[00:00:04]
[CALL TO ORDER]
TO ORDER ON, UM, SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2025 AT SIX O'CLOCK.DO WE HAVE, UM, COMMISSIONER AHMED PRESENT? COMMISSIONER CLINTON? ABSENT, UM, COMMISSIONER TIES ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER FERGUSON PRESENT.
I SAW HER SAY PRESENT, BUT I COULDN'T HEAR HER.
AND THEN, UH, COMMISSIONER LOMAN.
COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON IS ABSENT.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
UM, PUBLIC COMMENT AND STARTING WITH JULIE OLIVER.YOU AND I SEE THAT COMMISSIONER CLINTON HAS JOINED.
UM, I WANNA ADDRESS THE NEW PROTOCOL FOR PLACING DOGS ON EUTHANASIA NOTICE.
UM, AS THIS NEW POLICY IS WRITTEN, NO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES DEFINE WHAT QUALIFIES AS A SIGNIFICANT BEHAVIORAL CONCERN.
AND WITHOUT CLEAR CRITERIA, WE RISK REPEATING THE SAME PROBLEM WE SAW EARLIER THIS SUMMER.
DOGS BEING LABELED AS PUBLIC SAFETY RISKS, WHEN IN FACT THEY'RE NOT.
WHAT ESPECIALLY ALARMING IS THAT UNDER THIS NEW PROTOCOL, EVEN MINOR BITES ARE NOW TREATED AS PUBLIC SAFETY RISKS.
THOSE DOGS ARE PLACED ON THE RESCUE POOL ONLY LIST, WHICH TOO OFTEN IS JUST A FAST TRACK TO DEATH.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT EVIDENCE-BASED ANIMAL WELFARE, AND IT'S NOT IN LINE WITH AUSTIN'S NO KILL MANDATE.
I AM FOSTERING A DOG FONDUE WHO'S PLACED ON THE EUTHANASIA NOTICE LIST IN JUNE.
THIS DOG WAS TRANSFERRED TO A PA I'M FOSTERING HIM THROUGH A PA SINCE COMING HOME, FONDUE HAS BEEN A PERFECT DOG, AND AT NO POINT HAVE I EVER WORRIED HE MIGHT HARM ME OR ANYONE ELSE.
HE'S PROOF THAT DOGS ARE UNFAIRLY LABELED BY A A C, UM, UNFAIRLY LABELED AND FACE DEATH WITHOUT CAUSE.
I ALSO DAILY WALK A DOG NAMED TOASTER STRUDEL, WHO I'M CERTAIN WILL BE ON OCTOBER'S LIST BECAUSE HE GOT JY WITH ME.
AND I CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE, HE'S NOT A TRUE BEHAVIORAL THREAT.
AUSTIN BECAME THE LARGEST NA'S LARGEST NO KILL SHELTER BECAUSE WE REFUSE TO TREAT ANIMALS AS DISPOSABLE.
THE NO KILL ORDINANCE REQUIRES EVIDENCE-BASED ASSESSMENTS, INCLUDING THE USE OF THE DUNBAR SCALE.
YET WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S ON THIS SO-CALLED DUNBAR TEAM, OR HOW THEY'RE APPLYING THE SCALE.
THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND SOPS CREATE POLICY RISKS AND MORAL RISKS.
DOGS WILL LOSE THEIR LIVES BASED ON VAGUE OR INCONSISTENT STANDARDS.
AND THIS IS NOT THE ONLY URGENT ISSUE AT THE SHELTER.
IN JUNE ALONE, 44 0 DOGS AND CATS DIED UNASSISTED IN THE SHELTER, THE HIGHEST MONTHLY TOTAL ON RECORD.
THEN IN AUGUST 13TH, A MONTH AGO, A CATASTROPHIC SAFETY FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN RUBBING ALCOHOL CONTAINER WAS REFILLED WITH FORMALDEHYDE AND USED TO PREP ANIMALS AND SURGERY.
FOSTERS AND ADOPTERS WEREN'T EVEN NOTIFIED UNTIL A WEEK LATER.
THESE INCIDENTS PUT BOTH ANIMALS AND PEOPLE AT EXTRAORDINARY RISK.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN UNQUALIFIED PEOPLE ARE PLACED IN CHARGE.
AUSTIN SHELTER NEEDS LEADERSHIP WITH ANIMAL WELFARE EXPERTISE, NOT CONVENTION CENTER MANAGERS MAKING LIFE AND DEATH DECISIONS.
I URGE THE COMMISSION TO REQUIRE CLEAR WRITTEN SOPS, DEFINING SIGNIFICANT BEHAVIORAL CONCERN TO ENSURE THAT DUNBAR SCALE IS CONSISTENTLY AND TRANSPARENTLY APPLIED.
AND TO HOLD LEADERSHIP ACCOUNTABLE FOR SYSTEMIC FAILURES THAT ENDANGER AUSTIN'S ANIMALS AND THREATEN OUR NO KILL MANDATE.
I'VE BEEN HERE NOW ALMOST THREE YEARS.
I'VE GOTTEN SEVERAL THINGS DONE.
THE, THE GOOD FIX AND GOT OUR LITTLE QUEENS
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GOING BACK TO THEIR HOMES.THAT LADY SAID EXACTLY WHERE I WANTED TO BRING UP TODAY.
WE HAVE DOGS THAT'S BEEN THERE SIX MONTHS, 12 MONTHS, 18 MONTHS.
AND I, THOSE DOGS ARE ON THE BACK ROW BACK THERE.
YOU CAN HEAR THEM BARKING WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY HEAR PEOPLE OUT THERE TALKING OR SOMETHING.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENED TO 'EM, BUT WE NEED TO FIND SOMEBODY THAT CAN HELP US.
THAT'S A PROFESSIONAL THAT CAN SAY, YES, THIS DOG IS A DANGER.
I'VE GONE THROUGH OBEDIENCE THINGS.
THESE DOGS HAVE BEEN BEAT WITH THEIR SOMEBODY'S HAND.
THEY'RE SCARED THAT THINK YOU'RE GONNA DO IT TO 'EM AGAIN.
THERE'S SOMETHING THERE THAT'S CAUSING THEM TO BE FEARFUL AND, AND, YOU KNOW, NOT GET ALONG WITH PEOPLE OR, OR, OR MAYBE IT'S YOUR, YOUR BODY.
YOU KNOW, THEIR YOUR PRESENCE TO 'EM.
WHAT IF YOU'RE WEARING A COLOGNE OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT MIGHT SET THEM OFF THAT REMINDS THEM OF WHEN THEY WAS NOT TREATED RIGHT.
AND I'D, I'D LIKE TO SEE US GET MAYBE A WORKING GROUP TO, TO HELP OUR SHELTER FIND OUT WHAT THESE PROBLEMS ARE.
THEY DON'T NEED TO BE IN A CAGE IN A RUN FOR THAT LENGTH OF TIME.
THAT'S NOT FAIR TO THE ANIMAL.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE'RE NOT A ZOO.
WE ARE, WE'RE SHELTERED THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BRING THEM IN AND THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GO OUT.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO FIND FOREVER HOMES.
WE'VE GOTTA FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND TO HELP THESE ANIMALS.
I NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS BECAUSE I NEVER HIT 'EM.
THEY DID WHAT I WANTED THEM TO DO.
I, I WAS CHALLENGED, BUT THEN I STOOD UP TO 'EM AND I NEVER GOT CHALLENGED AGAIN.
AND I'M JUST ASKING OUR SHELTER TO, TO FIND OUT WHAT'S CAUSING THIS THAT'S INHUMANE.
TO KEEP 'EM THAT IN A CAGE LIKE THAT.
UM, SO THE PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK NOW OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO WAIT TILL THAT AGENDA ITEM COMES UP? YOU WANNA WAIT TILL THE AGENDA ITEM COMES UP.
CAN I, SORRY, I COULDN'T UNMUTE FAST ENOUGH.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION, UM, FOR, UM, EITHER JASON OR ROLANDO BASED ON WHAT MS. VICKERY JUST SAID, OR DO I NEED TO HOLD THAT FOR ANOTHER TIME? I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE ON THE AGENDA.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR MEETING ON AUGUST 11TH, 2025.I DID RE-WATCH THE VIDEO AND LOOK OVER THE MINUTES.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY TO I MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES? OKAY.
UM, AARON, COMMISSIONER FERGUSON IS SECONDING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE DRAFT MINUTES FOR THE AUGUST 11TH MEETING.
BEFORE WE MOVE ON, UH, VICE CHAIR LENDER, COULD YOU SEND ME IF YOU ABSTAIN OR RECUSE ON ANY OF THE ITEMS VIA EMAIL? YES, I'LL DO THAT NOW.
AND YOU GOT THAT COMMISSIONER? UM, CLINTON IS PRESENT.
SHALL I WAIT TILL YOU CONFIRM THAT YOU'VE GOTTEN THAT EMAIL FROM COMMISSIONER LEONARD? OKAY.
[2. Staff briefing regarding monthly reports provided by Rolando Fernandez, Interim Chief Animal Services Officer, Austin Animal Services. ]
STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING MONTHLY REPORTS PROVIDED BY ROLANDO FERNANDEZ, INTERIM CHIEF ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER OF THE AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES.ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
JASON GARZA WITH, UH, AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
UM, SO, UH, USUALLY I START OFF WITH THE LIVE OUTCOME FOR JUST ONE SECOND.
WHAT, WHAT WAS THAT? WE'RE US ON, US ON DOC.
DR. NIELSEN, US ONLINE ARE NOT SEEING ANYTHING UNDER THE CITY HALL.
ARE YOU SEEING THE, ARE YOU SEEING THE REPORT REPORTING ANIMAL AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES? YES, BUT THERE IS, BUT WE, UH, UP UNTIL THEN, WE STILL WEREN'T SEEING THE ROOM.
YEAH, THEY'RE SEEING THE ROOM.
IS IT JUST ME? I CAN'T SEE THE ROOM.
CAN ANYBODY SEE THE ROOM? I SEE THE ROOM.
UM, IT'S SMALLER NOW, BUT I CAN SEE IT NOW.
[00:10:01]
GO AHEAD.UM, SO I'LL START THE REPORT OFF.
YOU NORMALLY START WITH THE LIVE OUTCOME RATE.
IT, THE REPORT SAYS 95.7, BUT WE HAD ONE OF OUR PARTNERS, UH, POINT OUT SOMETHING TO US.
AND SO SOME INITIAL INVESTIGATION, THE NUMBER MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE LOOKING INTO IT, THERE WERE SOME ANIMALS THAT WEREN'T OUTCOME PROPERLY.
SO I NEED TO GO IN AND CHECK IT, MAKE ANY NECESSARY CHANGES.
AND THEN I'LL SEND THE COMMISSION THE UPDATE JUST ON CRICK MATH THAT I'VE HAD WITH WHAT I'VE FOUND.
IT SHOULD STILL BE, I'M GOING 95.2, BUT I WILL UPDATE IT ONCE I GET EVERYTHING FINALIZED.
UM, THERE WERE 9 64 ANIMALS BROUGHT TO THE SHELTER IN AUGUST.
WE WERE ABLE TO ADOPT 604 OF THEM.
UM, 64 CATS AND DOGS WERE, WERE RETURNED TO THEIR OWNERS.
UM, SO WE STARTED THE MONTH OFF WITH ABOUT 1,241 ANIMALS IN OUR INVENTORY.
AT THE SHELTER AND WITHIN FOSTER.
SO, UM, OH, I FORGOT THE CLICKER.
UH, SO WITH ANIMAL PROTECTION, WITH SOME OF THE WORK THAT THEY DID OUT IN THE FIELD, THEY WERE ABLE TO IMPOUND 32 INJURED ANIMALS.
UM, THEY ALSO IMPOUNDED 114 REGULAR SICK ANIMALS.
THEY DID COLLECT 35 RABIES SPECIMENS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, DID 21 INFIELD OWNER'S SURRENDERS.
UM, WITHIN OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, AGAIN, OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE ROCK STARS.
WE HAD OVER 570, UH, UH, VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTE OVER 7,400 HOURS TO US.
UM, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO DO FOUR ORIENTATIONS DURING THE MONTH WITH 115 MORE, UH, POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS WORK, UH, HOPEFULLY COMING OUT FOR US.
UH, WE HAD 39 INDIVIDUALS DONATE 78 HOURS TOWARD OUR GROUP VOLUNTEER SERVICES.
WE DID SEE OVER A MILLION PAGE VIEWS FROM BOTH OUR FACEBOOK AND OUR INSTAGRAM.
UM, WHICH IS GOOD FOR US TO SHARE INFORMATION.
UH, ESPECIALLY EVEN WITH THIS PAST WEEKEND, UH, WE HAD A, UH, A LOT OF INFLUX OF ANIMALS AND SO WE WERE SCRAMBLING FOR SPACE THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT, UH, POWER SOCIAL MEDIA, WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME ANIMALS, UH, OUT THE DOOR OR READY FOR ADOPTION.
UM, WITHIN OUR FOSTER RESCUE PROGRAM, WE HAD, UH, 21 DIFFERENT RESCUES.
DID PULL OVER 260 ANIMALS FOR US.
UM, WE HAD 426 ANIMALS, UH, OR, OR 26 FAMILIES, EXCUSE ME, THAT FOSTERED FOR US.
UM, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING 21, UH, FAMILIES THAT ACT AS FINDER TO FOSTERS FOR US.
SO THOSE WERE ABLE TO BE DEFERRED INTAKE FOR US AND GO INTO HOMES IMMEDIATELY, WHICH HELPS WITH THE OVERALL STRESS OF THE ANIMAL.
RIGHT NOW, WE STILL HAVE OVER A THOUSAND APPROVED FOSTERS, UM, WITHIN OUR, OUR FOSTER SYSTEM.
UM, VET SERVICES KEPT BUSY AS USUAL.
UH, WE HAD OVER 500 SPAY NEUTER SURGERIES AND OVER 1600 ANIMALS WERE VACCINATED.
UM, AGAIN, THE NUMBER AT THE BOTTOM, 35 ANIMALS COGNIZE RIGHT NOW TENDERLY, IT'S 38.
'CAUSE OF THE LEAST I HAVE FOUND THREE.
UM, BUT, UH, WITHIN THOSE ANIMALS WE DID HAVE, UM, SEVEN THAT WERE COURT ORDER EUTHANIZED.
AND THAT MAY BE 31 THAT WERE FOR MEDICAL ISSUES.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
IF NONE, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO LON.
UM, I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED BY THE UNASSISTED DEATHS AND SO I THINK THOSE ARE REPORTED IN YOUR DATA THAT YOU GIVE US, BUT THEY'RE NOT IN THE REPORT.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REPORTING ITEMS UNDER, UH, 3 1 27 10 OF THE CODE.
IT SAID TO REPORT THE DEATH AND THE CAUSE, I GUESS IF YOU KNOW IT, BUT IS IT, I GUESS IT'S FINE IF WE KEPT IT THERE, BUT IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO DIG AROUND AND SAY WHERE WERE THE UNASSISTED DEATHS? SO I, I JUST WANNA CONFIRM THEY ARE COUNTED TOWARD THE 95.
AND IS IT POSSIBLE UNDER VET, I KNOW THEY'RE REALLY NOT VET SERVICES, BUT IS IT POSSIBLE TO JUST SAY THAT THERE WERE, I THINK THERE WERE 12 UNASSISTED DEATHS? THERE WERE, THERE WERE 13.
I, WE, I'LL, I'LL ADD A BLURB UNDER, IT TECHNICALLY DOES FALL UNDER VET SERVICES 'CAUSE THEY HAVE TO CONFIRM THAT THE ANIMAL'S DEAD.
SO AT THE END OF THE MONTH WE CAN DO THAT.
YEAH, BECAUSE I, I HAD LOOKED AT THE DATA SET AND I SAW IT, BUT THEN I DIDN'T SEE IT HERE.
AND THEN I, YOU KNOW, WE FOUND IT IN THE DATA, SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE REPORTING IT.
IT WOULD JUST BE NICE TO HAVE THE NUMBER MM-HMM
YEAH, I'LL REMEMBER THAT NEXT IF YOU CAN.
I CAN'T SEE THE ONLINE COMMISSIONERS CURRENTLY TO SEE IF ANY OF THEM HAVE QUESTIONS.
AND IF, AND IF I CAN ADD, UM, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY INTERIM OFFICER ROLANDA FERNANDEZ, UM, IF I CAN ADD, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY
[00:15:01]
THE CODE, UH, DICTATES WHAT WE REPORT OUT ON A REGULAR BASIS.UM, WE HAVE BEEN SPENDING SOME TIME, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIME HONESTLY, LOOKING AT OUR DASHBOARDS, UH, OR CREATING DASHBOARDS INTERNALLY.
YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BE LOOKING AT INFORMATION ON A DAILY BASIS THAT KIND OF TELLS US WHICH WAY WE'RE GOING UP OR DOWN, YOU KNOW, EAST WEST, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
UM, THE PURPOSE OF THIS OBVIOUSLY IS TO COMPLY WITH THE, THE CODE, BUT IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO SEE AND WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN, WE'D LOVE TO DO THAT.
UH, THE PRESENTATION IS TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT FOR US TO KIND OF SHARE THE INFORMATION BETTER THAN JUST VERBALLY.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO, UH, LOOK AT.
BUT, UM, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT US TO LOOK AT, WE, WE WILL CERTAINLY BE LOOKING AT THAT AND SEE IF WE CAN PROVIDE IT HERE.
I THINK THE MORE INFORMATION WE HAVE, THE BETTER, UH, WE ARE GONNA BE MAKING DECISIONS.
SUE WILL, UM, ON THAT NOTE, OH, I'M SORRY.
HEY, ON THAT NOTE, IF EVERYBODY COULD, ONE THING THAT I COULD WAIT TO BE RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIR BEFORE THEY SPEAK, THAT'D BE GREAT.
SORRY, COMMISSIONER HOL, I WASN'T SURE IF Y'ALL COULD STILL SEE US OR NOT.
UM,
SO, UM, ONE MORE QUICK QUESTION.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD KNOW, UM, HOW MANY RESCUES ARE PULLING THOSE RESCUES.
IT WOULD BE NICE JUST TO SEE, I KNOW THAT A PA OBVIOUSLY PULLS A LOT, BUT IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE IF THERE'S DIVERSITY WITH OTHER RESCUES STEPPING FORWARD AS WELL.
