[CALL TO ORDER]
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WELCOME TO THE JANUARY 13TH, 2025 REGULAR MEETING OF THE TRAVIS COUNTY, AUSTIN ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.
UM, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL ROLL.
UH, IS NANCY ER AVAILABLE? NANCY, I THINK YOU HAVE TO SHARE FACE.
YOU'RE, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
CAN YOU HEAR US? WE CAN SEE YOU, BUT I CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING FROM YOU.
WELL, WE SEE HER, UM, LET'S SEE.
WE HAVE ENOUGH TO GO, UH, EVEN IF, OKAY.
UM, COMMISSIONER DEL HERE, VICE CHAIR, LENDER PRESENT.
UM, IF YOU COULD MAKE YOUR FACE VISIBLE, WE CAN COUNT YOU HERE.
SORRY, I WAS A GUEST UNTIL JUST NOW.
UM, SO PRESENT, IT LOOKS LIKE YOUR, UH, CAMERA MIGHT BE OFF.
I DO NOT SEE COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON HERE.
UH, I ALSO DO NOT SEE, UM, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE, UM, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION ON, UH, TOPICS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA.
AND THEN WE WILL GO TO, UM, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AND THE DISCUSSION ITEM.
I DO WANT TO SAY AS AN INTRODUCTORY REMARK, THAT, UM, IT WAS REQUESTED BY STAFF, AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD, UM, BEAR IN MIND THIS IS THAT TODAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LISTEN.
UM, THAT, THAT'S THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE COMMISSION TODAY, UH, IS TO LISTEN, LISTEN TO THE PRESENTATION, AND LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
UM, WE DELIBERATELY DID NOT PUT ON THE AGENDA ITEM, UH, AN, UH, AN ACTION ITEM ON THE, UH, STAFF REPORT, UM, THAT THEY WILL PRE BE PRESENTING.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT ANYONE TO NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE ENTIRE REPORT, TO HEAR FROM STAFF, TO WEIGH IN, AND THEN FOR US TO TAKE ACTION AT ANOTHER MEETING.
SO, TODAY IS NOT A DAY OF ACTION FOR US.
WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF AUTHORITY ON THIS COMMISSION.
WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO PASS LAWS.
WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO HIRE AND FIRE.
UM, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DIRECT ANYONE TO DO ANYTHING.
UM, BUT WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TASKED FOR, TASKED WITH, UM, BY THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, IS TO LISTEN.
AND SO THAT'S OUR PRIMARY GOAL TODAY.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ]
MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.UM, THE FIRST SPEAKER ON TOPICS, NOT ON THE AGENDA IS KAYLA MURRAY.
A FRIEND OF MINE WHO IS A DISABLED VETERAN SENIOR CITIZEN, ASKED ME TO HELP HIM FIND A DOG TO ADOPT BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, I USED TO VOLUNTEER AT A A C.
SO I BROUGHT HIM TO THE SHELTER ON SEPTEMBER 28TH OF LAST YEAR TO MEET A DOG WHO HAD BEEN RECOMMENDED.
THIS DOG'S FORMER FOSTER HAPPENED TO BE AT THE SHELTER THAT DAY.
SO ALONG WITH A COUPLE OF VOLUNTEERS, WE INTRODUCED MY FRIEND TO THE DOG, AND MY FRIEND DECIDED HE WANTED TO DO A VIP ADOPTION.
WE WENT TO THE LOBBY AND WERE HANDED AN IPAD AND TOLD TO CREATE AN ADOPT A PETS ACCOUNT TO GET IN LINE VIRTUALLY AFTER FOUR OR FIVE FAILED ATTEMPTS.
I ASKED A STAFF PERSON BEHIND THE COUNTER IF SHE COULD HELP US.
THAT WAS THE EXTENT OF THAT CONVERSATION, AND IT'S A PERFECT SNAPSHOT OF OUR ENTIRE EXPERIENCE THAT DAY.
WE'RE NOW ABOUT 45 MINUTES INTO OUR TIME IN THE LOBBY, IN SPITE OF THERE BEING ONLY ONE OTHER CUSTOMER.
AND IN SPITE OF SEVERAL STAFF MEMBERS SEEING US CLEARLY STRUGGLING, NOBODY HELPED US.
WE WERE FINALLY CALLED OVER TO A STATION AND MY FRIEND SAT DOWN.
THE STAFF PERSON SAID, AND I QUOTE, YOU KNOW, THIS DOG WAS JUST RETURNED FOR BEHAVIOR, RIGHT? AND HE CANNOT BE AROUND CATS OR SMALL DOGS BECAUSE OF HIS PREY DRIVE, RIGHT? NOT A SINGLE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS DOG WAS MENTIONED DESPITE THE FACT THAT HE HAD VOLUNTEER OBSERVATIONS AND FOSTER NOTES DETAILING HIS POSITIVE QUALITIES.
THE STAFF PERSON TOLD MY FRIEND THAT IN ORDER TO DO A VIP ADOPTION, HE HAD TO PROVIDE THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR A LOCAL RELATIVE.
THIS MAN DOES NOT HAVE A LOCAL RELATIVE.
SO HE ASKED IF I COULD BE THE CONTACT PERSON.
SHE SAID IT COULDN'T BE A VOLUNTEER.
I TOLD HER I WAS NOT A VOLUNTEER.
WE THEN HAD THE SAME CONVERSATION FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES WITH HER NOT COMPREHENDING THAT I WAS NOT A VOLUNTEER.
SHE ALSO KEPT ASKING HIM, ARE YOU SURE YOU DON'T HAVE ANYONE? HE KEPT SAYING, NO, IT'S JUST ME.
A SUPERVISOR CAME OUT AND SHE ALSO TRIED TO TELL ME THAT I WAS VOLUNTEER, AND SHE ALSO WANTED MY FRIEND TO PROVIDE THE CONTACT INFO FOR A LOCAL RELATIVE.
HOW MANY TIMES DOES THIS POOR MAN HAVE TO BE HUMILIATED AND REPEAT THAT HE'S ALL ALONE? ULTIMATELY, I WAS ALLOWED TO PROVIDE MY CONTACT INFO AND WE LEFT WITH THE DOG.
AND 30 DAYS LATER, HE WAS OFFICIALLY ADOPTED.
BUT THAT WAS IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING, A A C DID THAT DAY TO PREVENT THIS ADOPTION FROM HAPPENING.
DON BLAND HAS CLOSED INTAKE, AND YET THE SHELTER STILL CAN'T PROVIDE EFFECTIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE.
ONE OF THE MOST BASIC FUNCTIONS, THE SHELTER WAS FULL OF DOGS THAT DAY.
AND EVEN WITH ONLY ONE OTHER CUSTOMER WE HAD TO JUMP
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THROUGH HOOP AFTER HOOP TO TAKE A DOG HOME.A STUDY SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN TO MEASURE OUTCOMES BEFORE A A C IMPLEMENTED IT, AND AFTER A A C IMPLEMENTED IT.
THERE ALSO NEEDS TO BE AN INTENSIVE TRAINING AND CUSTOMER SERVICE WHERE THE STAFF MEMBERS ENGAGE IN MOCK SITUATIONS.
NOBODY SHOULD BE TOLD THEY CANNOT PARTICIPATE IN A VIP ADOPTION BECAUSE THEY LIVE ALONE AND DON'T HAVE ANYBODY ELSE.
HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME INTO A A C AND SIMPLY LEFT AND GONE TO A PA OR WHEREVER BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T FIND A STAFF PERSON WILLING TO HELP THEM? HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME INTO A C AND LEFT BECAUSE THEY WERE TREATED POORLY? LIKE MY FRIEND WAS? A MUNICIPAL SHELTER WITH A $20 MILLION BUDGET SHOULD NOT BE STRUGGLING TO PROVIDE BASIC CUSTOMER SERVICE, ESPECIALLY WHEN INTAKE IS CLOSED.
THAT IS WHEN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ADOPTION COUNSELING SHOULD BE A TOP PRIORITY.
ADOPTIONS AND FOSTER HOMES ARE CRUCIAL TO REDUCE OVERCROWDING, BUT WHY WOULD ANYONE GO TO A C WHEN THEY CAN GO TO ANOTHER SHELTER AND BE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND COMPASSION? UNTIL CITY MANAGER, BROAD NECKS, AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, CARBO HALL, PRIORITIZE AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES AND GIVE IT THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES.
AND AS USUAL IS THE ANIMALS WHO WILL CONTINUE TO PAY THE PRICE.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
CAN I ASK YOU A FOLLOW UP? YOU SAID ADOPT UP PET IS A DISASTER, BUT YOU DIDN'T SPEAK OTHERWISE TO ADOPT PET.
CAN YOU JUST TELL US WHAT YOU MEANT BY THAT? I DID SPEAK TO ADOPT UP PETS.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE, UM, I'M SORRY.
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT POINT.
OH, I WAS HOPING YOU COULD CLARIFY.
UM, AND YOU PROBABLY ALSO WOULD WANT TO HAVE OTHER WEIGH IN WHO ARE MORE FAMILIAR WITH ADOPT PETS, BUT ADOPT PETS WAS WHAT WE WERE TOLD WE HAD TO SIGN IN ON TO THE SOFTWARE CREATE ACCOUNT, THE SOFTWARE.
IS THAT THAT ADD A PETS? I THINK IT'S CALLED ADOPT PETS, BUT IT COULD BE ADOPT PETS AT YES.
I JUST KNOW THAT I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET IT TO WORK.
UM, AND I'VE HEARD MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS OF THIS FROM OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL.
I JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND FROM YOUR COMMENTS THAT IT WAS THE SOFTWARE THAT WAS THE ISSUE.
UH, THE NEXT, UH, PERSON TO SPEAK ON A TOPIC NOT ON THE AGENDA IS PAT VRES IF REMOTE.
DO WE HAVE A REMOTE PERSON? I UNMUTE.
HEY, PAT, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, UNMUTING YOUR COMPUTER.
UM, HAVE I SUCCESSFULLY UNMUTED AND CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
UM, CHAIR CLINTON, VICE CHAIR, LINDER AND COMMISSION MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO AUSTIN'S ANIMALS.
MY NAME IS PAT VARES, AND AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, BUT I'M SAYING THIS FOR ANYONE WHO DOESN'T.
I AM A LONG TERM RESIDENT OF AUSTIN, A LONG TIME ADVOCATE FOR AUSTIN PETS WILDLIFE AND IMPROVED ANIMAL SERVICES.
UM, I AM, I AM SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THREE ITEMS, AND I'M GONNA START WITH THE PART THAT IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
AND I HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
IS THAT CORRECT? YOU ARE, YOU ARE USING THEM? YES.
SO IN MY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, I'M NOT GOING TO ADDRESS, UM, THE STRATEGIC PLAN BECAUSE I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THAT AS WELL.
BUT I DO WANNA ADDRESS A FEW THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, UM, I AM VERY PLEASED THAT THIS MEETING IS FOR LISTENING AND THAT YOU WILL, UM, TAKE UP OTHER ISSUES IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN AT A, AT A LATER MEETING AFTER YOU'VE LISTENED TO THAT.
UM, I WILL RESERVE MY COMMENTS ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR LATER, BUT RIGHT NOW I WANNA MAKE A REQUEST THAT DURING FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, YOU HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM NEXT MONTH AND THE MONTH AFTER THAT, AND THE MONTH AFTER THAT, AND THE MONTH AFTER THAT TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET FOR ANIMAL SERVICES, WHICH IN MY OPINION, A A, A FAILURE OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT, UM, CAN BE RE REMEDIATED BY YOU CONTINUING TO DISCUSS BUDGET ISSUES IS THAT WE NEVER DISCUSSED DURING THE STRATEGIC PLAN HOW WE ARE GONNA FUND SOME OF THE GREAT IDEAS AND DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAD IN, IN THOSE MEETINGS.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I WANNA REQUEST THAT YOU HAVE AGENDA ITEMS EVERY MONTH DISCUSSING HOW ARE WE GOING TO FUND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED BY THE STRATEGIC PLANS, BUT WERE NOT SUFFICIENTLY ADDRESSED, SUCH AS HOW MUCH MONEY DOES IT TAKE TO FUND OPEN INTAKE WITHOUT KILLING ANIMALS.
