[00:00:04]
[CALL TO ORDER ]
MEETING OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION ON MONDAY, JUNE 8TH, 2026 AT 6:00 PM WE'RE IN AUSTIN CITY HALL, ROOM 1101, UH, 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.AND I AM, UM, CURRENT CHAIR NIELSEN, AND I AM HERE AND WE'LL, THANK YOU.
WE'LL CONTINUE ON WITH THE ROLL CALL.
COMMISSIONER TIES? NOT CURRENTLY.
BUT WE'LL NEED TO WAIT TILL WE CAN SEE HER.
WE CAN SEE YOUR BACKGROUND THEN, I GUESS.
SO I'LL CALL YOU AGAIN LATER ONCE YOU, UM, GET THAT WORKED THROUGH.
UM, COMMISSIONER FERGUS FERGUSON HERE.
COMMISSIONER HOLT'S NOT CURRENTLY HERE.
UM, I GOT A TEXT, SHE GOT A MINOR ACCIDENT.
SHE'S ON HER WAY HOME AND SHE SHOULD BE THERE.
I DUNNO KNOW WHAT THAT MATTERS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
SHE, BUT SHE'S PLANNING ON LOGGING IN.
COMMISSIONER VAN LANDINGHAM HERE.
ALL RIGHT, SO THAT IS, UH, SEVEN EVEN WITH, UM, COMMISSIONER TY'S ONGOING ISSUE.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ]
TO PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST WE HAVE, UM, REBECCA EZ MENDY, WHO'S REMOTE? WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE.LET ME KNOW IF SOMEBODY SHOWS UP.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ROCHELLE VICKERY.
MY NAME IS ROCHELLE VICKERY, AND, UH, I WANNA SAY IT, UH, GOOD TO COME TO THE MEETING.
I WANT TO TELL EVERYBODY I AM VERY, VERY UPSET THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE GOOD FIX.
WE CANNOT HAVE NO KILL WITHOUT THE GOOD FIX.
AND WE STARTED THAT 18 YEARS AGO, AND THERE WAS ONLY 400,000 PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN.
IF YOU LOOK NOW, WE HAVE OVER A MILLION PEOPLE AND WE'VE GOT PROBABLY A MILLION DOGS AND CATS THAT NEED TO BE FIXED.
YOU ONLY WENT OUT THERE ONE TIME WITH THE GOOD FIX TO THE RACETRACK.
AND I REMEMBER SOMEBODY THAT WAS WORKING IT SAID THERE WERE SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT WALKED A MILE AND A HALF WITH THEIR DOGS TO GET THEM FIXED.
THERE IS A GREAT NEED OUT THERE, AND I WISH WE COULD GET SOMETHING GOING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL.
THE, ALL THOSE PEOPLE, IF YOU'RE RENTING, YOU ARE PAYING TAXES.
AND THAT'S WHAT ALL THIS IS SUPPOSED TO GO FOR, IS TO HELP SOME OF THAT TAX MONEY IS TO HELP.
THOSE PEOPLE OUT THERE, THEY CAN'T GET INTO EMANCIPET.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY, I, I HAVEN'T HEARD WHY THEY TURNED IT DOWN AND QUIT DOING IT, BUT WE NEED IT TERRIBLY OUT THERE AND IT'S JUST, IT'S VERY SAD.
AND ANOTHER THING THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS I THINK DR. NELSON IS MORE QUALIFIED THAN ANYBODY ON THIS BOARD TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD.
SHE KNOWS WHAT SHOULD GO AND HAPPEN WITH ANIMALS, AND I WISH SOME OF THE PEOPLE FROM THE RIGHT WILL GET ON THE LEFT SIDE AND GO FOR HER BECAUSE SHE KNOWS WHAT'S RIGHT.
NEXT WE'LL HAVE, UM, SHERRY LIEBE.
I WAS HERE IN APRIL TO ADDRESS THE ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION AT AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, JUST A FEW MONTHS LATER, WE FIND OURSELVES IN THE SAME POSITION.
DOGS TOWELS IN THE HALLWAYS, ADMIN OFFICES, THE NPR ROOM.
WHILE KITTEN SEASON PLACES EVEN GREATER STRAIN ON THE ALREADY OVERWHELMED SYSTEM, AS I SAID, THEN THIS IS SITUATION IS NEITHER SUSTAINABLE NOR HUMANE FOR THE ANIMALS OR THE PEOPLE CARING
[00:05:01]
FOR THEM.A A S SIMPLY DOES NOT HAVE THE STAFFING CAPACITY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE POPULATION.
IT IS HOUSING VOLUNTEERS, ESPECIALLY CAT VOLUNTEERS, ARE INCREASINGLY FILLING CRITICAL OPERATIONAL GAPS, OFTEN SPENDING HOURS CLEANING KENNELS BECAUSE A SINGLE ANIMAL CARE MEMBER IS ROUTINELY ASSIGNED TO CLEAN OVER 100 OCCUPIED CAT KENNELS.
AND FREQUENTLY THAT SINGLE STAFF PERSON IS A LEAD OR EVEN THE SUPERVISOR AT THE SAME TIME THAT TECH SHORTAGES HAVE RESULTED IN CANCELED SPAN USER SURGERIES AND REDUCED MEDICAL CARE CAPACITY.
WE RECENTLY LOST SOME HIGHLY EXPERIENCED AND WELL-RESPECTED VET TECHS FURTHER WEAKENING OUR ALREADY STRAIN SYSTEMS. VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF ARE BURNING OUT, MYSELF INCLUDED.
THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF OVERCROWDING IS PREVENTION.
WE NEED GREATER INVE INVESTMENT IN SPAY NEUTER, PARTICULARLY HIGH SPEED, HIGH QUALITY SPAY NEUTER.
LIKE ROCHELLE, I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED TO LEARN THAT GREATER GOOD CHARITIES WILL NOT BE RETURNING TO AUSTIN.
I REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THE REMAINING SPAY NEUTER FUNDING WILL BE USED.
IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT REDUCING SHELTER OVERCROWDING, PREVENTING UNWANTED LITTERS MUST REMAIN A TOP PRIORITY.
WE ALSO NEED A CANDID CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW RESCUE RESOURCES ARE BEING ALLOCATED.
OUR RESCUE PARTNERS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE AND WE APPRECIATE THE ASSISTANCE THEY PROVIDE, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR MEDICAL CASES.
HOWEVER, THE CITY'S GREATEST NEED RIGHT NOW IS PLACEMENT FOR HEALTHY MEDIUM TO LARGE DOGS.
IN APRIL AND MAY, OUR LARGEST RESCUE PARTNER, AUSTIN PETS ALIVE, STEPPED UP AND TOOK SIGNIFICANTLY MORE BEHAVIOR DOGS THAN USUAL, AND THAT DESERVES RECOGNITION.
HOWEVER, DURING THAT SAME PERIOD, THEY ALSO TOOK MORE THAN 500 KITTENS AND NURSING CATS FROM A A S, MANY OF THEM, NEITHER NEONATES NOR HIGH RISK, WHILE TAKING ONLY EIGHT HEALTHY MEDIUM TO LARGE DOGS PER SPACE.
THIS DISPARITY MATTERS BECAUSE MEDIUM TO LARGE DOGS ARE THE ANIMALS OCCUPYING OUR HALLWAYS, OUR ADMIN OFFICES, AND OUR OVERFLOW SPACES.
THEY'RE THE ANIMALS DRIVING OUR CUP CAPACITY CRISIS.
YET, WHILE A A C STRUGGLES TO FIND PLACEMENT FOR THESE DOGS, A PA CONTINUES TO BRING IN ADDITIONAL DOGS FROM SHELTERS ACROSS TEXAS INTO AN ADOPTION OF FOSTER NETWORK THAT IS ALREADY STRETCHED THIN.
THIS IS NOT A CRITICISM OF HELPING ANIMALS FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES.
THE QUESTION IS ONE OF PRIORITIES WHEN AUSTIN'S MUNICIPAL SHELTER IS OPERATING BEYOND CAPACITY WHEN STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS ARE BURNING OUT.
AND WHEN DOGS ARE BEING HOUSED IN SPACES NEVER INTENDED FOR LONG-TERM SHELTERING SHOULDN'T OUR FIRST PRIORITY BE RELIEVING THE PRESSURE WITHIN OUR OWN SYSTEM? THANK YOU.
THE REMOTE SPEAKER IS JOINED IF YOU WANT TO.
UM, REBECCA EZ MINDI, PLEASE CORRECT MY PRONUNCIATION OF YOUR NAME AND GO AHEAD.
I'M THE CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER OF YAKI ANIMAL RESCUE, AND I AM HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE NO KILL MOVEMENT AND WHY.
DESPITE ITS GOOD INTENTIONS, IT IS MAKING THE ANIMAL WELFARE CRISIS WORSE IN MANY COMMUNITIES.
NO KILL PROMOTES THE IDEA THAT LOWER USE IN NATURE RATES AND HIGHER LIVE RELEASE RATES EQUAL SUCCESS.
BUT SUCCESS SHOULD NOT BE MEASURED BY A STATISTIC ALONE.
IT SHOULD BE MEASURED BY WHETHER ANIMALS ARE ACTUALLY SUFFERING LESS.
TODAY, COUNTLESS ANIMALS ARE BEING LEFT ON THE STREET WHERE THEY FACE HUNGER DISEASE, INJURY, NEGLECT, AND DEATHS.
THEY CONTINUE TO REPRODUCE, CREATING EVEN MORE HOMELESS ANIMALS THAT OVERWHELM ALREADY LIMITED RESOURCES.
YET BECAUSE THESE ANIMALS ARE NOT REFLECTED IN SHELTER EUTHANASIA NUMBERS, COMMUNITIES ARE TOLD THAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE.
THEIR REALITY ON THE GROUND TELLS A DIFFERENT STORY.
WHEN ANIMALS ARE LEFT TO SUFFER, DIE, OR PROCREATE OUTSIDE THE SHELTER SYSTEM, LOWER EUTHANASIA RATES BECOME A MISLEADING MEASURE OF SUCCESS.
THE NUMBERS MAY LOOK BETTER, BUT THE PROBLEM IS GROWING.
THIS IS WHY MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE NO KILL HAS BECOME MORE ABOUT PROTECTING STATISTICS AND PROTECTING ANIMALS.
IN COMMUNITIES LIKE OURS, WE DO NOT HAVE THE LUXURY OF FOCUSING FULLY ON SHELTER METRICS.
WHILE THOUSANDS OF DOGS AND CATS REMAIN ON THE STREETS NEEDING HELP EVERY DAY, WE SEE THE CONSEQUENCES OF OVERPOPULATION AND A LACK OF MEANINGFUL INTERVENTION.