WE, WE DO HAVE THAT OUT, UM, UH, IN HOUSE.
AND OUR, OUR FOSTER RESCUE GROUP DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB OF SHARING THAT INFORMATION AND TELLING, WE CAN POST IT OUT THERE.
I THINK THIS TIME I SAW MORE THAN JUST APA.
I THINK THERE WAS SIX OR SEVEN DIFFERENT FOSTER GROUPS ON THERE.
UM, I, WE WILL TRY TO FIGURE OUT TO SEE HOW HOW I CAN FIT THE, WHAT'S IN THE DATA REPORT ONTO A SLIDE, OR AT LEAST JUST BREAK IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE WERE OVER 21 OR 21 GROUPS THAT THAT PULLED FROM US, AND WE, THEY PULLED ABOUT 261 ANIMALS FOR US.
I JUST WANTED, I'M JUST CURIOUS, JASON, IF, UM, IF WE PUT AN AGENDA ITEM ON AT THE END OF THIS MEETING, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMEONE COME IN AND TALK TO US ABOUT THAT ISSUE THAT WAS DISCUSSED DURING THE CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT THE FORMALDEHYDE BEING USED DURING THE SURGERY? I CAN, THIS IS ROLANDO.
I CAN NOT TODAY, RIGHT? WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT GONNA MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POSTING, BUT I CAN COME IN AND TALK ABOUT A SUMMARY OF, UH, WHAT HAPPENED AND, AND I THINK MORE IMPORTANTLY, RIGHT, WHAT THE STEPS ARE THAT WE'VE BEEN TAKEN TO AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S, WE CAN DO THAT.
I THINK WE'VE BEEN PRETTY CLEAR WITH OUR STAFF, UH, ABOUT THIS INCIDENT.
UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALSO THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT INTERNALLY.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, TALKING ABOUT SAFETY AND MEETINGS, UH, AS THE FIRST AGENDA ITEM.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON.
AND, AND, AND CERTAINLY I DON'T WANT TO USE THAT AS A, AS A REASON FOR WHY THINGS CAN HAPPEN IN, IN, IN THIS WAY, RIGHT.
UM, BUT, UH, YEAH, I CAN DO THAT.
I THINK JUST, OKAY, I'LL PUT HIGH LEVEL WHAT AGENDA, BUT IMPORTANTLY WHAT WE DO TO, FOR NEXT, FOR NEXT THE FUTURE.
OH, ONE MORE QUESTION ON AGENDA ITEM TWO FOR JOY.
SO JASON, UM, SO 21 DIFFERENT RESCUES.
AND A LOT COMPARED TO BEFORE, SO I JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS BECAUSE WE REALLY NEED THIS COMMUNITIES TO STEP UP.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS, IT'S NICE TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE SO WE CAN EVEN, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES REACH OUT AND THANK THEM.
AND, YOU KNOW, DONORS LIKE TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
THOSE LITTLE GROUPS THAT HELP.
YEAH, NO, WE, WE, WE ARE APPRECIATIVE OF THEIR AND THEIR EFFORTS TO, TO TRY TO GET OUT AND THE STAFF TO TRY TO CONTINUE TO PUSH THEM AND HOUND THEM A LITTLE BIT, NO PUN.
UM, BUT YOU'RE REALLY TRYING TO EAT ANIMALS INTO, INTO RESCUES AND, YOU KNOW, TRY TO SEE OPPORTUNITIES THAT MIGHT BE OUT THERE.
[3. Staff briefing on Updated Process for Euthanasia Notification by Rolando Fernandez, Interim Chief Animal Services Officer, Austin Animal Services. ]
MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM THREE, STAFF BRIEFING ON UPDATED PROCESS FOR EUTHANASIA NOTIFICATION BY ROLANDO FERNANDEZ, INTERIM CHIEF ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER OF AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES.SO WE'LL START WITH PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT.
AND FIRST I HAVE CLAIRE CALLISON.
UH, DEAR, DEAR CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS, UH, MY NAME'S CLAIRE CALLISON.
I'M THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AT AUSTIN PETS ALIVE.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE UPDATED PROCESS FOR EUTHANASIA NOTIFICATION.
YOU'VE LIKELY READ THE MONTHLY REPORTS FROM AUSTIN PETS ALIVE AND KNOW THAT A PA TAKES ABOUT 17% OF ALL ANIMALS, WHICH IS WELL BEYOND OUR
[00:20:01]
REQUIRED 12% THAT ENTER AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.SO THAT'S AROUND ONE OUT OF EVERY SIX PETS THAT THE CITY TAKES IN.
MANY OF THE PETS A PA TAKES FROM A A C ARE AT RISK BECAUSE THEY'RE UNDER AGE, SICK, INJURED, OR HAVE SERIOUS BEHAVIORAL NEEDS.
THAT'S WHY A PA SUPPORT OF A A C IS TRULY UNIQUE.
THIS MEANS THAT OUR NONPROFIT ISN'T SIMPLY HELPING ONLY WITH THE NUMBER OF PETS AT A A C, LIKE WHEN WE TOOK IN 70 ANIMALS IN TWO DAYS THIS PAST JULY TO HELP WITH AACS OVERCROWDING.
BUT WE'RE ALSO TAKING ON MANY OF THE PETS THAT STAY IN CARE FOR A LONG TIME AS THEY'RE BEING TREATED.
LONG SHELTER STAYS CONTRIBUTE TO OVERCROWDING.
SO TRANSFERRING MANY OF THE ANIMALS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE TAKE UP SHELTER SPACE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD AT A A C IS AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT OF THE PARTNERSHIP WITH A PA.
THE PROGRAMS THAT A PA HAS ALREADY SET UP HAVE MADE IT SO THAT A, A C UNLIKE EVERY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL GOVERNMENT SHELTER IN THE US DOES NOT HAVE TO CREATE THESE PROGRAMS TO REACH THE HIGHEST LIFESAVING LEVELS.
IN FACT, THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR MANY LIFESAVING PROGRAMS HAS COMPLETELY SHIFTED TO A PA.
ALL UNHOUSED ANIMALS IN AUSTIN DESERVE TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO THE CITY'S SHELTER AND RECEIVE MEDICAL CARE, AND IF NEEDED, ADVANCED BEHAVIORAL CARE.
IT IS NOTHING SHORT OF SHOCKING.
THE A A C HAS A $25 MILLION TAXPAYER SUPPORTED BUDGET, AND YET DOESN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO CREATE SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS FOR LARGE BREED DOGS WHO ARE STRESSED AND NEED BEHAVIOR SUPPORT.
SO, A A C CAN PRIORITIZE BOTH LIFESAVING AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
APAS CREATED PROGRAMS FOR THE PETS THAT WE TAKE OFF OF EUTHANASIA LIST AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT KILLING DOGS IS NOT THE ANSWER.
OVERCROWDING AT A A C NOW IS PRIMARILY DUE TO LARGE BREED DOGS AND A LACK OF PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT THOSE DOGS IN FINDING HOMES.
THE RESULT IS DOGS TAKING A LONG TIME TO FIND HOMES, WHICH REDUCES THE SHELTER'S CAPACITY TO TAKE IN MORE.
THIS CANNOT BE RESOLVED BY MOVING YET MORE ANIMALS TO LOCAL NONPROFITS, AND IT WON'T BE SOLVED BY KILLING MORE DOGS EVERY MONTH.
OVERCROWDING IS ONLY RESOLVED BY ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
AT A-A-C-A-P IS OFFERED TO HELP BY SHARING INDUSTRY, INDUSTRY PROVEN BEST PRACTICES AND PROVEN STRATEGIES THAT ARE UTILIZED AROUND THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING AT A A PA AND CREATED BY A PA TO MOVE ANIMALS THROUGH THE SYSTEM FASTER, EVEN IN SHELTERS WITH FEWER RESOURCES THAT A A C HAS.
THE MEMO POSTED BY THE INTERIM, A-C-A-S-O DIRECTOR LAST WEEK, IF APPROVED, ALLOWS MORE DOGS TO BE AT RISK AND LIMITS PLACEMENT FOR DOGS THAT WOULD BE BETTER SUPPORTED THROUGH STRONGER SHELTER SUPPORT.
PLEASE DO NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS UNTIL YOU WORK WITH AUSTIN PETS ALIVE, THE SHELTER PARTNER THAT TAKES IN THE MAJORITY OF ANIMALS YOU CHOOSE TO DIVERT TO OTHER SHELTERS.
NEXT, WE'LL HAVE CHELSEA REMAN.
PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I MISPRONOUNCE THAT.
UM, DEAR CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS, UH, MY NAME IS CHELSEA REMAN AND I'M THE DOG BEHAVIOR DIRECTOR, AUSTIN PETS ALIVE.
UH, MY JOB AT THE NONPROFIT SHELTER IS TO WORK WITH A TEAM OF DOG BEHAVIOR EXPERTS TO DETERMINE WHICH DOGS FROM A A C WE BELIEVE WE CAN BRING INTO OUR PROGRAM AND HELP AND PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED TRAINING PLANS FOR EACH OF THESE DOGS, AND THEN DETERMINE, UM, WHERE THEY'LL BE BEST PLACED IN THE COMMUNITY, AND ALSO, WHICH DOGS PRESENT A PUBLIC SAFETY RISK AND SHOULD NOT BE PLACED IN THE COMMUNITY.
I'M HERE TODAY 'CAUSE I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ASO'S UPDATED PROCESS FOR EUTHANASIA NOTIFICATION.
I DON'T BELIEVE THE SUGGESTION THAT THIS NEW RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST OR THE PROCESSES BEING MANDATED AROUND IT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN MY TIME WORKING WITH THE DOGS IN THE BEHAVIOR PROGRAM.
AT A PA, UM, A A C HAS TRADITIONALLY SENT OUT AN INDIVIDUALIZED PLEA EMAIL FOR EACH DOG, ALONG WITH A COMPILED DAILY LIST OF DOGS WHO ARE AT RISK FOR EUTHANASIA, UM, FOR BEHAVIOR.
BUT RECENTLY, HOWEVER, A A C HAS CHANGED THEIR SYSTEMS AND A PA NO LONGER RECEIVES A DAILY LIST OF DOGS WHO THEY'RE CONSIDERING AT RISK FOR BEHAVIOR.
AND THE WAY THAT INDIVIDUAL DOGS ARE PLED LACKS CONSISTENCY AND TRANSPARENCY FROM THE SHELTER.
THIS HAS LED TO DELAYS IN OUR PROCESSES AND LOTS OF CONFUSION ON WHO IS AT RISK AND WHO IS NOT.
THERE IS ALSO MUCH CONFUSION FROM A'S MESSAGING, UM, AND READING THE INTERIM A O DIRECTOR'S MEMO LEADS ME TO MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS.
UM, IT SHOULD BE CONCERNED TO EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM THAT I CANNOT TELL IF A PA WILL STILL HAVE A 10 DAY EVALUATION PERIOD OF DOGS THAT WE TAKE FROM A A C BEFORE COMMITTING TO INTAKE THEM.
UH, THERE'S ALSO A LACK OF CLARITY ON WHAT THE OUTCOME WILL BE OF THE ANIMALS ON THIS LIST.
UH, PER OUR AGREEMENT, WE TAKE FIVE DOGS, A MINIMUM OF FIVE DOGS OFF THAT LIST EVERY MONTH.
UM, SO IF THERE'S GOING TO BE 10 DOGS PLACED ON THIS LIST EACH MONTH, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE OTHER FIVE? UM, ARE THEY AT RISK FOR EUTHANASIA? DO THEY STAY ON THE LIST TILL THE NEXT MONTH? I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
UM, I'M ALSO UNCLEAR ABOUT THIS P PIECE, BUT IT APPEARS THAT THIS PROCESS IS CALLING FOR A PA TO PULL ALL FIVE, UH, OUR BEHAVIOR AGREEMENT DOGS AT ONCE PER MONTH.
UH, THIS WOULD PLACE A GREAT STRAIN ON OUR BEHAVIOR PROGRAM, WHICH WOULD LEAD TO INCREASED SAFETY RISK AND DECREASED RESOURCES PER DOG.
WE PULL OUR DOGS OFF THE LIST VERY STRATEGICALLY, UM, KNOWING THAT WE CAN HAVE THE RESOURCES TO
[00:25:01]
HELP THEM.THESE ALL SEEM LIKE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ALL HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT CLARITY ON IF WE'RE DISCUSSING THIS HERE.
AND IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT WE DO NOT.
UM, OF THE 154 DOGS WHO WERE PLED TO US AS AT RISK OF EUTHANASIA FOR BEHAVIOR LAST YEAR, 54 WERE REMOVED BY A A C FOR IMPROVED BEHAVIOR OR FOR PLACEMENT.
AND THE A PA BEHAVIOR TEAM EVALUATED EVERY ONE OF THE REMAINING A HUNDRED DOGS.
WE DECLINED ON THREE OF THOSE DOGS AS WE FELT THAT THEY WERE UNSAFE FOR PLACEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WE BROUGHT 97 OF THEM INTO OUR PROGRAM.
THE PROCESSES THAT WE HAVE BEEN USING TO HELP THE DOGS AT RISK FOR BEHAVIOR ARE OBVIOUSLY WORKING A PA SUCCESSFULLY SAVING LIVES OF DOGS AND CHANGING THE PART OF THE PROCESS THAT DOES WORK WILL LEAD TO MORE ANIMALS BEING NEEDLESSLY EUTHANIZED.
THE ASO'S SUGGESTION OF A NEW RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST FROM A A C LACKS THE STANDARDS AUSTIN SHOULD HOLD EVERYONE TO AT A A CI HAVE YET TO SEE ANY EVIDENCE.
A A C WILL PRODUCE A CONSISTENT LIST THAT WE CAN PULL DOGS FROM.
I'M ALSO WONDERING WHAT HAPPENS IF A DOG NEEDS EVALUATION AFTER THAT TIME.
THANK YOU, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
MY NAME IS SUSIE CHASE AND I'M A DISTRICT 10 CONSTITUENT, A FORMER STAFF MEMBER FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND FOR MORE THAN FOUR YEARS, I'VE WORKED AT AUSTIN PETS LIVE.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ADDRESS THE UPDATED PROCESS FOR EUTHANASIA NOTIFICATION.
I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT THE A SO WOULD QUESTION THE DEFINITIONS OF BITE HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANT BEHAVIORAL CONCERNS.
WHEN LEADERSHIP AT A A C FIRST CREATED A PROCESS, DOGS WERE DEEMED AT RISK FOR AGGRESSIVE HISTORIES RESULTING IN SERIOUS HARM TO INDIVIDUALS OR OTHER ANIMALS.
AND A A C LEADERSHIP EVALUATED THE CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND EACH BITE.
THIS MEANT THAT DOGS WITH LEVEL THREE OR BELOW WERE NOT AT RISK OF BEING ON A EUTHANASIA LIST.
THIS PROPOSED CHANGE APPEARS TO ALLOW FOR DOGS TO BE DEEMED AT RISK BASED ON CONJECTURE ABOUT WHAT A DOG COULD DO, AND PLACES A HIGH PRIORITY AND CONSIDERATION IN SHELTER BEHAVIOR, SOMETHING THAT WAS EXCLUDED EXCEPT FOR EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
I'D LIKE TO READ A STATEMENT TO YOU FROM MARKEL, ONE OF THE VOLUNTEERS AT AUSTIN PETS ALIVE.
I WAS SO HAPPY THAT AUSTIN PETS ALIVE TOOK A DOG NAMED SAGE FROM AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER ON JUNE 12TH, SWEET ONE AND A HALF YEAR OLD, SAGE WAS ON A EUTHANASIA LIST OF FOUR DOGS THAT WOULD BE KILLED IF AUSTIN PETS ALIVE DID NOT GIVE THIS DOG A CHANCE.
SAGE WAS FOUND OFF THE SIDE OF I 35 IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, POSSIBLY HAVING PUPPIES WITHIN THE PRECEDING SIX MONTHS.
IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS, SAGE WAS ON A BEHAVIOR HOLD AT A A C FOR BEHAVIORS, INCLUDING BEING JUMPY.
I DON'T KNOW WHO MADE THE DECISION THAT KILLING SAGE WOULD'VE BENEFITED OUR COMMUNITY.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT WITHIN ONE WEEK AT A PA, THE BEHAVIOR TEAM FOUND SHE WAS LESS JUMPY, WAS SITTING PATIENTLY AND ENJOYING MEETING PEOPLE AND RECEIVING TREATS.
I LOVED MEETING SAGE AT A PA SO MUCH THAT I DECIDED TO FOSTER HER.
STARTING IN EARLY JULY, MY LOVE FOR SAGE HAS GROWN.
AND LAST WEEK I OFFICIALLY ADOPTED THIS LOVING DOG.
MY HUSBAND IS AN ATTORNEY, AND HE OFTEN TAKES SAGE WITH HIM TO WORK, REFERRING TO HER AS HIS CO-COUNSEL.
THOUGH SHE IS NOT VERY GOOD AT HER JOB, AS SHE SLEEPS IN HER BED NEXT TO HIS DESK ALL DAY, SAGE IS SUCH A SWEET, WELL-BEHAVED PUP, AND WE ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE HER IN OUR LIVES.
WE CAN'T THANK A PA ENOUGH FOR SAVINGS AGE'S LIFE.
I HOPE THE A SO DIRECTOR WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH CHANGING THE BEHAVIOR NOTIFICATION PROCESS, AND INSTEAD WILL WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH AUSTIN PETS LIVES.
SO MORE DOGS LIKE OUR SAGE HAVE A CHANCE AT BEING ADOPTED AND LOVED IN SOMEONE'S HOME END QUOTE.
THE ASO'S SUGGESTION OF CREATING A RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST DOES NOT EXPEDITE APPROPRIATE OUTCOMES FOR ANIMALS.
ONE OF THE KEY RATIONALE CITED IN A MEMO FROM THE A SO DIRECTOR'S OFFICES EARLIER IDENTIFICATION OF THE DOGS NEEDING TO BE ON A RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST AND AN EXPEDITED PROCESS.