THAT IS NOT ADDRESSED BY THE STRATEGIC PLAN, ALTHOUGH I DO THINK THAT YOU CAN ADDRESS THAT IN FUTURE MEETINGS BY PUTTING MONTHLY BUDGET DISCUSSIONS IN THE, UM, AGENDA ITEMS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS THAT ARE SEPARATE AND
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LINKED TO, BUT NOT, INSTEAD OF DISCUSSING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING MEASURES, WHICH WERE VERY IMPORTANT, UM, I DO WANNA THANK ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER HAI BECAUSE SHE HAS SAID THAT SHE WILL WORK ON HAVING SOME BUDGET PRESENTATIONS FOR THE COMMISSION IN OUR FUTURE MEETINGS.I DISCUSSED THAT WITH HER AT OUR LAST, UH, STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING, AND I'M VERY PLEASED THAT SHE WILL BRING FORWARD SOME INFORMATION SO THAT YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS WE ARE WANTING TO DO AND OR WHAT IT IS THE COMMISSION AND THE COMMUNITY WANNA DO THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THROUGH OTHER MEASURES TO ADEQUATELY FUND OPEN INTAKE, WHICH RIGHT NOW, AS YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE THAT.
THERE WERE OTHER, MANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS AT THE TIME.
WILL I GET ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK LATER? YOU ARE SIGNED UP FOR, UH, EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA AS FAR AS I CAN SEE.
SEE? NO, YOU'RE NOT SIGNED UP FOR ONE.
YOU'RE SIGNED UP FOR TWO MORE ITEMS. OKAY.
THE NEXT PERSON IS LAURA RONSON, AND I APOLOGIZE IF I MISPRONOUNCED YOUR NAME.
MY NAME'S LAURA NESMITH, AND WE ARE BACK TO SHINE MORE LIGHT INTO TNR.
LAST MONTH, WE SHARED SOME OF THE MANY POSITIVE IMPACTS OF TNR ON OUR COMMUNITY.
TODAY WE WANT TO DIVE INTO WHAT IT ACTUALLY TAKES TO MAKE TNR HAPPEN.
WHILE SOME PARTS OF THIS PROCESS MAY SEEM TEDIOUS, UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGES IS ESSENTIAL FOR MEANINGFUL IMPROVEMENT.
HERE'S A SNAPSHOT OF OUR CURRENT WORKLOAD AS OF THE END OF LAST WEEK.
THESE ARE ALL THE OPEN REQUESTS, YET ONLY 15 TO 20 OF US ARE REGULAR TRAPPERS.
NOW, KEEP IN MIND HERE, THERE'S OVER 600 REQUESTS.
TODAY, WE'LL SHOW YOU JUST HOW INEFFICIENT IT IS AND HOW REPETITIVE IT IS IN THE CURRENT SYSTEM.
ALTHOUGH NOT EVERYONE FOLLOWS THE EXACT STEPS OF THIS PROCESS, UH, IT IS, HERE'S WHAT IS RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMUNITY CATS PROGRAM.
YOU START BY OPENING THE REQUEST SPREADSHEET, WHICH IS POPULATED FROM THE PUBLIC FACING FORM.
THIS SPREADSHEET CONTAINS ALL THE DETAILS, BUT IS NOT VERY MO MOBILE FRIENDLY.
A BIG CHALLENGE FOR ON-THE-GO VOLUNTEERS.
AS A RESULT, MANY VOLUNTEERS BYPASS THE SYSTEM ENTIRELY IN FIND REQUESTS THROUGH FACEBOOK GROUPS, WORD OF MOUTH, OR NEXTDOOR.
WHEN THEY GENERATE THEIR OWN REQUEST NUMBERS, IT DOESN'T REDUCE THE OPEN INTAKES OR THE OPEN REQUESTS IN OUR SYSTEM.
THEN YOU SIGN UP FOR THE REQUEST.
ONCE YOU'VE CHOSEN A REQUEST, YOU LOG INTO A A C SIGNUPGENIUS TO FIND IT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S ALSO NO FILTERS, SO IT CAN BE A LITTLE CUMBERSOME.
CONTROL FINDER IS A BEST FRIEND.
OR YOU CAN SEARCH YOUR PAGE IF YOU'RE ON THE MOBILE.
AFTER SIGNING UP A DATABASE ADMIN, WHICH IS ANOTHER VOLUNTEER, MANUALLY MOVES THE REQUEST FROM AVAILABLE TO ASSIGNED.
NEXT, YOU CONTACT THE REQUESTER TO ASSESS THE NUMBER OF CATS THE EFFORT REQUIRED, THE EQUIPMENT YOU NEED.
DO YOU NEED MORE TRAPS? HOW MUCH BAIT TUNA DO YOU NEED? AND DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH CARDBOARD INSERTS FOR INSIDE THE TRAP? DO YOU OR YOUR TRAP COVERS CLEAN AND READY TO GO AND OTHER MANY DETAILS? MANY TRAPPERS JUGGLE TWO TO THREE JOBS SIMULTANEOUSLY MAKING THIS PROCESS VERY TIME CONSUMING.
THEN YOU RESERVE A CLINIC SPOT.
NOW YOU RESERVE A SPAY AND NEUTER SPOT AT THE AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY BY LOGGING INTO A SEPARATE A HS SIGNUP GENIUS.
THESE CLINICS FILL UP FAST OFTEN ON THE FIRST DAY THAT THEY'RE MADE AVAILABLE, AND WE DON'T GET ANY NOTIFICATIONS ON WHEN THEY'RE MADE AVAILABLE EITHER.
MANY TRAPPERS CANCELED THEIR RESERVATIONS LAST MINUTE DUE TO UNFORESEEN CHALLENGES RESULTING IN WAS SLOTS.
THIS CONTRIBUTES TO A CLINIC UTILIZATION RATE OF ONLY 60 TO 70%.
CAN THIS BE IMPROVED? WE DON'T KNOW YET, BUT IT'S WORTH CHECKING.
ONCE ALL OF THESE STEPS ARE COMPLETE, IT'S THEN FINALLY ABLE TIME TO TRAP.
WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO WENDY, WHO WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS OF TRAPPING ITSELF.
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR MISPRONOUNCING YOUR NAME.
WE WILL GET THIS DONE ONE DAY.
UH, GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME IS WENDY WEISS AND I'M HERE TO DESCRIBE THE TRAPPING PROCESS AFTER REQUEST HAS BEEN SELECTED AND PLANNING COMPLETED.
EACH TRAPPING ADVENTURE IS UNIQUE, BUT THIS IS A BASIC OVERVIEW.
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TRAPPING USUALLY HAPPENS THE DAY BEFORE YOUR SURGERY APPOINTMENT OR THE MORNING OF.WE SET TRAPS AT THE SITE AND WAIT.
SOMETIMES THE CATS COOPERATE QUICKLY.
CHALLENGES ARISE WHEN THE WRONG CAT IS TRAPPED.
TRAPS STAY EMPTY OR FOOD DISAPPEARS, AND SO DOES THE CAT.
IF WE DON'T TRAP ANY CATS, WE PACK UP AND TRY AGAIN.
WHEN WE HAVE A NEW SURGERY APPOINTMENT, WHEN WE CATCH CATS, THEY'RE TAKEN TO THE CADDY SHACK, A SMALL CLIMATE CONTROLLED BUILDING AT A A C WHERE THE AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY PICKS UP AND DROPS OFF CATS.
THERE WE LOG OUR HOURS, FILL OUT PAPERWORK TAG TRAPS, PHOTOGRAPH EACH CAT TO PREVENT MIX UPS AND ENSURE FOOD IS LEFT IN THE TRAPS BEFORE CLEANING UP AND HEADING HOME.
IF A A C IS TOO FAR OR IT'S TOO LATE, YOU MIGHT HOUSE THE CATS OVERNIGHT OR TRAP IN THE MORNING AND THEN TRA TRANSPORT THE CATS DIRECTLY TO THE AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY.
THIS REQUIRES UPDATING AN ONLINE SPREADSHEET.
UM, PICKING UP THE CATS FROM A HS OR THE CADDY SHACK ALSO INVOLVES LOGGING HOURS, EITHER ONLINE OR PAPER.
SO IT'S SEPARATE FOR EITHER ONE.
WE'RE GLAD IMPROVEMENTS ARE BEING MADE TO STREAMLINE THE TRACKING OF OUR VOLUNTEER HOURS, BUT OTHER PARTS OF THE PROCESS NEEDS STREAMLINING TOO.
SOMETIMES UNEXPECTED SITUATIONS ARRIVE.
INJURED CATS, OR YOUNG KITTENS TOO SMALL FOR TNR MAY BE BROUGHT.
MAY NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO THE PET RESOURCE CENTER FOR SHELTER, NEW TO RETURN RATHER THAN TNR.
THE PCRS INTAKES HOURS ARE LIMITED, BUT IT'S NOT CLEAR WHEN CATS CAN ACTUALLY BE BROUGHT IN IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS AS DIFFERENT INFORMATION IS PASSED ALONG BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
THERE IS A TEXT NUMBER AND AN EMAIL WE USE TO CONTACT OUR COMMUNITY CAT PROGRAM MANAGERS.
BUT DEPENDING ON WHEN YOU'RE MAKING CONTACT, YOU MIGHT NOT GET A REPLY BACK FOR HOURS OR UNTIL THE NEXT DAY, WHICH IS EXPECTED, BUT THAT MIGHT NOT BE SOON ENOUGH WHEN YOU'RE IN THE FIELD ACTIVELY TRAPPING AND YOU NEED AN ANSWER TO A QUESTION.
AND IF IT'S AFTER HOURS, WE ARE ASKED TO TAKE, TO TRANSPORT SICKER INJURED CATS DIRECTLY TO AACS, UM, EMERGENCY VETERINARY PARTNER WHO MAY DISPUTE OUR NEED TO BRING THEM THERE AT ALL.
THIS PUTS US IN A DILEMMA, A TERRIBLE DILEMMA, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE UNABLE TO HOUSE THE CATS OVERNIGHT IN OUR HOME AND IT'S LATE AT NIGHT.
WHAT DO WE DO WITH THEM? THE UNCERTAINTY OF THESE ONE-OFFS, PART OF THE PROCESS PUT A GREAT DEAL OF STRESS ON THE TRAPPERS, AND IT'S REALLY EMOTIONALLY DRAINING.
BUT WHEN EVERYTHING GOES SMOOTHLY, CATS RETURN TO THE CADDY SHACK THE DAY AFTER SURGERY.
VOLUNTEERS PICK THEM UP, DOCUMENT THEIR RELEASE, CLEAN THEIR CADDY SHACK SPACES, WHICH CAN BE REALLY GROSS DISINFECT TRAPS, UPDATE CAREGIVERS AND MARK THE REQUEST AS COMPLETED IN ONE OF THOSE, UH, SPREADSHEETS.
THEN WE'RE OFF TO THE NEXT, UH, NEXT ADVENTURE.
NOW I'LL HAND IT OFF TO DEBORAH, WHO WILL DISCUSS AN OFTEN OVERLOOKED PART OF TNR COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT.
