PREVENTATIVE SERVICES, UM, LIKE THAT IS IN THE SPAY AND NEUTERING AREA.
WE SPENT 1.7 MILLION LAST YEAR.
WE'RE AT 1.3 SO FAR THIS YEAR.
UH, WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS OF COURSE TO SPEND THIS YEAR.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, I THINK IT'S SOMEWHERE ELSE ON THE AGENDA, BUT UM, ON THE SPAYING AND NEUTERING, WE ARE, UH, FINALIZING A CONTRACT WITH, UH, GREATER GOOD CHARITIES TO COME IN AND DO MASH STYLE CLINICS, UH, EVERY TWO TO FOUR MONTHS.
THE FIRST ONE WILL BE IN AUGUST.
IT'S THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT'S FINISHING IT UP, AND THEN IT'LL HAVE TO GO TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
[00:40:01]
UM, THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WILL START IN AUGUST AND THAT'LL BE A, A CONTRACT FOR A YEAR SERVICE TIME.ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE BACKUP MATERIALS, HE ALSO, UH, GAVE YOU THREE DIFFERENT LINKS.
AND IT, YOU LOOK AT, UH, THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT, YOU CAN ACTUALLY DRILL DOWN TO THAT WHEN YOU PICK ANIMAL SERVICES.
IF YOU GO TO SHELTER SERVICES, THEN IT'LL EVEN BREAK IT DOWN EVEN FURTHER.
SO YOU CAN DRILL DOWN ON, YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S BEING SPENT IN THOSE, THOSE CATEGORIES.
SO IT'S A REALLY GOOD TOOL AND IF YOU'LL LOOK AT THAT, HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, PLEASE SEND 'EM OUR WAY.
UM, ALSO WE'VE INCLUDED OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES THERE.
THE ONE THING THAT THAT WEBSITE IS NOT DOING IS PUTTING IN THE GOALS.
EVEN THOUGH OUR GOALS ARE, WE PUBLISH THOSE AND THEY'RE PUT, WE, THOSE ARE SENT.
SO THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHERE THE DROP IS RIGHT NOW.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU ON OUR, UH, PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR THE, UM, SPAYING AND NEUTERING, OUR GOAL THIS YEAR WAS 8,000 IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO FAR, THE FIRST, UM, FOUR MONTHS, WE'VE DONE 27, 23.
STARTED OFF IN OCTOBER AT 6 58, I THINK THIS IS IN THERE.
AND THEN IT, IT'S NOW 7 82 FOR THE LAST MONTH IN JANUARY.
THAT WAS RECORDED LAST FISCAL YEAR.
UH, WE DID 75 71 FOR THE TOTAL OF 2023 IN-HOUSE.
UH, OUR GOAL THIS YEAR IS 6,500 AND SO FAR, THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS WE'RE AT 1889.
AND LAST YEAR'S 23 TOTAL WAS 53 28.
JUST FOR A PURPOSE OF PUBLIC CLARIFICATION, SORRY, JUST FOR PUBLIC PURPOSE OF PUBLIC CLARIFICATION, WERE YOU ALSO DOING ITEM NUMBERS FOUR AND FIVE ON THE AGENDA? I THINK I JUST DID.
SO THAT WAS ALSO STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING FISCAL YEAR 2024 AND ALSO STAFF BRIEFING ON THE YEAR TO DATE PROGRESS ON SPAY NEUTER.
SO LET'S JUST LUMP THOSE TOGETHER.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON ITEMS THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE? UM, DR. NELSON, OH, SORRY.
IS THERE ANY WAY IN WHICH, UM, THE IN-HOUSE SPAY AND NEUTER NUMBERS, DOES IT ALSO INCLUDE, LIKE THEORETICALLY IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE IN, IS THERE ANY CHANCE THERE'S A CEILING ON THE, IN-HOUSE SPAY AND NEUTER? YOU COULD DO THAT'S BELOW YOUR GOAL IS DOES MY QUESTION MAKE ANY SENSE? I MIGHT YOU NOT HAVE ENOUGH CATS AND DOGS IN HOUSE THAT NEED SPAY AND NEUTER TO MEET YOUR GOAL.
THAT LAST WEEK WE COULDN'T FILL UP THE SURGICAL SET SCHEDULE BECAUSE EV EVERYTHING THAT WAS AVAILABLE THAT WAS OFF STRAY HOLD, THAT WASN'T SICK.
UH, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS, LET'S SAY THERE WE HAD COULD DO, YOU KNOW, 25 SURGERIES THAT DAY AND THERE WAS TIM ONLY AVAILABLE.
SO YOU GET TO A POINT WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE AT THAT POINT WHERE WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING THAT IS AVAILABLE.
UM, AND THE INFORMATION PERSON, YOUR DATA PERSON IS BEING ONBOARDED? YES.
HE STARTED, HE'S, HE'S, UH, BEING ONBOARDED RIGHT NOW.
THIS SEEMS LIKE AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF DATA.
IF HE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SH TO SH TO SHOW THIS LIKE OF, OF THE NEED OF SPAY AND NEUTER IN-HOUSE, WHAT ARE YOU MEETING? SEEMS LIKE AN IMPORTANT MEASURE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'LL HAVE, UH, DR.
ELLIOT TALK TO HIM ABOUT BECAUSE THEY KNOW OF OUR POPULATION, HOW MANY ARE AVAILABLE FOR SURGERIES AND HOW MANY ARE NOT AVAILABLE BASED ON, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S STILL ON STRAY HOLD OR THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, HAVE A URI OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HE PROBABLY COULD PUT INTO A DASHBOARD.
I AM CURIOUS WHERE THE GOALS COME FROM FOR SPAY NEUTER BECAUSE WE'RE CONTRACTUALLY ASKING PEOPLE TO PERFORM THOUSANDS MORE SURGERIES THAN THE GOAL IS.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE EMANCIPET, UM, CONTRACT, IT'S FOR, I DON'T HAVE IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I THINK FOR 9,000 JUST WITH EMANCIPATE.
AND THEN THE HUMANE SOCIETY IS CONTRACTED FOR ANOTHER LIKE 1200.
SO THAT PUTS US AT 10,000 SURGERIES.
AND HISTORICALLY WE'VE BEEN OVER 10,000.
SO I'M, I'M CONFUSED WHY THE GOAL IS STILL SO LOW FOR THAT.
WELL, THE, THE, THE, THE LAST TIME WE HIT 10,000 WAS IN 2019 AND THE, THEN THEY HAD, UH, YOU KNOW,
[00:45:01]
5,900 IN 2020.AND THEN IN 21 AND 22 THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, FORTY NINE HUNDRED AND FORTY SEVEN HUNDRED.
AND SO I THINK WE WERE SETTING GOALS THAT WE THOUGHT REALISTICALLY THEY COULD HIT OR, OR GET CLOSE TO.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY RABIES VACCINATIONS HAVE BEEN GIVEN WITH THE CURRENT, UM, CONTRACT? I DO NOT.
BUT UH, THAT INFORMATION WE WOULD HAVE, WE ARE WORKING WITH, UH, EMANCIPATE RIGHT NOW TO SET UP A MEETING BECAUSE, UH, SOME OF THE DATA THEY'RE SENDING, IT'S NOT COMING ACROSS, UH, WHERE IT'S EASY TO COMPILE.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO WORK ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS AT THE WORKING GROUP OR WE CAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT HERE TOO.
UM, MY IMPRESSION IS THAT WE HAVE AN EMAN A PET CONTRACT FOR SPAY AND NEUTER AND WHEN THEY GO OUT FOR SPAY AND NEUTER, THEY ALSO DO VACCINATIONS.
BUT MY IMPRESSION IS THAT THERE'S BEEN MISSION DRIFT AND THAT THE MOBILE UNIT GOES OUT TO DO VACCINE CLINICS.
IS THAT CORRECT? IN WHICH THERE IS NO SPAY AND NEUTER PERFORMED.
WE DO HAVE RABIES CLINICS THAT, UH, ARE SCHEDULED TO BE DONE.
UH, NOW EMANCIPATE DOES ON THEIR OWN.
THEY ALSO HAVE, UH, WELLNESS VACCINATION CLINICS TOO.
TWO, WHICH IF FULLY STAFFED WOULD BE SPAY AND NEUTER CLINICS.
BUT THEY HAVE DAYS THAT THERE'S NO SPAY NEUTER DONE.
BUT THE CITY PAYS FOR THE WELLNESS CLINIC.
AND THEN, UM, GOING BACK TO THE STAFF BRIEFING ON THE BUDGET PORTION, CAN YOU JUST, UM, EXPLAIN KIND OF WHICH SERVICES FALL UNDER EACH OF THE HEADINGS THAT ARE OUTLINED THERE? THE SHELTER SERVICES, THE FIELD SERVICES, AND THEN THE PREVENTION.
UNDER, UM, PREVENTION SERVICES, THAT IS WHERE YOUR SPAYING AND NEUTERING COMES IN, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE DO OUR RABIES CLINICS AS WELL.
UH, SO THAT'S, UH, IF, IF ALSO IF SOMEONE CAME INTO THE SHELTER AND WAS NEEDING SPAYING AND NEUTERING AND WE PROVIDED A VOUCHER, THAT'S WHERE THAT WOULD COME OUT AS WELL.
UM, FIELD SERVICES, THAT IS YOUR ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS AND THE SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE, AS WELL AS YOUR PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATORS.