AS AN AUSTIN RESIDENT, I WANNA KNOW, ARE ALL AT RISK DOGS GOING TO BE PLACED ON THE RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST? YOU'LL RECALL THAT IN 2019, THE MAYOR AND AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL VOTED ON A MANDATORY 95% OR HIGHER LIVE RELEASE RATE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MEET THAT IF YOU ARE PLACING SO MANY DOGS ON THIS RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST AND SETTING MORE DOGS UP TO FAIL? I SINCERELY HOPE THE INTERIM A SO DIRECTOR WILL COMMIT TO TRANSPARENCY WITH THE LARGEST SHELTER PARTNER IN AUSTIN, AND PAUSE ON MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS CHANGE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THAT'S THE END OF PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM THREE.
SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO STAFF.
UH, ROLANDO FERNANDEZ INTERIM ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER.
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE UP HERE AND SHARE INFORMATION, UH, REGARDING, UH, UPDATED PROCESS FOR NOTIFICATION TO, UH, TO RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUMMARIZES, UH, SOME CHANGES TO OUR CURRENT, UM, URGENT PLACEMENT LIST, BUT ALSO PROVIDES INFORMATION ON A NEW PROGRAM, THE RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST.
I BELIEVE YOU ALL RECEIVED A COPY OF THIS MEMO THAT WAS, UH, SENT OVER FROM OUR OFFICE TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, LATE LAST WEEK.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THIS, UH, THIS MEMO HAS ALSO BEEN SHARED, UH, SHARED WITH, UH, STAFF, UH, AT THE, UH, ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE.
AND, UM, I ALSO SENT IT TO, UH, SEVERAL, UH, VOLUNTEER GROUPS THAT WORK WITH OUR, UM, UH, SOME OUR BEHAVIORAL DOGS AS WELL.
UH, BESIDES THAT MEMO, UH, GOING OUT TO ARIAN COUNCIL, SHARED WITH STAFF, SOME VOLUNTEERS.
UH, I'VE ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, SHARE, UM, SORT OF THE OVERVIEW OF THESE CHANGES THAT WERE DEVELOPED, UM, BEFORE, UH, BEING PUT IN MEMO AND BEFORE COMMUNICATED, UM, YOU KNOW, PUBLICLY TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL,
[00:30:01]
UH, WITH, UH, LEADERSHIP FROM A PA, UH, WALKED THEM THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND, AND REALLY FOCUSED ON WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.RIGHT? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THIS ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN, UH, THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, UH, IN TERMS OF HOW WE AS AT THE SHELTER MANAGE OUR BEHAVIORAL, UH, DOGS.
UH, THE UPO IS SENT OUT ON A REGULAR BASIS TO OUR RESCUE PARTNERS, INCLUDING A PA, UH, INDIVIDUAL.
EMAILS FROM STAFF ARE ALSO SENT OVER TO RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS AND INCLUDING A PA REGARDING, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE BELIEVE ARE, UH, SOME OF OUR HIGHER PRIORITY DOGS.
AND SO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE ON THIS LIST, UH, WITH THE REVISIONS TO THE UPL AND ALSO THE CREATION OF THE RPL LIST.
SO THE URGENT PLACEMENT LIST AND THE RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST IS, AGAIN, THAT TRANSPARENCY OF WHAT WE'RE MANAGING IN OUR CARE, UM, IN OUR, IN OUR OFFICE.
UH, AND ALSO WHAT WE BELIEVE IS WORTH, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY SHOULD FOCUS ON, RIGHT? BOTH THE RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS, UH, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS THAT ON A DAILY BASIS, UM, YOU KNOW, REACH OUT TO INDIVIDUAL OR RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS AND BRING ATTENTION TO THEM OF DOGS THAT THEY'VE BEEN VOLUNTEERING TO, UH, SUPPORT, WHETHER BY WASH OR BY CARE, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN HELP WITH THE PLACEMENT.
SO OUR GOAL, AGAIN, WAS TO JUST ELEVATE THE LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY AND, AND THE COMMUNICATION, AND REALLY JUST BE MORE CONSISTENT ABOUT WHEN THOSE THINGS GO OUT.
UH, AND SO YOU SAW IN THE MEMO THAT, UM, THAT WE SENT, AND YOU'LL SEE, UH, MONTY, REBECCA, MONTY, OUR PROGRAM MANAGER, KIND OF GO OVER IN A COUPLE POWERPOINT SLIDES FOR YOU.
ALL THOSE SPECIFIC TIMELINES TO ACHIEVE THAT PURPOSE OF CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION, CONSISTENT TRANSPARENCY IN THE HOPES THAT RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS WILL STEP UP AND ASSIST US WITH PLACEMENT, UM, OF THESE ANIMALS IN OUR CARE.
I'M PROGRAM MANAGER OVER AT THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
UM, JUST WANTED TO GO OVER THANK YOU,
UH, JUST WANTED TO GO OVER JUST THE BASIS OF LIKE, YOU GOT THE, SORRY, WE'RE WAITING ON THE POWERPOINT.
UM, GO OVER THE BASICS OF THE URGENT PLACEMENT LIST, WHICH HAS BEEN UP AND LIVE NOW FOR, FOR SOME TIME AND SOME OF THE REVISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO IT.
AND THEN THE NEW, UM, RPL, THE RESCUE PLACEMENT, UM, THAT HAS GONE LIVE AS WELL.
SO, THE URGENT, UH, PLACEMENT LIST, THE, UH, UPL HAS, UH, WILL BE UPDATED.
IT IS UPDATED REGULARLY AND MAINTAINED AS A LIBRARY SOURCE FOR THE A SO WEBSITE AND DISTRIBUTED WEEKLY TO ALL OF SUBSCRIBED STAKEHOLDERS, UH, VIA EMAIL.
UM, THE UPL IS MADE OF DOGS THAT EXHIBIT BEHAVIOR CONCERNS HAVE BITE HISTORY THAT DOES NOT POSE A THREAT TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND EXPERIENCE POOR QUALITY OF LIFE.
AT THE, THE SHELTER, UH, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS DOCUMENT BEHAVIOR CHANGES DOGS THROUGHOUT THEIR STAY AT THE SHELTER.
UM, FOR THE RESCUE PLACEMENT, WHICH WE'RE GOING OFF OF AS THE RPL, UM, THAT WILL BE RELEASED TO ALL STAKE, UH, ALL STAKEHOLDERS BY THE FIFTH BUSINESS DAY OF THE MONTH.
A SO WILL PUBLISH A NEW NOTIFICATION LIST TITLED THE RPL, THE RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST, UH, THAT IDENTIFIES DOGS WITH BITE HISTORY AND OR SIGNIFICANT BEHAVIOR CONCERNS THAT POSE A THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY IF PLACED WITHOUT SPECIALIZED SUPPORT.
UM, DOGS ON THE RPL ARE ONLY ELIGIBLE FOR PLACEMENT THROUGH QUALIFIED RESCUE PARTNERS EQUIPPED TO PROVIDE BEHAVIOR, REHABILITATION AND STRUCTURE REQUIRED FOR THE ANIMALS TO BECOME SAFE IN THE COMMUNITY SETTING.
UM, AFTER A WEEK AFTER THE EMAIL GOES OUT TO THE STAKEHOLDERS, IT'S GOING, THE RPL IS PUBLISHED, THE A SO WILL PROVIDE A NOTIFICATION TO THE STAKEHOLDERS.
SO IT'S A TWO NOTIFICATION, ACTUALLY A THREE, I'M SKIPPING AHEAD, BUT WE'LL GET TO THAT, UM, TWO NOTIFICATIONS ON THAT FOR A FIVE BUSINESS DAY COMMITMENT PERIOD FROM A RESCUE PARTNER.
UH, DURING THAT TIME, A SO WILL CO, UH, COLLABORATE, COLLABORATE WITH RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS TO EXPLORE PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
EACH REQUEST FOR THE RESCUE WILL BE REVIEWED BASED ON THE DOG'S BEHAVIOR, THE BITE HISTORY, AND THE POTENTIAL THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
IF PLACED WITHOUT SPECIALIZED SUPPORT THAT THE RESCUE ORGANIZATION'S ABILITY TO MANAGE AND SUPPORT THE DOGS REASONABLY FOLLOWING THE, UH, FIVE BUSINESS DAY COMMITMENT PERIOD, A SO WILL ISSUE A 48 HOUR EUTHANASIA NOTICE PER CITY CODE THREE DASH ONE DASH 26 TO THE RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE OPTED INTO THE NOTIFICATION LIST.
IF NO VARIABLE RESCUE OPTION IS CONFIRMED, HUMANE HUMANE EUTHANASIA WILL PROCEED.
UM, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH SOME NEW, NEW THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING FORWARD WITH OVER AT A SO.
SO, BEHAVIOR ASSESSMENT OBSERVATION, UM, PER INFORMED PLACEMENT OPTIONS, A SO BEGINS THE, UH, BEHAVIOR OBSERVATIONS AT INTAKE BY DOCUMENTING AN OBSERVATION FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, FIELD OFFICERS, UM, FROM THE FIELD, AND WHO, UH, WHO OBSERVED THE DOG PRIOR TO INTAKE.
ALSO FROM STAFF VOLUNTEERS DURING SHELTER INTERACTIONS.
ALL THOSE OBSERVATIONS HAVE, UH, HELPED ESTABLISH A BEHAVIOR PROFILE FOR EACH DOG TO INFORM THE PLACEMENT DECISIONS THROUGHOUT THE ANIMAL.
AT A-S-O-A-S-O IS DEVELOPING A NEW BEHAVIOR PROGRAMS TO INCREASE LIVE
[00:35:01]
OUTCOMES AND IMPROVE SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION SUPPORT PROGRAM TO DESIGN THE, AND IMPLEMENT TARGETED INTERVENTIONS AND THE CONTINUOUS BEHAVIOR MONITORING TO TRACK PROGRESSIVE AND ADJUST PLANS THROUGHOUT THE DOG'S TIME.AT A SO IN A S CARE, EXCUSE ME, FOR DOGS WITH BITE HISTORY, A SO HAS FORMALIZED AN INTERNAL REVIEW PROCESS NOT OF, UM, TITLED THE DUNBAR TEAM.
THE DUNBAR TEAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSESSING EACH BITE INCIDENT TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY IN THE DOG'S BITE CLASSIFICATION, USING THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA, DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INCIDENT, PHOTOS, AND OR VIDEOS RESULTING IN, IN, UH, INJURIES AND THE CLASSIFICATION USING THE DR.
UH, THE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY 1ST, 2024.
THAT ENSURES CONSISTENCY, TRANSPARENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR DETERMINING THE BITE SEVERITY AND THE RISK EVALUATIONS TO SUPPORT SAFER OUTCOMES AND MORE INFORMED DECISION MAKINGS.
SO THIS IS JUST GONNA BE A TIMELINE JUST TO KIND OF VISUALIZE EVERYTHING.
'CAUSE I REALIZE I JUST DID FIRE HOSE INFORMATION AT YOU ALL AT ONCE.
UM, BUT IT'S JUST BASICALLY, UH, POSTMARKING OF EACH TIME THAT THAT NOTIFICATION AS IN AN EMAIL'S GONNA GO OUT FOR THE RPL LIST.
SO YOU HAVE IT BY THE FIFTH BUSINESS DAY OF EVERY MONTH.
THOSE ARE THE DOGS THAT ARE GONNA BE ON THE RPL LIST THAT IS GOING TO BE PUBLISHED ON THE WEBSITE AND SENT OUT TO, UM, UH, OUR RESCUE PARTNERS THAT ARE ON ONBOARDED ALREADY.
UM, AND THEN WE GO TO THE, UH, FIVE BUSINESS DAY.
THE WEEK AFTER, UM, THE RPL IS PUBLISHED, ANOTHER NOTIFICATION WILL GO OUT ASKING FOR A COMMITMENT FROM A INTERESTED RESCUE PARTNER.
AND THEN WE'RE ASKING FOR LIKE A SUMMARY ON EMAIL TO PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, EFFORTS OF ANY TYPE OF PLACEMENT WE CAN FIND FOR THE DOG.
UH, IF NO STAKEHOLDER IS FOUND TO, OR RESCUE PARTNER IS WANTING TO TAKE THE DOG OR BEING ABLE TO HAVE A COMMITMENT OF THAT, THEN IT WOULD GO TO THE CODE THREE DASH ONE DASH 26, WHERE WE HAVE A 48 HOUR PERIOD AFTER THE FIVE BUSINESS DAYS, WE WOULD DO A EUTHANASIA 48 HOUR NOTICE.
UH, A SO HOLDS THE DOG FOR TWO BUSINESS DAYS IN RESPONSE TO ANY CONFIRMED RESCUE PLACEMENT AND NO RESCUE PLACEMENT IS CONFIRMED.
THEN WE PROCEED WITH THE EUTHANASIA.
JUST IF I CAN ADD A COUPLE OF POINTS THERE ON, ON THIS, UH, OUTLINE RIGHT HERE, IT'S, IT'S AGAIN, GOING TO THAT TRANSPARENCY, UH, SETTINGS, INCONSISTENT, UH, PLACES WITHIN, YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE OPERATIONS OF HOW WE NOTIFY FOLKS.
UM, WE'VE ALSO HAD SET IN PLACE THAT FIVE, UH, DAY COMMITMENT PERIOD.
SO, UH, WE ARE GONNA BE, UH, FOCUSED ON WORKING WITH RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS TO, UH, COME AND, UH, SEE THE DOGS, EVALUATE THE DOGS, AND WORK TOGETHER ON FINDING, UH, WAYS TO, UH, HAVE THAT RESCUE THAT, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT DOG BE RESCUED BY THAT ORGANIZATION THAT'S INTERESTED.
AND IF NOT, WE'RE STILL GONNA COMPLY.
AND BY ADDING TWO ADDITIONAL DAYS OF, UH, SO 48 HOURS, UH, TO MEET WITH THE CODE REQUIREMENT OF A NOTIFICATION FOR EUTHANASIA.
SO WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE, UM, BEEN REALLY TRANSPARENT, REALLY CLEAR ON HERE IS THE RPL LIST.
UM, PUBLISHED THE FIRST PART OF THE MONTH, UH, UPDATED ON THE REGULAR, UH, AS, AS DAILY AS IS NEEDED.
SO IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, ANIMALS ARE REMOVED, ADDED THAT'LL BE UPDATED.
AND, UH, UH, LOOKED AT OUR WEBSITE.
THE PUBLISHING IS JUST AGAIN, TO, UH, HIDE IN AWARENESS, UH, IF YOU MAY WANNA CALL IT THAT, JUST TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP IT ON THE, ON THE RADAR, OUR FOLKS.
AND THEN THE EXTRA FIVE DAY PERIOD, UH, THEN COMPLYING WITH, UH, THE TWO DAY 48 HOUR NOTIFICATION FOR EUTHANASIA.
UM, THIS, UM, IN NO PARTICULAR, UH, DOES NOT, EXCUSE ME, UM, MODIFY, UM, CHANGE THE CURRENT PROCESS THAT WE WORK WITH A PA AS ONE OF THE PRIMARY RESCUES THAT WE HAVE HAVE, UH, WORKING WITH US ON, UH, UH, COMPLIANCE WITH THE, UM, UH, TLAC, UH, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, THAT IS SEPARATE TO THIS.
UM, UH, WE HAVE PROPOSED SOME CHANGES TO THAT TO FORMALIZE IT, UM, UH, SO THAT THERE'S MORE, UM, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIVENESS FROM BOTH SIDES.
UH, SO THERE'S ALSO, UH, A BETTER PROCESS FOR THE EVALUATION AND THE TRANSPORT OF ANIMALS THAT ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH THE EVALUATION PROCESS OR, OR, UH, DETERMINED TO GO OVER TO, UM, A, A C.
SO THAT'S BEEN COMMUNICATED SEPARATELY THROUGH, UH, LEADERSHIP AT, UH, A PA.
AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THAT, UH, ON THAT EFFORT.
BUT THIS IS SEPARATE AND COMPLIANT WITH THE CODE, UH, RESPONDING TO FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED FROM COMMUNITY, FROM STAFF, UM, REGARDING OUR TRANSPARENCY AND JUST CONSISTENT TIMING IN, IN TERMS OF HOW WE HIGHLIGHT ANIMALS IN OUR URGENT PLACEMENT LIST.
BUT ALSO HOW DO WE MOVE FROM URGENT PLACEMENT LIST TO NOW YOU'RE GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, RECOMMEND, UH, DECIDING UPON, UH, EUTHANIZING AN ANIMAL.
AND SO WE WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT CLARITY AND FEEL LIKE THIS DOES THAT CERTAINLY, UM, YOU KNOW, RAISES CONCERNS FROM SOME FOLKS.
BUT I THINK IT'S RESPONSIVE TO THE IDEA OF, UH, TRANSPARENCY AND BEING MORE, UH, CONSISTENT WITH THE TIMING AND NOTIFICATION EFFORTS.
WE WANT FOLKS TO COME IN AND RESCUE THESE ANIMALS, RIGHT? UM, BUT IF NOTHING, UH, HAPPENS IN TERMS OF THEM RESPONDING TO OUR NEED, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT WE BELIEVE IS THE BEST FOR THAT ANIMAL.
[00:40:01]
SO, UM, WE'RE, UH, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL MAY HAVE.THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, COMMISSIONER HOLT, COMMISSIONER NEER'S HAND WAS UP BEFORE ME, IF YOU WANNA LET HER GO FIRST.
UM, I ACTUALLY HAVE TWO CONCERNS ABOUT THE NEW PROTOCOL, UM, OR THE MEMORANDUM THAT YOU SENT OUT.
FIRST OF ALL, COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHY YOU HAVE SHORTENED THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT A RESCUE ORGANIZATION HAS TO PLACE, UM, A HOLD ON ONE OF THESE ANIMALS, WE JUST HEARD A PA SPEAK AND THOSE THEY NEED, OR THEY'VE BEEN USING THE 10 DAYS THAT THEY'VE BEEN GETTING TO EVALUATE THE, THE ANIMAL AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY DO IN FACT HAVE THE, UH, APPLICABLE MEANS TO HELP THAT ANIMAL.
AND NOW YOU'VE CUT THAT IN HALF AND THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION THAT I, THAT I'D LIKE ADDRESSED.
YEAH, LET ME ANSWER THAT FIRST QUESTION OF YOURS.
UM, I DON'T BELIEVE WE'VE ACTUALLY SHORTENED THE TIMEFRAME FOR THIS PROCESS.