BEFORE YOU, UM, BACK UP, UM, WOULD YOU MIND, UH, I, YOU, YOU MENTIONED THE COMMUNITY CAT MANAGER AND YOU GUYS HAVE MENTIONED THE SYSTEM THAT YOU'RE LOGGING INTO.
CAN DO YOU MIND IDENTIFYING, UM, WHERE THOSE PEOPLE WORK? WHICH, WHICH, WHICH PARTNERS SYSTEM YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? SO LIKE THE, UM, FIRST THING WE LOOK AT IS A SPREADSHEET THAT IS MANAGED BY ANOTHER VOLUNTEER.
SO THAT, THAT'S NOT A A A C OR A HS DOCUMENT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE WE, IT'S, IT, IT, IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH A A C.
AND THEN THERE'S A SIGNUP GENIUS, UM, PIECE OF SOFTWARE THAT WE COULD LOG INTO TO SO THAT THE, THE REQUEST FROM THE PUBLIC PACING FACING FORM GETS PUT INTO THE SPREADSHEET.
THE SPREADSHEET GETS PUT INTO THE SIGNUP GENIUS.
WE GO TO THE SIGNUP GENIUS TO SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA TAKE THIS REQUEST.
THEN IT MANUALLY GETS TRANSFERRED FROM OPEN TO SOMEBODY'S TAKEN IT.
UM, THE SURGERIES ARE SIGNED UP FOR, ON AN A HS SIGNUPGENIUS ACCOUNT, UM, HOURS ARE LOGGED EITHER ON A PIECE OF PAPER IN THE CADDY SHACK OR ON AN A HS FORM THAT'S ONLINE.
AND THOSE ARE VOLUNTEER HOURS, THE VOLUNTEER HOURS.
AND THEN, AND THEN THE MANAGER THAT YOU'RE CON YOU'RE TEXTING IS THAT, SO, SO THAT IS, UM, ALYSSA AND VICTORIA AT A C.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T WORK 24 HOURS A DAY, HONESTLY.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS CLEAR WHO, WHAT ROLES EACH ENTITY HAD IN THE DISCUSSION.
LUIS HAS A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE FEEDBACK ABOUT COMMUNICAT.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT IT NOW.
NOW IT'S TWO MANAGERS, RIGHT? YES.
WE, THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE THAT WE, WE DEAL WITH.
I, I DON'T KNOW THE INS AND OUTS OF THEIR POSITIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THESE TWO PERSONS ARE HELPING TO TRAP CATS ON THE FIELD OR DRIVING SOME OF THE CATS TO THE CA SHACK OR TO THE NO.
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SOCIETY? NO, THEY ARE NOT HELPING, UM, WITH THE ACTUAL TRAPPING.UM, JUST FOR THE RECORD, I, I WANTED TO NOTE THAT COMMISSIONER TUCKER HAS ALSO JOINED.
UH, THE NEXT PERSON IS DEBORAH ROWE.
I'M DEBORAH ROWE AND I'LL BE WRAPPING UP THE TNR STORY.
YOU MIGHT THINK THAT ONCE CATS ARE RETURNED TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR WORK IS DONE.
BUT IN SOME WAYS IT'S REALLY JUST THE START.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH COLONY CAREGIVERS AND OFTEN WE ARE THE CAREGIVERS, IS WHAT BROUGHT US TO THE CATS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
DID A NEW CAT SHOW UP? ARE THERE ANY HOSTILE NEIGHBORS? SAFETY IS ACTUALLY A SERIOUS CONCERN SINCE A LOT OF OUR WORK IS DONE AFTER DARK.
AND WE ARE A TEAM OF MAINLY WOMEN WHO USUALLY WORK ALONE.
WE TAKE ALL OF THIS INTO CONSIDERATION AS WE PLAN HOW TO BEST SERVE BOTH CATS AND COMMUNITY.
MANY OF US PAY FOR FOOD OUT OF OUR OWN POCKETS, AS WELL AS FOR GAS, UH, MEDICATIONS LIKE FLEA PREVENTION AND DEWORMERS, AND THESE COSTS ADD UP.
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT THE CITY HELPS SUPPORT THESE CATS THROUGH A MEDICAL VOUCHER PROGRAM.
HOWEVER, OUTSIDE OF THE VOLUNTEERS AND PEOPLE IN THE WELFARE COMMUNITY, THE AVERAGE RESIDENT HAS NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROGRAM, EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN AROUND SINCE 2010.
AND THE THREE CLINICS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM ARE ALL IN SOUTH AUSTIN, WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR US IN THE NORTH END TO COORDINATE WORK SCHEDULES TO TRANSPORT THEM AN HOUR OR MORE TO AND FROM THESE CLINICS.
HAVING A COUPLE OPTIONS IN NORTH AUSTIN COULD HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE TRAVEL BURDEN SINCE WE'RE OFTEN THE ONES ANSWERING TIME SENSITIVE PUBLIC PLEAS FOR HELP.
HOUSE BILL 36 60, WHICH WAS SIGNED INTO LAW IN 2023, LEGALIZED TNR IN TEXAS.
AND IT PROTECTS PEOPLE LIKE US FROM RETALIATION.
THIS IS A GREAT START AND A LONG TIME COMING, BUT IT CANNOT STOP THERE.
IN 2010, THROUGH A WORKING GROUP INITIATED BY CAT CHAMPIONS OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, THEY WERE ABLE TO DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE THE CARE AND OUTCOMES OF KITTENS.
BY MODERNIZING THE SNR PROGRAM, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD ON AREAS WHERE TNR AND SNR OVERLAP.
SO TONIGHT, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST A COMMISSION SPONSOR AND GUIDANCE ON HOW BEST TO ESTABLISH A WORKING GROUP FOR TNR.
AS WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT AND IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS, THERE'S SO MUCH ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
NOT ONLY CAN WE IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCE FOR CURRENT VOLUNTEERS, WE CAN AND SHOULD MAKE IT EASIER TO ACTIVATE AUSTIN RESIDENTS.
SO THE BURDEN ISN'T COMPLETELY ON JUST A FEW TRAPPERS.
IT MAY SURPRISE SOME IN ATTENDANCE THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD A TNR WORKING GROUP, MAKING IT ALL THE MORE RELEVANT IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, KITTEN SEASON STARTS BACK UP.
SO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP REDUCE FUTURE INTAKE NUMBERS AT A A C BY FOCUSING ON REAL UPSTREAM SOLUTIONS.
WE SINCERELY HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER OUR REQUEST.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, VICE CHAIR LINDER.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT SOMETIMES VOLUNTEERS ARE HAVING TO PAY FOR THINGS, UM, LIKE FOOD AND GAS MM-HMM
BUT YOU ALSO MENTIONED MEDICATIONS LIKE CLEAN TECH PREVENTION.
ARE THOSE MEDICATIONS THINGS THAT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER THAT MEDICAL VOUCHER PROGRAM? OR IS THAT ONLY FOR UM, YEAH.
THE MEDICAL VOUCHER ONLY COVERS NON-EMERGENCY INJURIES.
AND THERE'S A LIST ON THE FORM FOR THE TYPES OF INJURIES THAT WOULD BE COVERED FOR THAT.
IT, BUT SORT OF GENERAL MAINTENANCE, KIND OF PREVENTATIVE CARE IS NOT ON THERE.
THANK YOU MS. RO, UH, ROCHELLE VICKERY.
I'M NOT HERE FOR THE CATS TONIGHT.
AND I'VE ALREADY SHOWN THESE PICTURES AND I I, THEY WAS TAKEN YESTERDAY.
Y'ALL HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT ELROY.
THIS MAN HAD THESE FIVE DOGS DUMPED ON HIM.
AND I WANT TO, I'M ASKING, WE HAVE THREE SHELTERS IN THIS TOWN.
I WENT THERE TODAY WITH THE PICTURES SO THEY COULD SEE 'EM.
ALL THEY HAVE IS BELLY WORMS, NO RUNNY NOSES, NO RUNNY EYES, NO DIARRHEA.
THE MAN LET ME TAKE PICTURES OF THEM SO I, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, I YOU SEE THAT THEY NEED HELP.
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WANT 'EM.HE, HE DOESN'T KNOW WHERE THEY CAME FROM.
AND I, I, SO THE AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY WON'T TAKE 'EM.
MR. BLAND TOLD ME TO GO ASK FOR, UM, BROWN, MS. BROWN TO, TO, BECAUSE THESE ARE NOT VERY BIG.
THEY'RE ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS OLD PUPPIES, AND THEY NEED HOME.
AUSTIN PETS OF LIVES WON'T TAKE 'EM FROM ME.
AND WE GOT THREE SH WE GOT THREE SHELTERS IN THIS TOWN.
AND I'M RUNNING INTO PROBLEMS. AND I'VE BEGGED Y'ALL WITH PROBLEMS. AND ELROY, I'D LIKE IT IN APRIL IF YOU COULD GET THAT CLINIC OUT THERE IN ELROY, DALE VALLEY AREA.
'CAUSE THOSE PEOPLE WILL COME.
I'M WELL ASSURED 'CAUSE OUT IN THAT AREA, THEY'RE DUMPING BAD.
BUT IF Y'ALL WANNA SEE THESE PICTURES, I'VE GOT 'EM FOR YOU BECAUSE THEY'RE TIME AND DATED.
AND IT SAYS EXACTLY WHEN I DID THE PICTURES.
AND I, I JUST, YOU KNOW, IT, IT MAKES ME SAD.
WE GOT A WONDERFUL CAT PROGRAM.
YOU HEAR THESE LADIES TALK ABOUT IT.
I'M GONNA GO PICK UP FIVE TONIGHT.
I'VE ALREADY DONE TED LAST WEEK.
I'VE GOT PLACES WHERE I'VE GOT 15 CATS.
SO, BUT PEOPLE CALL ME FOR HELP FOR DOGS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, WE NEED HELP IN THIS TOWN BECAUSE PEOPLE GET 'EM.
AND I, TO ME, IF Y'ALL LET THINK ABOUT IT, ALL THOSE DOGS GOT MICROCHIPS IN THEM.
PEOPLE FORGET ABOUT THAT MICROCHIP.
AND THEY DUMP THEIR ANIMALS WHEN THEY DO.
AND THEN WHEN WE FIND THEM, THEN WE KNOW WHO DUMPED THEM.
BUT THAT'S, I'M SO, I'M SO PROUD THAT WE'VE GOTTEN AT LEAST 2000 DOGS IN THIS DEAL, AND THEY ALL HAD MICROCHIPS PUT IN THEM.
AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, I DROVE Y'ALL CRAZY GRIPING ABOUT IT.
AND I KNOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE IT AGAIN IN APRIL.
AND I JUST SAY, PLEASE BRING IT OUT THERE.
SO THOSE DOGS, ARE THEY STRAY OR HE THEY WAS DUMPED.
YOU, YOU CAN SEE THE PICTURES.
THEY'RE ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS OLD.
SO THEY'RE JUST IN THE, THEY D DUMPED IT.
I I TOOK PICTURES OF THE MAN'S PLACE IT SHE SAW THE PICTURES OF.
AND, AND, UH, THE MAN DROVE UP WHEN I, THIS FRIEND THAT I HAVE OUT THERE, I DO, I'VE DONE A BUNCH OF CATS FOR HIM.
AND HE HAD PUPPIES DUMPED IN HIS, IN HIS YARD.
UH, UH, SEVERAL, UM, FIVE LITTLE, UH, LAB MIX PUPPIES.
AND, UH, THE HUMANE SOCIETY TOOK THEM.
I MEAN, THE, UH, AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER TOOK THEM IN.
AND THEN HE FOUND A BOX WITH THREE PUPPIES IN THEM AT THE DOLLAR GENERAL
AND THEY HAD RINGWORM AND THEY HAD LICE ON THEM SO BAD.