AND THAT SHELTER IN WHAT? IN THAT SHELTER? I CAN'T SAY THAT PART.
WHERE WHERE ARE YOU THAT SERVICES COUNTY FAMILY CARE, UH, VET SERVICES AND SOME KENNELING AS WELL AS SHELTER SERVICES.
BROUGHT SHELTER SERVICES, VET SERVICES, KENNELING, UH, YOUR PET PLACEMENT.
THOSE RESOURCES FALL UNDER THAT AT AND IF YOU, IF YOU WITH THOSE LINKS THAT DRIVE THE BUDGET, IF YOU CONTINUE TO CLICK ON THOSE, IT'LL KEEP EXPANDING THEM AND IT'LL GO DOWN TO EACH OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.
AND WHAT'S INCLUDING IN THAT DEPARTMENT? DR.
HEY, UM, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT ARE ALL SORT OF RELATED.
SO YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS ONE DAY IN WHICH YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO FILL ALL THE SURGERY SLOTS THAT HAD BEEN ALLOCATED.
SO, UM, MY SORT OF OVERARCHING QUESTION IS WHAT'S THE PROTOCOL WHEN THAT HAPPENS? AND THEN SORT OF WITHIN THAT, I'M WONDERING, I KNOW, UM, WE'RE WORKING ON A FINDER TO FOSTER PROGRAM.
HOW DO THOSE ANIMALS GET SPAY NEUTERED? IS THERE A MECHANISM TO BRING THOSE ANIMALS INTO THE SHELTER? WE ALSO HAVE A VOUCHER SYSTEM AND THERE'S PEOPLE WHO ARE WAITING, YOU KNOW, MANY MONTHS FOR SURGERIES.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO SLOT THOSE FOLKS IN IF YOU DO EVER HAVE AVAILABILITY, OR COULD YOU JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE SLOTS? I'LL TAKE THE LAST ONE FIRST.
UH, WE CAN'T TAKE IN AS A MUNICIPAL SHELTER, WE CAN'T WORK ON AN OWNED ANIMAL.
SO THOSE DO HAVE TO GO TO EMANCIPATE.
THOSE PEOPLE WE'VE GIVEN VOUCHERS TO, IF THEY'RE OWNED ANIMALS, UM, SO THOSE WOULD, WOULD GO OUT THERE.
THE FINDER TO FOSTER, THEY DO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THEM TO COME BACK IN AFTER THE ANIMAL HAS BEEN HELD LONG ENOUGH TO BE OFF STRAY HOLD, THEY DO SCHEDULE THE APPOINTMENT FOR THEM TO COME IN AND, AND HAVE THEIR SURGERY DONE.
I THINK TWO WEEKS, UH, IS IS WHEN THEY SCHEDULE THOSE TO COME IN.
AND SO WE, UH, TRY TO FILL THESE SLOTS.
IF, UH, WE CAN'T FILL THEM WITH FOSTERS OR INTERNAL, THEN THAT JUST GIVES THOSE VETS SOME TIME TO WORK WITH THE OTHER ANIMALS THAT ARE ON SITE.
SO IS THERE A, I GUESS, A WAIT LIST OF PEOPLE IN THE FINDER TO FOSTER PROGRAM
[00:50:01]
WAITING TO GET THEIR ANIMALS SPIED? OR ARE ALL OF THEM ABLE TO GET IN WITHIN THE, YOU KNOW, TWO WEEKS OR WHATEVER THAT THEY HAVE THE ANIMAL OR WHAT'S THE AVERAGE WAIT TIME IN THE FINDER TO FOSTER PROGRAM NOW? I, I DON'T THINK THAT ANYONE HAS, I HAVE NOT HEARD THAT ANYONE'S HAVING TO WAIT LONGER THAN THEIR TWO WEEK PERIOD TO GET IN.THEY SCHEDULING THEM TO COME IN AT TWO WEEKS AND THEY'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AT THAT.
HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, DR. BRUCE.
THE ONLY THING THAT WE PROBABLY WOULD SCHEDULE IS JUST REGULAR FOSTERS.
SO IF THERE'S ANY PUPPIES OR WHATNOT, THEY FINALLY REACH HIS AGE AND THEY'RE NOT SICK, THEN WE WILL SCHEDULE THOSE ANIMALS TO TRY TO COME IN.
BUT THOSE ARE USUALLY A SET SCHEDULE BECAUSE OUR FOSTERS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO MAKE TIME TO COME IN AND WHATNOT.
SO, UM, IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN, HEY IT GUYS, IT'S EIGHT O'CLOCK, CAN YOU BRING THE ANIMAL? 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY.
SO IT, IT'S SORT OF SCHEDULED THAT WAY.
DR. BRUCE, UM, I KNOW HISTORICALLY AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER HAS NOT DONE, UM, SURGERY ON ANIMALS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON MEDICATION, WHICH IS ACTUALLY AGAINST THE SPAY NEUTER GUIDELINES.
AND THERE'S BEEN RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PAST TO ACTUALLY DO SURGERY ON THOSE ANIMALS.
UM, SO I'M CURIOUS IF YOUR CURRENT MEDICAL DIRECTOR HAS REVIEWED THOSE BEST PRACTICES AND MADE ANY CHANGES SUCH AS TAGGING THOSE ON AT THE END OF SURGERY OR ACTUALLY ADDING THOSE ONTO SURGERY DAYS WHEN YOU ARE HAVING SLOWER DAYS.
'CAUSE I KNOW THOSE ARE ANIMALS THAT CAN GET CLOGGED UP IN THE SYSTEM.
SO I WAS CURIOUS IF, UM, SINCE HAVING A NEW MEDICAL DIRECTOR, IF THAT'S BEEN READDRESSED IT HAS NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
I KNOW THAT IF, IF THEY ARE, UH, SICK AND, UH, IN ISOLATION, THEY'RE NOT BRINGING 'EM INTO THE SURGERY CENTER TO HAVE SURGERY.
COMMISSIONER LINDER LAST ONE, I PROMISE.
UM, I'M CURIOUS, UH, JUST GOING BACK TO THE VOUCHER SYSTEM FOR A SECOND.
UM, DO YOU KNOW, IS THERE A FORMALIZED LIST OF EVERYONE WHO'S RECEIVED A VOUCHER OR SOME SORT OF LIKE ELECTRONIC DATABASE OR QUEUES THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE WHERE THEY ARE IN THE SYSTEM OR, UM, DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT, THAT WORKS? IS THERE, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE UNIFIED PLACE PEOPLE CAN GO AND, AND SEE THEIR STATUS? MOST OF THE VOUCHERS ARE GIVEN AT EMANCIPET AND I DON'T KNOW THEIR PROCESS ON HOW THEY KEEP UP WITH THOSE, BUT I KNOW WHEN THEY GO OUT TO DO, UH, AN OFFSITE CLINIC AND THEY HAVE 25 SLOTS AND 50 PEOPLE SHOW UP, 25 OF THOSE GET VOUCHERS.
AND HOW THEY KEEP UP WITH THAT, I'M NOT, I DON'T KNOW THEIR PROCESS.
YEAH, WE CAN SURE ASK WHEN WE HAVE THEIR MEETING WITH THEM.
JUST TO CLARIFY ON THAT, COMMISSIONER SM HI, SORRY.
UM, I, I'M NOT CATCHING AT ALL, BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT TWO WEEKS FOR SPAY AND NEUTER FOR BINDER TO FOSTER.
AND SO IF IT, IF THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, STRAY HOLD IS OVER AT 72 HOURS.
WHY ARE YOU WAITING AN ADDITIONAL, UM, 11 DAYS BEFORE THOSE ANIMALS ARE SPAYED AND NEUTERED? I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS WE, THE DECISION WAS MADE JUST TO ENSURE THAT THE VACCINES THAT WERE GIVEN THE ANIMAL AT FIRST ARE TAKING HOLD SO THAT WAY AND THEY'RE NOT SHOWING ANY SORT OF SICKNESS BEFORE.
SO IT WAS REALLY JUST THAT SORT OF, LET'S BE SURE BEFORE WE, WE PUT THE ANIMAL'S IMMUNE SYSTEM THROUGH A, A HEAVY HIT WITH THE SURGERY WHEN, WHEN WE WERE HAVING DISTEMPER, UH, WE WERE VACCINATING AND SENDING ANIMALS OUT FOR TWO WEEKS BEFORE THEY CAME BACK INTO THE SYSTEM JUST TO GET THOSE VACCINATIONS IN THEIR SYSTEM.
DR. NELSON, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? I JUST WANT CLARIFICATION.
WHEN EMANCIPATE GIVES A VOUCHER, IS THAT FOR SPAY AND NEUTER AT A PRIVATE VET CLINIC? NO, IT'S FOR ONE OF THEIR CLINICS.
ONE OF THEIR BRICK AND MORTARS? YES.
TO COME TO ONE OF THEIR BRICK AND MORTARS.
AND I WANTED TO CORRECT SOMETHING.
UM, I THINK THE STATEMENT WAS MADE THAT AS A SHELTER YOU COULDN'T PERFORM VETERINARY SERVICES ON A OWNED ANIMAL.
THERE'S ACTUALLY AN EXCEPTION FOR, UM, SPAY NEUTER THAT'S IN SECTION 8 28 0.012 B OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE.