IN FACT, I THINK WE'VE LENGTHENED IT AND WE SAID LIKE, YOU'RE GONNA GET FIVE DAYS OF A COMMITMENT PERIOD.
FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE GONNA NOTIFY YOU WHEN WE PUBLISH THE LIST.
SO THAT'S LIKE THE FIRST, YOU KNOW, SIGNAL.
UM, AND IT'S REGULARLY UPDATED, YOU KNOW, AS IT'S UPDATED BY ADDING OR REMOVING OF, OF DOGS FROM THAT LIST.
AND SO I THINK WE'RE GIVING YOU SOME TIME THERE.
AND THEN WE'RE GIVING YOU THAT FIVE COMMITMENT DAY PERIOD AS WELL FOR THAT PROCESS, PLUS THE ADDITIONAL 48 HOURS WHERE WE'RE MAKING THE COMMITMENT TO, TO YOU, IF YOU SAY, HEY, I REALLY, UH, WANT TO RESCUE THIS ANIMAL HERE.
I'M MAKING A COUPLE OF THINGS, YOU KNOW, HAPPEN FOR ME TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT, AND WE WANNA WORK WITH YOU ON THAT EFFORT.
SO I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE REDUCED THAT TIME.
I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE EXPANDED THAT TIME, QUITE HONESTLY.
HOW DO YOU, AGAIN, HOW, HOW HAS IT EXTENDED? IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LIST COMING OUT AND THEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FIVE DAYS, AND THEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO DAYS FROM THE EUTHANASIA DATE.
HOW DOES THAT BECOME MORE THAN 10? WELL, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW APAS PROCESS, BUT I CAN SAY THIS, YOU KNOW, PRIOR EUTHANASIA NOTIFICATIONS THAT I'VE BEEN IN THE OFFICE, UH, WE PROVIDED A COUPLE OF DAYS, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES FOUR, BUT TYPICALLY, I THINK IT WAS THREE DAYS BECAUSE WE WERE JUST COMPLYING WITH THE CODE OF TWO DAYS.
BUT BASED ON TRANSPARENCY, WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE WORD OF THE DAY, I, I'M CON I'M CONCERNED AS TO WHY YOU DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE THAT 10 DAY PERIOD IN THERE.
BECAUSE YOU WANNA BE TRANSPARENT AND YOU WANNA SHOW THE, THE, THE PUBLIC THAT YOU'RE BEING TRANSPARENT.
YET YOU WANNA BE WISHY-WASHY ON THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT APA IS ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE TO EVALUATE 9, 10, 11 ANIMALS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PROPERLY SITUATED TO ASSIST THOSE ANIMALS.
SO I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, THAT YOU'RE USING TRANSPARENCY A LOT, BUT I'M NOT SEEING A LOT OF TRANSPARENCY WHEN I'M ASKING THE QUESTION.
I JUST DUNNO HOW TO ANSWER THAT.
OTHER QUE
THAT YOU PUBLISH THE LIST AND THEN IT SAYS THE WEEK AFTER THAT MM-HMM
THEN THE FIVE BUSINESS DAYS STARTS.
AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECTLY.
AND THEN SO CAN I ASK, 'CAUSE YOU MENTIONED THE LIST IS ACTIVELY UPDATED.
SO IF AN ANIMAL IS PUT ON, UM, THE RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST SUBSEQUENT TO THAT MONTH'S PUBLISHING, WILL IT AGAIN BE THE FOLLOWING WEEK THAT THEIR FIVE DAYS START? OR WILL THEIR FIVE DAYS START? I IMMEDIATELY, SO WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A VERY, UM, CHANGING SCENARIO, RIGHT? 'CAUSE YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHEN THINGS ARE GONNA BE ADDED TO THIS LIST.
AND SO WHAT I, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT WE'RE GONNA EVALUATE THE LIST IN TERMS OF PRIORITY OF, OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE MATRIX RESULTS, MATRIX SCORE, YOU KNOW, UH, THE CONDITION OF THE ANIMAL IN TERMS OF HOW IT'S BEING IMPACTED, UH, IN TERMS OF THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE BEING AT THE SHELTER.
AND THEN FROM THERE, DETERMINE WHICH ANIMALS, YOU KNOW, MEET THE NEED TO BE NOTIFIED ON THAT FIVE DAY COMMITMENT PERIOD TO SAY, FOCUS ON THESE THREE, TWO, MM-HMM
AND IF NOTHING HAPPENS, THEN THEY'LL MOVE FORWARD OVER TO THE EUTHANASIA LIST, RIGHT? UH, POSTING FOR THE 48 HOURS CODE REQUIREMENT THAT WE HAVE.
UM, THAT'S HOW WE PLAN TO USE THIS LIST AFTER THAT DAYS.
ANYTHING THAT GETS ADDED TO THAT, IT'LL BE PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING MONTH, THE FIRST OF THE MONTH.
THANK YOU DR. NIELSEN FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
BUT THEN MY CONCERN'S STILL THERE IN THAT SOME OF THOSE ANIMALS MAY HAVE EVEN LESS THAN FIVE DAYS.
[00:45:01]
IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A ROLLING ADMITTANCE TO THE LIST, THEN SOME OF THOSE ANIMALS MAY HAVE LESS THAN FIVE DAYS, AND THEN AGAIN, MUCH SHORTER TIME THAN 10 DAYS TO BE EVALUATED.NO ANIMAL WILL HAVE LESS THAN FIVE DAYS.
ALL ANIMALS WILL HAVE A MINIMUM OF EIGHT DAYS.
AND MOST OF THE AN WELL, THE, AND THEN IT SEEMS AS THOUGH, UH, AS THIS IS IMPLEMENTED, WHAT WILL ACTUALLY HAPPEN IS THE PUBLISHING OF THE LIST THE FOLLOWING WEEK, THE FIVE DAYS STARTS, AND THEN AFTER THAT FIVE DAYS, THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL TWO BUSINESS DAYS.
SO THAT COULD BE A FRIDAY, A SATURDAY, SUNDAY, AND A MONDAY.
SO THAT MIGHT BE FOUR MORE DAYS.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE, YEAH, THE EIGHT DAYS IS AN, IS AN ABSOLUTE MINIMUM.
AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S SOME CONFLATING THAT, THAT I, AND TELL ME HOW IT HAS HAPPENED THAT PREVIOUSLY THERE HAS BEEN A LIST WITH NO REAL TIMELINES OR DATES.
A PA INFORMS THE SHELTER WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO START AN EVALUATION ON THE DOG.
SO IT HAPPENS A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS, RIGHT? THEY, OKAY, THEY, THEY SEE AN ANIMAL ON THE, UP ON THE URGENT PLACEMENT LIST.
LET'S, LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT CURRENT PROCESS RIGHT NOW, UH, OR PROCESS LAST WEEK, URGENT PLACEMENT LIST.
AND THEY, THEY SEE SOMETHING FROM THAT LIST.
BUT QUITE FRANKLY, WHAT I, WHERE I SEE, UH, THE RESPONSES THAT WHEN WE ARE SENDING, JUST LIKE TODAY SEVERAL DOGS, CAN YOU LOOK, CAN YOU LOOK AT THESE, THESE ARE PRIORITY PLACEMENT FOR US.
CAN YOU COME AND EVALUATE THESE ANIMALS FOR US? RIGHT? AND SEE IF YOU THINK THAT YOU, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, FITS YOUR CRITERIA, YOUR PROCESS FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR SUPPORT.
AND SO WE ALSO DO THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS.
UM, NOTIFY THEM SPECIFICALLY ABOUT BRINGING ATTENTION TO SPECIFIC ANIMALS THAT, THAT WE BELIEVE, UH, MAY, MAY QUALIFY FOR THEIR PROGRAM.
UM, AND SO WE DRAW ATTENTION TO THOSE ANIMALS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT WE'RE ALSO, AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE THE UPL LIST, AND THEN WE'RE, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE RPL LIST AND BELIEVE IT HAS SUFFICIENT TIME, UH, FOR FOLKS TO BE AWARE OF THOSE ANIMALS ON THOSE LISTS, RIGHT? RESPECTIVE LISTS AND COME IN AND DO THE EVALUATION.
AND IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY CAN MANAGE THAT, UH, RESPONSIBILITY, THEN RESCUE THAT ANIMAL FOR FROM US.
MY SECOND QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO WOULD HAVE INPUT INTO WHETHER OR NOT A DOG WOULD BE PUT ONTO THE EUTHANASIA LIST.
I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT A BEHAVIORIST IN THERE WITH THE MONEY Y'ALL ARE GETTING, YOU STILL DON'T HAVE A BEHAVIORIST ON STAFF.
SO LET ME ASK THE, LEMME ASK THE FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, THE COLLECTIVE OF STAFF, UM, INTERNALLY, UH, TO THE, THE, THE OFFICE IS WHO REVIEWS, UM, NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BITE, RIGHT? THE SCALE OF THE BITE TO DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, TO ENSURE THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE, UH, CLASSIFICATION OF BITE THAT'S GIVEN TO THAT BITE INCIDENT FOR THAT DOG.
SO THAT IT, IT, THE INITIAL REPORTING OF THAT, AND THEN IT'S AN, AN AUDIT, IF YOU WOULD, A REVIEW OF THAT TO ENSURE THAT IT, IT IS WHAT IT IS AND WE'RE BEING CONSISTENT FOR HOW WE'RE, YOU KNOW, LABELING, LABELING THOSE, UH, DB 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, RIGHT? BASED ON THE RESULTING, YOU KNOW, OF THAT BITE.
AND SO THERE'S THAT PART, AND THEN THERE'S STAFF ALSO OTHER, YOU JUST SAID THAT YOU WERE GOING TO DO IT FOR WHETHER OR NOT POINT OF ORDER CAN WE LET THE STAFF SPEAK WITHOUT INTERRUPTION? AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REINFORCE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD GET THE ATTENTION OF THE CHAIR AND RECOGNITION FROM THE CHAIR BEFORE THEY SPEAK.
SO LET'S LET THE STAFF SPEAK UNINTERRUPTED, AND THEN YOU CAN CONTINUE WITH QUESTIONS.
AND THEN, UM, THROUGH OUR AT RISK MEETING, WHICH IS, UH, THE COLLECTIVE OF STAFF THROUGHOUT EVERY DIVISION IN OUR OFFICE, RIGHT? SO, UH, BED CARE, UH, BEHAVIORAL TEAM, UH, MEDICAL CARE TEAM, UH, EXECUTIVE TEAM, UH, THERE'S A COLLECTIVE REVIEW OF ALL THOSE, UH, UH, RESULTING SCORES FROM THE MATRIX.
AND THERE'S A BACK AND FORTH ABOUT THAT, UH, REGARDING, YOU KNOW, UH, QUESTIONS AND CLARITY IN TERMS OF HOW WE DERIVE THAT VALUE, UM, FROM THE MATRIX.
UH, THAT MATRIX HAS ALSO BEEN MADE PUBLIC, UM, AND QUITE, IN FACT, WE ALSO RECEIVED THE MATRIX FROM, UH, A PA, WHAT THEY USE AND, AND REVIEWED THAT AND SEE HOW THAT CAN INFORM OUR PROCESS.
SO, UM, I, I DON'T REMEMBER, THIS HAS BEEN A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WHERE WE SHARED WITH MION COUNCIL, UM, OUR PROCESS AND ALSO THE MATRIX, AND I WANT TO BELIEVE THAT WE SENT IT OVER TO THE COMMISSION, BUT IF NOT, UH, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
WE'LL MAKE SURE WE'LL GET THAT OVER TO YOU ALL.
UM, BUT WE'VE COMMUNICATED THAT TO, UH, TO MARIAN COUNCIL AND TO, AND TO STAKEHOLDERS.
AND SO AS A COLLECTIVE, WE REVIEW THAT FOR
[00:50:01]
EACH ANIMAL AND AS A COLLECTIVE, WE MAKE A DECISION, UH, ON WHETHER WE BELIEVE THE BEST OUTCOME FOR THAT ANIMAL IS FOR A RESCUE ONLY.UM, AND AS AN OPTION, UH, HUMANE EUTHANASIA.
AND AGAIN, LIKE I, AS I TRIED TO SAY, YOU, I, IF I CAN CONTINUE WITH MY QUESTION, DR.
COMMISSIONER ER, COMMISSIONER NIELSEN, UM, I, I AGAIN ASKED, DOES ANYBODY HAVE A BE YOU DON'T HAVE A BEHAVIORIST BACKGROUND.
SO WHO IS EVALUATING THESE ANIMALS THAT ARE IN, THAT YOU'RE SAYING ARE LONG STAY OR THAT MAY BE, HAVE A LACK OF QUALITY OF CARE? AND, AND THAT SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE SPECIFIC TO A BEHAVIORIST AND NOT, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE DUNBAR BITE SCALE HERE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN EVALUATION THAT'S BEING DONE TO PUT AN ANIMAL TO SLEEP.
OR TO KILL BETTER YET NOT TO PUT 'EM TO SLEEP, TO KILL THEM.
LOOK, I, I APPRECIATE THAT PERSPECTIVE ON TERMS OF THE ULTIMATE, YOU KNOW, RESULT OF THAT CONVERSATION AND DECISION THAT'S MADE IN OUR OFFICE, RIGHT? I DON'T TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY LIGHTLY.
UM, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, I DON'T HAVE A BEHAVIORAL BACKGROUND, RIGHT? BUT I DO HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN PROCESSES, UM, YOU KNOW, CONFIRMATION OF DECISION MAKING AND HAVING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE TABLE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE TABLE.
CAN WE AUGMENT THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
AND I'M ALWAYS GONNA BE LOOKING FOR THAT IF I CAN GET A BEHAVIORIST, YES.
BUT I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCED PEOPLE IN OUR TEAM THAT HAVE A TREMENDOUS BACKGROUND IN ANIMAL CARE, UM, BEHAVIORAL CARE OF ANIMALS, UM, AND SO WE LEVERAGE THAT EXPERIENCE AND BRING THAT TO THE TABLE WHEN WE MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
I FOCUS THANK YOU MORE ON THE, I FOCUS MORE ON THE PROCESS, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THINGS IN EVERY WHICH WAY WE CAN AND MAKING AN INFORMED DECISION BECAUSE OF THE DECISION THAT WE'RE MAKING REALLY INVOLVES THE LIFE OF AN ANIMAL, AS YOU SAID.
AND WE DON'T TAKE THAT LIGHTLY.
I REM I REMEMBER, UM, DIRECTOR BLAND, UM, AT ONE POINT WHEN I WAS ON THE COMMISSION, HE MENTIONED HAVING A VETERINARY BEHAVIORIST COME IN AND DO AN ASSESSMENT OF THE SHELTER AND OUR PROCEDURES.
WAS THERE A REPORT FROM THAT BEHAVIORIST THAT'S PUBLIC? DO WE, IS WAS THERE ANY, I BELIEVE THE REPORT, UH, JASON GARZA, AGAIN, I BELIEVE THE REPORT WAS SHARED WITH DR.
ELLIOT, SO I'LL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH HER AND, UM, UH, SEE.
TYS, I BELIEVE WAS HER NAME, AND SHE CAME AND VISITED OUR SHELTER, MET WITH STAFF, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, MET WITH, UH, DR.
AND, AND, AND MR. BLAND, JUST TO GO OVER WHAT SHE SAW, HER THOUGHTS ON ISSUES, UM, BEHAVIORS HAS BEEN SORT OF ONE OF THOSE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, VERY HIGH LEVEL POSITIONS THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, BE SOMETHING TO, UM, TO LOOK AT GETTING, UM, WHETHER WHAT WE CAN RECRUIT WOULD, YOU KNOW, JUST TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, BE BE SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT.
UM, NOT A LOT OF THEM IN TEXAS, BECAUSE, UH, EVEN GETTING DR.
TYS OVER WAS, WAS, I REMEMBER HELPING THEM WITH THAT PROCESS WAS, WAS TOUGH TRYING TO GET HER OVER HERE.
UM, BUT, UM, JUST TO DO AN ASSESSMENT.
BUT YEAH, I THINK IT'S, IF IT'S, IF IT IS SOMETHING, IT'S ONE OF THOSE SORT OF RESOURCES THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT TRYING TO GET IN FRONT OF A C MANAGER AND WHATNOT OR BOSS.
BUT YEAH, THAT'D BE HELPFUL TO, TO GO THROUGH THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
I, I KNOW, UM, COMMISSIONER HOLT HAD END UP AND I KNOW, UH, COMMISSIONER IAN WILL GO IN THAT ORDER.
ONE, I KNOW THAT, UM, AT SOME POINT UNDER, UM, DR.
BLAND, WE WERE, OR MR. BLAND, WE WERE OFFERING $500 INCENTIVES FOR RESCUES WHO WOULD FREE UP A KENNEL, A LARGE DOG KENNEL OR, OR I, I FORGET EXACTLY WHAT THE SYSTEM FOR IT WAS.
ARE WE STILL DOING THAT? LIKE I KNOW THAT, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS GOING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DOGS NEEDING TO GO TO RESCUE IN ORDER TO NOT DIE.
AND I, UM, DO RESPECT THE INTENTION OF THE POINT OF THIS IS TO BE ABLE TO BRING DOGS OFF OF THE STREET FROM HORRIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THEY'RE JUST DYING IN OTHER TERRIBLE WAYS.
UM, BUT I DO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS PUTS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON RESCUES.
UM, SO I'M WONDERING, ARE THESE ANIMALS MOSTLY FULLY VETTED OR FIXED OR LIKE, DO THEY COME WITH ANY SORT OF, IF THEY'RE HEARTWORM POSITIVE, WILL CONTINUE THEIR TREATMENT? ANY SORT OF INCENTIVE, FINANCIAL OR MEDICAL OR OTHERWISE THAT LIKE, MAKES THIS AN EASIER ASK? 'CAUSE LARGE DOGS ARE THE MOST EXPENSIVE TO VET.
I CAN, I CAN ANSWER THAT FOR YOU, MS. HOLT.
YES, WE, UH, HAVE BEEN DOING INCENTIVES FOR RESCUE PRIOR TO EVEN THE RPL LIST GOING OUT.