NO KILL, AWFUL FAILED TO ADEQUATELY PRIORITIZE PUBLIC SAFETY.
LARGE POPULATIONS OF ROAMING, UNVACCINATED, AND UNSTERILIZED ANIMALS CREATE RISK FOR RESIDENTS, PETS, LIVESTOCK, AND WILDLIFE.
WITH RECENT CONCERN SURROUNDING SCREWWORM AND OTHER ANIMAL HEALTH THREATS, ALLOWING MORE ANIMALS TO REMAIN UNMANAGED IS NOT ONLY IRRESPONSIBLE, IT IS DANGEROUS.
THE SOLUTION IS NOT CHASING AN ARBITRARY LIVE RELEASE RATE.
WE NEED AGGRESSIVE SPAN LEADER PROGRAMS. WE NEED PUBLIC EDUCATION.
WE NEED RESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP, ACCESS TO VET CARE AND POLICIES THAT REDUCE ANIMAL SUFFERING BEFORE IT STARTS.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I URGE CITY LEADERS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS TO LOOK CLOSELY AT WHAT NO KILL MEANS.
IN PRACTICE, MANY COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ALREADY HAVE.
THEY'VE LEARNED THAT THE HARD, THE HARD WAY THAT POLICIES FOCUS ON ACHIEVING NO KILL STATUS, OFTEN CREATED UNINTENDED
[00:10:01]
CONSEQUENCES THAT HARM BOTH ANIMALS AND THE PUBLIC.TEXAS SHOULD LEARN FROM THOSE LESSONS.
WE MUST STOP ALLOWING WELL-FUNDED ORGANIZATIONS TO DEFINE SUCCESS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND INSTEAD, WE SHOULD EMPOWER LOCAL LEADERS TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT PROTECT THE PEOPLE AND ANIMALS THEY WERE ELECTED TO SERVE.
THE GOAL SHOULD NEVER BE A LABEL.
THE GOAL SHOULD BE SEE OUR ANIMAL SUFFERING, SAFER COMMUNITIES AND REAL LASTING SOLUTIONS.
UM, WE'LL MOVE ON TO SUSIE CHASE.
I'M A DISTRICT 10 CONSTITUENT AND FORMER AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL STAFF MEMBER FOR DISTRICT SEVEN AND 10.
I JUST WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK WITH YOU ALL TODAY.
I'M REALLY JUST HERE TO GIVE KUDOS TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO A CM CARBAJAL, TO THE MAYOR, COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER, AND ALL THOSE WHO DECIDED THAT THE BEST HIRE FOR DIRECTOR FOR AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES IS MONICA DANGLER.
I WILL TELL YOU, IN THE LAST FOUR MONTHS, IT HAS BEEN AMAZING TO SEE HOW WELL THE TWO BIGGEST AGENCIES IN THIS COMMUNITY, AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES AND AUSTIN PETS ALIVE, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER TO HELP SAVE LIVES.
AND I JUST WANTED TO, AS CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU.
UH, IT'S BEEN A FEW YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, BUT I SEEM TO BE REVISITING THE SAME TOPIC.
I PRERECORDED WHAT I WANTED TO SAY FOR EFFICIENCY.
THREE MINUTES IS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO GO INTO DETAIL, BUT THE GENERAL OVERVIEW IS UNNECESSARY OBSTRUCTION TO PET REUNIONS, WHICH RESULTS IN INCREASED BURDEN ON THE SHELTER, MEANING DOLLARS AND IN BROKEN HEARTED FAMILIES WHO CANNOT LOCATE THEIR PETS IN THIS CONVOLUTED SYSTEM.
FIRST, THE PET REUNIFICATION GUIDE DOES NOT EVEN SEND OWNERS TO THE PUBLIC DATABASES, WHICH ARE USED TO TRACK PETS THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
AND THE DATA IS SEPARATED INTO THREE SEPARATE LOCATIONS, WHICH OBFUSCATES THE, THE RECORDS OF PET STATUS RESULTING IN THE OWNER'S INABILITY TO TRACK THEIR PETS.
INSTEAD, THE PET REUNIFICATION GUIDE SENDS OWNERS TO THE PETCO LOVE LOST WEBSITE, WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE THE ADDRESS FOUND BECAUSE IT LISTS THE SHELTER ADDRESS INSTEAD OF THE ADDRESS THE PET WAS FOUND.
AGAIN, POSING ANOTHER BARRIER TO OWNERS.
THE THREE DATABASES THAT ARE SPLIT UP INCLUDE INTAKES AS ONE OUTCOMES AS ANOTHER, AND SHELTER BUDDY SEARCHES AS THE THIRD.
THE SHELTER BUDDY SEARCHES INCLUDE PHOTOS, BUT IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE ADDRESS FOUND THE WAY THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY SHELTER WEBSITE INCLUDES.
SO OWNERS CANNOT DETERMINE IF A PET WAS FOUND IN THE AREA THE PET WAS LOST UNLESS THEY GO TO THE INTAKE DATABASE.
SHELTER BUDDY ALSO DOES NOT INCLUDE A FIELD TO ENTER THE PET ID NUMBER TO DO A SEARCH TO VIEW THE PHOTO ASSOCIATED WITH A RECORD THAT WAS FOUND IN THE INTAKE DATABASE IF THEY GO THERE FIRST, SEARCHING FOR ZIP CODES OR ADDRESSES NEAR THEIR HOME.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO FORM A WORKING GROUP TO ADDRESS THE SHORTCOMINGS OF THE DATABASE SYSTEM THAT PREVENTS OWNER REUNIFICATION DUE TO OBFUSCATION OF DATA.