OUR VETS, WHEN, WHEN, UH, ARE WE HAVE AN ANIMAL AND THEY'RE RECLAIMING IT, IF THEY WILL SIGN THE, THE CONSENT FORM, WE WILL SPAY A NEW TO THAT OWNED PET.
BUT WE DON'T TAKE 'EM FROM THE PUBLIC IF THEY HAVEN'T BEEN IMPOUNDED WITH US.
IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE STATEMENT WAS MADE THAT IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL TO, FOR THE SHELTER TO OPERATE IN UNKNOWN ANIMAL.
SO LONG AS YOU HAVE THE CONSENT OF THE OWNER YES, YOU CAN UNDER 8 28 0 1 2 B.
SO IF THERE WAS SOMEONE WAITING UNDER THE HYPOTHETICAL THAT COMMISSIONER LINDER ASKED ABOUT THE LAW WOULDN'T PROHIBIT YOU
[00:55:01]
FROM DOING THAT? I OBJECT.UM, IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE? ALL RIGHT.
[6. Discussion of the License Agreement Report from Austin Pets Alive]
TO DISCUSSION ITEMS. NUMBER SIX.AND THIS IS REALLY A BRIEFING WITH QUESTIONS MORE OF A THAN A DISCUSSION ITEM.
UH, WELL MAYBE THIS IS DIFFERENT LICENSING AGREEMENT REPORT FROM AUSTIN PETS ALIVE.
IS THAT WHAT WAS INTENDED TO BE ON HERE? THE LICENSING AGREEMENT? I JUST PUT THE TITLE OF THE REPORT THAT WAS SENT AS THE ITEM AND WE CAN, IT'S THE QUARTERLY REPORT THAT WE NORMALLY DO QUARTER.
UM, YOU WANNA PRESENT? YOU READY TO PRESENT? THANK YOU.
UM, MY NAME IS STEPHANIE BILBOROUGH.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AT AUSTIN PITS LIVE.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK VERY BRIEFLY ON OUR, UH, REPORTS FROM BOTH FEBRUARY AND MARCH.
SINCE THERE WAS NOT A MEETING LAST MONTH, UM, THEY BOTH WERE PROVIDED IN THE BACKUP, SO HOPEFULLY YOU ALL HAVE THEM.
UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THEM.
BUT IT'S OUR NORMAL LAYOUT, THE FIRST PAGE OF BOTH SHOWS, UM, THE BREAKDOWN OF ALL OF THE ANIMALS THAT WE TRANSFERRED FROM A A C IN THE MONTH, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE COMMUNITY INTAKES THAT WE TOOK IN FROM TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, SOME INTAKE, ADOPTION, FOSTER NUMBERS, THEY'RE ON THE SECOND PAGE.
UM, WE ALSO ARE MAINTAINING ABOUT A 80 OR 90% SURVIVAL RATE, 30 DAY SURVIVAL RATE OF ALL OF OUR MEDICAL TRANSFERS.
UM, THIS YEAR, UM, WE ARE STARTING TO SEE KITTEN SEASON HITTING.
SO, UM, YOU'LL SEE OUR BOTTLE BABY NUMBERS ARE GOING UP, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO GO UP, UM, PROBABLY THROUGH THE FALL.
SO OUR TEAM IS DEFINITELY PREPARING FOR THAT.
UM, AND THEN ON THE THIRD PAGE THERE IS OUR FULL, UM, INTAKE AND OUTCOME REPORTS FOR ALL OF THE ANIMALS IN OUR SYSTEM.
SO, UM, PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, SO YOUR NAMES, WHICH IS DATA ERROR.
I'M ASSUMING THIS IS JUST A DATA ERROR, BUT IS WHAT I CAN SEE IS FOR BOTH MARCH AND FEBRUARY YOU HAVE ABOUT 150 OWNER INTENDED CAT EUTHANASIA, WHICH I SERIOUSLY DOUBT.
OH YEAH, THAT NUMBER WAS PROBABLY, UH, COPIED OVER INCORRECTLY.
LET ME ABOUT 400 TOTAL I'M SEEING FOR CATS AND KITTENS.
WHICH ARE YOU LOOKING AT? I DON'T THINK SO.
I'M SHOWING ZERO ON MY PAPERS.
I THINK IT'S FOR BOTH MARCH AND FEBRUARY.
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, I WAS LOOKING AT THE YEAH, THOSE WERE, THOSE SHOULD BE IN THE TRANSFERRED IN OKAY.
YEAH, I THINK THE REPORT THAT GENERATES FROM OUR SYSTEM IS IN AN OPPOSITE, IS IN A DIFFERENT ORDER THAN THIS, SO.
I THINK IT JUST GOT COPIED OVER INCORRECTLY.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE MY DISCUSSION DIDN'T GET TAKEN A LITTLE TOO FAR.
SO FOR BOTH MARCH AND FEBRUARY THAT WAS ALL ZERO? CORRECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALRIGHT.
DR. NELSON AND I, I COULD HAVE ASKED THIS ALSO WHEN THEY WERE UP.
I JUST, AND I MIGHT BE INTERPRETING THIS WRONG, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE TRANSFERS TO A PA ARE UP THE LAST TWO MONTHS THIS YEAR BASED TO TO COMPARED TO LIKE THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS.
AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO FELT LIKE THAT WAS A TREND THAT MIGHT, THAT MIGHT BE THE CASE? UM, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE WAS A SPECIFIC PROGRAM OR NO, I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING IN PLACE, MORE MEDICAL CASES THAT THEY'VE TAKEN.
THERE HAVE BEEN AN INCREASE IN MEDICAL, UM, AND KITTEN SEASON SOMETIMES STARTS, WE SEE IT LATER IN THE YEAR SOMETIMES.
SO, UM, THAT MIGHT BE THE DIFFERENCE.
I KNOW WE HAD SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO MAKE COMMENT ON THIS.
UH, NORMALLY WHEN WE PLEAD SOMETHING TO THEM, WE SEND THEM ALL THE RECORDS, BUT WHEN A VET SENDS THEM THE MEDICAL CASE, THEIR PROGRAM WASN'T PICKING UP ALL THE RECORDS, THAT ERROR HAS BEEN CORRECTED.
SO WHEN THE VETS, WHEN THEY RUN THEIR PROGRAM TO PULL ALL THE MEDICAL RECORDS TO SEND TO A PA, IT INCLUDES ALL OF THE COMPLETE RECORDS AS WELL.
SO, UH, IT WAS WHEN, WHEN YOU KNOW, WHEN WE, AS THE RESCUE SIDE PULLS THE RECORDS, IT WAS PULLING IT DIFFERENT THAN WHEN THE VETS WERE PULLING IT.
IT WAS BECAUSE THAT DOG HAD, SO ANY ANIMAL THAT HAS GONE OVER AS A MEDICAL CASE, IT WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN ITS FULL BEHAVIOR.
THE VET'S PULLING IT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT YEAH.
[01:00:01]
TO PULLING ALL THE RECORDS.AND THEIR PROGRAM WASN'T, SO WHEN THEY SEND THE MEDICAL, IT WASN'T GETTING EVERYTHING.
SO WE'VE CORRECTED THAT SO THAT WHEN THEY PULL THEIR RECORDS, ALL RECORDS WERE PULLED.
WE HAVE NOTICED SOME PIECEMEAL RECORDS TO, THERE WAS A CASE LAST WEEK, UH, BEHAVIOR DOG WAS PLED.
IT WAS A DOG THAT WE KNEW HAD GOTTEN LOOSE FROM ITS FOSTER HOME BECAUSE WE SAW IT ON THE LOST AND FOUND FACEBOOK PAGE, BUT THE NOTES FROM THE FOSTER HAD NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECORDS.
AND SO SOMETIMES WE DO HAVE TO CHASE DOWN SOME INFORMATION, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR, UH, SOFTWARE PROVIDER AND OUR NEW PROGRAMMING, OUR IT, MAKE SURE WE CAN GET THIS COMPLETELY DONE.
[7. Discussion of a potential ban on foie gras at Austin restaurants. ]
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS DISCUSSION OF A POTENTIAL BAN ON FO GRAS AT AUSTIN RESTAURANTS.KAITLYN N DO YOU WANNA COME FORWARD? PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UM, I'M HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUES BEN AND PETE, WHO WILL BE SPEAKING ON SUBTOPICS IN REGARDS TO GETTING A FO GRAS BAN IN EFFECT FOR AUSTIN CITY LIMITS.
UM, I WANNA FIRST THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT, ESPECIALLY DURING THE DISCUSSION ITEMS. SO I JUST, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, SPEAKING ABOUT FO GRAS, WE IMMEDIATELY THINK OF THE FINISHED PRODUCT, WHICH IS THE FATTY LIVER OF DUCKS AND GEESE, WHETHER THAT'S IN PURE FORM OR IN A PATE.
WHAT WE FORGET TO DO IS REMEMBER THAT THE PRODUCT WAS TAKEN FROM AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS KEPT IN A CAGE SO SMALL, THEY CAN BARELY MOVE IN A SHED WITH LITTLE TO NO SUNLIGHT, WHERE THEY WERE FORCE FED WITH A 12 INCH TUBE, SHOVED DOWN THEIR THROATS THREE TIMES A DAY, AND FORCE FED AROUND EIGHT TIMES THE AMOUNT OF FOOD THEY'D NORMALLY CONSUME.