RESCUE INCENTIVES ABOUT TWICE A MONTH, UH, THAT CAN GO UP UPWARDS OF, WITH A DOG WITH BITE HISTORY TO $750 TO
[00:55:01]
A THOUSAND DOLLARS IF THEY'RE ABLE TO PULL WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, JUST DUE TO OUR, UM, OVER RESTRAINT OF BEING OVERWHELMED WITH LARGE DOGS, ESPECIALLY SOME WITH BEHAVIOR ISSUES.SO WE DO REALIZE THAT THE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES IS HELPFUL FOR OUR RESCUE PARTNERS TO BE ABLE TO FIND THE PROPER APPROPRIATE PLACEMENT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
IF, YOU KNOW, IF ONE HAS HEARTWORMS, WE DO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT WE WILL PROVIDE THE HEARTWORM TREATMENT THE SAME AS WE WOULD DO FOR AN ADOPTER.
SO WE ARE UTILIZING THOSE ASPECTS OF IT.
UM, WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, IT IS A FINANCIAL BURDEN.
SO WE DO THAT NOT REGULARLY, BUT AT, AT THIS POINT IT HAS BEEN AT LEAST ONCE TO TWICE A MONTH, UM, PRIOR TO THE RPL.
AND I WOULD ASSUME, YOU KNOW, WITH PERMISSION WOULD CONTINUE TO DO THAT AS NEEDED.
SO TO CLARIFY, MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD CORRECTLY, NOT EVERYBODY ON THE UPL OR RPL LIST WOULD COME WITH INCENTIVE, BUT THE HARDEST ONES DO, OR DID I CA AM I GETTING THAT RIGHT?
IT, IT HAS BEEN ACROSS THE BOARD FOR LARGE DOGS THAT WE'VE BEEN SENDING THE INCENTIVES, ALL LARGE DOGS OVER 40, 40 POUNDS OR ABOVE OF CLEARING A KENNEL.
UH, THOSE ARE THE RECENT INCENTIVES THAT HAVE BEEN GOING OUT.
AND THAT'S FOR ANY DOG, NOT JUST DOGS ON THE UPL OR RPL.
WHEN THEY HAVE A HIGHER, UH, SUCH AS A DOG WITH A BITE HISTORY, THEY DO HAVE A HIGHER DOLLAR INCENTIVE BECAUSE WE REALIZE THAT THEY COULD BE HARDER TO PLACE FOR A SMALLER RESCUE GROUP.
THAT WAS THE CLARIFICATION I NEEDED.
AND THIS OTHER ONE'S JUST LIKE A SMALL PROCESS THING.
UM, FOR THAT 48 HOURS WHERE THE EUTHANASIA NOTICE IS SENT OUT, IS IT THAT A RESCUE NEEDS TO PHYSICALLY HAVE THE ANIMAL OUT WITHIN 48 HOURS? OR IF THEY AT 47 AND A HALF HOURS SAY, I CAN COME TOMORROW FOR THEM? IS, OR LIKE, HOW, HOW FLEXIBLE, HAVE Y'ALL EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AT THAT END? WHERE SOMETIMES, LIKE A PLAN DOESN'T COME TOGETHER UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE? I'M JUST CURIOUS IF Y'ALL HAVE LIKE A, AN APPROACH FOR THAT.
ON THAT END, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE WHAT WE DO NOW, WHICH IS IF A RESCUE COMES IN AT THE, YOU KNOW, 39 HOUR AND THEY'VE CAN VALIDATE THAT THEY'RE GONNA RESCUE THIS ANIMAL AND JUST NEED A COUPLE MORE, YOU KNOW, A DAY, SEVERAL HOURS, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
UH, NEED SOME ASSISTANCE WITH TRANSPORT, LIKE WE WE'RE GONNA FIGURE IT OUT.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA CARRY THAT THOUGHT PROCESS, UH, ACROSS, YOU KNOW, USING THIS NEW RPO, UH, METHODOLOGY AS WELL.
I JUST WANNA ADD REALLY QUICKLY TO WHAT MONTE SAID.
UM, NOT ONLY THAT, BUT ALSO THROUGH THE, UH, ADOPTED, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, NAME YOUR PRICE KIND OF EVENTS JUST TO, UH, TO HELP OUT, UM, THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, COME IN AND, AND, UH, HELP US WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CARE FOR OUR ANIMALS.
UM, I JUST, UM, FIRST OF ALL, APOLOGIZE THAT I WAS NOT THERE TODAY.
I'M OUT OF TOWN WORKING, SO, UM, THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT MEETING AND I WANTED TO BE THERE, BUT I CANNOT.
UM, BUT I HAVE SOME COMMENTS THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE ABOUT THE NEW, UM, NOTIFICATION PROCESS.
UM, AFTER, UH, READING THE UPDATED PROCESS FOR NOTIFICATION TO RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS, UM, I DO HAVE SOME THOUGHTS AND SOME REAL CONCERNS.
UM, I ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT TO MAKE THIS PROCESS TRANSPARENT.
UH, I AGREE THAT TRANSPARENCY IS IMPORTANT WHEN DEALING WITH LIFE AND DEATH OUTCOMES OF LIVING BEINGS.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR REAL LASTING EMOTIONAL DAMAGE DONE TO THE HUMANS INVOLVED.
UH, WHILE DOCUMENTING THE PROCESS IS A GREAT STEP, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THE PROCESS ITSELF IS WELL INFORMED.
UM, JUST AS BUILDING AN AIRPLANE REQUIRES A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF AERODYNAMICS, CREATING A PLAN TO HANDLE BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES REQUIRES PROVEN BEHAVIOR, EDUCATION, AND EXPERIENCE.
WE'RE SIMPLY PUTTING IN WRITING OUR PLANS AS A CITY TO HANDLE AND PROCESS DOGS WITH BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES.
AND NOBODY INVOLVED HAS A RECOGNIZED OR CREDENTIALED BACKGROUND IN BEHAVIOR.
I CAN TELL YOU FROM SO MANY FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCES, THE PROBLEM IS NOT THAT THIS PROCESS HAS NOT BEEN CLEAR, ALTHOUGH THAT HAS NOT HELPED.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN CLEAR THAT THE CURRENT PROCESS IS FLAWED.
I'M SURE EVERYONE HERE CAN AGREE THAT WE WOULD NEVER CONSIDER CREATING AND PUTTING IN WRITING A PLAN FOR HANDLING AND TREATING SICK AND INJURED DOGS IN OUR SHELTER WITHOUT THE CORE OF THAT PLAN BEING CREATED BY A LICENSED VETERINARIAN.
LIKEWISE, I'M SURE OUR SOPS FOR ANIMAL PROTECTION WERE ALL CREATED BY PEOPLE WITH SIGNIFICANT TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD.
SO I REQUEST THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING THAT OUR PLANS AND PRACTICES FOR HANDLING AND MANAGING DOGS WITH BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES DON'T JUST INCLUDE RECEIVING FEEDBACK FROM, BUT ARE IN FACT LED BY THOSE WITH QUALIFIED AND CREDENTIALED BEHAVIOR EXPERIENCE.
I'M VERY SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT YOU DID NOT CREATE THE SITUATION OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
A SO HAS GONE OUT OF ITS WAY TO AVOID THE REALITY THAT BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES ARE AN UNDENIABLE OUTCOME
[01:00:01]
OF NOT KILLING FOR SPACE RATHER THAN ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM, THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION DISMANTLED ANY SEMBLANCE OF A BEHAVIOR PROGRAM AND DID ITS BEST TO WASH ITS WASH ITS HANDS OF THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR A PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY, HAVE IN LARGE PART, ENABLED AND EXACERBATED.AND I DO SINCERELY APPLAUD YOU FOR FINALLY RECOGNIZING THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS BROKEN SYSTEM.
I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS WILL BE AN INVESTMENT, NOT JUST IN TIME, BUT ALSO MONEY.
AND I PLEDGE TO DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO PUSH THAT REALITY TO MY COUNCIL OFFICE.
BUT I ALSO ASK JUST AS SINCERELY, THAT YOU DO NOT WAIT FOR THE MONEY.
PROBABLY THE BIGGEST REASON I BECAME INVESTED IN AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER OVER THE PAST DECADE WAS THE NUMBER OF EXPERIENCED AND RECOGNIZED BEHAVIOR PRACTITIONERS WILLING TO PROVIDE THEIR TIME AND TALENTS TO SUPPORT AUSTIN ANIMAL SHELTERS FOR FREE.
PLEASE NOTE, I USE THE WORD PRACTITIONERS AND NOT PROFESSIONALS ON PURPOSE.
BEING PAID TO DO SOMETHING DOES NOT MAKE YOU QUALIFIED.
WHILE SOME OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN UP, WALKED AWAY, OR BEEN PURPOSELY PUSHED OUT, MANY REMAIN ENGAGED TODAY, AND I FEEL STRONGLY SOME WOULD WHO HAVE LEFT MIGHT RETURN.
IF SHOWN THAT THERE IS A SINCERE DESIRE BY THOSE WHO MAKE THE RULES TO CHANGE COURSE AND ELEVATE BEHAVIOR EFFORTS TO A RECOGNIZED AND RESPECTED PART OF AACS LEADERSHIP AND MISSION.
IT IS AFTER ALL WRITTEN IN OUR CITY'S STRATEGIC PLAN.
NOW THERE IS FREE QUALIFIED HELP READY TO ENGAGE.
FOR INSTANCE, ONE QUICK, EASY CHANGE THAT WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE WRITTEN PROCESS FOR RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST WOULD READ LIKE THIS.
AND I QUOTE, BEHAVIOR FOSTER EVALUATION PRIOR TO PLACING A DOG ON THE RPL RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST.
A SO WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO SECURE AN EXTENDED OVERNIGHT OR SHORT-TERM FOSTER PLACEMENT WITH AN EXPERIENCED BEHAVIOR FOSTER BEHAVIOR.
FOSTERS ARE QUALIFIED COMMUNITY FOSTERS WITH DEMONSTRATED SKILL IN HANDLING DOGS AND BEHAVIORAL CONCERNS.
THEIR ROLE IS TO PROVIDE STRUCTURED OBSERVATION, HOME ENVIRONMENT, DOCUMENTATION OF STRENGTH AND SUPPORTS THAT WILL HELP THE DOGS SUCCEED.
AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RESCUE PLACEMENT THAT HIGHLIGHT BOTH RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES.
THESE NOTES WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RESCUE PLEA PACKAGE TO ENSURE THAT THE DOG'S CASE IS PRESENTED IN A BALANCED AND WELL-ROUNDED WAY, WAY.
THIS SUGGESTION WAS JUST ONE OF NUMEROUS LOW OR NO COST OPTIONS OFFERED TO ME FOR FREE BY SOME OF YOUR HIGHLY EXPERIENCED VOLUNTEERS.
AS STATED ABOVE, PAY DOES NOT EQUAL QUALIFICATION, AND FREE DOES NOT MEAN IRRELEVANT.
NOT ONE PERSON ON THIS COMMISSION IS BEING PAID TO BE HERE.
WE'RE HERE BECAUSE COUNCIL, OUR COUNCIL MEMBER THOUGHT OUR EXPERIENCE COULD IMPROVE AUSTIN.
SO, ONCE AGAIN, I AM ENCOURAGED BY THE DESIRE TO BE CLEAR AND OPEN, BUT PLEASE BE CAREFUL THAT WE'RE NOT CODIFYING OUTCOMES WITH NO EFFORT TO PREVENT THEM.
IF WE WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE TO CHANGE THIS, YOU'LL HAVE LOST THE TRUST OF THE PEOPLE YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS WORK AND THE MOMENTUM TO DO SO.
UM, I WANT TO ECHO, UM, COMMISSIONER LOY NUN'S POINT, AND I, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE THEM VERY MUCH.
I WANT, HE DIDN'T, UH, TALK ABOUT HIMSELF, UM, BUT I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT HE LED A GROUP FOR A LONG TIME THAT SPECIFICALLY WAS THERE TO HELP THESE DOCS.
AND SO HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
UM, HE WAS PART OF A GROUP THAT, UM, WAS ALIENATED BY, BY PREVIOUS LEADERSHIP, UM, PART OF A GROUP WHO ENDED UP LEAVING.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF CAPACITY THERE TO HELP THESE DOGS IN THE PAST BY THE VOLUNTEERS.
UM, AND, UH, HIS, HIS VIEW IS VERY INFORMED, AND I, I APPRECIATE IT.
UH, SECONDLY, I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO EITHER THE SHELTER OR, OR A PA ABOUT THIS, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT JUST FROM LISTENING TO THE LAST HOUR, THAT THERE'S A, A SERIOUS DISCONNECT, UM, IN, IN AT LEAST UNDERSTANDING OF, OF THE RULES AND HOW THEY APPLY TO A PA.
AND SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE, UH, CITY STAFF TO, TO REACH OUT, UM, AND TRY TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH THOSE THAT I THINK THERE WERE THREE OF THEM THAT SPOKE TODAY, UM, TO TRY TO HASH OUT, UH, AT LEAST SO THAT THERE'S A COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE PROCESS IS AND HOW IT APPLIES TO A PA, UM, A PA OF COURSE, DOESN'T GET TO WRITE YOUR RULES, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BENEFIT EVERYONE IF THEY UNDERSTOOD THEM.
AND THIRD, I JUST WANNA EXPRESS AT LEAST, UM, I THINK, UH, AN IMPORTANT DISAPPOINTMENT IN THAT THIS IS KIND OF THE FIRST BIG THING THAT'S BROUGHT, UM, FORTH TO US FROM, UM, THE NEW, AT LEAST INTERIM MANAGEMENT
[01:05:01]
IS NOT A, A WAY TO SAVE MORE LIVES, BUT IN A WAY IS A WAY TO JUSTIFY MORE DEATHS.AND, UM, I'M JUST DISAPPOINTED.
UH, THERE ARE WAYS TO HELP THESE DOGS.
UM, WE'VE DONE THEM IN THE PAST.
UH, MONEY WAS PREVIOUSLY SPENT ON, ON ENRICHMENT AND TRAINING, AND THOSE PROGRAMS WERE DISMANTLED OVER TIME.
UM, THERE WERE VOLUNTEER GROUPS, UM, LIKE DAVID'S THAT SPENT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF HOURS AND DOLLARS, UM, HELPING THESE DOGS AND MAKING THEM MORE ADOPTABLE SO THAT THEY WERE MORE PRESENTABLE IN THE SHELTER AND DID GET OUT ALIVE.
UM, AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M DISAPPOINTED AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT, THAT THIS IS KIND OF THE BIG FIRST THING.
UM, SO MY QUESTION IS, IS SORT OF MORE OF A PROCESS QUESTION THAN A POLICY QUESTION.
UM, BUT SOME OF THE SPEAKERS EARLIER, UM, WHO WERE AFFILIATED WITH A PA, UM, EXPRESSED SOME SURPRISE THAT THIS POLICY OR, UM, INDICATED THAT THEY FELT SORT OF, UM, CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY IT.
WHEN YOU WERE DESCRIBING THE PROCESS, YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH A PA, UM, MANAGEMENT AT LEAST.
SO I GUESS I'M, I'M WONDERING SORT OF IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU ENGAGED, UM, STAKEHOLDERS, UM, DURING THIS PROCESS AS YOU WERE DEVELOPING THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT, UH, THE VAST MAJORITY OF YOUR POLICIES ARE INTERNAL FACING POLICIES.
YOU DON'T NEED TO CONSULT, UM, SORT OF OUTSIDE STAKEHOLDERS.
BUT THIS ONE, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY SORT OF RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO, UH, YOU KNOW, RESCUE GROUPS AND IS MORE OF SORT OF AN EXTERNAL FACING POLICY.
SO I GUESS I'M WONDERING, UM, IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT HOW YOU ENGAGED THEM, UM, AND WHETHER OR NOT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN OPPORTUNITIES TO GAUGE THEM EARLIER IN THE PROCESS, UM, SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE THAT KIND OF INPUT.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THE CITY DID REALLY WELL WITH THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
UM, AND I, I THINK, UM, THERE WERE A LOT OF BENEFITS TO HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE, UM, TEDIOUS AND, AND FOLKS WERE ON DIFFERENT SIDES OF ISSUES.
UM, I, I THINK ULTIMATELY YOU ARRIVE AT A BETTER POLICY.
SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT.
YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY, UM, I THINK MY FIRST ROUND OF, UM, NOTIFICATIONS FOR EUTHANASIA GOT A LOT OF FEEDBACK VIA EMAIL.
I MEAN, I, WHEN I SAY A LOT,
AND, UH, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT STOOD OUT FROM THAT WAS SORT OF LIKE THE, UH, INCONSISTENCY, UH, THE, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DOGS AVAILABLE, UH, IN THE PUBLIC KENNELS, AND THEN NOW WE'RE NOTIFYING FOLKS ABOUT LIKE, WE'RE GONNA PROCEED WITH EUTHANASIA.
UM, THERE WAS NO, LIKE, WE DIDN'T SEE THIS COMING.
THEY'VE BEEN ON THE UPO LIST FOR, FOR, FOR MONTHS, AND NOW THEY'RE OVER HERE.
UM, AND YOU DIDN'T GIVE US ENOUGH TIME, YOU KNOW, SO THE TWO DAYS, THE 48 HOURS OF NOTIFICATION, UH, WASN'T SUFFICIENT.
UM, SO THAT'S A LOT OF FEEDBACK VIA EMAIL.
THERE WAS A STAFF PERSPECTIVE AS WELL WHERE I GOT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS COMING INTO MY OFFICE AND, AND SHARING THEIR CONCERNS WITH ME REGARDING THIS.
UH, THERE WAS, UM, RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I MET WITH, NOT, NOT MANY, I THINK FOUR OR FIVE OF THEM THAT I'VE BEEN MEETING WITH, UH, ON THE REGULAR BASIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, SO THERE WAS THAT PROCESS, UM, WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH A PA, UM, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN, UH, MEETING A LOT WITH THEM, QUITE HONESTLY, WITH THEIR LEADERSHIP.
THEIR LEADERSHIP IS, WELL, SOME OF THEM ARE HERE, BUT THE PERSON THAT I MEET WITH THE MOST REGULARLY IS, IS NOT HERE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, FOLKS NEED TO TAKE VACATION.
AND I'M REALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
BUT I, I DID MEET WITH THEM IN PERSON, AND I WALKED THEM THROUGH SORT OF THIS, UH, THIS CHANGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, SECOND WEEK IN THE JOB, I, I, I WALKED AWAY FROM A MEETING WITH A PA KNOWING EXACTLY WHERE THEY STOOD ON SOME STUFF, YOU KNOW, UH, PRETTY FIRMLY, QUITE HONESTLY, UH, BOTH IN VERBALLY AND WRITTEN.