I THOUGHT IT WAS CORN GRITS THROWN ON THEM AND GOT WET.
YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE THEY WAS JUST, IT WAS JUST 'CAUSE THAT, THAT SWELLS UP.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE WHEN I FIRST SAW THEM.
I, I WAS LOOKING, ELROY IS AN UNINCORPORATED CORRECT? IT'S IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
BUT I, I'M JUST CURIOUS WHEN, UH, IT'S BY THE RACETRACK.
SO WHEN, UH, PRACTICE THIS IN AUSTIN AND SOUND UNINCORPORATED, WHAT DOES THAT MEANS IN RELATION? I, YEAH.
WE, WHEN I WRITE ON MY PAPER, I THINK, I THINK, WE'LL, WE CAN, UH, WHY DON'T YOU ASK STAFF WHEN, WHEN IT'S TIME FOR THEIR REPORT.
BUT ANY, YEAH, BUT IT, IT, IT IS VERY SAD OUT THERE.
YOU SAID, UM, WHEN YOU TALKED TO DIRECTOR BLAND ABOUT THIS, HE TOLD YOU TO TALK TO, YOU SAID MS. BROWN OR, YEAH.
COULD YOU, WHO, WHO IS THAT? OR COULD YOU DOG ON THIS? I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW.
I'M GONNA GO THERE AND ASK FOR AND SEE.
'CAUSE HE SAID THEY HAVE SMALL CAGES.
'CAUSE THESE AREN'T VERY BIG DOGS.
I, I'LL, I'LL ASK ABOUT THAT LATER.
BECAUSE I, I'M JUST TRYING TO SAVE THEIR LIVES.
JUST LIKE I TRY TO SAVE THE CAT'S LIVES, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
THANKS VERY MUCH MR. ROBERT CORBIN.
WELL, ALL I CAN SAY TO START IS, THIS IS A STRANGE PLACE.
SO WE HAVE CATS OUT THERE KILLING SNAKES, LIZARDS, BIRDS.
WE GOT A BUNCH OF PEOPLE GO OUT THERE AND TRAP 'EM, TRY TO NEUTER 'EM, I GUESS, SO THEY DON'T MAKE MORE RELEASE.
'EM, THEY CAN KILL MORE BIRDS, SNAKES, SQUIRRELS, MAYBE.
AND THAT'S CONSIDERED SOMETHING POSITIVE INSTEAD OF JUST TRAPPING AND KILLING THEM, WHICH WOULD BE A LOT BETTER FOR NATURE.
[00:30:01]
LAST HERE.LIKE ALL THESE CAT PEOPLE, WHEN THEY FEED THEIR CATS, THEY'RE PROBABLY FEEDING THEM MEAT.
AND THEY'RE PROBABLY LIKE, WHEN THEY DO THAT, ANYTIME THEY BUY A CAN OF CAT FOOD, THEY'RE LIKE PUTTING A GUN AT THE AHEAD OF A COW OR A PIG OR SOMETHING AND ORDERING IT TO BE KILLED.
IT'S A COMMAND KILLING ON BEHALF OF A CAT.
NOW THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT.
HERE'S MY, IF I CAN GET THROUGH IT IN THREE MINUTES.
IT APPEARS TO ME THAT FEWER DOGS ARE OFF LEASH IN AUSTIN'S PARKS THAN WHEN I FIRST CALLED THE CITY'S ATTENTION TO THE ISSUE SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
BUT COMPARISONS ARE DIFFICULT TO MAKE AS SUCH, ACTIVITY AS SO DEPENDENT ON VARIABLES LIKE WEATHER, THE DAY OF THE WEEK, TIME OF THE DAY IN THE PARK, SIX ACTUAL LEGAL OFF LEASH DOG AREAS EXIST WITHIN HALF MILE, MY HOUSE.
BUT USUALLY EVERY OTHER PUBLIC SPACE NEAR MY HOUSE HAS OFF LEASH DOGS RUNNING ILLEGALLY IN THEM, IN OUR MO IN OUR CITY.
IF OUR CITY HAD IN EVERY CITY PARK A CAM FEEDING A CAM FEED ACCESSIBLE THAT YOU COULD TUNE INTO A COUPLE HOURS AGO, YOU WOULD'VE SEEN THAT.
I'M SURE SOME PEOPLE DO NOT CARE THAT OUR PARKS, GREEN BELTS, NATURE PRESERVES, AND OPEN SPACES HAVE SO BEEN ILLEGALLY TAKEN OVER BY DOG OWNERS.
AND FOR LOTS OF REASONS, FOREMOST, IS THAT DOGS HAVE CAUSED THREE INJURIES TO ME, AND ONE IS SERIOUS AND PERMANENT AND WILL HAUNT ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
AND I KNOW THAT I AM NOT ALONE ANYWAY.
S CAN YOU PLE USUALLY I'LL SAY SOMETHING LIKE, CAN YOU PLEASE KEEP YOUR DOG ON A LEASH? SO HERE'S SOME OF THE RECENT ENCOUNTERS.
JUST IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, ALMOST 80-YEAR-OLD ME WAS CROSSING A PARK NEAR MY HOUSE WHEN A LARGE MAN, HALF MY AGE, HAD THREE LARGE DOGS ILLEGALLY OFF LEASH.
I SAID, PLEASE HAVE YOUR DOGS ON A LEASH.
IT ENDED UP, HE COMES AT ME, I'M NEAR BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
HE'S BELLY PUSHING ME, SHOVING ME, THREATENING ME WITH HIS FIST SPITTING IN MY FACE.
AND THEN A CITY TRUCK CAME BY ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, AND THE GUY AT THE CITY DIDN'T, UH, UH, UH, EMPLOYEE DID NOT EVEN WANT TO HELP ME.
OKAY? UH, IN A PARK NEAR THIS CITY HALL, A SEATED ON A WALL WOMAN HAD TWO LARGE DOGS ILLEGALLY OFF LEASH.
WHEN I INFORMED HER OF THE LAW, SHE JUMPED UP AND STARTED YELLING AT ME AND THEN FILMING ME.
SO I GUESS THAT'S MY THREE MINUTES.
I CAN GO ON LIKE THAT FOR TWO HOURS ALL DAY LONG.
YOU HAVE DESTROYED THE CITY IS WHAT YOU PEOPLE HAVE DONE.
THAT IS CONCLUDES THE SPEAKER SIGN UP FOR, UM, TOPICS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ONE.APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING ON DECEMBER 9TH, 2024.
WE HAVE A SPEAKER SIGNED UP FOR APPROVING THE MINUTES.
MS. TRES, UM, IF YOU WERE, OH, THERE YOU GO.
AGAIN, I HAD SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE MINUTES BECAUSE OF A TECHNICALITY THAT I WAS GOING TO REQUEST BE CORRECTED, UM, IN LIGHT OF THE NUMEROUS SPEAKERS YOU'VE HAD ON A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT ISSUES.
AND THE AGENDA ITEMS STILL TO COME.
I AM GOING TO NOT SPEAK ON IT AND JUST SAVE IT FOR, UH, A DIFFERENT APPROACH DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT'S A, A TECHNICALITY THAT I THINK CAN BE CORRECTED OTHERWISE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? MOVED BY CHAIR, VICE CHAIR LINDER.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON? UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OF THE MINUTES? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? UH, THAT IS ALL BUT ONE.
ARE YOU ABSTAINING? UH, ONE ABSTENTION.
UM, COMMISSIONER SULA HAD TO LEAVE THE, UM, FEED, SO THAT PASSES ITEM NUMBER TWO.
UM, THE STAFF HAD ASKED ME BEFOREHAND IF WE WOULD PLEASE MOVE THE STAFF BRIEFING ABOVE THE DISCUSSION, UM, OF THE FEEDBACK OF THE STAFF BRIEFING.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE.
UM, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND MOVE ITEM THREE TO ITEM NUMBER TWO? COMMISSIONER, VICE CHAIR.
CAN I HAVE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT'S UNANIMOUS.
[3. Staff briefing on the draft Animal Services Office Strategic Plan 2025-2030. ]
STAFF BRIEFING ITEM NUMBER THREE, UM, STAFF BRIEFING ON DRAFT ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE.[00:35:01]
VICE CHAIR, AND COMMISSIONERS.UH, I'M SUSANNA CAR, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
IT IS MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO JOIN YOU THIS EVENING AND PRESENT THE DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE.
DON BLAND, CHIEF ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER AND AUDREY MONTHS BUDGET AND PERFORMANCE MANAGER ARE JOINING ME TO PRESENT THE CULMINATION OF SEVERAL MONTHS OF HARD WORK, SOLICITING FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, UNDERSTANDING CH UH, STAFF CHALLENGES AND ATTENDING MEETINGS.
TO DISCUSS THE INFORMATION AND THE DATA COLLECTED.
I WANT TO THANK STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO SHARED THEIR EXPERIENCES, CONCERNS, HOPES, AND TIME DURING, UH, SEVERAL LISTENING SESSIONS, INTERVIEWS AND SURVEYS.
THEIR VALUABLE INPUT HAS SHAPED THE CREATION OF ASO'S DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN.
I WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE PLANNING TEAM AND THE WORKING GROUP.
THEY HAVE VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME OVER THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT FOR THIS PLAN.
THE PLANNING TEAM MEMBERS INCLUDE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION, VICE CHAIR, AND LINDER ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSIONER LADIS MAGULA, STEPHANIE HAYDEN HOWARD, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, DON BLAND, CHIEF ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER WHITNEY HOLT FROM TRAVIS COUNTY.
CASEY ROBERTS ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER ADVISOR AS ADVISOR, CASSANDRA GALLEGOS, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ADVISOR.
THE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS INCLUDE THE PLANNING TEAM MEMBERS THAT I JUST MENTIONED, ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSIONER LAURA HOKE, MILES CHADWICK FROM MAN PET, DR.
ELLEN JEFFERSON FROM AUSTIN PETS ALIVE, FRANCIS JANAN AND SARAH HAMILL FROM AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY.
KAITLYN CHAPMAN FROM TRAPPERS, JEAN BRTH, VOLUNTEER AND DIRECTOR OF CLASSIC CANINES, SHELLY LIEBE, VOLUNTEER LIAISON, DAVID LEON, VOLUNTEER AND TRAPPERS BEVERLY LUNA.
DEBBIE ELLIOT FROM THE ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE.
REBECCA MONTY FROM THE ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE AND PAT BALLS COMMUNITY ADVOCATE.
I WANNA THANK ALL OF THEM FOR THEIR TIME AND HARD WORK TO GET US TO THIS POINT.
I ALSO WANNA THANK OUR EXTERNAL CONSULTANT, DR.
LARRY SCHULER SCHOOLER FOR FACILITATING WORKSHOPS AND GUIDING THE WORKING GROUP AND COMPLETING THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
THANK YOU TO THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT STAFF, AUDREY MZ, NICOLE PETERSON, AND SAMANTHA EATON MCA FOR CONDUCTING LISTENING SESSIONS, FACILITATING AND ANALYZING THE COMMUNITY SURVEYS AND SUPPORTING LOGISTICS.
I'M NOW GOING TO YIELD THE FLOOR TO AUDREY MUNZ, THE BUDGET AND PERFORMANCE MANAGER TO BEGIN THE PRESENTATION ON THE STRATEGIC PLANNING AND THE PROCESS OVERVIEW.
SO I'M GONNA PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
I ALSO WANNA SHARE A BIG THANK YOU TO THE STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, PARTNERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT COMM CONTRIBUTED THEIR TIME, INSIGHTS, AND ENERGY TO MAKE THIS PLAN POSSIBLE.