THIS ESSENTIALLY CAUSES THEIR LIVERS TO ENLARGE AND BECOME DISEASED.
HENCE, THE TRANSLATION OF FO GRAS TO BE FATTY LIVER.
THESE BIRDS EXPERIENCE FRACTURES TO THEIR STERNUM DAMAGE, THEIR ESOPHAGUS INFECTIONS, LESIONS, HEAT, STRESS AND DEATH DUE TO RUPTURED ORGANS, OR BY CHOKING ON THEIR OWN VOMIT.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IF THIS WERE HAPPENING TO OUR COMPANION ANIMALS OURSELVES OR OUR LOVED ONES, THIS WOULD BE CONSIDERED TORTURE.
THE SAME GOES FOR THESE DUCKS AND GEESE.
THEY'RE SENTIENT AND EXPERIENCE REALITY JUST AS MUCH AS ANY OTHER SPECIES DOES, WHICH IS WHY WHEN WE ARE FACED WITH THE MORALITY OF FO GRAS, HOW CAN WE CONFIDENTLY SAY FO GRAS IS ACCEPTABLE? WHEN THESE ANIMALS ARE CLEARLY EXPERIENCING PAIN AND FEAR THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS? MOST RESTAURANTS IN THE US SOURCE THEIR FO GRA FROM EITHER HUDSON VALLEY OR LABELLE.
HUDSON VALLEY HAS BEEN EXPOSED FOR IMMENSE CRUELTY TOWARDS ANIMALS THROUGH MULTIPLE UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATIONS WHERE THEY WITNESS WORKERS VIOLENTLY SHOVING METAL PIPES DOWN THE ANIMAL'S THROATS DIS UH, DECEASED DUCKS LAYING AROUND DUE TO THE FORCE FEEDING PROCESS AS DUCKS WHO ARE FORCE FED, FACE A 20 TIMES HIGHER MORTALITY RATE THAN THOSE WHO ARE NOT FORCE-FED BIRDS, WHO WITH OPEN AND BLEEDING WOUNDS AND DUCKS AND GEESE BEING SLAUGHTERED WHILE FULLY CONSCIOUS, WE OFTEN HEAR THE EXPRESSION, UM, WHERE WE ARE THE VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS.
UH, BUT THIS STILL FEEDS INTO THE BELIEF THAT THESE NON-HUMAN ANIMALS ARE DIFFERENT THAN US IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE CAN GET AWAY WITH GIVING THEM LESS PROTECTIONS, CAUSING A SPECIES THIS MINDSET.
BUT IN REALITY, THESE NON-HUMAN ANIMALS ARE NOT VOICELESS.
THEY JUST SPEAK IN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE.
AND JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE IS NOT THE SAME AS US, DOES NOT MEAN THEY DON'T DESERVE COMPASSION, RESPECT, AND PROTECTION FROM UNNECESSARY HARM.
IMPLEMENTING A FO GRAS BAN IN AUSTIN WOULD SET THE PRECEDENT FOR A MORE COMPASSIONATE CITY WHERE WE CAN BE AN EXAMPLE OF PROGRESS.
AFTER ALL, IF WE CAN LEARN TO SHOW COMPASSION AND RESPECT TO THE MOST INNOCENT AND VULNERABLE, WE CAN TRULY EXTEND THAT TO OUR OWN SPECIES AS WELL.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR, UM, FOR BEING HERE AND FOR TAKING PUBLIC COMMENTS, UM, AND FOR ADDING THIS TO THE AGENDA.
I REALLY, UM, APPRECIATE THAT.
AND ALSO THANK YOU TO CAITLIN FOR TALKING ABOUT FO GRA ETHICS.
UM, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT SORT OF THE MECHANICS OF HOW A BAN WOULD WORK AND ALSO SORT OF THE PRECEDENT FOR EXISTING BANS.
SO, UM, INTERNATIONALLY THERE ARE 20 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES THAT HAVE BANNED FO GRA.
MANY OF THEM ARE WHAT WE WOULD THINK OF AS MORE, UM, PROGRESSIVE COUNTRIES, DENMARK, LUXEMBOURG, SWEDEN, COUNTRIES LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT MANY ARE ALSO, UM, MORE CONSERVATIVE COUNTRIES, ARGENTINA, TURKEY, INDIA, AND IN ALL 20 COUNTRIES.
UM, THE BANS HAVE NOT CAUSED MUCH PUBLIC BACKLASH.
THEY'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, RECEIVED PRETTY WELL.
UM, SO THIS SEEMS TO BE KIND OF A REALISTIC THING.
UM, THERE ARE SORT OF THREE, UH, RELEVANT FO GRAS BANDS IN THE UNITED STATES.
[01:05:01]
AND THE WAY THAT THIS BAND WORKED IS RESTAURANTS WHO SOLD FO GRAS WERE, UM, GIVEN A SMALL FINE.SO IT DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, PUT THEM OUTTA BUSINESS.
IT JUST WAS AN INCENTIVE NOT TO SELL FOA GRAS.
BUT INDIVIDUALS COULD STILL BUY FOA GRA FROM OUT OF STATE.
SO THEY SORT OF GOT AROUND THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE CLAUSE IN THAT WAY.
AND AS A RESULT, THE TWO FGO FIRMS IN NEW YORK FORMED A COALITION.
THEY TRIED TO, UM, FILE A LAWSUIT.
UM, THIS IS TECHNICAL, SO I HAVE THIS WRITTEN DOWN.
SO THE US DISTRICT COURT FOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA DISMISSED THEIR CASE.
THEY TRIED TO APPEAL, THE APPELLATE COURT UPHELD THE DISMISSAL, AND THEN THEY TRIED TO APPEAL AGAIN TO THE SUPREME COURT, AND THE SUPREME COURT DECLINED TO HEAR THE CASE.
SO THERE'S SORT OF STRONG PRECEDENT THAT THIS, UM, BAN IN CALIFORNIA IS CONSTITUTIONAL, UM, AND DOES NOT VIOLATE THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE CLAUSE.
UM, NEW YORK CITY ALSO TRIED TO BAN FOER IN 2019, AND THERE'S SORT OF AN ONGOING LEGAL BATTLE.
IT'S NOT REALLY CLEAR HOW THAT'S GONNA END UP, BUT THE CENTRAL CASE THAT THE FO ROCK PRODUCERS ARE MAKING RELIES ON NEW YORK STATE LAW, INDIVIDUAL CITIES CAN'T UNREASONABLY REGULATE, UM, WHAT OTHER CITIES, UH, PRODUCE.
AND SO IF TEXAS OR IF ANY, UM, CITIES IN TEXAS WERE TO BAN FO GRA, UH, THAT WOULD NOT APPLY.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE NOT SUBJECT TO NEW YORK STATE LAW.
AND, UM, PITTSBURGH ALSO JUST BAN FO GRA UM, THEY BANNED FO GRA IN, UH, DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
SO IT'S SORT OF TOO SOON TO, YOU KNOW, KNOW IF ANYTHING IS GONNA HAPPEN.
BUT SO FAR THERE HAVE BEEN NO LEGAL CHALLENGES AND IT SEEMS TO HAVE GONE OVER WELL.
UM, SO TO SORT OF TIE THIS ALL TOGETHER, UM, THERE'S A STRONG PRECEDENT FOR BANNING FO GRAS, UM, BOTH AT THE CITY AND STATE LEVEL, AND ALSO IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
UM, OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, THE NEW YORK STATE LAW, IT SEEMS LIKE THESE ARE LEGAL.
THEY CERTAINLY SEEM TO BE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN, UH, THEY, THEY, THEY SEEM TO BE ALLOWED UNDER FEDERAL LAW, AND, UM, THEY SEEM LIKE A GOOD IDEA.
SO FOR ALL THOSE REASONS, I THINK WE SHOULD, UM, LAND GRA THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH, PETE.
UH, ANO, GOOD EVENING, ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION, HONORABLE MEMBERS, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOUR FACES ONCE AGAIN.
I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW IT'S ATYPICAL FOR A CITY TO HAVE AN ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION THAT ADVOCATES FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF NON-HUMAN ANIMALS.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE YOU AND I, I PERSONALLY COMMEND YOU ALL.
UM, MY NAME IS PETE AND I'M HERE TODAY ALONGSIDE MY COLLEAGUES, UH, KAITLYN AND BEN TO ADDRESS A PRESSING ISSUE THAT DEMANDS OUR ATTENTION, THE NEED FOR A CITYWIDE BAN ON THE SALE OF FO GRA IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AS KAITLYN NOTED, THE PRODUCTION OF FO GRA IS CRUEL AND UNUSUAL SHOVING METAL PIPES DOWN THE THROATS OF DUCKS AND FORCE FEEDING THEM IN ORDER TO MALICIOUSLY CAUSE LIVER DISEASE IS BARBARIC.
IN FACT, I DON'T THINK IT HAS ANY ROOM IN A CIVIL SOCIETY.
UM, BEN HAS ELOQUENTLY OUTLINED THE FEASIBILITY OF ENACTING SUCH A BAN.
NOW I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE STRONG PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR SUCH A BAN.
SURVEYS CONDUCTED ACROSS THE COUNTRY PAINT A VERY CLEAR PICTURE OF PUBLIC SENTIMENT REGARDING FO GRA.
AS FAR BACK AS 2004, A ZOGBY POLL REVEALED THAT A STAGGERING 77% OF AMERICANS OPPOSE FO GRAS DUE TO ITS CRUEL PRODUCTION METHODS.