THE SECOND ISSUE I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS IS THE FACT THAT 3 1 1 OPERATORS REFUSE TO RELEASE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT ANIMAL IS REPORTED DEAD FOR THE DEAD ANIMAL PICKUP REQUESTS.
I HAVE BEEN SCANNING DECEASED PETS FOR 15 YEARS NOW TO HELP OWNERS FIND CLOSURE WITH THEIR DECEASED PETS.
AND I USED TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT ANIMAL WAS REPORTED, WHETHER IT WAS WILDLIFE OR A PET.
YET NOW THEY REFUSE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH ME.
CITING SOME RIDICULOUS CLAIM OF PRIVACY OF THE COLLAR.
SHARING THE SPECIES OF ANIMAL THAT IS REPORTED DEAD HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PRIVACY OF THE COLLAR OWNERS OF LOST PETS.
AND THOSE OF US WHO MANAGE FERAL CAT COLONIES HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW IF ONE OF OUR BELOVED PETS WAS KILLED.
YES, I KNOW THERE ARE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS THAT CAN BE PERFORMED, BUT THAT TAKES TOO LONG AND THE ANIMAL WILL BE LONG GONE BY THEN.
I HAD TO DRIVE OVER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, SATURDAY NIGHT IN MY PAJAMAS TO LOOK FOR A DEAD ANIMAL TO SEE IF IT WAS A PET OR WILDLIFE BECAUSE 3 1 1 REFUSED TO DISCLOSE THE SPECIES OF ANIMAL THAT WAS REPORTED DEAD.
THIS IS CLEARLY ANOTHER BUREAUCRATIC POLICY THAT HAS FAILED THE PUBLIC AND LACKS COMMON SENSE.
AND I'M CONSISTENTLY BEWILDERED BY THE OBTUSE NATURE OF THE REFUSAL TO INDICATE WHAT SPECIES IS REPORTED DEAD.
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO CORRECT THIS CLEARLY INCORRECT POLICY THAT INTERFERES WITH REUNIONS, ALBEIT REUNIONS WITH DECEASED PETS? THANK YOU.
DO YOU, DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG THIS HAS BEEN? THE, THE YES.
NOT ALLOWED TO TELL YOU THAT? OH, NO, NO, NO.
DO YOU KNOW WHEN THAT OCCURRED? I WANNA SAY AT LEAST THE LAST COUPLE YEARS IT USED.
[00:15:01]
HAS A, UM, MAPPING SOFTWARE, WHICH IS AWESOME.I CAN LOOK IN A PARTICULAR AREA LIKE THE MAN, THE, THE COLONIES I MANAGE, OR SOMEONE'S LOST PET.
I CAN LOOK IN THAT AREA AND LOOK FOR, I LOOK FOR, YOU KNOW, SICK, INJURED OR DEAD ANIMAL REPORTS.
AND THEN I CLICK ON THEM AND I CAN FIND THE ADDRESS THAT IT WAS REPORTED.
I USED TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT ANIMAL IT WAS, BUT NOW I CAN'T.
AND SO IT'S BEEN AT LEAST A YEAR THAT I'VE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM.
HAVE YOU GOTTEN ANY, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE NECESSARILY, BUT HAVE YOU GOTTEN ANY CLARITY AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED OR WHAT CAUSED IT TO HAPPEN OR WHO IT HAPPENED FROM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO DIRECT? NO.
THE, THE OPERATOR PUT ME ON HOLD AND WENT AND SPOKE TO A SUPERVISOR AND SAID, THESE ARE THE RULES AND I'M NOT ALLOWED TO TELL YOU.
I'M LIKE, HOW DOES THIS, I'M NOT ASKING FOR THE REPORTER'S PHONE NUMBER, SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND ADDRESS.
I'M ASKING FOR WHAT THE NATURE OF THE ANIMAL IS.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
AND SO THAT, UM, CONCLUDES, UM, PUBLIC SPEAKING ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
AND JUST REMIND ME THAT I, UM, ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY, UH, WHO SPEAKS TO ALSO EMAIL US YOUR COMMENTS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'VE TYPED THEM OUT BEFOREHAND.
IT'S A REALLY GOOD WAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW THEM.
THERE WAS A ECHO STILL IS
YEAH, JUST BECAUSE, UM, I KNOW AI CAN DO A LOT THESE DAYS.
I REFUSE TO USE IT AND IT TOOK ME A VERY LONG TIME TO TRANSCRIBE PUBLIC COMMENTS LAST TIME BECAUSE I REALLY DIDN'T WANNA MISS ANYTHING.
UM, SO IF YOU COULD EMAIL THOSE TO US AND WE CAN REVIEW ALL THE DETAILS OF ALL THE IMPORTANT POINTS EVERYBODY'S BRINGING UP, THAT'LL BE, UM, A BIG HELP.
AND ALSO JUST A GENERAL REMINDER TO THE PUBLIC TO GO AHEAD AND EMAIL US.
I THINK I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY EMAILS FROM THE PUBLIC IN QUITE A WHILE, AND THAT'S ALSO A REALLY GOOD WAY TO, UM, BRING, BRING ISSUES UP TO US, UM, EVEN IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE MEETING.
SO JUST WANTED TO PUT A GENERAL REMINDER ABOUT THAT OUT.