AND MY, MY RESPONSE TO A PA IS THAT I WANT TO BE GOOD PARTNERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HAVE GOOD PARTNERS IN THIS COMMUNITY TO DO THE WORK THAT WE HAVE.
I MEAN, THERE IS SO MUCH WORK, AND WE, WE CAN'T DO IT ON OUR OWN.
BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST VARYING PERSPECTIVE ON THINGS, UH, IN THIS WORK OF ANIMAL CARE.
UM, AND I'M GONNA TRY TO BE RESPONSIVE TO EVERY SINGLE ONE, BUT I THINK THE CHALLENGE THERE IS SOMETIMES THERE'S LIKE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON THAT, AND IT'S HARD TO BE RESPONSIVE WHEN THERE'S SUCH VARIANCE PERSPECTIVE ON SOME THINGS.
WHAT I CAN COMMIT IS TALKING TO PEOPLE WHEN I CAN ASK, ANSWERING THEIR QUESTIONS AND THEIR COMMENTS, UH, GETTING THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON IT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THAT PERSPECTIVE MAY VARY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF EACH GROUP.
AND THEN STAFF AND I HAVE 160 PLUS, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYEES, AND I HAVE OVER 500 VOLUNTEERS.
[01:10:01]
AND I'VE ALSO BEEN MEETING WITH VOLUNTEERS.I THINK I'VE ONLY MISSED TWO VOLUNTEER MEETINGS IN THE LAST FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS.
AND THOSE WERE JUST LIKE, HAPPY HOUR EVENTS, YOU KNOW? BUT I MEET WITH ALL VOLUNTEERS, AND I, AND I, YOU KNOW, SHARE WITH THEM AS MUCH AS I CAN, AND I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU AS MUCH AS I CAN REGARDING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING ON.
BUT THOSE ARE JUST, LIKE, RIGHT NOW IT'S ONLY FOUR MONTHS.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST NOT FULLY COOKED YET.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A PLAN, THERE'S A VISION.
I, I SHARED WITH YOU ALL THE FIVE AREAS OF FOCUS, RIGHT? THAT I WANTED TO, UH, FOCUS ON, ASIDE FROM THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO I'M TRYING TO GET OUT THERE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGE OF, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
THERE'S VARIANCE PERSPECTIVES, AND I CAN'T, WE CAN'T MAKE EVERYBODY, LIKE, I'M GONNA TRY TO, I'M GONNA TRY TO GET EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE, BUT THAT'S THE CHALLENGE.
BUT I, I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
I GUESS IF I COULD, UM, COULD JUST SORT OF ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION THEN.
SO, UM, SO I, I FULLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE CHALLENGES HERE.
UM, AND, AND ALL THE OUTREACH THAT, THAT YOU ARE DOING.
I GUESS YOU SAID YOU'RE MEETING REGULARLY WITH RESCUES.
I GUESS THE ONLY WAY I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO SORT OF SQUARE THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, AND, AND I GUESS, COULD YOU TALK ABOUT SORT OF WHEN IN THE PROCESS, UM, YOU ENGAGED THE RESCUE PARTNERS, YOU KNOW, WERE, WERE THEY PART OF KIND OF, UM, DECIDING WHAT GOES INTO THE POLICY? OR WAS IT SORT OF A, UM, AFTER YOU HAD ARRIVED AT THIS, THEN YOU SHARED IT WITH THEM BEFORE YOU MADE IT PUBLIC? OR THAT KIND? I, I GUESS I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE WAS ACTUALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCORPORATE SOME OF, OF THAT INPUT INTO THE POLICY, OR IF IT WAS SORT OF ALREADY, UM, FORMED AND, AND LARGELY FINALIZED BY THE TIME THEY SAW IT.
AND I FULLY APPRECIATE THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON THIS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SPEAKING JUST ABOUT A PA, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT RESCUE GROUPS YOU'RE WORKING WITH.
UM, THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
THOSE MAY VARY FROM YOURS, EVEN IF YOU DON'T END UP ULTIMATELY ADOPTING, UM, ANY OF, OF THEIR INPUT.
I THINK THERE'S VALUE EVEN JUST IN HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND LISTENING.
SO I GUESS I WONDER IF, IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO SORT OF WHEN IN THE PROCESS THEY WERE ENGAGED AND, UM, YEAH, AND IN WHAT CITY MORE IT WAS WHEN, YOU KNOW, MY, MY APPROACH, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST BEEN MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT I LIKE TO HAVE SOMETHING AS A, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GETTING READY TO PUT IT ON THE, ON THE, IN THE OVEN, RIGHT? IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT BAKED YET, BUT I GOTTA HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE AND TALK ABOUT.
AND SO I START OFF WITH, HERE'S CURRENT, THE PRO HERE'S THE CURRENT PROCESS, OR WHEN THERE'S A PROCESS IN PLACE, AND HERE'S WHAT I'VE HEARD ISN'T WORKING.
AND SO HERE'S WHAT I WANNA DO BASED ON CONVERSATIONS WITH MY STAFF, AND THAT'S WHERE I START WITH IS MY STAFF, RIGHT? UH, AND THEN I'VE, I'M ABLE TO SHARE THAT.
AND SO FOR A PA SPECIFICALLY, RIGHT, THIS IS HOW WE DO THINGS RIGHT NOW, AND HERE'S HOW WE WANT TO CHANGE IT, WHAT QUESTIONS, COMMENTS DO YOU HAVE? AND THAT'S HOW, THAT'S HOW I WENT,
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SHARE FEEDBACK WHERE IT WAS, AND THEN JUST BECAUSE, AND SO I THINK COMMISSIONER CLINTON IS THE ONE THAT RAISED THIS POINT, RIGHT? I, I, SO WE HAD AN IN-PERSON MEETING.
IFI SENT THE FOLLOW UP MEETING WITH THIS INFORM, UH, UH, EXCUSE ME.
I SENT AN EMAIL FOLLOWING UP, AND IT'S, NOW I'M GETTING INTO THE WEEDS.
SO, BUT YOU ASKED THE QUESTION.
SO IN PERSON MEETING, I DID, SORRY, EMAIL.
EMAIL, RIGHT? WITH LIKE, HEY, HERE IT IS AGAIN, AND HERE'S A MEMO.
RIGHT? AND BY THE WAY, I WOULD LOVE TO MEET WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, SOON, VERY SOON.
AND, UM, SO I SCHEDULED THAT MEETING.
WE HAVE A MEETING SCHEDULE, AND THAT MEETING SCHEDULE, I WANT TO SAY THE 16TH, UM, JUST BECAUSE OF PEOPLE BEING OUT OF THE OFFICE, BUT THAT'S LIKE THE EARLIEST THAT I CAN SCHEDULE IT.
SO THERE'S CONTINUED CONVERSATION, RIGHT? UM, AND THERE WILL BE, UM, SO YEAH.
I, I DO HAVE ONE OTHER TINY QUESTION.
IT'S VERY EASY COMPARED TO THE LAST ONE.
UM, IF, IF I COULD JUST CONTINUE, I, I'M WONDERING, UM, AND THIS MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE MATERIALS AND, AND I JUST MISSED IT.
UM, BUT THERE'S THAT PHRASE IN THERE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOGS WITH BITES AND DOGS WITH, UM, QUOTE, SIGNIFICANT BEHAVIORAL CONCERNS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT PHRASE IS DOING A LOT OF WORK THERE.
SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD JUST GIMME A FEW EXAMPLES OF SORT OF, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A BITE, BUT WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THOSE, THOSE DOGS WITH SIGNIFICANT BEHAVIORAL CONCERNS? YEAH, THIS ONE, THAT, THAT ONE CAME OUT SPECIFICALLY WITH TALKING TO, UM, OUR BEHAVIOR TEAM AND ALSO OUR VETS.
AND SO JUST NOT OUR, OUR LEAD VET, DR.
ELLIOT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE FOUR, UH, FULL-TIME VETS, ASIDE FROM DR.
ELLIOT AND AN EQUIVALENT OF ONE FULL-TIME.
AND YOU VETS THAT HELP US OUT, WE CAPACITY OUR SHELTER.
UM, AND SO IT'S LIKE A RESOURCE GUARDING, UH, JUST NOT, YOU KNOW, UM, WHERE WE'RE NOT MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT KIND OF HOME, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT ANIMAL CAN BE MAYBE SUCCESSFUL AT.
UM, I THINK RESOURCE GUARDING WAS ONE OF THE BIG ONES.
MONTY, JASON HELPED ME OUT HERE.
SOME OTHER CONCERNS THAT, THAT COME UP OF THE DAILY ROUNDS OR THE, THE WEEKLY ROUNDS THAT SOME OF THE NEW VET STAFF HAVE BEEN DOING IS THEY'VE BEEN PROVIDING SOME, UH, MEDICATIONS FOR THE DOG.
SO THE DOG'S NOT RESPONDING TO THE MEDICATIONS.
AND IT'S NOT JUST BEHAVIORAL CONCERNS AS WELL, IT'S JUST, UM, THE, UM,
[01:15:02]
THRIVE IN THE SHELTER AS WELL, CAN BE A BIG ASPECT OF IT, OF THE ANIMAL IS HAVING SOME TYPE OF MEDICAL CONCERN ALONG WITH THE BEHAVIOR CONCERN.SO IT JUST COMPILES UPON THAT.
UM, AND THEN, UH, OF COURSE, THE VET'S STAFF ARE DOING THE MATRIX AS WELL OF SEEING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
PART OF THAT MATRIX IS PART OF BENNET'S, UM, MATRIX AS WELL, GOING OFF OF THAT, OF THE, THE CARE OF THE ANIMAL.
UM, BUT THAT'S JUST A COUPLE TO GO OFF OF.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UM, TIME.
JUST SO I UNDERSTAND THE LIST, THE URGENT PLACEMENT LIST IS THE LIST THAT'S, UM, ON THE WEBSITE, UM, THAT WILL REMAIN.
AND THE GOAL OF THE ANIMALS ON THAT LIST IS TO HAVE A POSITIVE OUTCOME.
UM, AND THEY WOULD ONLY MAKE THIS NEW LIST, WHICH OR THIS OTHER LIST, THE RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST, IF THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT BEHAVIOR CHANGE.
YEAH, THEY, THEY MEET ONE OF THE CRITERIA THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED FOR WHAT PLACES YOU ON THE RPL.
BUT INITIALLY, WHEN THEY'RE, IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE ONE RIGHT NOW, THEY WOULD, WOULDN'T BE THERE.
SO THEY'RE TWO, YOU'RE NOT YES, YES.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT ON THE RPL LIST UNTIL, UNLESS YOU MEET ONE OF THOSE CRITERIA.
SO, AND IF YOU'RE ON THE URGENT PLACEMENT LIST, THAT MEANS YOU DID NOT MEET THE RPL LIST? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND I, I JUST WANNA HAVE ONE CLARIFICATION.
WE WANT, EVEN THOUGH THE RPL DOES HAVE A NEGATIVE END OF IT, WE DON'T WANNA GET TO THAT POINT.
SO WE STILL COULD SEE IT AS POSITIVE.
'CAUSE WE WANT THEM TO GO INTO THE PROPER RACE RESCUE PLACEMENT AS WELL TO BE SUCCESSFUL, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT IF AN ANIMAL'S ON THE URGENT PLACEMENT LIST, IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY BEHAVIOR CHANGE? IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T MEET ANY OF THE RPL THINGS AT SOME POINT? IT COULD STILL BE EUTHANIZED FOR NO, NO, NO.
I'M JUST, I'M JUST TRYING TO JUST CLARIFY THAT THE RPL STILL HAS A POSITIVE ASPECT OF IT, RIGHT.
THE IDEA IS TO GET THEM INTO RESCUE PLACEMENT, RIGHT? URGENT PLACEMENT IS THAT PRECURSOR OF THESE ANIMALS ARE NEEDING GREATER ASSISTANCE, THEY'RE A HIGHER NEED OF BEING AT THE SHELTER, NEEDING TO GO INTO FOSTER CARE, NEEDING TO, TO GO INTO A RESCUE, UM, OR BE ADOPTED, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, OKAY.
BEFORE THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THEY DON'T HAVE ANY CHANGES IN THEIR BEHAVIOR.
AND IS IT, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE URGENT PLACEMENT LIST PROGRAM, OR WHATEVER YOU CALL IT, WAS BASED ON, UM, KANSAS CITY PET PROJECT, AND THEY'RE DOING THAT.
THAT'S, AND THAT, AND THAT'S GREAT.
'CAUSE THEY HAVE A VERY HIGH, UM, LIVE OUTCOME.
UM, PROBABLY THE CLOSEST THAT I'VE SEEN TO, UM, THAT I'VE, OF THE SHELTERS I TRACK TO, UM, A, A C, UM, CLOSER TO 95%.
SO THAT'S, I THINK, REALLY GOOD, I THINK, FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT THIS WORKS FOR THEM AND YOU'RE MODELING IT ON THEM.
SO I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT THAT IS WHAT I LEARNED WAS CORRECT.
UM, AND THEN FOR THE, AND, AND I'M, UM, GLAD THAT YOU'RE TAKING THIS APPROACH AND USING THIS TYPE OF, UM, SYSTEM SO THAT ALL RESCUES HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY.
AND I WOULD THINK RUNNING A BUSINESS, KNOWING THAT I'M GOING TO GET THIS LIST ON THIS DATE, AND I HAVE MY STAFF READY, UM, TO GO, IS, UH, REALLY IMPORTANT.
PLUS YOU'RE COMPLYING WITH, UM, THE ORDINANCE, WHICH IS ALSO IMPORTANT.
UM, REGARDING THE BEHAVIORIST, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALL DOING, YOU HAVE ALL THE PEOPLE PITCHING IN AND GIVING THEIR OPINION, BUT THEN YOU'RE SENDING THIS LIST TO OTHER EXPERTS TO GET THEIR OPINION TO SAY, ARE YOU WRONG? OR SHOULD WE, WE CAN HELP THIS PERSON.
SO THAT ADDS ANOTHER LAYER TO PROBABLY GETTING A GOOD LIVE OUTCOME FOR THE PET, NOT NECESSARILY ALL OF THEM, BUT, UM, BY HAVING THE COMMUNITY AND THE RESCUES ALSO GIVE THEIR OPINION, WHICH YOU, UM, APPRECIATE.
SO IS, UM, SO I THINK THAT'S GOOD.
UM, AS SOMEONE WHO'S TRIED TO GET DATA ON SOME OF THESE ANIMALS,
UM, I REALLY THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IN THE TIME TO COME UP WITH A SYSTEM THAT EVERYONE WILL USE, AND WE CAN TRACK THE DATES AND THE TIMES ON THERE, AND WE ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL PET.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERGUSON.
UM, THE POLICY MENTIONS A FORMALIZED DUNBAR TEAM, AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A QUESTION FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT WHO IS THAT, WHO IS ON THAT TEAM?
[01:20:02]
STAFF? I MEAN, THERE'S, I MEAN, IT'S STAFF, UH, FROM THE DIVISIONS IN OUR, IN OUR DEPARTMENT.SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, ANIMAL CARE, UH, WE HAVE, UH, FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE, UH, HEALTH ANIMAL HEALTHCARE SIDE OF THINGS AS WELL.
UH, AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, STAFF THAT'S IN THE, UH, BEHAVIOR IN RICHMOND GROUP, RIGHT? SO THOSE ARE, UM, THAT'S FOUR OF OUR FIVE DIVISIONS.
WE HAVE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND CUSTOMER SERVICE WORKS THROUGH THE PRC AND OUR FRONT DESK FOR ADOPTIONS AND FOSTERS.
AND SO THERE'S ALSO SOMEBODY WITHIN THAT GROUP.
AND THEN THERE'S LIKE, UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF OUR DIVISION, BUT IT'S THE OFFICE OF THEIR OFFICER.
SO LIKE OUR ADMINISTRATOR, SHE DON'T LIKE ADMINISTRATOR, BUT BUSINESS SERVICES.
BUSINESS SERVICES, THANK YOU, MELISSA.
BUSINESS SERVICES THAT, YOU KNOW, CONTAINS, YOU KNOW, OUR FINANCE, HR, AND AGAIN, THAT'S MY FOCUS, RIGHT? AND IT'S LIKE, IS THERE A PROCESS AND ARE WE FOLLOWING THAT PROCESS? CAN WE JUSTIFY IT? YOU KNOW, CAN WE ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS? YOU KNOW, SINCE I DON'T HAVE THAT BEHAVIORAL BACKGROUND, THAT'S WHERE I COME IN.
SO, SO THERE, YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S LIKE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH OF YOUR AREAS, MULTIPLE THAT, THAT DO THE ANALYSIS OF, BASED ON THE DUNBAR SCALE MM-HMM
AND REMEMBER THAT, THAT THAT FIRST DUNBAR, UM, ASSESSMENT IS, YOU KNOW, BY THE FIELD OFFICER, BY, YOU KNOW, ARRIVING ON THE SCENE AND BEING THERE, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, USING INFORMATION FROM THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ON SCENE, UH, LOOKING AT THE, THE VICTIMS, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, FIGHT MARKS AND TAKING PICTURE, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE DUNBAR SCALE DEFINES IT, RIGHT? BASED ON WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE OPEN SKIN PUNCTURES, THAT KIND OF THING.
AND MONTY KNOWS THAT REALLY WELL.
I MEAN, I'VE READ IT A COUPLE OF TIMES, I JUST HAVEN'T FULLY MEMORIZED IT YET, BUT THAT'S THE FIRST ONE.
AND THEN THE AUDIT TEAM, AND THAT'S COMES BACK AND IT CONFIRMS THAT THEY, THEY ARE, THERE ARE CORRECT, UH, OR IF NOT, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE MODIFY THAT SCALE OR THAT RATING FOR THAT SPECIFIC BITE.
AND THEN AGAIN, IT'S THAT CO CONSISTENCY, CONSISTENT APPLICATION ACROSS THE BOARD OF EVERY BITE THAT WE SEE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S NOT ONE SET OF EYES, IT'S MULTIPLE SET OF EYES, MULTIPLE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT TIMES, RIGHT? THE INITIAL ONE, AND THEN THE COLLECTIVE GROUP COMING IN AND, AND RECONFIRMING THAT OR ADJUSTING THAT BASED ON THEIR REVIEW OF THE INFORMATION.