MORE RECENTLY, A 2019 MASON DIXON POLL SHOWED THAT 81% OF NEW YORKERS, INCLUDING 88% OF REPUBLICANS, ARE IN FAVOR OF A BAN.
SUCH HIGH LEVELS OF AGREEMENT DEMONSTRATE THAT THIS ISSUE TRANSCENDS POLITICAL AND PERSONAL IDEOLOGIES, UNITING PEOPLE FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS AND WALKS OF LIFE, UH, WITH A SHARED COMMITMENT, UH, FOR COMPASSION AND ANIMAL WELFARE.
THESE SURVEYS REFLECT NOT JUST A PASSING TREND, BUT A FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT IN SOCIETAL VALUES.
THEY UNDERSCORE A WIDESPREAD UNDERSTANDING AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE ETHICAL ISSUES SURROUNDING FO FO GRA PRODUCTION, HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED FOR DECISIVE ACTION TO END THIS CRUELTY, UH, ANO, ALTHOUGH ANECDOTAL, I MYSELF HAVE INTERVIEWED NUMEROUS DIFFERENT CHEFS HERE IN AUSTIN AND ABROAD ABOUT THIS DISEASE, DUCK LIVER DELICACY, MANY OF THEM HAVE EXCLAIMED TO ME A SIMILAR SENTIMENT THAT, AND I QUOTE, REAL CHEFS WON'T EVEN ALLOW IT INTO THEIR KITCHEN BECAUSE IT'S SO CRUEL.
ANOTHER CHEF STATED, THE INHERENT CRUELTY GOES AGAINST THE INTENDED ARTISTRY OF A FIVE STAR CHEF LIKE MYSELF.
THE PUBLIC'S RESOUNDING VOICE IN FAVOR OF A BAN SPEAKS TO OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS AND WELLBEING OF ALL LIVING BEINGS, INCLUDING ANIMALS.
TODAY, AS WE MARVELED AT THE ONCE IN A LIFETIME SOLAR ECLIPSE, OVER A MILLION PEOPLE GATHERED HERE IN AUSTIN AND OTHER CITIES IN TEXAS, TO WITNESS A SPECTACLE THAT OCCURS ONCE IN A LIFETIME.
UH, IT'S MOMENTS LIKE THESE THAT REMIND US OF THE BEAUTY AND WONDER OF OUR NATURAL WORLD.
HOWEVER, AMIDST OUR AWE FOR THE ECLIPSE, LET'S REFLECT ON A STARK CONTRAST.
WHILE WE ENJOY THE SUN'S DAILY PRESENCE, THERE ARE DUCKS BRED INTO A CAPTIVITY THAT NEVER GET TO EXPERIENCE THE WARMTH OF SUNLIGHT.
[01:10:01]
A SINGLE GLIMPSE OF THE SUN WOULD BE AKIN TO WITNESSING A CELESTIAL EVENT LIKE WE DID TODAY.IMAGINE A CREATURE DENIED THE SIMPLE PLEASURE OF BASKING IN SUNLIGHT, A FUNDAMENTAL EXPERIENCE THAT WE OFTEN TAKE FOR GRANTED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
UH, COMMISSIONER HOLT, THIS IS YOUR ITEM.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO, UM, TO BEGIN THE DISCUSSION? UH, YEAH, AND I, I JUST HAVE TO ADMIT, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET A HOLD OF THE GUYS
SO I AM INCREDIBLY ILL PREPARED TO SPEAK TO THIS.
UM, MAINLY I WANTED THIS ON THE AGENDA SO THAT I COULD GET IN CONTACT WITH THE THREE SPEAKERS TONIGHT AND POSSIBLY BRING SOMETHING MORE ORGANIZED TO THE FUTURE.
UM, SO A, CAN EVERYBODY WHO JUST SPOKE DEFINITELY PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME.
UM, BUT I, I AM IN SUPPORT OF THIS, UH, FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT WERE OUTLINED.
UM, THE HUMANITARIAN ASPECTS OF, YOU KNOW, NOT WANTING TO SERVE DISEASED DUCK LIVER
UM, I AM INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF CONCERNS, QUESTIONS THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE, UM, SO THAT I CAN WORK WITH THE SPEAKERS FROM TONIGHT TO PUT TOGETHER A, UM, MORE COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSAL FOR THE MAY MEETING.
I'LL JUST SAY THAT I, I DON'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS AND I WOULD BE IN SUPPORT OF A WELL DRAFTED RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL COMMISSIONER LINDER.
UM, I, I GUESS I'D START BY SAYING I'M, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS EFFORT.
UM, I THINK AS FAR AS THE LEGAL QUESTION GOES, I AGREE THERE'S NO DORMANT COMMERCE CLAUSE CONCERNS.
UM, BUT I AM SLIGHTLY WORRIED ABOUT THE TEXAS REGULATORY CONSISTENCY ACT, WHICH PREEMPTS LOCAL REGULATION, UM, IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING LITIGATED NOW AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK IT HAS BEEN ENJOINED.
UM, SO I, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE THE WORKING GROUP TO LOOK CLOSELY AT THAT ISSUE.
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT WHETHER OR NOT, UM, THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH, UM, HOW THE LAW IS FRAMED AND GROUNDED.
UM, THAT LAW SEEMS TO PREEMPT, UM, LEGISLATION IN A FEW DIFFERENT AREAS LIKE AGRICULTURE AND BUSINESS AND COMMERCE.
UM, IT DOES NOT, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, APPLY TO PUBLIC HEALTH REGULATIONS.
SO THERE MAY BE SOME, UM, THOUGHT TO BE GIVEN TO, UM, IF YOU TAKE THIS ON, HOW YOU FRAME IT IN THAT WAY.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? WELL, COMMISSIONER LINDER COVERED THE, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S MY ONLY, UM, MY, MY CONCERN IS NOT A POLICY ONE, BUT A LEGAL ONE.
UM, I, COMMISSIONER HOLT, WOULD YOU MIND GETTING TOGETHER WITH COMMISSIONER LINDER SO THAT, UM, ANY WORK DONE ON IT CAN BE DONE IN LIGHT OF, UM, THE STATUTE SO THAT WE'RE, WE MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING SOMETHING THAT CAN PUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN INTO LITIGATION IMMEDIATELY.
UM, COMMISSIONER LINDER, I'LL BE IN CONTACT WITH YOU.
AND JUST TO REITERATE, FOR LIKE THE 19TH TIME FOR THOSE THREE SPEAKERS, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME.
SO, UM, I CAN GET ALL OF YOUR GOOD DATA TO DRAFT SOMETHING FOR THIS, UM, OR COMMISSIONER LINDER AND I TO WORK ON THIS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[8. Discussion of the Austin Animal Center "Urgent Placement List" Memorandum and Matrix]
NUMBER EIGHT, DISCUSSION OF AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER URGENT PLACEMENT LIST, MEMORANDUM AND MATRIX.I BELIEVE THIS WAS COMMISSIONER MULA, UM, ITEM, IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS? I KNOW THAT IT IS AN ISSUE THAT THE PUBLIC, UM, VERY MUCH IS, IS CONCERNED ABOUT.
UM, WE'VE ALL GOTTEN A LOT OF EMAILS, UM, AND, AND, AND CONCERNS ABOUT IT.
UM, COMMISSIONER MS. MULA IS NOT HERE, UNFORTUNATELY.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON IT AT ALL, RATHER THAN SPEAK ON IT? CAN I JUST ASK FOR A REQUEST FOR THAT URGENT ANIMAL MATRIX TO BE EXPLAINED TO US, US? IS THAT YES, SURE.
UH, MR. BLAND OR MR. GARZA, WOULD EITHER OF YOU LIKE TO, TO TALK ABOUT IT? SURE.
UM, AS, UM, YOU'VE HEARD, WE WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME BEST PRACTICES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ON HOW TO HELP ANIMALS THAT HAVE CERTAIN BARRIERS FOR ADOPTION AND GET THEM OUT.
AND WE WERE WORKING WITH THE KANSAS CITY PET PROJECT AND LOOKED AT THE WAY THAT THEY PUBLISHED, AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND THEY FOUND WHAT WORKS BEST.
AND SO WE TRIED TO EMULATE THAT, AND WE'VE MADE SOME CHANGES SINCE THEN.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT DID, IT, IT LISTED POSSIBLE BARRIERS FOR ADOPTION.
THESE, THESE, THIS LIST WAS PUT OUT TO HELP, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE ARE ANIMALS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE.
SOME, SOME HAVE BEEN HERE, YOU KNOW,
[01:15:01]
FOR 600 PLUS DAYS AND, OR SOME HAVE SHORTER TERMS, BUT THEY'VE GOT SOME SPECIFIC NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE PERFECT HOME FOR.SO WE'RE TRYING TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE TO HELP MAYBE, YOU KNOW, FIND THAT UNICORN, FOSTER UNICORN ADOPTER, UH, TO TRY TO HELP US WITH THESE PLACEMENTS.
UH, BECAUSE EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, MARKETING FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS HAD NOT HELPED SOME ANIMALS.
SO, UH, WE DECIDED TO PUT THIS OUT AND ASKED FOR SOME ASSISTANCE, AND IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
WE HAVE, UH, GOT A LOT OF ANIMALS THAT WERE ON THAT LIST THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME.