THE PLANNING PROCESS WAS DIRECTED BY A PLANNING TEAM.
THE REPRESENTATIVES THAT SUSANNA JUST SHARED.
THE PLANNING TEAM WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR LOGISTICS AND COORDINATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS, INCLUDING MANAGING TIMELINE AND SELECTING WORKING GROUP MEMBERS.
THEY WERE ALSO INVOLVED IN COMING TOGETHER AT THE END OF THE DRAFTING PROCESS TO REFINE THE PLAN TO ENSURE IT WAS COHESIVE, CONSISTENT, AND UNDERSTANDABLE.
THE WORKING GROUP INCLUDED THOSE PLANNING TEAM MEMBERS AND THE REPRESENTATIVES PRESENTED ON THE SCREEN THAT SUSANNA JUST SHARED AS WELL.
AND THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR USING THE FEEDBACK AND INFORMATION GATHERED FROM STAKEHOLDERS ALONG WITH THEIR EXPERTISE IN ANIMAL WELFARE, TO COLLABORATIVELY DEVELOP THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
DURING A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS FACILITATED BY THE EXTERNAL CONSULTANT, DR.
LARRY SCHOOLER, PREPARATION FOR THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS BEGAN IN SPRING OF 2024.
DURING THE PLANNING PROCESS, DR.
LARRY SCHOOLER'S RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDED DESIGNING AND FACILITATING THOSE STRATEGIC PLANNING DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS AND SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF MATERIALS USED FOR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.
DURING THE PREPARATION PHASE, THE PLANNING TEAM AND THE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS WERE ALSO IDENTIFIED.
ONCE THE PLANNING PROCESS WAS KICKED OFF, THE ASSESSMENT PHASE BEGAN.
THIS PHASE WAS ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THE CURRENT STATE OF THE ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE, WHICH INCLUDED GATHERING FEEDBACK FROM VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, THE COMMUNITY AND PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STRATEGIC PLAN COULD BE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS, PRIORITIES, AND HOPES OF THOSE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS.
[00:40:01]
KEY ACTIVITIES DURING THE ASSESSMENT PHASE INCLUDED A COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT ASKED PARTICIPANTS TO RATE ASO'S CURRENT SERVICES TO SHARE THEIR PRIORITIES FOR THE ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICES, AS WELL AS THEIR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE OF ANIMAL WELFARE.IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE HAD 2041 PARTICIPANTS IN THAT COMMUNITY SURVEY.
WE ALSO HOSTED LISTENING SESSIONS WITH STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS WHERE SIMILAR INSIGHTS WERE COLLECTED AROUND THEIR STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES OF THE ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICES, THEIR PRIORITIES AND HOPES FOR A SO.
AND WE HAD 40 VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATE IN THAT, AND 94 STAFF MEMBERS.
WE ALSO CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS WITH LEADERSHIP AT A SO AS WELL AS COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND REVIEWED PREVIOUS AUDITS, REPORTS AND SURVEYS, COMP OF THE FINDINGS FROM THOSE COMMUNITY SURVEYS.
LISTENING SESSIONS AND INTERVIEWS ARE IN TWO REPORTS THAT ARE STILL AVAILABLE ONLINE ON THE PUBLIC INPUT PAGE.
FOR THOSE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN LOOKING, AS WE WERE WRAPPING UP THE ASSESSMENT PHASE, THE STRATEGIC PLAN FRAMEWORK DEVELOPMENT PHASE BEGAN.
THE PURPOSE HERE WAS TO USE THE INSIGHTS THAT WE GATHERED DURING THAT ASSESSMENT PHASE TO CREATE A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT ADDRESSED THE AUDIT FINDINGS, FULFILLED ASO'S MISSION AND BALANCED STAKEHOLDER NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS WHILE BUILDING TRUST AMONG WORKING GROUP MEMBERS.
A SERIES OF SEVEN WORKSHOPS WERE FACILITATED BY DR.
LARRY SCHOOLER FROM AUGUST THROUGH JANUARY OF THIS YEAR AT A MIDPOINT.
IN THESE WORKSHOPS, A DRAFT FRAMEWORK OF FOR FOCUS AREAS AND GOALS WAS SHARED BACK OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO STAFF SO THAT WE COULD HEAR FROM THEM ABOUT WHAT THEY LIKED AND WHAT THEY FELT WAS MISSING.
THIS FEEDBACK WAS THEN SHARED WITH THE WORKING GROUP AHEAD OF THEIR FINAL TWO WORKSHOPS.
THE FINAL WORKING GROUP MEETING WAS HELD ON TUESDAY OF LAST WEEK, WHERE FINAL REFINEMENT OF THE DRAFT FRAMEWORK WAS CON WAS MADE, AND THEN IT HAS BEEN SHARED OUT WITH THE PUBLIC.
IT'S AVAILABLE ON THAT PUBLIC INPUT PAGE WITH STAFF AND HERE WITH THE COMMISSION.
TONIGHT, WE ARE NOW IN THE FINAL PHASE OF THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS WHERE THE PLAN WILL BE FINALIZED AND ADOPTED BEFORE MOVING INTO IMPLEMENTATION.
AND BEFORE I HAND IT OVER TO DON, I'M GONNA PROVIDE A QUICK REVIEW OF THE COMPONENTS THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THIS STRATEGIC PLAN.
THESE COMPONENTS MIRROR THOSE IN THE CITYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO WE USE THE SAME DEFINITIONS THAT WERE USED AT THAT CITYWIDE LEVEL.
THE WORKING GROUP CREATED A VISION, WHICH IS THE SHARED IDEA OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY WILL EXPERIENCE WHEN A SO HAS IMPLEMENTED THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
THE MISSION IS THE CORE PURPOSE AND ROLE A SO SERVES IN SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY AND ACHIEVING ITS VISION.
ASO'S MISSION WAS NOT UPDATED AS PART OF THIS STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
THESE ARE THE HIGH LEVEL PRIOR PRIORITIES OF A SO AND THE ELEMENTS THAT WILL GUIDE A SO IN ADVANCE, ADVANCING ITS MISSION AND ACHIEVING ITS VISION.
EACH FOCUS AREA HAS A DESCRIPTION THAT PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THAT FOCUS AREA IS.
EACH FOCUS AREA ALSO HAS THREE TO FOUR GOALS.
THESE ARE THE SPECIFIC END RESULTS THAT A SO ENVISION PLANS AND COMMITS TO ACHIEVE.
UNDER EACH GOAL, THERE ARE A SET OF MEASURES.
THESE MEASURES ARE HOW A SO WILL TRACK PROGRESS TOWARDS ACHIEVING ITS GOALS AS THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS IMPLEMENTED.
AND FINALLY, EACH GOAL HAS A SERIES OF STRATEGIES, AND THESE ARE THE ACTIONABLE PLANS OR METHODS THAT A SO WILL TAKE TO ACHIEVE ITS GOALS AS THE PLAN IS IMPLEMENTED.
AND I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO DON.
I AM, UM, GOING TO GO OVER THE, THE FOCUS AREAS THAT, UM, THERE, THERE ARE SIX OF THEM, UH, HUMANE CARE, SPAIN, NEUTER, OPEN INTAKE, LIVE RELEASE, PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, AND STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS.
WHILE EACH AREA, UH, HAS A SUMMARY, I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT FOR THE PEOPLE OUT IN THE FIELD.
BUT I'M NOT GOING TO READ EVERY SINGLE THING ON THAT BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE THAT AND IT IS QUITE LENGTHY.
SO WE'LL START WITH HUMANE CARE.
UH, HUMANE CARE, UH, IS, IS TO MEET THE ANIMALS' PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS, AND ENSURE HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ANIMALS IN THE SHELTER AND FOSTER CARE BY PROVIDING ENRICHMENT, BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT, AND WELL MAINTAINED FACILITIES AND SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IN THAT AREA.
UH, SOME OF THE STRATEGIES TO REACH THOSE GOALS ARE TO PROVIDE ED ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, UH, IN ANIMAL BEHAVIOR FOR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS.
WORK WITH BUILDING SERVICES TO IDENTIFY FACILITY UPGRADES FOR OPTIMAL CARE AND SAFETY, AND CREATE A CITYWIDE INNER SHELTER TEAM TO IDENTIFY ACCESS AND CONNECT AT RISK ANIMALS INTO THE MOST APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR PROGRAMS. THE NEXT FOCUS AREA IS SPAYING AND NEUTERING, AND THAT IS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF STRAY UNWANTED ANIMALS, IMPROVING AND INCREASING SPAY NEUTER SERVICES.
WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND NATIONAL VENDORS TO EXPAND LOW COST SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, CREATING ADDITIONAL MARKETING EFFORTS TO COMMUNICATE SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
[00:45:01]
THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST RATES OF STRAY AND SURRENDERED PETS.MAXIMIZE THE SUPPORT AND IMPACT OF TRAP NEUTER, RETURN PROGRAMS, AND ALLOCATE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND STAFFING.
ENSURE SPAYING AND NEUTERING ARE COMPLETED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE IN THE SHELTER AND IN FOSTER CARE AS WELL.
OPEN INTAKE IS THE THIRD CATEGORY, AND THAT'S ENSURING THE ANIMAL SERVICE CENTER HAS THE CAPACITY TO ACCEPT ANIMALS, FACILITATE CARE BY PARTNERS AND THE PUBLIC, AND ASSIST PEOPLE IN KEEPING PETS, UH, IN GETTING PETS IN, IN A TIMELY MANNER.
COLLABORATE WITH VOLUNTEERS TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO INVOLVE THEM IN INTAKE SUPPORT WITH APPROPRIATE TRAINING AND GUIDANCE.
EXPAND THE CAPACITY OF THE FINDER TO FOSTER PROGRAM BY PROVIDING ADEQUATE STAFFING TO PROVIDE TIMELY SERVICES FOR THE FINDER TO FOSTER PARTICIPANTS.
COLLABORATE WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO FACILITATE THE DIRECT PLACEMENT OF ANIMALS INTO CARE, MINIMIZING SHELTER INTAKE, AND INCREASE AWARENESS AND ACCESSIBILITY OF PROGRAMS THAT DIVERT ANIMALS FROM THE SHELTER.
REVIEW RESEARCH AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO PET OWNERSHIP THROUGH RESOURCES AND POLICY CHANGE, SUCH AS RESTRICTIONS ON PET RENT AND WEIGHT LIMITS.
LIVE RELEASE IS THE NEXT FOCUS AREA, AND THAT'S MAXIMIZED THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT ARE ADOPTED, RESCUED, TRANSFERRED, OR RETURNED TO THEIR OWNERS THROUGH ENHANCED SERVICES, PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SOME OF THE STRATEGIES INVOLVED IN THAT ARE PROVIDE EXPANDED TRAINING RESOURCES TO ADOPTERS, INCREASE THE VISIBILITY OF ANIMALS IN STRAY HOLD, UTILIZING TECHNOLOGY OUTREACH AND PARTNERSHIPS TO MAXIMIZE THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT ARE RETURNED TO THEIR OWNERS.
CREATE EASIER WAYS FOR CUSTOMERS TO SHARE THEIR FEEDBACK TO ENHANCE THE CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE WHILE IMPROVING SIGNAGE AND NAVIGATION IN THE SHELTER, AND ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THE PROPER AMOUNT OF STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THOSE CUSTOMERS.
INCREASE OFFSITE EVENTS AND EXPLORE NEW LOCATIONS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.
LAUNCH A COMPREHENSIVE MARKETING PLAN TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE A SO MISSION, POLICIES, RESOURCES, AND LOCATION WHILE EXPANDING OUR PRESENCE AT COMMUNITY EVENTS.