AND QUITE HONESTLY, YOU KNOW, THAT BACK AND FORTH DIALOGUE THAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THAT.
UM, SO WE UNDERSTAND, THEY UNDERSTAND THE, THE SIGNIFICANCE THAT DECISION HAS, UM, YOU KNOW, AND POTENTIAL OUTCOME FOR THE ANIMAL.
SO THEY'RE, WE WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO REALLY HONE IN ON, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVING THAT PROCESS IN PLACE AND THAT LEVEL OF CONFIRMATION FOR EACH ONE THAT WE DO.
WELL, SO WE, EVERYBODY'S, EXCEPT FOR COMMISSIONER AHMED AND ME AND I HAVE ASKED A QUESTION, BUT, SO WE'LL GO AROUND WITH SECOND ONE.
UM, SO HOW MANY ANIMALS EACH MONTH DO YOU ANTICIPATE, UM, THIS IMPACTING OR LIKE HOW MANY'S ON THE EACH LIST? RIGHT NOW, WE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY NU UH, ANIMALS ARE IN OUR UPL LIST, BUT YOU CAN PROBABLY SEE THAT RIGHT NOW ON OUR WEBSITE AND KIND OF DEFER, UM, ON THAT ONE, THE RESPONSE.
UM, I JUST HAVE, I, I MEAN, I'VE LOOKED AT IT, WE LOOKED AT IT TODAY.
I JUST DON'T, DO YOU HAVE A BALLPARK? LIKE ARE WE TALKING NINE OR 70
AND SO THE UPL LIST AND THEN THE RPL LIST, RPL, UH, WE JUST COMMUNICATED THAT ONE TODAY TO OUR RESCUE PARTNERS, AND THERE'S THREE ANIMALS ON THAT LIST.
AND JUST TO CONFIRM, I'M UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS.
THIS IS THE ONLY RPL LIST THAT WILL BE SENT OUT THIS MONTH.
SO BASICALLY NEXT MONTH THIS PROCESS STARTS OVER, BUT UPL IS KIND OF LIKE ALWAYS ROLLING, BUT THE RPL LIST ONLY COMES OUT ONCE A MONTH, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE RPL WILL BE UPDATED AS DOGS IN OUR CARE MEET THE CRITERIA THAT DEFINES THE RPL, BUT WE'LL PUBLISH IT WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE DAYS OF THE MONTH.
BUT IT CAN CHANGE, RIGHT? BUT WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING THROUGH THAT FIRST PUBLISHED LIST, SO, OKAY.
I PUBLISHED, I AM A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED BY THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT MATTERS IF I UNDERSTAND EVERY MECHANICAL DETAIL OF THAT.
I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED ON LIKE, IF ON THE 27TH OF THE MONTH A DOG BITES SOMEBODY, DO THEY GET A SPECIAL FIVE DAY STARTING PERIOD THAT STARTS THEN, OR DO THEY GO ON THE UPL AND THEN ON THE FIFTH BUSINESS DAY OF THE NEXT MONTH, THEN THEY GET ADDED TO THE RPL? IF A, IF A DOG MEETS THE CRITERIA FROM THE RP, UH, THAT'S DEFINES THE RPL, THEY WOULD BE PLACED ON THE RPL MM-HMM
[01:25:01]
BUT DOESN'T, BUT ONCE WE COMMUNICATE AND ANNOUNCE THAT FIVE DAY COMMITMENT PERIOD, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT WE COMMUNICATE.SO IF A, IF DURING THAT PERIOD A DOG GETS ON THE RPL OR THE WEEK AFTER THAT, IT GETS ON THE RPO, THAT DOG WILL STAY ON THE RPL UNTIL, YOU KNOW, IT'LL BE ON THERE THE FOLLOWING MONTH.
AND SO WHEN WE PUBLISH THAT LIST, IT'LL BE ON THERE.
AND BASED ON OUR EVALUATION OF THOSE DOGS ON THE R-P-R-P-L LIST, RIGHT? THE, THE, THE RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST, WHEN WE ANNOUNCE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT FIVE DAY COMMITMENT PERIOD, YOU KNOW, THAT DOG MAY BE ON THAT LIST, YOU KNOW, SO, OKAY.
THAT WAS, UM, YEAH, THAT WAS WHAT I NEEDED.
NOT TO BE MORE CONFUSING, BUT IT, IT SOUND OKAY.
IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU HAVE THREE DOGS TODAY.
THEY WENT OUT TODAY, THEY HAVE A FIVE DAY, OKAY, NEXT WEEK YOU COULD ADD THREE MORE DOGS AND THREE MORE DOGS.
BUT IT'S NOT UNTIL THE NEXT MONTH WHEN THE LIST GOES OUT THAT THEIR FIVE DAYS STARTS.
SO THAT MAKES, THAT MAKES SENSE.
UM, I WHAT CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
'CAUSE THERE'S THE PUBLISHING OF THE LIST, THE NEXT WEEK, THEIR FIVE DAYS STARTS.
DO I HAVE THAT RIGHT? YOU DO IT ONCE A MONTH? THAT'S, THAT'S CORRECT.
SO LET'S USE THIS MONTH RIGHT NOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE, THE LIST HAS BEEN PUBLISHED TODAY MM-HMM
AND THERE'S THREE DOGS ON THERE.
SO NEXT WEEK WE'LL COMMENCE THE FIVE DAY COMMITMENT PERIOD, AND THOSE DOGS WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED AS PART OF THAT COMMITMENT PERIOD.
BUT, BUT IF WE ADD ANOTHER DOG, UH, TO THAT RPO LIST ON, YOU KNOW, NEXT WEEK, THAT DOG WILL NOT BE HIGHLIGHTED AS PART OF YOUR COMMITMENT FIVE DAY COMMITMENT PERIOD.
THAT FIVE DAY COMMIT PERIOD ONLY HAPPENS ONCE A MONTH.
YOU PUBLISH A LIST ONCE A MONTH, BUT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE LIST IS UP, ISN'T UPDATED BEHIND THE SCENES.
'CAUSE WE'RE SEEING THOSE ANIMALS COME IN THAT MEET THE CRITERIA OF THE RPO.
IT'S, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM WHAT THE CHANGE LAST YEAR, UM, THAT THE APOS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN USING THE DUNBAR SCALE EVEN BEFORE THE LAW WAS CHANGED.
AND IN PART, THEY DO THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO ADVISE, UM, POTENTIAL VICTIMS ON WHETHER IT'S A SERIOUS BODILY INJURY CLAIM, WHICH HAS ONE PATH OR, UM, A DIFFERENT PATH, UM, IS, AND THEN THAT DUNBAR WOULD BE AS ASSIGNED AND THAT THEY HAVE TRAINING TO DO THAT.
AND THEN, UH, WITH DUNBAR, AND THEN IT WOULD BE LOOKED AT BY EVERYONE ELSE AT AAC C TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY AGREE WITH THAT.
BUT PRIMARILY, DUNBAR'S BEEN USED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
IS THAT STILL CORRECT? SO THE PROCESS IS RELATIVE.
IT, IT WENT, WE STARTED THE PROCESS OF DUB BAR BEFORE IT WAS APPROVED IN 2024 TO GET THE CONSISTENCY WITH THE TEAM IN GETTING THE TRAINING, UM, FOR THE DUNBAR SCALE.
UM, AND AT THAT TIME WE CONTINUED, WE ACTUALLY HAD A, UM, REPRESENTATIVE COME IN AND TRAIN MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS, THE ENTIRE ANIMAL PROTECTION TEAM, AND THEN, UM, BEHAVIOR TEAM AND, AND VET SERVICES TEAM WITHIN THE SHELTER.
UM, AFTER THAT TRAINING, WHEN NEW PEOPLE COME ON, WE DO HAVE A TRAINING THAT EVERYBODY'S PROVIDED AND WITH A REFRESHER AS WELL AS WE GET NEW OFFICERS OR JUST OFFICERS LEARNING TO UNDERSTAND IT.
UM, BUT WE STARTED THAT, WE STARTED THAT TRAINING WELL BEFORE THE 2024.
UM, BEFORE THAT THOUGH, THERE WERE DIFFERENT, UM, DEFINITIONS THAT WERE PUT INTO PLAY.
UM, AND IT WENT WITH A CLEANER PROCESS OF THE NATIONAL OF, OF GOING TO THE IAN DUNBAR SCALE, JUST FOR CONSISTENCY.
UM, SO WITH THAT TRAINING THEN, IS EVERYBODY WHO'S ON THE FORMALIZED DUNBAR TEAM, HAVE THEY ALL TAKEN THAT TRAINING THOUGH? ALL THOSE MEMBERS FROM CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUSINESS SERVICES, HR? YES, THEY HAVE.
UM, SO YES, THANK YOU FOR THIS PROCESS.
I, I AM VERY RELIEVED TO HAVE IN WRITING WHAT YOUR, WHAT YOUR, UM, TIMELINE IS GONNA BE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE ALL KIND OF STRUGGLING 'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT IN ACTION JUST YET.
IT'S ONE THING TO READ THROUGH IT ON A TIMELINE AND THEN, BUT, SO THAT GIVES US WARNING.
AND THEN I'M SURE AS IT'S PUT INTO PLACE, THERE WILL BE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, BUT I, I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THOSE ADJUSTMENTS WILL BE FORMALIZED AND COMMUNICATED.
AND, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT TRANSPARENCY AND, AND COMING TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS.
UM, ONE QUESTION THAT WAS COMING UP FOR ME IS, UM,
[01:30:01]
IS, IS THERE A FORMALIZED WAY THAT ANIMALS CAN BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE PEOPLE WHO DECIDE THAT IT GOES ON THE LIST? FOR EXAMPLE, FOR VET SERVICES, IF, IF JUST A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC OR A VOLUNTEER OR SOMEBODY THINKS THEY'RE SEEING AN ANIMAL HAVING A MEDICAL ISSUE, THEY FILL OUT A PINK FORM AND IT, AND THEY GIVE IT TO VET SERVICES AND THE, AND THE TECHNICIANS EVALUATE IT FIRST, IS THERE SOME SORT OF FORMALIZED NOTIFICATION THAT LIKE THAT FOR LIKE, HEY, I WAS OBSERVING THIS IN THIS ANIMAL TODAY AND LOOKED BACK AND SAW SOME OTHER ISSUES.IS THERE AN EQUIVALENT OF LIKE A PINK SLIP THAT THEY CAN BRING TO YOU? SO THERE'S A, THERE'S, IT STARTS FROM INTAKE.
SO EITHER FROM PRC STUFF, THE STAFF, THE COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO BROUGHT IN THE ANIMAL, OR WHO'S OWNER SURRENDERING THE ANIMAL, ALL THAT INFORMATION'S GATHERED ON THAT PRC STAFF SIDE OR THROUGH ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS OF WHERE IT STARTS OTHER THAN JUST NOTIFYING IT.
WE DO HAVE A PROCESS NOW WITH ANY DUNBAR THREE OR ABOVE THAT COMES INTO THE SHELTER THAT IS NOTIFIED BY, UH, STAFF NEED TO NOTIFY A SUPERVISOR SO THAT WE CAN THEN KIND OF KEEP TRACK OF WHAT THAT ANIMAL'S BEHAVIOR LOOKS LIKE AND REALLY LOOK INTO WHAT THAT BITE WAS CONCERNING ABOUT.
SO IT'S JUST THAT COMMUNICATION OF NOTES THAT ARE BEING TAKEN BY ALL OF THE STAFF AND IT BEING BROUGHT TO THE SUPERVISOR'S ATTENTION IF THEY'RE SEEING AN INTAKE, I MEAN, UPTICK IN THE ANIMAL'S BEHAVIOR IS SOMETHING KIND OF CONCERNING.
UM, THE ANIMAL PROTECTION TEAM IS PRETTY VOCAL ON LETTING US KNOW WHEN THEY'RE SEEING THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I, BUT I KNOW YOU WERE ASKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT LIKE, FOR HEALTH.
UM, SO I, I JUST REALLY QUICKLY, UM, WE JUST LAUNCHED A NEW PILOT PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE FOCUSED ON OUTCOMES.
UM, SO EVERY ANIMAL HAVING AN OUTCOME IN OUR SHELTER.
AND SO I'VE, UM, REPRIORITIZED ONE OF MY EXISTING TEAM MEMBERS WHO'S BEEN IN OUR SHELTER FOR 10 PLUS YEARS, UM, SUPER KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT HOW WE DO THINGS AND REALLY WELL RESPECTED IN, IN OUR, IN OUR DEPARTMENT, BOTH BY, FROM STAFF AND ALSO VOLUNTEERS.
AND SO THIS EMPLOYEE IS, UH, HER DEDICATED JOB RIGHT NOW IS, YOU KNOW, ON A DAILY BASIS GOING OUT THROUGH, UH, OUR, OUR SHELTER AND LOOKING AT EVERY ANIMAL, UM, AND DOING A COUPLE OF THINGS, RIGHT? JOINING OUR BED CARE TEAM AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE WALKS THROUGH THE KENNEL SYSTEM TO SEE WHAT ANIMAL IS, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY'RE DOING, RIGHT? ARE THEY, ARE THEY IN THE RIGHT PLACE? FIRST OF ALL, CAN WE GET MORE ATTENTION TO THEM TO MAYBE GET ADOPTED, UH, FOSTERED OR RESCUED? UM, ARE WE SEEING A, YOU KNOW, DIMINISHING, UM, YOU KNOW, QUALITY OF LIFE OR DO THEY, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY UP TO DATE ON ALL THEIR, YOU KNOW, VACCINES AND EVERYTHING? UH, THE SAME THING FOR THE CATS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE BEEN SHADOWING HER, JUST WALKING AROUND THE SHELTER AND SEEING WHAT SHE'S DOING.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MAKING SOME PROGRESS.
WE'RE WORKING ON SORT OF RIGHT NOW OUR, OUR GOALS AND OUR, OUR OBJECTIVES THAT WE WANT TO HAVE AS A, AS A PROGRAM.
AND THEN WE WILL EVALUATE THIS IN SIX MONTHS TO SEE IF LIKE, OKAY, THIS IS WORKING OUT REALLY WELL.
HERE'S THE OUTCOMES THAT WE GOT FROM THIS OUTCOME PROGRAM.
AND, YOU KNOW, SHOULD WE PRIORITIZE THE POSITION FOR THIS FUNCTION BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WHEN YOU COME INTO OUR SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE YOU GO TO THE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS AND IT'S A, IT'S A LOT, YOU KNOW.
AND, UM, ONE THING THAT I'VE BEEN SAYING, UM, RECENTLY IS THE MORE ANIMALS WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE LESS TIME AND DEDICATION THAT EACH ANIMAL GETS FROM OUR STAFF AND POTENTIALLY EVEN VOLUNTEERS.
'CAUSE WE'RE JUST SO SPREAD OUT THIN.
AND SO THIS PERSON, THIS FUNCTION RIGHT HERE, IT'S SO REALLY TO KEEP AN EYE ON, ON THOSE THINGS.
AND SO IF, I DON'T KNOW NECESSARILY RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A FLAGGING SYSTEM BESIDES WE PUT THINGS IN THE NOTES, BUT MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK AT THAT AND I'LL TALK TO HER REGARDING, YOU KNOW, THAT SO THAT IF WE HAVE TO FLAG IT, AND I KNOW SHE'S FLAGGING IT.
'CAUSE I, AS I WALKED WITH HER, I MEAN, I'M MEETING WITH HER ON A REGULAR, ON A WEEKLY BASIS, YOU KNOW, UM, SHE'S DRAWING ATTENTION TO THOROUGH ANIMALS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND GOT SOME MALCOLMS OF THOSE AND SEEING HOW WE'RE FLAGGING THAT SPECIFICALLY, UH, TO OUR BACKYARD TEAM TO SAY, HEY, THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOMETHING'S GOING ON AND CAN YOU FOCUS SOME ATTENTION ON THIS ONE? RIGHT.
SO WE HAVE THAT PILOT PROGRAM GOING ON, AND THAT'S THE FOCUS AREA FOR THIS PROGRAM IS TO DO THAT RIGHT THERE.
AND SO JUST FOR CLARIFY, IS THAT TWO SEPARATE INDIVIDUALS? ONE, ONE FOR DOGS AND ONE FOR CAT FOR BOTH? ONE PERSON DOES FOR BOTH.
AND THAT PERSON ALSO DOES EXOTICS
WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF THAT COME IN LATELY.
UH, BECAUSE I DON'T 'CAUSE THEIR NEEDS COULD BE EVEN MORE.
AND SO POTENTIALLY YOU'LL LOOK INTO A FLAGGING SYSTEM YES.
BECAUSE IT'S ONE THING FOR THE INFORMATION TO BE IN THE NOTES.
AND THEN ONE THING, ANOTHER THING FOR SOMEBODY ELSE TO KNOW, TO LOOK IN THE NOTES A HUNDRED PERCENT, YOU'RE RIGHT.
UM, AND THEN I, FROM WHAT I'VE OBSERVED AT, AT THE SHELTER AND, AND OUR ISSUES WITH BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO MEET OUR COMMUNITY'S NEEDS TO TAKE IN ANIMALS IMMEDIATELY, THAT, THAT, THAT'S WHAT THE MUNICIPAL SHELTER DOES.
[01:35:01]
DOESN'T HAVE AN OWNER OR AN OBVIOUS OWNER, AND WE NEED TO TAKE THEM IN RIGHT AWAY.AND THAT'S, THAT'S A VERY UNIQUE, UH, FUNCTION THAT OUR MUNICIPAL SHELTER NEEDS TO SERVE.
AND SO THE QUESTION FOR OUR MUNICIPAL SHELTER CANNOT BE, ARE THERE SPECIALIZED ONGOING MEASURES THAT CAN BE TAKEN LONG TERM TO MANAGE LARGE DOGS WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS? BECAUSE OUR POPULATION OF ADOPTERS, OUR, OUR BIGGEST OUTCOME IS ALWAYS ADOPTION, RIGHT? SO, AND OUR POPULATION OF ADOPTERS IS THE AVERAGE RESIDENT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT'S, THAT'S OUR POPULATION OF ADOPTERS.