THE, THE, THE LONGEST STATE WAS, UH, PUT INTO A HOME, SO IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL FOR US.
THERE WAS SOME FOLKS THAT, UH, THOUGHT WE SHOULD HAVE SOME POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE UPDATED THAT LIST TO INCLUDE THOSE AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE, UH, SOME OF THEIR POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES AS WELL AS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MIGHT BE BARRIERS TO, UH, YOU KNOW, FINDING THAT HARDER TO PLACE HOME.
AND THAT WAS THE, THE REASONING BEHIND IT, UH, WAS TO TRY TO ASSIST US WITH PLACEMENT.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, DR.
NILES, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT SHOWED UP AND THAT RESPONDED AND THAT, UM, TOOK SOME OF THOSE DOGS INTO ADOPTION AND FOSTER, I I, AND I THINK WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE WHAT, WHAT A HUGE COMMITMENT THAT IS FOR, FOR THE REST OF THAT DOG'S LIFE.
AND IT WILL, YOU KNOW, MAY MAYBE LIMITING FOR THOSE PEOPLE IN SOME WAYS.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT AND, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZE THE VERY REMARKABLE COMMITMENT THESE PEOPLE ARE MAKING.
UM, MR. REZA, JUST FOR TRANSPARENCY PURPOSES, I KNOW THIS WAS COMMISSIONER MAG'S ITEM, SHE DID ASK IF SHE WAS HAVING CONNECTIVITY ISSUES, IF THIS COULD BE TABLED TO ME.
SO JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE.
SO JUST LETTING EVERYONE KNOW
YEAH, WE CAN OF COURSE, UH, ADD IT TO THE NEXT AGENDA.
I, WHEN IT'S ON HERE IN THE PUBLIC'S HERE, WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT IT, I CERTAINLY WANT TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO SPEAK ON IT.
IT, AND WE WILL, UH, TO THE EXTENT COMMISSIONER SGO CAN HEAR US, UH, OUT IN THE WORLD, WE WILL PUT IT BACK ON THE AGENDA.
UM, COMMISSIONER HOLT, THIS IS NOT TRYING TO BE SUPER IN THE WEEDS, SO WE CAN HAVE A ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATION IF THAT'S MORE APPROPRIATE.
BUT, UM, DO Y'ALL LIST, I KNOW THAT YOU TRY TO DO TRANSPORT TO SHELTER OR RESCUES OUT OF STATE, UM, BUT WEBSITES LIKE ADOPT A PET OR, UM, PETFINDER, UH, THERE'S SEVERAL THAT HAVE LIKE NATIONAL LISTINGS, SO YOU CAN LIST THEM IN AUSTIN, BUT MARKET THEM AND SOME OF THE CITIES THAT HAVE, UM, SIGNIFICANTLY LESS ANIMALS IN THEIR SHELTERS.
AND I'M CURIOUS IF ANYTHING IS DONE TO TRY TO MARKET THOSE LONG STAY DOGS SPECIFICALLY, UH, IN LIKE REMOTELY AND NOT JUST REACHING OUT TO OUR RESCUE PARTNERS, ALL OF OUR ANIMALS FROM OUR DATABASE, UH, EVERY DAY WHEN THEY, IT UPDATES TO OUR DATABASE, IT FEEDS TO THOSE AS WELL.
SO WE ARE ALREADY IN THOSE NATIONAL DATABASES.
I KNOW I, I'M AWARE OF LIKE, UM, TYPICAL SHELTER SOFTWARE AUTOMATICALLY UPLOADS, BUT THEN IT JUST PUTS BASICALLY LIKE THE PRISM PHOTO OF THE DOG
IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY HAVE LIKE A, A PROFILE THAT GETS ESPECIALLY A, A HIGH NEEDS LARGE DOG ADOPTED.
UM, THOSE TEND TO TAKE LIKE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A PERSONAL TOUCH.
UM, I DO FIND THAT THEY'RE SUPER SUCCESSFUL.
I, I GUESS IF THERE'S EVEN LIKE A, A VOLUNTEER OR ANYONE AT THE SHELTER WHO IS INTERESTED IN DOING THAT, I WOULD LOVE TO BE PUT IN CONTACT WITH THEM.
UM, BECAUSE I DO THINK IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GET SOME OF THOSE DOGS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY SAFETY RISKS, BUT MAYBE NEED TO BE AN ONLY DOG HOME OR MAYBE NEED LIKE A, LIKE YOU SAID, THE UNICORN ADOPTER
UM, IT, IT'S A GOOD WAY TO EXPAND OUR SEARCH FOR THOSE.
SO IF YOU WANNA PUT ME IN CONTACT WITH YOUR VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP WITH THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE ITEM? OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON.
[9. Discussion of the implementation of Ordinance No. 20240201-002 (An ordinance amending City Code Chapter 3-1 relating to disposition of an impounded animal, notice to rescue organization, reporting by animal shelter, removing Definitions; and adopting a bite scale).]
OF AN IMPLEMENTATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 2 0 2 4 0 2 0 1 DASH OH TWO.AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE THREE ONE RELATING TO THE DISPOSITION OF AN ANIMAL IMPOUNDED ANIMAL NOTICE TO RESCUE ORGANIZATION REPORTING TO ANIMAL SHELTER, REMOVING DEFINITIONS AND ADOPTING A BITE SCALE.
I DON'T KNOW WHO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA.
I DON'T HAVE MUCH FOR THE REST OF THE MEETING.
UM, I'M, THIS MAINLY I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS GOT PROBABLY OVER A HUNDRED EMAILS, UM, IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS ABOUT DOGS, UM, THAT WE ARE BEING TOLD ARE GETTING PUT DOWN.
I THINK THAT THIS LIKE, DOES KIND OF TIE TO AGENDA ITEM EIGHT.
I'M NOT NECESSARILY SURE IF IT'S NEW INFORMATION.
[01:20:01]
I'M JUST, I'M CURIOUS HOW THIS FIGHT SCALE IS BEING IMPLEMENTED.I AM HEARING, UM, SOME THINGS THAT ARE RUMORS, SOME THINGS THAT ARE MAYBE NOT RUMORS, I DON'T KNOW, THAT JUST SPAN, UM, A WIDE VARIETY OF CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THESE ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED, UH, AND WHETHER OR NOT IT'S WHAT'S RIGHT BY AN ANIMALS AND RIGHT BY STAFF.
UM, AND I, I WOULD JUST LIKE SOME UPDATES ON THAT, UM, AND SEE IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT.
SO I THINK, UH, JUST TO, TO CHIME IN HERE AND JUST SAY, I THINK IT WOULD, YEAH, IT'D BE HELPFUL IF, UM, SPECIFICALLY, UH, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE, THIS PORTION OF THE STATUTE WAS NOT PASSED, WAS NOT GIVEN A DATE OF IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, BUT THAT THERE WAS GONNA BE SOME PERIOD AT WHICH, UM, THE STAFF WAS KIND OF GONNA WORK THROUGH ISSUES BEFORE IMPLEMENTING IT.
SO I THINK THE, I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, AND I THINK JUST BACKING UP, COMMISSIONER HOLT, WHERE ARE WE IN THAT PROCESS? WHAT IS, UH, WHAT IS ALREADY BEING IMPLEMENTED, WHAT'S NOT YET BEING IMPLEMENTED? MAYBE PROVIDE SOME CLARITY TO THE PUBLIC ON THAT PROCESS.
THIS, THE NEW BYTE SCALE AND, UH, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT ORDINANCE WON'T TAKE EFFECT TILL AUGUST 1ST.
UH, WHAT WE ARE, UH, IN THE MEANTIME, WE ARE GETTING OUR STAFF TRAINED TO UTILIZE THE DUNBAR BITE SCALE.
AND WE HAVE HIRED, UH, ONE OF THE NATION'S EXPERTS IN, UH, DUNBAR BITE SCALE, ACTUALLY WORKED WITH DUNBAR HIMSELF.
AND, UH, HE GOES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, UH, BEING A PROFESSIONAL, UH, IN, YOU KNOW, COURT CASES, OTHER COUNTRIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO, UH, HE'S GOING TO COME IN, UH, ON APRIL THE 24TH AND TRAIN OUR STAFF.
AND WE, ONCE THE TRAINING IS DONE, THEN WE WILL START MARKING OUR, YOU KNOW, LIKE CURRENT CURRENTLY TILL AUGUST THE FIRST.
WE'LL STILL BE USING OUR MODERATE, MODERATE AND SEVERE JUST LIKE WE DO NOW.
AND WE WILL START PUTTING IN, IN THE NOTES WHAT IT WOULD BE CLASSIFIED UNDER THE NEW SCALE SYSTEM.
AND SO THEN THAT'LL GO TO, UH, A REVIEW COMMITTEE AND EACH OF THOSE WILL BE REVIEWED BETWEEN NOW AND THEN TO SEE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFF IS DOING IT CONSISTENTLY AND WITH THE TRAINING BEFORE IT'S IMPLEMENTED.
SO I GET WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE, OH, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER HOLT, GO AHEAD.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE, UM, FROM NOW THROUGH, AT LEAST IN AUGUST WHEN IT'S IMPLEMENTED FOR US TO GET UPDATES ABOUT HOW THAT'S GOING, UM, UPDATES ABOUT HOW MANY DOGS ARE BEING RATED AS DANGEROUS ON THIS SCALE? UM, I WOULD, I WOULD JUST LOVE IF WE COULD GET SOME DATA ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW THIS, WHAT THIS ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE IN ACTION.