IMPLEMENT A NEW DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, ENSURING TRANSPARENCY AND DATA ACCURACY.
THE NEXT FOCUS AREA IS PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, AND THAT IS TO ENSURE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC AND ANIMALS BY PROVIDING RESOURCES AND INFORMATION, WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND RESPONSE, RESPONDING QUICKLY TO ANIMAL RELATED CONCERNS.
SOME OF THOSE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES ARE ENHANCED PUBLIC EDUCATION AND AWARENESS OF SAFETY.
INTERACT SAFELY, INTERACTING WITH BEHAVIORALLY CHALLENGED PETS, UNFAMILIAR ANIMALS, AND LOCAL WILDLIFE THROUGH AN ONLINE TRAINING AND RESOURCE HUB.
INCREASE AWARENESS OF COMMUNITY CATS PROGRAMS AND THE TRAP, NEUTER AND RETURN PROGRAM WITHIN OUR CITY.
EXPAND CAPACITY OF ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS AND DISPATCHERS CONSISTENT WITH COMMUNITY NEEDS.
DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT METHODS TO EVALUATE AND IMPROVE THE IMPACT AND EFFECTIVENESS OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY RESOURCES AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY A SO.
AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON ANIMAL RELATED POLICIES AND REGULATIONS THAT WILL IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.
THE FINAL FOCUS AREA IS STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS TO RECRUIT AND TRAIN AND RETAIN WELL-TRAINED AND DEDICATED STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS, PROVIDING THE TOOLS, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED TO CREATE A CULTURE OF INCLUSION AND RESPONSIBILITY.
SOME OF THE STRATEGIES ARE CONDUCT A STAFFING ANALYSIS AS WELL AS EQUIPMENT ANALYSIS AND TAKE STEPS TO ADDRESS THE RESULTS.
PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR STAFF AS WELL AS VOLUNTEERS.
INCREASE AWARENESS OF AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF STAFF.
DEVELOP PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE VOLUNTEER PARTICIPATION AND RETENTION, IMPROVE STAFF RETENTION, TEAM BUILDING, MENTORSHIP AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT, INCREASE AND CO INCREASE AND IMPROVE COOPERATION BETWEEN STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS.
REVIEW, ANALYZE, CLARIFY AND DEFINE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND PARTNERS.
AND WITH THIS, I'LL PASS IT BACK TO AUDREY TO DISCUSS THE MEASURES.
SO IN ADDITION TO THE STRATEGY, THE WORKING GROUP.
UM, SO IN ADDITION TO THE STRATEGIES, THE WORKING GROUP DEVELOPED MEASURES FOR EACH GOAL.
THESE MEASURES WILL SERVE AS GAUGES TO EVALUATE PROGRESS TOWARDS THE GOALS, AND WILL ALLOW A SO TO USE DATA TO INFORM WHETHER TO MODIFY OR SUSTAIN ITS
[00:50:01]
APPROACH TO REACHING THE DESIRED OUTCOME.A SO STAFF MEMBERS WILL DEVELOP TARGETS INDICATING THE LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT A SO AIMS TO ACHIEVE WITHIN A SPECIFIC TIMEFRAME.
AND ON THIS SLIDE, WE JUST INCLUDED A FEW EXAMPLES OF MEASURES BY FOCUS AREA.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE LIVE RELEASE FOCUS AREA, A MEASURE TO GAUGE PROGRESS ON THE GOAL TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE ALL PROGRAMS THAT LEAD TO SUCCESSFUL PLACEMENTS FOR ANIMALS IS THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF SHELTER STAY MEASURE.
ADDITIONALLY, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS A CITYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT I REFERENCED BEFORE THAT INCLUDES A GOAL MEASURES AND STRATEGIES RELATED TO THE ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE.
THE PLAN WE ARE SHARING TODAY WAS DEVELOPED IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CITYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN AND REFLECTS BOTH THOSE CITYWIDE EFFORTS WHILE EXPANDING THE FOCUS TO ENCOMPASS THE FULL RANGE OF ANIMAL SERVICES.
THESE PLANS COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER WITH PROGRESS IN ONE ENHANCING EFFORTS IN THE OTHER.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY USE SOME SIMILAR LANGUAGE AND MIRROR ONE ANOTHER IF YOU LOOK TO THE CITYWIDE STRATEGIC A SO GOAL.
AND I WILL PASS IT TO SUSANNA TO TALK NEXT STEPS.
UH, PLEASE NOTE THAT THE COMPLETE DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN IS INCLUDED IN THE BACKUP, UH, TO THIS AGENDA, AND IT'S ALSO POSTED ON THE ANIMAL SERVICES CENTER'S WEBSITE, AS WELL AS A PUBLIC INPUT PAGE.
THIS DOES CONCLUDE STAFF'S OVERVIEW OF THE DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC'S FEEDBACK TODAY.
AFTER TODAY, STAFF WILL FINALIZE THE DESIGN OR THE LOOK OF THE PLAN.
NO CONTENT WILL BE, UH, MODIFIED AT THIS TIME AT THE NEXT ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING IN FEBRUARY.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO LISTENING TO THE COMMISSIONER'S DISCUSSION UPON THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION.
STAFF WILL TAKE THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO AN AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING TENTATIVELY IN MARCH FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION.
UPON ADOPTION OF THE PLAN BY COUNCIL, STAFF WILL IMMEDIATELY BEGIN TO WORK ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
WE APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WORK, UH, THAT THE COMMITTEES DID, INCLUDING THE THREE COMMISSIONERS, FOUR COMMISSIONERS THAT SERVED, UM, AS WELL AS ALL THE STAFF TIME AND VOLUNTEERS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UM, STAFF BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION? COMMISSIONER HERRERA? THANK YOU.
ANY HELP THAT I CAN PROVIDE TO TRANSLATE THIS FANTASTIC PLAN TO THE SPANISH SPEAKERS, LET ME KNOW.
I CAN ALSO VOLUNTEER FOR THAT.
UH, I IS, UM, I KNOW IT'S ASPIR ASPIRATIONAL.
UM, I WAS HAPPILY SURPRISED TO SEE ALL, ALL WHAT COMES OUT OF IT.
UH, I, I THINK, UH, PAT'S
I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, BUT I PROBABLY, THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW ABOUT THE PLAN SPECIFICS, CORRECT.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ON THE AGENDA.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO ASK QUESTIONS.
SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO, I, I HAVE ONE.
AND, AND OUR OBSERVATION, I KNOW THAT THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT HOW WE GET THE STATISTICS FROM THE, UM, ANIMAL A OS AND, UH, TYPICALLY IN THERE ARE MANY TIMES THAT IT'S JUST A PERCENTAGE.
AND I, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE, BESIDES THE PERCENT WE HAVE, WHAT IS THE BASE? WHAT, WHAT IS THE RAW WHAT THAT PERCENTAGE BASE ON, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN SAY AT STATISTIC IT IS 50%, AND MAYBE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO, TWO THINGS, OR I, I MEAN IT, YOU NEED TO, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT IT IN CONTEXT.
WHAT IS THAT PERCENTAGE? INSTEAD OF JUST PUTTING A PERCENT, YOU NEED TO HAVE MY RECOMMENDATIONS TO PUT A NUMBER BESIDE AS A BASE SO IT BECOMES REALLY MEANINGFUL.
THAT'S, AND, UM, I'M SORRY, I MADE A LOT OF NOTES.
AND I KNOW WE'RE TALKING, ONCE THIS ADOPTED, UH, AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, YOU'LL MOVE TO THE IMPLEMENTATION
[00:55:02]
AND THE IMPLEMENTATION.I, I, WHO'S INVOLVED IN THAT? BECAUSE I, I'M, I'M SURE THAT IT MEANS THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO DECIDE WHO, WHO'S TAKING OVER WHATEVER, WHAT TO DO, WHO'S WHO, AND WHEN, AND WHAT IS GOING TO BE DONE DOES, IS THERE ANY THOUGHT BEHIND THAT? I, UH, COMMISSIONER, GOOD EVENING.
SO WE WILL WORK ON, UM, THE, THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN WITH STAFF LOGISTIC AND IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, UM, OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR EVERYONE TO BE INVOLVED IN AND, AND ALSO WORK WITH PARTNERS DEPENDING ON, ON THE STRATEGY.
AND SO IT, I JUST DO WANT TO REMIND, IT'S THAT IT'S INTENDED TO BE A FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND SO IT'S A LIVING DOCUMENT.
UH, AN ONGOING PROCESS TO REFINE AS NEEDED OR ADJUST AS NEEDED.
UH, SO IT WILL, IT WILL TAKE SOME, SOME TIME FOR US TO GO THROUGH THE PLAN AND, AND BE ABLE TO, TO TRACK AND, AND MAKE PROGRESS.
I, I THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE I CAN SEE THAT IT'S, IT'S, I THINK YOU MENTIONED IT, YOU KNOW, A WHILE AGO.
IT, IT'S, SOME OF THIS IS GONNA TAKE STAFFING RESOURCES IN TERMS OF DOLLARS, AND THAT'S GONNA SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, THE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY HALL ON TO WHAT CAN WE DO TO MEET THESE GOALS THAT THIS STRATEGIC PLAN IS SET.
AND WE'LL HAVE TO DEVELOP PLANS TO GET THERE.
AND TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION, ALL OF OUR, UH, REPORTS THAT ARE ON OUR PORTAL HAVE THE NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PERCENTAGE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, I'M JUST ASKING THAT IF YOU ARE GONNA REPORT AS PART OF THE MEASUREMENT, DON'T, DON'T JUST GIVE THE PERCENT, PUT THE RUN NUMBER, BUY IT.
THAT'S, AND ONE, ONE LAST THING.
UH, AND MAYBE THIS COMES AFTER THAT, UH, AFTER THE PLAN, OR THERE, MAYBE THE CITY HAS THIS ALREADY, BUT AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, DISASTERS HAPPENING NOW.
LIKE YOU SAW, YOU'RE SEEING CALIFORNIA WITH THE FIRE, NORTH CAROLINA WITH THE FLOODS IN FLORIDA.
AND, UM, TO ME, WHAT'S VERY INTERESTING HOW, UH, CALIFORNIA LA IS HANDLING THE, THE PET SITUATION, THE ANIMALS, AND OF COURSE, I'M NOT GONNA DISCOUNT THE PEOPLE BECAUSE
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PART OF THIS PLAN OR MAYBE IT'S OUT OF SCOPE.
UM, AND I MEAN, AUSTIN IS SUCH A, UM, I KNOW A LOT OF PLACES.
I KNOW THEN WHEN THEY SWORE IN THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, SOME OF THE, THE NEW CITY COUNCIL, SOME OF THEM, THEY WERE TALKING HOW THE REST OF THE COUNTRY LOOKS AT US AND NOT ONLY THE, THE COUNTRY, THE WORLD.
I, THE CITY DOES HAVE A CONTINUOUS OPERATION PLAN FOR DISASTERS.
AND IT IS, IT IS A PLAN THAT, UH, EACH DEPARTMENT HAS, AND ANIMAL SERVICES HAS ONE AS WELL.
SO MAYBE FOR THE FUTURE FOR US TO DISCUSS, BECAUSE I WASN'T AWARE, BUT THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? UH, VICE CHAIR, LINDER, UM, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, I THINK ONE THING THAT, UM, IS IMPORTANT TO ME AS, AS WE'RE READING THIS DOCUMENT, IS KNOWING IF THERE'S GONNA BE ANY, UM, LANGUAGE THAT COMES ALONG WITH THIS PLAN.
UM, IF THERE'S AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PLAN THAT EXPLAINS HOW THE PLAN SHOULD BE READ.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MEASURES LISTED HERE.