SO I SEE THAT BAYA IS NOW PRESENT.
DO YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENT, BAYA? YOU MIGHT YES, I WELL, DOES ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU CAN SEE ME? YES.
AND I MUTED MY OTHER COMPUTER THAT WASN'T WORKING AS WELL.
AND I SEE COMMISSIONER HOLT IS NOW HERE.
CAN WE SEE YOU? I MEAN, I CAN SEE HER NAME, BUT THERE SHE IS.
CAN WE HEAR YOU SAY HERE? I'M HERE.
AND WE CAN, UM, NOW MOVE ON TO APPROVAL
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OF THE MINUTES FROM THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MAY 10TH, 2026.UM, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO PASS? UM, MOVED BY COMMISSIONER NORTON.
AND I WASN'T HERE, BUT I DID WATCH THE MEETING TWICE, ALL THREE HOURS OF IT,
AND SO I FEEL I CAN ALSO VOTE ON IT.
UM, AND I HAVE, IT SEEMS LIKE THE ORIGINAL THAT THIS IS, IS THIS A SECOND DRAFT? OKAY.
AND SO IT, THE ISSUES I HAD WERE WITH THE FIRST DRAFT, UM, ANY, ANY, BUT ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES FROM LAST MONTH? COMMISSIONER TIES? YES.
IT LOOKS LIKE ONE OF THE ITEMS, UH, AND MY VOTE WASN'T, IT DIDN'T SHOW IT WHAT'S RELATED ON THE WAY THAT PEOPLE, WHEN THEY DO THEIR COMMENTS, WHETHER THEY'RE BEFORE OR AFTER.
SO WHAT NUMBER IS THAT? THAT'S NUMBER 11.
I'M, I, I'M PULLING THAT UP HERE.
AND I KNOW THAT ANNE VOTED KNOWN AND SOMEBODY ELSE, AND THE MAJORITY, HE VOTED YES.
DID YOU VOTE FOR 11 OR ABSTAIN FROM 11? ABSTAIN.
SO IS THERE, UM, A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS CORRECTED? COMMISSIONER NORTON? I'LL SECOND COMMISSIONER TIES.
DO YOU HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION? NO.
[00:20:01]
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? WHITNEY'S CAT IS IN THE WAY, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE'S VOTINGALRIGHT, SO THAT WAS, UM, UNANIMOUS.
[2.Staff briefing regarding monthly reports. Presentation by Monica Dangler, Director, Austin Animal Services and Jason Garza, Assistant Director, Austin Animal Services.]
IS THE STAFF BRIEFINGS.AND NOW WE WILL MOVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT TO AFTER THEM.
THERE'S CURRENTLY NOBODY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, HOWEVER, SO YOU'RE FREE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH STAFF BRIEFINGS.
UM, MY NAME IS MONICA DANGLER.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES.
UM, WE HAVE A FEW UPCOMING EVENTS THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNEW ABOUT.
UM, THE FIRST ONE IS THIS WEDNESDAY WE'RE PARTNERING WITH AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY FOR A MEGA, UH, VACCINE AND MICROCHIP CLINIC.
WE'RE HOPING TO DO ABOUT A THOUSAND PETS, VACCINATE AND MICROCHIP UP TO A THOUSAND PETS.
UM, IT'LL BE AT, UM, RED ROCKS CHURCH, WHICH IS THE FUTURE HOME OF AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY OFF OF INTERSTATE I 35.
AND THE ADDRESS, UM, IS ON THE FLYER, UM, THERE.
SO PLEASE SP SPREAD THE WORD AND LET PEOPLE KNOW, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE IN THAT NORTH SIDE OF TOWN.
UM, WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH THEM.
UM, AND, AND, UH, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO USE THEIR SPACE THERE.
AND THEN PETCO LOVE WILL BE, UM, DONATING ALL OF THE, UM, F-V-R-C-P AND DHPP VACCINES, UM, FOR THAT EVENT AS WELL.
UM, ALSO, WE'VE GOT OUR KITTY PALOOZA KITTEN SEASON IS HERE.
SO WE'VE GOT OUR KITTY PALOOZA EVENTS, UH, COMING UP, UM, AT DIFFERENT LIBRARIES WHERE WE'RE TOURING AROUND WITH SOME KITTENS.
UM, SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ANY KITTENS TO ADOPT, PLEASE COME ON OUT TO ANY OF THOSE EVENTS.
WE ALSO HAVE A SHELTER FULL OF THEM, AND THEN VERY FRIENDLY, NICE, UM, ADULT CATS TOO THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO GET HOME, UM, INTO NEW HOMES.
UM, OTHERWISE GOING INTO THE NEXT PART, UM, I'D BEEN DOING THE 30, 60, 90 DAY, UM, PLAN WITH EVERYONE.
UM, WE'VE KIND OF HIT SOME, UH, ROAD SOME BUMPS AND, UM, I'M, WE'RE REFOCUSING ON A, A PIECE THAT I THINK IS A LITTLE BIT MORE IMPORTANT, UM, TO FOCUS ON BEFORE WE CONTINUE DOING THAT.
UM, BUT I DO WANNA GO THROUGH REALLY QUICK THE 30 DAY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND THEN WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT, UM, WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON THE NEXT 30 DAYS.
UM, SO SOME OF, UH, THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER THE LAST 30 DAYS, WE HAD THE, WE PARTICIPATED IN THE EMPTY THE SHELTER EVENT, UM, WHICH WAS, UM, SPONSORED BY BISSELL PET FOUNDATION.