SO PERHAPS ON THE NEXT AGENDA WE COULD PUT BRIEFING ON IMPLEMENTATION OF ORDINANCE SO WE CAN JUST KEEP, GET, GET IT BRIEFED ON THAT.
UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION THOUGH.
AND I WATCHED THIS, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, UM, GET PASSED AND THE BACKUP MATERIALS, THE DATE THAT IT WAS PASSED HAD A BLANK FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION DATE ON THIS PORTION OF THE SECTION.
AND THERE WAS NO MOTION ON THE DAIS TO CHANGE THE BACKUP MATERIALS.
SO AS I UNDERSTOOD IT, THERE WAS NO IMPLEMENTATION DATE ON THIS PORTION.
UM, DO YOU KNOW IF THAT WAS CHANGED SOMEHOW? HOW? I THOUGHT, I'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT THE TRANSCRIPT, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS MENTIONED THAT SIX MONTHS THEY GAVE US, THEY GAVE A SIX MONTH WINDOW BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION TO OCCUR.
SO WE WENT FEBRUARY 1ST TO AUGUST 1ST.
SO ESSENTIALLY WE COULDN'T DO ANYTHING BEFORE AUGUST 1ST OR IMPLEMENT ANYTHING.
YEAH, I'M JUST WORRIED THAT THE, THE, THE ITEM THAT WAS PASSED DID NOT HAVE AN IMPLEMENTATION DATE.
SO IT MIGHT BE WORTH CHECKING WITH CITY LEGAL TO SEE IF, IF IN YOU DO HAVE A DATE CERTAIN
UM, 'CAUSE THE WAY I READ IT, IT WOULD TAKE ADDITIONAL CITY COUNCIL ACTION TO HAVE AN IMPLEMENTATION DATE.
UM, I THINK THAT'S WORTH LOOKING INTO 'CAUSE THERE WASN'T ONE IN THE BACKUP MATERIALS.
IT WAS LITERALLY A BLANK, BUT I THINK THAT'S FAIR.
WE CAN JUST ASK FOR A BRIEFING ON HOW THAT'S GOING.
YEAH, JUST ONE MORE QUESTION ON THE, UM, ON THOSE ASSESSMENTS AND THE THE RATINGS, COULD YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, YOU MENTIONED STAFF, LIKE WHO IN PARTICULAR WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING THOSE DETERMINATIONS AND, UM, ARE, ARE THEY INDIVIDUALS WITH MEDICAL TRAINING OR COULD YOU TALK SORT OF ABOUT WHO WILL, UM, WILL BE DECIDING THAT AND, AND IT WILL, WHAT THE BACKGROUND IT BE? ANIMAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT THAT, UH, TAKES THE BIKE CASES AND REVIEWS THE MEDICAL RECORDS.
AND, AND WILL YOU REACH OUT TO THE, I MEAN, PRESUMABLY, UM, IF THESE ARE SBIS, THEY'RE, UH, PEOPLE WHO SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION, UM, IN A, UH, AN ER, WILL YOU REACH OUT TO THE DOCTOR WHO, UM, TREATED THEM OR JUST GOING SOLELY OFF THE RECORDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE? OR COULD, IS THERE ANY INTERFACE I GUESS WITH THE
[01:25:01]
MEDICAL SYSTEM IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO ASK? NO, WE, WE GET THE ME THE MEDICAL RECORDS FROM THE FACILITY AND THE DOCTOR'S NOTES THAT TELLS US, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, HALF THE PUN, HALF THE PUNCTURE WAS, YOU KNOW, HALF THE DISTANCE FOR CANINE OR, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY'RE VERY DETAILED AND WITH THE DESCRIPTION AS WELL AS THE PHOTOGRAPHS.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON ITEM NUMBER NINE? OKAY, WE'LL GO TO ITEM NUMBER
[10. Approve recommendations on the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Animal Services Budget]
10.ITEM NUMBER 10 IS APPROVED RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 DASH 25 ANIMAL SERVICES BUDGET.
AND I THINK, UH, THIS ACTUALLY, UH, WELL LET ME ASK THIS.
IS THERE ANY COMMISSIONER WHO HAS, UM, PREPARED RECOMMENDATIONS TO PRESENT TODAY? SO THERE'S NOT, AND SO THIS GOES TO, UM, UH, THE, THE PUBLIC'S COMMENT ON SOMETIMES YOU PUT STUFF ON 'CAUSE YOU EXPECT IT.
AND IT'S NOT THAT ANYBODY'S TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING FROM YOU.
WE PUT IT ON BECAUSE IT WAS STATED AT, AT THE LAST MEETING AND THEN, UM, WE'RE NOT READY FOR IT.
SO THERE'S NOT RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE MADE TODAY.
AND WE DON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL WE HAVE A MEETING.
'CAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE A QUORUM TO FIND OUT WHO HAS, UM, WHO HAS PUT TOGETHER STUFF.
UM, SO THEREFORE, UM, WE DON'T HAVE THAT.
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO, UH, DISCUSS, IT'S LISTED AS A DISCUSSION, UM, A BUDGET, UH, THE BUDGET TODAY, THEY'RE WELCOME TO.
BUT, UM, I DO AGREE GENERALLY THAT IF SOMEONE HAS BUDGET MATERIAL, IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT, BUT IF SOMEONE HAS BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY BE POSTED THAT WAY THAT THE PUBLIC CAN REVIEW THEM.
UM, SPECIFICALLY ON THAT, JUST TO NOTE AGAIN, UH, THE COMMISSION HAS NO CONTROL OVER POSTING.
WE HAVE NO ABILITY TO POST ANYTHING.
I DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER POSTING.
SO, UH, I HEAR THE COMMENT, BUT THAT IS OUT OF MY, UH, ABILITIES TO POST SOMETHING TO TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE.
UM, BUT I DO UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR, UM, TRANSPARENCY AND I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT ON BOARD.
DOES, DOES ANYBODY WANT TO DISCUSS BUDGET OR SHOULD WE JUST TABLE IT TO THE NEXT MEETING? ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, SO WE WILL PUT THAT ONE.
COMMISSIONER LINDER, DO YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? OKAY, SO WE'LL PUT THAT ONE BACK ON AS WELL.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE EIGHT, NINE, AND 10.
UM, AS, UM, GOING ONTO THE NEXT AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER 11,
[11. Conduct officer elections for the Chair, Vice Chair, and Parliamentarian]
CONDUCT OFFICER ELECTIONS FOR CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND PARLIAMENTARIAN.UM, ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIR, VICE CHAIR OR PARLIAMENTARIAN DR. NELSON? I WOULD NOMINATE LATA SULA FOR CHAIR.
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT COMMISSIONERS SHOULD BE PRESENT TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT A NOMINATION.
SO IT'S CERTAINLY NOT GREAT TO POSTPONE, UH, ELECTIONS, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S PROHIBITED TO POSTPONE IT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? BOARD CHAIR, VICE CHAIR OR PARLIAMENTARIAN? COMMISSIONER NEER.
I NOMINATE RYAN CLINTON FOR CHAIR AGAIN.
IS THERE, ARE THERE, IS THERE A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND.
UH, OKAY, SO ARE THERE I I SECOND? YES.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UM, NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIR? WE'LL DO THAT ONE FIRST.
UH, IT WILL TAKE A UNANIMOUS VOTE, SO WE'LL SEE IF WE HAVE IT.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF VOTING FOR, UM, MYSELF TO REMAIN AS CHAIR.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIR AT THIS TIME? I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT A NO, A NO VOTE FOR ABSTENTION VERSUS RECUSAL OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT FOR THE MINUTE.
OR DO YOU WANNA ABSTAIN? CAN I VOTE? YES IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
SO, UH, IS THERE A SECOND TO RECALL THE QUESTION? UH, COMMISSIONER LINDER SECONDS.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF RE NOMINATING OR VOTING FOR MYSELF, FOR CHAIR AGAIN? OKAY, SO WE HAVE A SEVEN, LET'S GO TO VICE CHAIR.
UM, DO WE HAVE A NOMINATION FOR VICE CHAIR? I WILL NOMINATE, UH, COMMISSIONER TUCKER.
UH, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OR DO WE HAVE A YES.
OH, HE CAN'T ACCEPT 'CAUSE HE IS NOT HERE EITHER.
OH, SO, UM, DO WE HAVE A, ANY OTHER, UM, NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR? COMMISSIONER NEER MUTE? UH, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
[01:30:03]
I THINK YOU'RE ON MUTE.I WOULD NOMINATE COMMISSIONER LINDER.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UH, SO DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR? OKAY, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF COMMISSIONER, VICE CHAIR
DO WE HAVE A NOMINATION FOR PARLIAMENTARIAN? WE DON'T ACTUALLY NEED A PARLIAMENTARIAN IF MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE RULES IS CORRECT.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE ELECTED IF YOU DECIDED YOU DON'T WANT THE POSITION ANYMORE.
COULD DO A BYLAW AMENDMENT, BUT THAT'S QUITE A PROCESS.
COMMISSIONER LINDER? UH, COULD I ASK, UH, COMMISSIONER NEER IF SHE'S INTERESTED IN REMAINING AS PARLIAMENTARIAN OR IS THERE NO DEBATE? YEAH.