ARE WE TO ASSUME THAT THE MEASURES LISTED HERE, UM, ARE AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF MEASURES, OR, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SORT OF ACCOMPANYING LANGUAGE CAN BE REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN INTERPRETING A DOCUMENT LIKE THIS.
UM, SO I'M JUST WONDERING, I GUESS BEFORE OUR FEBRUARY MEETING, UM, IF THERE IS GONNA BE AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE THAT, UM, PRECEDES THE PLAN THAT THAT, UM, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET A COPY OF THAT LANGUAGE SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF READ THIS DOCUMENT IN THAT CONTEXT, UM, TO, TO SORT OF, UM, UNDERSTAND AND INTERPRET HOW THE PLAN IS MEANT TO BE WRITTEN.
SO WE WILL PROVIDE THE BACKGROUND, THE METHODOLOGY FOR HOW THE PLAN WAS CAME TO BE.
WE'LL HAVE A GLOSSARY, WE'LL INCLUDE DEFINITIONS, WE'LL INCLUDE KIND OF INFORMATION ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION AND THE POTENTIAL OF NEW MEASURES BEING DEVELOPED.
AND SO WE'LL TAKE THAT TO NOTE AS WELL, THE HOW, HOW ONE READS AND DIGESTS THE PLAN COULD BE A HELPFUL ADDITION.
THAT YOU GO AHEAD AND YOU CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
UM, DID IT ON THE RECORD, UH, JUST ONE THING THAT
[01:00:01]
CAME TO MIND.I'M SURE YOU READ MANY REPORTS AS YOU WERE DEVELOPING THIS.
UM, I KNOW THAT WITHIN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS THERE WAS, UM, OUTSIDE BOARD CERTIFIED VETERINARY BEHAVIORIST WHO CAME AND WROTE UP A VERY EXTENSIVE REPORT.
I DON'T KNOW THE TITLE OF IT OR HOW TO REFERENCE IT MORE OFFICIALLY THAN THAT.
DO YOU KNOW, IS THAT ONE OF THE REPORTS THAT WAS READ AND CONSIDERED IN THE FORMATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN? IS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE EXTERNAL, UH, CONSULTANT THAT WAS, UM, RETAINED FOR AN AUDIT? SHE WAS NOT PART OF THE AUDIT? NO.
TY'S, UH, VETERINARIAN BEHAVIORIST THAT CAME AND GAVE US, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND, UH, WHILE THAT WAS NOT REFERENCED IN THIS PLAN, DR.
ELLIOT HAD THAT KNOWLEDGE AND, YOU KNOW, SHE DISCUSSED THOSE TOPICS THAT SHE BROUGHT FORWARD IN THIS PLAN.
ANYTHING ELSE? ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AT THIS POINT? I'M FINE.
I WAS JUST GONNA ASK IF WE HAVE A QUESTION NOT RELATED TO, UM, THE STAFF BRIEFING, BUT FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR STAFF.
IS NOW THE TIME FOR THAT OR NO? UM, WE DON'T HAVE A GENERAL STAFF BRIEFING ON ANIMAL SERVICES.
SO TODAY THANKS COMMISSIONER
UNDER THE, UH, LIVE RELEASE, UM, I HAVE A NOTE HERE.
YOU HAVE NUMBER OF ANIMALS RETURN WITHIN 30 DAYS OF ADOPTION.
AND HERE WE ARE LOOKING HOW TO IMPROVE THE RESCUE PROCESS AND ADOPTION PROCESS, ENSURE SUCCESSFUL PLACEMENT.
AND, UM, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT PART OF THIS WILL BE, UH, FINDING OUT WHY ARE THOSE ANIMALS BEING RETURNED? CORRECT.
SO THAT IS, THAT IS INFORMATION THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING TRACKED, WHY THEY'RE BEING RETURNED, SO THAT YOU WOULD BE TAKING THIS AS PART OF THIS SECTION TO ENHANCE THE LIFE RELEASE.
IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, FIND OUT WHY THEY'RE RETURNING FROM THE ADOPTION PROCESS.
IS THERE SOMETHING WE CAN ENHANCE TO GUARANTEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T GET RETURNED.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? UM, BEFORE WE MOVE ON? I'LL, I WANNA MAKE JUST A COUPLE OF VERY FAST COMMENTS.
UM, THE FIRST IS THAT I WILL, I WAS ADMITTEDLY DUBIOUS ABOUT THIS SINCERITY OF THIS EFFORT, UH, FROM THE START.
UM, AND, UM, THE, THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN PUT INTO THIS AND THE OUTCOME OF IT, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER I AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH ANY PARTICULAR LINE, UH, PROVED ME VERY MUCH WRONG.
UM, SO I THANK, UH, THE STAFF AND THE COUNCIL AND THE OFFICES, UM, FOR THE WORK AND THE SINCERITY, UM, AND THE, THE INTELLIGENCE AND THE EFFORT, UM, AND THE LISTENING, UM, THAT WENT INTO THIS.
I THINK, UM, AGAIN, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER I AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH ANY PARTICULAR LINE, THIS IS ONE HECK OF AN EFFORT.
SCHOOLER DESERVES CREDIT AND YOU ALL DE DESERVE CREDIT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
UM, SECOND, I WANTED TO, UM, BUTTRESS, UH, VICE CHAIR LINDER'S REMARKS OF SOME KIND OF OPENING.
I, I DO THINK THIS DOCUMENT NEEDS A PREAMBLE.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT YOU SAID IN YOUR PRESENTATION WAS THAT THIS DOES NOT CHANGE THE POLICY DIRECTION OF THE, OF THE CITY.
IT IS NOT CHANGING THE MISSION OF ANIMAL SERVICES.
IT IS NOT CHANGING THE POLICY THAT POLICY DIRECTION THAT CITY COUNCIL HAS GIVEN.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO PUT UP FRONT.
IT IS NOT DESIGNED TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF, OF THAT, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS GIVEN TO ANIMAL SERVICE, BUT RATHER TO ENHANCE AND TO IMPROVE AND TO RESPOND TO AREAS OF NEED.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE SET UP FRONT SO THAT THE DOCUMENT CAN BE READ IN THAT LIGHT.
THAT THIS IS, THIS IS ENHANCING THE POLICIES THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ADOPTED, NOT ATTEMPTING TO ALTER THEM.
IT SAYS ANIMAL ADVISORY COUNCIL.
WE'RE NOT A COUNCIL, WE'RE A COMMISSION.
UM, I ALSO THINK THAT, UH, UH, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, RE THINGS THAT, UH, THERE'S A STRATEGY ON REMOVING BARRIERS TO PET OWNERSHIP.
AND WE TALK ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS ON THERE, BUT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT BREED RESTRICTIONS.
I THINK, I THINK, UH, WE ALL KNOW THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE REASON THAT ANIMALS ARE NOT, UH, THAT DOGS PARTICULAR ARE NOT IN, UH, APARTMENTS
[01:05:01]
OR HOMES.AND SO I THINK THAT WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO BE EXPRESSLY CALLED OUT IN THE PLAN.
BUT AGAIN, REGARDLESS, I'M NOT HERE, DON'T MEAN TO NITPICK.
UH, I REALLY TRULY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT.
UM, AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, UH, AND SINCERITY IN DOING THAT.
ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, YEAH, I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL, EVERYTHING THAT WENT INTO THIS.
I, AND I'M SURE THAT JUST THE PROCESS OF BRINGING ALL THESE PEOPLE TOGETHER TO DISCUSS THIS SO MUCH WILL IMPROVE THINGS GOING FORWARD.
AND SO I'M VERY EXCITED THAT THE CITY DID THIS AND PUT SO MUCH WORK INTO THIS.
AND, UM, YEAH, JUST, I MEAN, UH, AS FAR AS THE PREAMBLE SEEMS LIKE A LITTLE BIT MORE HAD, WAS SLIPPED INTO THAT RECOMMENDATION.
I SEE THAT THIS DOES NOT CHANGE THE, UM, ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE'S MISSION.
UM, BUT I'M A LITTLE BIT SKEPTICAL ABOUT IT, NOT WANTING TO CHANGE ANY OF THE CURRENT POLICIES.
'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY OF THIS WOULD'VE BEEN NEEDED IF WE WANTED TO BE COMPLETELY HANDS OFF OF THIS, OF THE CURRENT POLICIES TOWARDS THE ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE.
SO JUST AS A PUSHBACK, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, CARAL, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT? WAS THIS, UH, INTENDED TO ALTER, UM, THE POLICY DIRECTION OF THE COUNCIL? OF THE WHAT? I COULD ONLY SAY THAT PART OF THE PLAN DOES SPECIFICALLY SAY THAT STAFF, ALONG WITH, UM, THE PARTNERS ARE GOING TO REVIEW EVERYTHING, WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE A RECOMMENDATIONS TO MAKE ANY CHANGES, THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT IS, IS A POSSIBILITY.
CERTAINLY IT WILL BE THE COUNCIL'S PURVIEW TO WHETHER ACCEPT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS OR NOT.
UH, BUT I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE DO KNOW THAT, UH, SEVERAL OF THE STRATEGIES DO CALL FOR A REVIEW OF EVERYTHING FROM PROCESSES TO, UM, LOCATIONS TO, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS AND, UH, REGULATIONS AND POLICIES AND PROGRAMS. THAT'S PART OF THE ENTIRE ASSESSMENT OF SOME OF THESE STRATEGIES.
IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT'S INTENDED TO CHANGE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR, UH, BUT IT'S JUST A, A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING, UM, THE AUDIT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL AS ADDRESS THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED.
WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC ATTENTION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, OTHER THAN DOING A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF EVERYTHING.
UH, CERTAINLY IT IS OUR INTENTION TO, WHENEVER WE DO HAVE A STRATEGY OR RECOMMENDATION BASED OUT OF THIS PLAN, THAT IT WOULD BE BROUGHT FORTH TO THE COMMISSION, IT'LL BE BROUGHT FORTH TO COUNCIL, AND CERTAINLY IT IS THE COUNCIL'S PURVIEW TO EITHER ACCEPT OR DENY ANY SORT OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT STAFF BRINGS FORWARD.
[2. Receive feedback from members of the public regarding the draft Animal Services Office Strategic Plan 2025-2030.]
TO ITEM NUMBER TWO.RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC REGARDING THE DRAFT ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE.
STRATEGIC PLAN 2025 DASH 2030.
UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
MY NAME IS PAT REYES AND I AM HERE TO SPEAK ON A SPECIFIC PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, NOT EVERYTHING IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND I'M HOPING WE WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEAK TO MORE OF IT AT THE NEXT MEETING, I HOPE.
UM, BUT I WANNA SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO OPEN INTAKE.
THAT IS A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT ISSUE.
AND WE TOUCHED ON IT AT OUR VERY FIRST MEETING, AND I THOUGHT, AND, AND I SERVED ON THE STRATEGIC PLANNING GROUP AS YOU HEARD EARLIER, AND WE ASKED IF WE COULD HAVE A FULL DISCUSSION ON IT AT OUR SECOND MEETING.
WE HAD VERY GOOD DISCUSSIONS AT OUR MEETINGS.
AT TIMES, WE TRIED DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT NONE OF IT RESULTED IN A CONSISTENT ONGOING CONVERSATION ABOUT OPEN INTAKE.
AT OUR VERY LAST MEETING WHEN WE WERE APPROVING A ME MEASURES, WE DISCUSSED ONE TO FIGURE
[01:10:01]
OUT HOW MANY, UH, HOW MANY PEOPLE DIDN'T GET IN THAT REQUESTED INTAKE.AND MY READING OF THE MEASURES NOW, AND KEEP IN MIND, OUR LAST MEETING WAS VERY RECENTLY, AND WE ONLY SAW THIS DRAFT A FEW DAYS AGO.
IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE WE DO NOT YET HAVE A MEASURE THAT SAYS HOW MANY ANIMALS ARE BEING TURNED AWAY.
WHAT ARE THE, WHAT IS THE POPULATION OF ANIMALS THAT IS OUT THERE THAT WE THINK MEANS OPEN INTAKE IF THEY WERE ACCEPTED? I, I SEE THESE MEASURES AS SAYING NUMBER OF DAYS INTAKE IS FULLY OPEN.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD MEASURE TO HAVE INTAKE BE FULLY OPEN, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING IF YOU DON'T KNOW ON THE DAYS THAT IT'S NOT OPEN, HOW MANY DOGS AND CATS ARE BEING TURNED AWAY.
IT DOES SAY NUMBER OF PEOPLE SEEKING INTAKE, BUT IT DOESN'T TELL YOU OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SEEKING INTAKE, HOW MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE TURNED AWAY.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, IT SAYS THE PERCENT OF ANIMALS IN A SO CARE AND CONTROL.
AND I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW YOU TIE THAT INTO OPEN INTAKE OR NOT, BUT PROBABLY THERE'S, THERE'S A, A RHYME OR REASON THAT WAS PUT PUT IN THERE.
I STILL THINK WE HAVE AN ISSUE RIGHT NOW IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS BEING TURNED AWAY FROM THE SHELTER, AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND OVER THE COURSE OF MANY, MANY MEETINGS, WE'RE NOT GONNA RESOLVE THAT PROBLEM.
YOU KNOW, WE STARTED CLOSING INTAKE A WHILE BACK IN 2015, WAS THE FIRST TIME I HEARD OF CLOSED INTAKE.
AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO CLOSE INTAKE, AND WE ARE NOT HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IF WE WANNA REOPEN INTAKE WITHOUT KILLING ANIMALS.
HOW ARE WE GONNA DO THAT? WHEN ARE WE GONNA GET IT DONE BY? WHAT ARE THE MEASURES WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT EVERY MONTH TO SEE IF WE'RE GETTING THERE OR NOT? SO AGAIN, CHAIR CLINTON, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THIS IS VERY IMPRESSIVE.
I I AM PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF IT.
WE DID SOME GOOD WORK, BUT WE DIDN'T GET TO WHERE I WAS HOPING WE WOULD GET TO.
AND I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO CONTINUE THE EFFORT AND TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET EVERY MONTH UNTIL WE GET IT RESOLVED.
JUST AS A FOLLOW UP, MR. RES, IF YOU ARE WILLING TO EMAIL US IF YOU THINK THERE ARE ADDITIONAL, UM, MEASURES THAT NEED TO BE PLACED IN THERE, WE'D GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
YOU WANNA DO A FOLLOW UP? YEAH, JUST A QUICK FOLLOW UP, UM, FOR STAFF, IF THERE'S STILL, I'M BLOCKED BY THE COMPUTER, BUT, UM, I WONDER IF THIS IS, IS MAYBE JUST AN ISSUE OF PHRASING.
THE SECOND MEASURE SAYS NUMBER OF PEOPLE SEEKING INTAKE IN PARENTHESES NUMBER THAT RECEIVE SAME DAY SERVICES AND NUMBER THAT DON'T.
SO I ASSUME THAT THAT MEASURE IS TRYING TO, TO CAPTURE WHAT, UM, IS, IS BEING ASKED FOR HERE.
BUT, UH, COULD YOU JUST MAYBE CLARIFY THE, UM, THE MEANING OF THAT TO SEE IF THIS IS MAYBE JUST A, UM, AN ISSUE OF NEEDING TO, TO REPHRASE THAT MEASURE? MR. BRETT, DO YOU WANNA TAKE THAT? I UNDERSTOOD.
UH, MS. ELLIS IS, IS WANTING THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS AND WE'RE TRACKING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
AND SO I THINK SHE'S WANTING THE NUMBER OF, YOU KNOW, OKAY, SOMEONE COMES IN, BUT THEY HAVE THREE ANIMALS, SO, YOU KNOW, ONE PERSON, BUT THREE ANIMALS.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE SHE WAS TRYING TO MAKE THE DIFFERENTIATION OF ADDING THE ANIMALS WITH THE PEOPLE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSIE CHASE.
I CURRENTLY WORK AT AUSTIN PETS ALIVE, AND I PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE AT CITY HALL, BUT I AM NOT HERE ON BEHALF OF MY EMPLOYERS.
I'M HERE AS A DISTRICT 10 CONSTITUENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER HAYDEN HOWARD, AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER CARAL, AND THE MEMBERS OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION WHO WORKED WITH ANIMAL ADVOCATES ON A DRAFT OF THE ANIMAL SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN.
THIS IS A MUCH NEEDED PATH TO MOVE FORWARD TO HELP THE ANIMALS WITH THE GREATEST NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE AUSTIN LOST AND FOUND PETS PAGE ON FACEBOOK WILL REVEAL THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY ANIMALS THAT ARE LOST IN OUR COMMUNITY AND NEED THE RESOURCES THAT THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER CAN AND SHOULD PROVIDE.
MY HOPE IS THAT YOU AND THE MEMBERS OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL WILL APPROVE THE STRATEGIC PLAN, AND OUR CITY CAN REOPEN TO TAKING IN THE FOUND ANIMALS AND PROVIDING A SAFE SPACE FOR THEM UNTIL THEY CAN BE REUNITED WITH THEIR FAMILIES OR ADOPTED.
THERE IS ONE THING THAT IS MISSING IN THIS REPORT, AND IT IS, IN MY OPINION, THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.
IN 2019, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MANDATED A LIVE RELEASE RATE OF AT LEAST 95%.
THERE ARE A LOT OF ANIMAL ADVOCATES
[01:15:01]
IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO WORK TO INFORM ELECTED OFFICIALS.SO THIS ORDINANCE COULD BE ACHIEVABLE WELL INTO THE FUTURE.
I THINK I CAN SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MANY OF THOSE SAME ADVOCATES AND SAY THAT UNDER THE LIVE RELEASE PORTION OF THIS DRAFT PLAN FOUND ON PAGES FIVE AND SIX, YOU, THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION, HAVE A DUTY TO INCLUDE THE MAINTENANCE OF THE MINIMUM 95% LIVE RELEASE RATE.
YOU WILL NEVER BUILD COMMUNITY TRUST IF YOU DO NOT INCLUDE THIS LANGUAGE IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO, ONE THING I WAS GONNA SAY BEFORE IT FITS IN HERE WAS, WITH ALL THE ORDEALS I'VE HAD WITH DOGS AND PARKS IN THIS CITY, AND HAVING BEEN INJURED ONCE EVERY WEEK OR MONTH, I LOOK AT DOG ATTACKS ON GOOGLE AND IT'S UNBELIEVABLE HOW MANY SERIOUS INJURIES PEOPLE BEING RIPPED APART IN THIS COUNTRY EVERY DAY.
THERE ARE JUST RECENTLY, TWO WEEKS AGO, I LEARNED THAT ABOUT FOUR MILES FROM WHERE I USED TO LIVE IN KANSAS CITY, A YOUNG MAN THAT LOVED NATURE WAS RIDING HIS BIKE.
SOME PIT BULLS GOT OUT OF A BACKYARD, TOOK HIM DOWN, RIPPED HIM APART, HE ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL.
THEY WERE GONNA DO SURGERY ON HIM.
THEY WERE GONNA AMPUTATE ONE HAND, ONE LEG.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO PUT A PERMANENT BREATHING TUBE IN HIS THROAT, AND HE WAS GONNA HAVE TO BE ON DIALYSIS THE REST OF HIS LIFE, BUT THEN THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT BECAUSE HE DIED.
THIS PAPER, THIS IS THE MANIFESTO OF A CULT, MAYBE AN EVIL CULT, A SATANIC CULT.
AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE A SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE.
THIS IS USUALLY MY TAXPAYER MONEY TO FUND A CULT.
AND YOU HEAR FROM SPEAKERS ALL THE TIME HERE, AND PERHAPS Y'ALL ARE MEMBERS OF THE CULT YOURSELF.
AND IT IGNORES GLOBAL WARMING, MASS, EXTINCTION OF SPECIES.
IT'S ALL FUNNELING THIS, THIS ENERGY AND THIS, UH, INSANITY INTO SAVING DOGS AND CATS AT THE EXPENSE OF LANDS, PEOPLES NATIVE PEOPLES IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THESE ANIMALS TO FEED, YOU HAVE TO GROW FOOD MEAT FOR THEM.
AND THAT MEANS TAKING VIRGIN LAND AND DESTROYING IT.
SO I REALLY OBJECT TO A, I CAN'T GO OVER A POINT BY POINT.
I CAN'T FIT IN THEM TO MY THREE MINUTES, BUT WHAT I LOOK AT JUST MAKES ME WANNA PUKE.
THIS IS A RELIGIOUS CULT MANIFESTING AS A CITY ORGANIZATION.
I THINK THAT'S ENOUGH AND Y'ALL DISCUSS ME.
THAT CONCLUDES CITIZEN COMMUNICATION ON ITEM NUMBER TWO.
UM, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR, UM, QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION FROM THE, UM, FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? I DON'T, I DON'T THINK NECESSARILY THAT WAS THE GOAL, GOAL OF THIS ITEM, BUT MOSTLY TO GET CITIZEN INPUT.
BUT IF ANYBODY WANTS TO, UH, SPEAK NOW OR, UH, THEY MAY, NOPE.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
THEN TO, UH, ITEM NUMBER, UH, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, REQUEST THAT SOMEBODY ADD, UM, COMMUNITY CAT PROCESSING AND ASK FOR A A WORK GROUP WITH, UM, VOLUNTEERS.HOPEFULLY SOME, SOME OF THE SPEAKERS WILL, WILL WAIT AFTERWARDS AND VOLUNTEER TO SERVE ON THAT.
UM, WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO, UH, MOVE TO THAT, THAT BE ADDED COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON? UM, AND I THINK THERE ARE MULTIPLE SECONDS AND THIRDS, SO LET'S PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA.
IS THERE SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO LEAD THAT, UH, WORK GROUP? YOU CAN DISCUSS THAT.
COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON JUST WORK GROUP VOLUNTEERED.
SO, UH, WE ABSOLUTELY CAN DISCUSS IT LATER, BUT TO GET A VOLUNTEER ON THE HOOK, HE'S ON THE RECORD.
MR. ANDERSON, ON THE RECORD IS PART OF MY JOB HERE, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON, FOR THOSE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ASKED TO SPEAK AND SPECIFICALLY ASKED, UM, FOR A WORK GROUP ON TNR, I'D ASK THAT YOU, IF YOU, IF COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON HAS TIME AFTERWARDS TO, TO PLEASE UM, VISIT WITH HER, UM, AND EXCHANGE INFORMATION SO THAT YOU CAN, UM,
[01:20:01]
GET TOGETHER.A WORK GROUP IS NOT AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY IN THE SENSE THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A POSTED MEETING.
UM, COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE WHO WAS MEMBER ON THE WORKING GROUP, BUT OF COURSE, IF THERE'S ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE TO SERVE ON THE GROUP, I WOULD, UM, ASK YOU TO PLEASE VOLUNTEER AS WELL WITH COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON.
ARE THERE OTHER AGENDA ITEMS NOW? UM, YOU CAN ALWAYS PUT THEM ON LATER.
UM, UH, MOVES TO ADJOURN WITH A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER DEDIS.
UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? NO.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, THAT IS, UH, UNANIMOUS.