UM, AND WE ADOPTED OUT 269 ANIMALS DURING THAT EVENT.
47 KITTENS A HUNDRED, I'M SORRY, 78 WERE CATS.
108 DOGS, 33 PUPPIES AND TWO RABBITS.
UM, OUR NEXT BISSELL, UM, EMPTY THE SHELTER EVENT WILL BE COME STARTING, UM, JULY 5TH.
SO, UM, BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THAT.
UM, WE ALSO STARTED OUR SECOND COHORT, UM, OF THE ENDURING SERVICE PROGRAM.
SO 12 DOGS WERE SELECTED AND WENT TO THE PRISON, AND I THINK THEY'VE BEEN THERE ABOUT THREE WEEKS NOW.
AND THE GRADUATION DATE HAS ALREADY BEEN PICKED.
UM, THE DOGS ARE ALREADY BEING PUBLICIZED, SO IF SOMEONE'S INTERESTED IN ADOPTING OR FOSTERING, UM, THEY CAN REACH OUT VIA THE WEBSITE, UM, AND WE CAN SET THEM UP SO THEY CAN VISIT THE DOGS, UM, AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THEM.
UM, ALSO, UM, PART OF OUR, UM, IMPROVEMENTS IN JUST OUR SHELTER PRESENCE.
UM, WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH FOR, UM, LAMAR BILLBOARDS TO PROVIDE, UM, TWO FREE OF CHARGE BILLBOARDS FOR US TO USE.
UM, ONE'S LOCATED ON, UH, HIGHWAY 71, UM, ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE AND THE OTHER ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE.
I WAS LIKE, IS THAT THE RIGHT DIRECTIONALS? UM, SO THOSE HAVE BEEN GREAT.
AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ROTATE BETWEEN, UM, ADOPTION OF INFORMATION, UM, LOST PET INFORMATION, UM, SO TRYING OUT DIFFERENT MESSAGING AND, UM, SEEING HOW THAT'S IMPACTING, UM, THE SHELTER.
UM, AND THEN AS FAR AS OUR STAFFING, UM, WE, UH, HAVE BEEN ABLE, UM, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HIRE A TEMPORARY PART-TIME PUBLIC INFORMATION SPECIALIST.
UM, THAT'S THE POSITION THAT JUST, THAT VACATED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
WE'VE HIRED A TEMPORARY POSITION, WHY WE LOOK AT RECLASSIFYING THAT POSITION TO BETTER FIT OUR NEEDS.
[00:25:01]
UM, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND, UM, UH, COMMUNICATIONS WAS SUPPORTED, UM, IN THE, IN, IN THE IN BETWEEN TIME.UM, UH, WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO GET AN INTERN TO, TO SUPPORT OUR MARKETING ACTIVITIES AS WELL.
SO, UM, WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
UM, OTHERWISE, AS FAR AS, UM, MOVING FORWARD, UM, RIGHT, THERE ARE SOME OPERATIONAL, UM, OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED THAT, UM, I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS AS A SHELTER BEFORE MOVING FORWARD THAT ARE CURRENTLY, UM, RIGHT IMPACTING THE AMOUNT OF ANIMALS IN THE SHELTER.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING THROUGH ALL OF OUR SOPS THAT SPECIFICALLY, UM, WORK WITH OUTCOMING OF ANIMALS, WHETHER THAT'S, UM, ADOPTIONS, DO NOT ADOPT LISTS, RETURN TO OWNERS, UM, FOSTERING, TRANSFERRING OUT TO RESCUE PARTNERS.
SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THOSE AND MAKING SURE THAT, UM, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS FOLLOWING NATIONAL BEST PRACTICES SO THAT WE CAN BE IN LINE WITH, UM, THE CITY COUNCIL'S, UM, RESOLUTION OF BEING, UH, A NO KILL CITY AND ACHIEVING 95% LIVE OUTCOMES.
UM, SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THOSE.
UM, AND WE, I BELIEVE IN THE NEXT, UH, 30 DAYS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO REWRITE THOSE, UM, GET THOSE IMPLEMENTED AND THEN START, UM, UH, CHECKING IN ON THOSE AND MAKING SURE WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON THAT, UH, SO THAT WE CAN BE FOLLOWING NATIONAL BEST PRACTICES TO HELP US, UM, BE, UM, HAVE LESS ANIMALS IN THE SHELTER IN CRATES AND MOVING THROUGH THE SHELTER SYSTEM, UM, QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY.
UM, SO THAT WILL, THAT IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING NEXT.
UM, BEFORE I PASS IT OVER TO JASON TO TALK ABOUT ANY OF THE DATA AND REPORTING.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? PERFECT.
COMMISSIONER DANIEL, THE UPCOMING CLINIC, LIKE I SAID, THE PREVIOUS, UM, ADVISORY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT, BUT WHY A WEDNESDAY VERSUS A WEEKEND WHEN PEOPLE TEND TO BE MORE AVAILABLE FOR SUCH ACTIVITIES? YEAH, SO WEDNESDAYS, UM, UH, THE SECOND WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH IS WHEN WE'RE CLOSED FOR TRAINING.
AND WE USE THIS WES THIS COMING WEDNESDAY AS ONE OF THOSE DAYS.
AND IT, WHILE IT'S NOT TRAINING, IT'S KIND OF TEAM BUILDING AND IT'S FUN FOR THE TEAM TO DO.
AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST IS, REGARDLESS IF WE DO IT ON THE WEEKENDS OR WEEKDAYS, UM, WE HAVE HUGE TURNOUTS OF PEOPLE COMING IN.
SPECIFICALLY THE AREA WE'RE TARGETING.
UM, UH, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THOSE AREA, THAT DEMOGRAPHIC, UM, TYPICALLY WORKS WEEKENDS AS WELL.
UM, SO I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE HOPING TO, UM, GET, GET A VERY NICE TURNOUT.
AND LIKE I SAID, IN THE PAST WHEN WE'VE DONE THESE, UM, REGARDLESS IF IT'S DURING THE WEEK OR A WEEKEND, UM, THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF PEOPLE NEEDING VACCINATIONS AND OR MICROCHIPS FOR THEIR PETS.
I DON'T RECALL WHEN WE'VE HAD THEM DURING THE WEEK, 'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD 'EM FOR SEVERAL YEARS FOR A WHILE.
AND WHEN WE DID THEM, THEY WERE ALWAYS THE WEEKEND.
UM, SO IF THE TURNOUT ISN'T THAT HIGH, WILL IT BE READDRESSED TO MAYBE PROVIDE THIS SERVICE ON THE WEEKENDS VERSUS, UH, WE, WE'LL LOOK AT THAT.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE OUR ENTIRE TEAM, UM, STAFF TO WORK ON THE WEEKENDS.
UM, WEEKENDS ARE ALSO OUR BUSIEST TIME FOR ADOPTIONS.
UM, SO I WOULD HATE TO FORFEIT ANIMALS LEAVING THE SHELTER, UM, FOR, UM, AN EVENT.
THAT'S NOT A, A MANDATED SERVICE FROM US, SO, BUT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE WOULD LOOK AT FOR SURE.
WELL, THERE'S ALWAYS LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE HAPPY TO WELL, I WAS GONNA VOLUNTEER, BUT I WORKED DURING THAT TIME.
SO I CAN'T, BUT CAN ALWAYS RELY ON VOLUNTEERS, SO THANKS.
UM, UH, REGARDING ENHANCED STAFFING, IT SEEMS THAT VET TECHS ARE A CONCERN AND THAT'S NOT LISTED AS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.
AND I HEARD THAT SURGERIES WERE CANCELED ON FRIDAY 'CAUSE THERE JUST AREN'T ENOUGH VET TECHS.
SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THAT AREA? SO WE DIDN'T ADD IT AS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT, UM, BECAUSE, BECAUSE IT'S STILL A CHALLENGE FOR US TO, UM, CONTINUE HIRING THE VET TECHS.
SO WE DID AS THE LAST MEETING, HIRE TWO MORE.
UM, SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD A COUPLE, UM, TEXTS THAT HAVE RESIGNED FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.
UM, AND, UM, IT LEFT A BIG HOLE.
IT JUST HAPPENED BOTH TEXTS THAT RESIGNED, BOTH WERE WORKING ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE WEEK.
SO IT LEFT A PRETTY BIG GAP, UM, UNEXPECTEDLY.
UM, SO WE WEREN'T ABLE TO FILL THAT SURGERY ON FRIDAY.
WE DO HAVE THAT POSITION BEING RECRUITED FOR THE VET TECH POSITIONS.
UM, I BELIEVE WE HAVE THREE VET TECH POSITIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY OPEN WITH AN ADDITIONAL
[00:30:02]
TECH POSITION THAT'S GOING TO BE OPEN, UM, BECAUSE THAT PERSON'S GONNA PROMOTE INTO A LEAD POSITION.UM, SO WE'LL HAVE, HAVE, UM, I BELIEVE FOUR VET TECH POSITIONS THAT WE'LL BE RECRUITING FOR AND, UM, ATTEMPTING TO FILL OUT OF THIS CURRENT RECRUITMENT CYCLE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE JASON SPEAKS? ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD JASON.
HI, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
JASON GARZA WITH ANIMAL SERVICES.
UM, WE HAD 13, UH, THIR A LITTLE OVER 1300 ANIMALS THAT WERE IMPOUNDED THIS MONTH WITH, UH, 1,306 ANIMALS BEING DOMESTICATED.
THIS IS A 22% INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH.
UM, MOST OF THOSE ANIMALS DID COME IN AS STRAY FROM THE PUBLIC.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PIE CHART, YOU, AS MONICA SAID, KITTEN SEASON IS UPON US.
SO, UM, ALMOST THE MAJORITY OF THOSE ANIMALS ARE COMING IN JUST KITTENS.
UH, AS FAR AS ANIMALS BEING EUTHANIZED, THIS MONTH WE HAD 48 ANIMALS THAT WERE EUTHANIZED.
UM, HIGH OF 'EM WERE FOR CATS.
THE SECOND THEN BEING WILDLIFE FOR RABIES RISK.
UM, DEX WE ALSO HAD A LIVE OUTCOME PER, UH, RELEASE RATE OF 96 POINT, UH, 16%.
UM, SO THE BREAKDOWN ON THE SIDE IS HOW WE, HOW WE GOT THOSE ANIMALS OUT, UH, THROUGH OUR FOUR MAIN AREAS, WHICH IS ADOPTED, TURN OWNER TRANSFERS.
UM, WE HAD 508 ANIMALS THAT WERE ADOPTED IN MAY, AND IT'S A SLIGHT UPTICK FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.