COMMISSIONER NEER, WILL YOU SERVE AGAIN? I WILL SERVE AGAIN.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR, UH, PARLIAMENTARIAN? OKAY, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF COMMISSIONER NEHMER FOR PARLIAMENTARIAN UNANIMOUS.
[12. Update from the Spay & Neuter Contracts with the City of Austin working group on goals, performance measures and reporting obligations of the contracts.]
12 IS WORKING GROUP COMMITTEE UPDATES.UPDATE FROM THE SPAY NEUTER CONTRACTS WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN WORKING GROUP ON GOALS, PERFORMANCE MEASURES, AND REPORTING OBLIGATIONS OF THE CONTRACTS.
WE HAVE A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, MS. VAL, WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM I AND COMMISSIONERS FOR, UH, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
AND I APPRECIATE THE RULE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO SPEAK DURING GENERAL AND ALSO DURING ITEMS. SO THANK YOU.
UM, THERE WAS AN EXCELLENT DISCUSSION EARLIER.
I REALIZE I'M REPEATING MYSELF A LITTLE BIT, BUT, UM, DIRECTOR BLAND GAVE SOME NUMBERS ON SPAY NEUTER.
DR. BRUCE, YOU ASKED SOME GOOD QUESTIONS, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I JUST WANNA ADD A LITTLE BIT TO IT IN THE, IN THE SENSE OF NUMBERS AND THE QUESTION YOU ASKED ABOUT GOALS.
UM, IN FISCAL YEAR 2019, JUST AS DIRECTOR BLAND POINTED OUT, UH, THERE WERE 10,473 ANIMALS STERILIZED IN THE COMMUNITY BY EMANCIPATE, I SUPPOSE, OR MAYBE EMANCIPATE AND AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY, THE COMBINATION OF THE TWO.
SO THAT WAS, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE GOAL FOR THE FOLLOWING YEARS IN FISCAL YEAR 2020.
UM, IT WAS ONLY 5,000 EIGHT HUNDRED NINE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY SIX A REDUCTION IN 4,487 THAT YEAR.
BUT WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THAT YEAR.
IT WAS THE COVID YEAR, UH, THE FOLLOWING YEAR IT WENT DOWN EVEN MORE, 4,956 AND THAT WENT, THE DEFICIT WENT UP TO 5,517 FFY 2022, IT WAS AT 4,761.
SO AGAIN, THE DEFICIT WAS HIGH 5,712 FROM WHAT IT HAD BEEN IN 2019.
FINALLY, IN 2023 IT GOT BETTER BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
SO MUCH BETTER PERFORMANCE, UM, IN THE NUMBERS IN FY 23, BUT FAR BELOW WHAT IT HAD BEEN IN 10,000 IN IN THE 10,473 THAT WERE DONE IN 2019.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE OUR WORKING GROUP TO CONSIDER IS WHAT CAN BE DONE TO GET BACK UP TO THE 10,473? I DON'T THINK IT'S A MONEY ISSUE.
I THINK EMANCIPATE AND, AND AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY HAVE NOT LOST FUNDING.
UM, BUT THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES THAT MAY IMPACT THAT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING FOR THIS COMMISSION AND FOR THE WORKING GROUP TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
UM, THIS YEAR WE ARE AT, WE WERE AT 27, 23 IN FOUR MONTHS.
IF YOU MULTIPLY THAT BY THREE, FOUR TIMES THREE EQUALS 12, YOU GET 8,169.
SO WE ARE STILL AT A DEFICIT THIS YEAR FOR THE
[01:35:01]
FIRST FOUR MONTHS.THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME BETTER PERFORMANCE IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH THAT I DIDN'T CATCH.
UM, AND DIRECTOR BLA YOU CAN CORRECT OR ADD TO THAT.
UM, COMMISSIONER BRUCE, I BELIEVE THIS IS YOUR ITEM.
AM I RIGHT ABOUT THAT? COMMISSIONER BRUCE, GO AHEAD.
UM, SO WE HAVE HAD A MEETING, UM, WITH COMMISSIONER LINDER AND COMMISSIONER HOLT, UM, TO GET EVERYBODY KIND OF GET UP TO SPEED ON THE CONTRACTS AND SOME OF THE NUMBERS THAT, UM, PAT WAS TALKING ABOUT.
PAT'S, UM, BEEN INVOLVED IN THE, THE, UM, WORKING GROUP AS WELL AND REALLY DIGGING INTO THE CONTRACTS THAT THE CITY HAS FOR SPAY AND NEUTER.
AND IT IS INTERESTING TO COMPARE THOSE TO OTHER CONTRACTS THAT THE CITY HAS.
EVEN, UM, YOU KNOW, THE A PA ONE WHERE WE'RE GETTING QUARTERLY REPORTING, UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AS I LEARNED MORE ABOUT THESE CONTRACTS THAT MOST CONTRACTS FOR THE CITY DO REQUIRE SOME QUARTERLY REPORTING.
AND WE HAD YEARS WHERE OUR GOALS WERE, YOU KNOW, 50% OF THE STATED GOAL.
AND WE NEVER HEARD A WORD ABOUT IT UNTIL WE HAD A SPAY NEUTER WORKING GROUP ACTUALLY DIG INTO THIS.
SO I FIND THAT QUITE UNACCEPTABLE THAT FOR THREE YEARS THE COMMISSION WAS COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH THESE CONTRACTS.
IT SEEMS LIKE STAFF WERE VERY UNAWARE OF THAT AS WELL.
SO, UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IF, UM, THESE CONTRACTS COME UP FOR REVIEW, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING SOME QUARTERLY REPORTING ON THEM IF THAT IS STANDARD FOR MANY OTHER CITY CONTRACTS.
UM, AND THEN ALSO THERE ARE SOME GUIDELINES OFFERED IN THESE CONTRACTS, BUT THERE'S REALLY NO HARD AND FIRM, UM, PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
UM, SO WITHOUT THE QUARTERLY REPORTING AND WITHOUT FIRM, UM, PERFORMANCE MEASURES, IT'S REALLY UNCLEAR.
UM, WE'VE LOST OUR QUORUM AT THE MOMENT.
UM, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET, IF COMMISSIONER DEL IS, UM, NO, I NEED TO GET OFF THE CALL.
SO WE NO LONGER HAVE A QUORUM.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN EVEN TAKE AN ACTION TO CLOSE THE MEETING WITHOUT A QUORUM
UH, ALMOST THE RULE IS 30 MINUTES AFTER STARTING IF YOU DON'T HAVE A QUORUM.
UM, THE KIND OF GUIDELINES AROUND LOSING A QUORUM IS IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT FOR ABOUT, LIKE, YOU CAN STAND INFORMAL FOR 10 MINUTES OR SO AND THEN IF NO ONE REJOINS YEAH.
AND AT THIS POINT WE KNOW THAT WE'RE, SO IF COMMISSIONER S MAGULA IS NOT GONNA REJOIN EITHER, THEN OH, DO WE KNOW? I JUST TEXTED HER.
I SHE WAS HAVING CONNECTIVITY ISSUES.
LET'S GIVE HER A CO, LIKE GIVE HER A MINUTE OR TWO AND THEN FORTUNATELY WE WERE AT THE END.
AND FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, FOLKS CAN ALWAYS EMAIL.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THREE OF 'EM ALREADY ON THE RECORD.
COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER CLINTON.
COMMISSIONER M GONNA CHECK UP LEEWAY HERE.
ACCORDING TO, UM, THE CITY, UH, OFFICIALS, CAN WE GO AHEAD AND LET DR. BRUCE FINISH WHAT SHE WAS SAYING? IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE A LEEWAY TO JUST KIND OF BE INFORMAL FOR A MOMENT AS WE WAIT.
UM, NOT THAT WE COULD CONDUCT BUSINESS.
I, I, I'M AFRAID SHE DIDN'T HAVE, SHE LOST CONNECTIVITY, BUT LET'S JUST GIVE IT ONE 60 MORE SECONDS AND THEN SEE WHERE IT IS INFORMALLY.
I CAN'T EVEN REALLY CLOSE IT, RIGHT? IT JUST CLOSES AUTOMATICALLY.
YEAH, YOU CAN, I MEAN, YOU CAN JUST SAY FOR THE RECORD THAT WE'RE ADJOURNING WE'LL GIVE HER A FEW, FEW MORE SECONDS.
DOES THAT MEAN THOSE OF US ONLINE ARE GOOD TO GO? OR DO WE MESS ANYTHING UP BY LEAVING? UM, WE WERE GONNA GIVE, UH, COMMISSIONER S MAGULA A COUPLE MORE SECONDS, BUT, UM OH, OKAY.
SHE'S NOT, IT DOESN'T APPEAR THAT SHE'S RESPONDING, BUT JUST TO GIVE US A FEW MORE SECONDS AND IF NOT, WE'LL WE'LL ADJOURN FOR WHATEVER IT'S WORTH.
SHE'S BEEN OFF THE CALL FOR 10 MINUTES.
[01:40:01]
DITIS LEFT THAT WE, YES.UH, COMMISSIONER MULA I THINK LOST CONNECTIVITY EARLIER.
I THINK, UH, WITHOUT ANY INFORMAL OBJECTION, I THINK WE SHOULD JUST CLOSE THE MEETING 'CAUSE WE'RE OUT OF A QUORUM.