UM, WE DO NOT HAVE THE SPACE TIME OR RESOURCES TO WAIT AND SCREEN A BUNCH OF ADOPTERS FOR A BUNCH OF DOGS WITH SPECIALIZED NEEDS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET A SPECIALIZED ADOPTER WHO HAS EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES AND TO CONTINUE THAT ONGOING MANAGEMENT, UH, OF A CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR DOG.
WHERE, WHERE IF THAT, IF THERE'S A FAILURE OF THAT MANAGEMENT, A A PERSON OR AN ANIMAL COULD GET INJURED OR KILLED.
UM, AND SO THAT'S THE TYPE OF THING THAT IF OUR COMMUNITY IS GONNA DO THAT, THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AT A RESCUE.
AND, AND SO I SEE THIS AS BEING A REALLY IMPORTANT WAY TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ANIMALS GET OUT OF OUR SHELTER, GET TO A RESCUE, OR THAT MORE SORT OF SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE TO HAVE A, A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME, NOT ONLY IN ADOPTION OR A FOSTER PLACEMENT, BUT AN ADOPTION OR FOSTER PLACEMENT THAT DOESN'T RESULT IN MORE INJURY AND DEATH.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, AND ESPECIALLY I, I FEEL LIKE I OBSERVE A LOT OF, UM, ANALOGIES TO THIS IN VET SERVICES, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, I FOSTERED FOR, FOR SEVEN MONTHS A BRILLIANT SIX POUND FRIENDLY CHIHUAHUA THAT HAS HIGH, THAT HAS HIGH MEDICAL NEEDS BECAUSE HE HAS A NEUROLOGICAL DIS DYSFUNCTION THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO WALK.
I WAS LIKE, IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR US TO ASK THE AVERAGE ADOPTER TO STEP IN AND BE ABLE TO MEET THIS DOG'S NEEDS.
WE OFFERED THAT DOG TO MANY RESCUES.
I WAS LIKE, I GOTTA PERSONALLY TAKE THIS GUY ON.
IT TOOK ME SEVEN MONTHS TO FIND A HOME FOR A SIX POUND DOG WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, AND I STILL HELP THEM.
I WATCH THAT DOG ABOUT A WEEK, EVERY MONTH AND A HALF TO GIVE THEM A BREAK FROM HIS NEEDS.
SO I'VE BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS OF EVEN LIKE, THIS, THI THIS DOG NEEDS SOMETHING SPECIAL, BUT IT SHOULD BE PRETTY EASY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SO, AND, AND SIMILARLY IN THE LAST YEAR, WE HAD, WE HAD, UM, YOU KNOW, A, A A, A WONDERFULLY SWEET PIT BULL NAMED ASH WITH DWARFISM WHO HIS DWARFISM AFFECTED THE FORMATION OF HIS SPINE AND, AND THEREFORE WAS AFFECTING THIS, THE FUNCTION OF HIS SPINAL CORD.
AND HE COULDN'T WALK, BUT HE WAS PLAYFUL AND HAPPY.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY COULD HAVE DEDICATED THEIR LIFE TO CARRYING HIM OUTSIDE TO ELIMINATE, AND HE WOULD'VE BEEN AN AMAZING PET.
BUT, BUT SO WE DID PUT OUT, SO HE WAS, HE WAS ALSO PLED TO RESCUES AND PARTNERS AND DECLINED BY ALL OF THEM.
AND IT WAS REALLY SAD, BUT THAT WAS NOT A PET THAT WE COULD EXPECT OUR SHELTER TO TAKE CARE OF UNTIL THAT ONE IN A MILLION FAMILY COULD ADOPT HIM.
AND, AND IT'S, IT'S HEARTBREAKING, BUT IT, LIKE, IT'S JUST UNFAIR TO THESE ANIMALS TO DRAG OUT THAT PROCESS LONGER.
SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING SOME GUARDRAILS IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PROCESS DOESN'T GET DRUG OUT INDEFINITELY, BECAUSE DECISIONS ARE HARD AND PAINFUL TO MAKE EVEN WHEN THEY'RE APPROPRIATE SOMETIMES.
ALRIGHT, ANY MORE COMMENTS ON, UM, AGENDA ITEM THREE? NOPE.
[4. Update on the implementation of the prohibition of the purchase of and usage of all glue traps at City-owned and/or City-managed facilities based on the Animal Advisory Commission’s Recommendation 20241014-007.]
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSSION ITEMS. UPDATE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROHIBITION OF THE PURCHASE A OF AND USAGE OF[01:40:01]
ALL GLUE TRAPS AT CITY OWNED OR CITY MANAGED FACILITIES BASED ON THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION.UM, THAT WAS FROM LAST OCTOBER.
IS THERE ANYBODY WHO IS PREPARED TO THIS? THIS IS MY ITEM, COMMISSIONER LINDER.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, UM, DO A LOT AS A COMMISSION.
WE PASS RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN WE DON'T ALWAYS SORT OF, UM, FOLLOW UP OR KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO THIS WILL BE A REALLY QUICK, UH, EASY AGENDA ITEM, I PROMISE, COMPARED TO THE LAST ONE.
UH, BUT I JUST WANNA SORT OF GIVE EVERYONE AN UPDATE AND CLOSE THE LOOP.
UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S BROKEN AND WHAT'S NOT WORKING, SO I JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE, UM, THE GOOD WORK THAT'S BEING DONE AND, AND THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEING MADE HERE AS WELL.
SO, UM, JUST TO RECAP FOR OUR NEW MEMBERS, UM, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE PASSED, UH, AS A RECOMMENDATION AS A COMMISSION LAST OCTOBER.
UM, WE HAD SORT OF SEVERAL MEETINGS WHERE WE HEARD FROM, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH GLUE TRAPS, WHICH ARE A FORM OF PEST CONTROL THAT SORT OF JUST HOLD THE ANIMAL, UH, ENSNARED IN THE GLUE UNTIL THEY EXPIRE, RATHER THAN SORT OF KILLING THEM HUMANELY AND QUICKLY.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS ISSUE FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT ANGLES.
UM, BOTH ANIMAL WELFARE CONCERNS, ALSO PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS, THE CDC BORNS AGAINST THE USE OF GLUE TRAPS, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND WE HEARD A LOT FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THEIR OWN, UM, EXPERIENCE WITH THE TRAP.
SO WE PASSED THAT RECOMMENDATION IN OCTOBER.
UM, AND AFTER THAT, UH, UH, RECOMMENDATION WAS PASSED, UM, WE MET WITH, UH, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO SORT OF WALK THEM THROUGH OUR REASONING, EXPLAINED SORT OF WHAT WE HAD TAKEN TIME TO LEARN ABOUT THIS ISSUE, UM, THROUGH THE WORKING GROUP AND, AND THROUGH THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UM, AND LAST, UM, MONTH, THEY, UH, PASSED A FORMAL, UM, SORT OF MEMO AROUND, UM, THAT, UH, PROHIBITS THE USE OF THESE GLUTE TRAPS IN CITY ON FACILITIES IN AUSTIN, WHICH IS, UM, WONDERFUL AND A HUGE STEP FORWARD, UM, TO SEE THAT RECOMMENDATION SORT OF PUT INTO ACTION.
SO, UM, SO I'M THRILLED ABOUT THAT.
UM, A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE THRILLED AS WELL.
UM, AND SOME OF THE POSTS ABOUT THIS, UH, RECOMMENDATION, UM, BEING PASSED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN 10,000 LIKES, AND THERE'S ONE THAT HAS 1300 SHARES, WHICH IS A LOT.
UM, AND FOLKS FROM DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AROUND THE US UM, TAKING NOTE OF THIS AND SAYING THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, I, I WANNA TRY THIS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M GONNA TALK TO, UM, TO MY REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT THIS, OR WILDLIFE REHABILITATORS WHO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE WITH THESE TRAPS, UM, TALKING ABOUT HOW, UM, HOW GREAT IT IS TO MOVE AWAY FROM THEM WHEN THERE'S, UM, YOU KNOW, CHEAP, SUSTAINABLE, UH, HUMANE ALTERNATIVES THAT EXIST.
I WANNA THANK COMMISSIONER HOLT, WHO'S THE ONE WHO BROUGHT THIS ISSUE TO OUR COMMISSION, UM, AND, AND REALLY CHAMPIONED IT AFTER, UM, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY REACHED OUT TO HER, UH, AND CITY EMPLOYEES WHO WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE USE OF THESE TRAPS.
HOLD FOR BEING A, A CHAMPION ON THIS.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK THE TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY AND THE AUSTIN BAT REFUGE, UM, WHO JOINED, UH, FOR THAT MEETING.
AND CHRISSY DUNN AS WELL, WHO'S A BIG ADVOCATE, UM, ON THIS ISSUE AS WELL.
I ALSO WANNA THANK, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER CARBAHOL, UM, DIRECTOR FERNANDEZ, UM, AND DARYL ALEXANDER OF BUILDING SERVICES, WHO ALL MADE TIME TO MEET WITH US IN PERSON, UM, AND REALLY SORT OF LISTEN TO WHAT WE HAD TO SAY AND ENGAGE WITH US, UM, ON THIS ISSUE.
UM, FOR ME IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY JUST SORT OF A, UM, UPLIFTING EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
AND SO OFTEN YOU DON'T KNOW SORT OF IF ANY OF THE WORK YOU'RE DOING IS ACTUALLY MATTERING, UM, AND IF, IF, IF YOU'RE BEING HEARD.
UM, AND I FEEL LIKE THEY REALLY LISTEN TO US.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO, UM, TO THANK THE CITY FOR, FOR TAKING ACTION ON THIS.
UM, AND THANK THE COMMISSION MEMBERS WHO, WHO DEDICATED THEIR TIME AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS WELL.
SO, UM, THAT'S ALL FOR MY SHORT BUT SWEET AGENDA ITEM.
THANK YOU FOR, UNLESS COMMISSIONER
UM, WE ARE ALSO NOW GOING TO START PURSUING THIS FOR, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY BUILDINGS AND OWNED FACILITIES AS WELL.
SO LIKE, WE'RE STILL KIND OF BEATING THE DRUM AS BEST WE CAN.
UM, BUT I HOPE EVERYBODY LISTENING OR SEEING THIS FEELS EMPOWERED TO ALSO REACH OUT TO THEIR EMPLOYERS.
'CAUSE A CITY AND STATEWIDE BAND IS NOT GONNA HAPPEN ANYTIME SOON, BUT ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO, UM, YOU KNOW, KNOCK THESE LITTLE WINS OUT, UM, THEY ALL ADD UP.
AND, UM, VICE CHAIR LINDER OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T THANK HERSELF, BUT LIKE HUGE THANKS TO HER WITH HER LIKE BRILLIANT EXPERTISE AND FACILITATION SKILLS.
SHE, THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT HER.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DID, AND THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE ON THAT.
UM, ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO
[5. Approve the Animal Advisory Commission Annual Internal Review.]
DISCUSSION AND ACT ACTION ITEMS.[01:45:01]
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, APPROVE THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION INTERNAL, UH, ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW.SO, UM, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION WAS SUPPOSED TO, UM, WRITE AND APPROVE AND FINALIZE IN JULY IN ORDER TO MEET THE DEADLINE TO HAVE IT BE, UM, OUR OFFICIAL REVIEW AND GET IT OFFICIALLY SENT TO THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE.
UM, BUT, UM, WE NOW HAVE THIS REV, THIS DRAFT, AND I WOULD LIKE US TO DISCUSS IT AND VOTE ON IT SO THAT WE CAN AT LEAST HAVE IT IN OUR RECORDS AS, AS, UM, HAVING IT DONE IT AND HAVING LOOKED AT OUR WORK AND DISCUSSED OUR, UM, GOALS.
SO WAS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO APPROVE THE DRAFT? AND THEN WE CAN SECOND IT AND THEN DISCUSS IT IF, IF PEOPLE WANT TO.
UM, I'LL MOVE TO APPROVED, UM, THE DRAFT AS WRITTEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FERGUSON.
UM, I DID GET THIS SENT OUT, UH, FRIDAY, SO HOPEFULLY PEOPLE HAD TIME TO LOOK IT OVER.
ARE THERE ANY, UM, DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? NO.
UM, AND I MAY BE DOING THIS IN THE WRONG ORDER.
I DO, I DO HAVE TWO, UH, PLACES WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND IT.
UM, FOR UNDER THE, THE FIRST SECTION, DESCRIBE THE BOARD'S ACTIONS IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
ON THE SIXTH BULLET POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY THAT WE RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC, SO I'D LIKE TO ADD THE THREE WORDS FROM THE PUBLIC AND COULD.
AND THEN THE REST OF IT IS JUST AND CONDUCTED DISCUSSION REGARDING THE, THE DRAFT ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND THEN UNDER SECTION TWO, DETERMINE IF THE BOARD'S ACTIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR COMPLY WITH MISSION STATEMENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD IN THAT PARAGRAPH.
UM, THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR COMPLY WITH OUR MISSION STATEMENT AND SUPPORT.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THE TWO WORDS, MANY OF THE STATED GOALS OF THE COMMISSION BECAUSE WHEN I READ BACK THROUGH OUR MISSION STATEMENT, I FOUND THAT WE DIDN'T QUITE ADDRESS ALL OF THE GOALS OF OUR MISSION STATEMENT.
UM, SO AM I MOVING TO ADD THOSE? IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD SECOND THE ADDITION CHAIR? I JUST HAVE A SUGGESTION.
COMMISSIONER, YOU COULD ASK THE MOVEMENT IF SHE WOULD ACCEPT THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
WOULD YOU ACCEPT THAT FROM THE AMENDMENT? COMMISSIONER NORTON? I ACCEPT THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE DRAFT ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW AS AMENDED.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, IT IS UNANIMOUS.
UM, YOU GOT THAT, THAT WAS IN THE UNANIMOUS VOTE.
[6. Approve an update to the membership of the Strategic Plan Working Group. ]
UH, APPROVE AND UPDATE THE MEMBERSHIP OF THIS STRATEGIC PLAN WORKING GROUP.UM, YES, WE JUST WANTED TO PUT ON THE RECORD THAT, UM, WE ARE ADDING SEVERAL, UM, PEOPLE TO THE WORKING GROUP, SHELLY LIEMAN AND PAT TRES.
UM, THEY WILL JOIN, UM, THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO, UM, INITIALLY JOINED THE WORKING GROUP, AND THAT IS COMMISSIONER NORTON, COMMISSIONER NELSON, AND, UM, COMMISSIONER LUNAN.
UM, AND IF ANYBODY ELSE AND YOU KNOW, IN PUBLIC WOULD LIKE
[01:50:01]
TO PARTICIPATE, PLEASE REACH OUT AND MY EMAIL OR, YOU KNOW, CONTACT ME AFTER THE, THE MEETING.SO DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADD THOSE MEMBERS? AND IT'S SHELLY LIEBE, UH, COMMISSIONER LINDERS MOVING.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? UH, COMMISSIONER NORTON SECONDS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AND THAT'S UNANIMOUS.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
AND IT SEEMS AS THOUGH SEVERAL, UM, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS CAME UP DURING THE MEETING.SO, UM, WHEN I HAVE IS, UM, LET'S SEE.
COMMISSIONER NEER WANTED A FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ON THE FORMALDEHYDE INCIDENT AT THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, AND I'M HAPPY TO SECOND BE THE SECOND ON THAT.
DO, DID I STATE THAT CORRECTLY? COMMISSIONER NEER.
AND THEN
BUT I'D LIKE TO ADD A DISCUSSION ITEM FOR, UM, THEIR, UH, BUDGET CUTS, SPECIFICALLY THE EMERGENCY CLINIC, UM, CONTRACT LOSS AND THE ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON LOSS SO THAT THE, WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THAT IF THERE'S A SECOND.
CHAIRMAN, MAY I MAKE A SUGGESTION ON THAT ONE AS WELL? YES, PLEASE.
UM, COULD WE ASK FOR ANY UP IF THERE'S AN UPDATE FROM STAFF AS A, AS A, AS A PART OF THAT? UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS OR NOT, BUT IF THERE IS AN UPDATE FROM STAFF, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO INFORM THE DISCUSSION.
I WAS INTENDING TO ASK STAFF IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO, IF YOU'RE STILL LOOKING FOR A SECOND, I'M HAPPY TO BE YOUR SECOND
COMMISSIONER HOLT? YES, MR. GARZA? YES.
WE CAN PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS AND THEN ULTIMATE THANK YOU.
UM, ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AT THIS TIME? AND THEY CAN ALWAYS BE, UH, COMMISSIONER HOLT.
YEAH, I, UH, WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO REMEMBER ROBERT'S RULES, SO I'M NOT SURE THE RIGHT ORDER TO START THIS PROCESS.
BUT, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW WITH LARGE DOGS, PROBABLY HAVING TO RELY ON MORE ADOPTERS STEPPING FORWARD.
UM, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF EXPLORATORY DISCUSSION OR WORKING GROUP OR LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, THE RIGHT ORDER OF THINGS, LIKE I SAID, ON HOW CAN WE, UM, ADVOCATE FOR MORE LARGE BREED FRIENDLY POLICIES FOR RENTERS IN THE CITY.
UM, WHICH DO COMPRISE THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE.
I KNOW I PERSONALLY JUST LIKE HAD TO BUY A HOUSE OUT IN THE STICKS BECAUSE MY 75 POUND MALE AND DOG AGGRESSIVE ROTTWEILER WAS LIKE NEVER GONNA GET APPROVED AT ANY APARTMENT EVER.
UM, SO I JUST, HE'S A COMPLICATED ORDER, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF 'EM THAT AREN'T COMPLICATED ORDERS THAT CAN'T GET IN JUST BECAUSE OF BREED OR SIZE.
UM, SO I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT WE COULD START ADVOCATING FOR AND EVEN JUST WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE FOR THAT.
HOW DOES IT SOUND TO HAVE AS A DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS, UH, DISCUSS AND, UH, VOTE ON FORMATION OF A WORKING GROUP TO LOOK INTO.
LARGE DOG FRIENDLY POLICIES IN THE CITY.
ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? AND YOU CAN ALWAYS EMAIL THEM AS LONG AS IT'S PRIOR TO THE DEADLINE FOR POSTING THE AGENDA.
UM, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO DISMISS? OH, COMMISSIONER LINDER.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? UH, SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING THE MEETING.