IT'S A LITTLE VICTORY FOR US, AND HOPEFULLY IT CONTINUES THE TREND AS YOU'RE SEEING THAT WE'RE SEEING THOSE THAT LINE JUST, UH, KEEP GOING FOR US.
UM, AS FAR AS ANIMALS IN FOSTER, WE HAD 355 DIFFERENT, UH, PEOPLE, FAMILIES THAT FOSTERED FOR US.
UM, AS OF JUNE 3RD, WE HAD 360 ANIMALS THAT WERE IN FOSTER CARE.
UM, WE HAD 62 ANIMALS, UH, THAT WERE DIRECTLY ADOPTED BY A FOSTER.
UM, AND WE PROCESSED FOUR, 114 NEW APPLICATIONS.
SO CURRENTLY THERE'S ABOUT A LITTLE LESS THAN A THOUSAND MEMBERS IN OUR GI PULSE COMMUNITY.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO UP THOSE NUMBERS AND THEN GET ANIMALS OUT.
UM, WE HAD 20 DIFFERENT RESCUE PARTNERS, UH, PULL 457 DOMESTIC ANIMALS FROM, FROM, UH, AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
AND THAT INCLUDED 277 KITTENS, 65 DOGS, 48 PUPPIES.
SO WE'RE GETTING ANIMALS INTO OUR PARTNER'S HANDS, BUT YES.
UM, AS FAR AS ANIMALS THAT WERE RETURNED TO OWNER, WE HAD 81, UH, ANIMALS THAT WERE RECLAIMED, UM, 69 OF THOSE BEING DOGS, THE REST BEAN CATS.
UM, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY ANIMALS THAT WERE INTACT, GO BACK, THAT WERE ADOPTED OR RTD THAT SURPRISINGLY ENOUGH TO, WE HAD NO ANIMALS THAT WERE REPORTED STOLEN.
I EVEN CHECKED WITH THE FOSTER TEAM JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT'S GOOD.
AND SO, YEAH, KUDOS TO OUR, ESPECIALLY OUR FOSTER TEENS FOR KEEPING AN EYE ON THOSE, ON THOSE PETS.
AND, UH, WE DID HAVE AND NINE ANIMALS THAT, UM, DIED IN THE SHELTER.
ONE DIED IN FOSTER AND ONE DIED BEING TRANSPORTED TO AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
UH, AGAIN, SHOUT OUT TO OUR VOLUNTEERS.
UH, 473 VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED OVER 6,400 HOURS TO US.
SO HUGE, HUGE HELP AND BOOST TO US.
UM, WE HAD ALSO 26 INDIVIDUALS DONATE 55 HOURS AS PART OF GROUPS, UH, WORK THAT WAS, THAT IS DONE GIVEN, UH, DONATED TO US.
UM, WE HAD A HUNDRED OVER A HUNDRED INDIVIDUALS, UH, TO COME IN FOR NEW VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION.
AND, UM, WE HAD 134 VOLUNTEERS DEDICATE THEIR TIME TO, UH, DEVELOPMENT AND ONBOARD TRAINING.
WE GAVE OUT OVER 2100 VACCINATIONS TO ANIMALS WITHIN OUR CARE.
UM, WE HAD OVER 440 ANIMALS THAT WERE, UH, SPAYED OR NEUTERED AT THE SHELTER.
AND AS OF THIS LAST MOST RECENT INVOICE WITH OUR, UH, EMERGENCY PARTNER, WE HAD, UM, SPENT ABOUT OVER $43,000 FOR EMERGENCY TREATMENT TO, TO ANIMALS.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, MA'AM.
UM, UH, FIRST REGARDING, UM, VOLUNTEERS, I REALLY WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE CAT VOLUNTEERS.
I HAVE BEEN A DOG, VAL, MEDICAL DOG VOL, UH, FOSTER FOR 10 YEARS AND A WEEK AFTER HAVING THE KITTEN, I FOUND OUT IT HAS RINGWORM AND I'M WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE OPTOMETRIST ABOUT THE EYE ISSUE, WHICH IS WHY I INITIALLY TOOK IT.
AND THE CAT VOLUNTEERS ON THE PAGE HAVE JUST BEEN AWESOME, HELPING ME NAVIGATE, UM, EVERYTHING INVOLVED WITH RINGWORM, KITTEN, UM, PERKY LITTLE THING, UH, IT'S DOING, UH, REALLY WELL AFTER IT'S RECHECKED LAST WEEK, BUT KIND OF SHOCKED THAT IT HAPPENED.
BUT THANKS TO THE CAT VOLUNTEERS, THEY'RE JUST AN AWESOME TEAM AND, UH,
[00:35:01]
I'VE, UH, LEARNED A LOT, UM, FROM IT.AND HE IS JUST A CUTE LITTLE GUY.
HIS NAME'S PHIL, AND IT'S KIND OF A SHAME 'CAUSE HE HAD AN ADOPTER AND YOU KNOW, NOW HE HAS LIKE ISSUES.
UM, UH, MY OTHER QUESTION COMES TO, UM, TRANSFERS.
SINCE WE HAVE THESE GREAT NEW RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR RESCUE PARTNERS, UM, WHY ARE THEY TAKING KITTENS AND CATS AND NOT REALLY HELPING WITH THE DOG PROBLEM WHERE WE STILL HAVE DOGS IN CRATES AND HALLWAYS AND, UM, PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THAT, I MEAN, WHY ARE THE DOGS NOT BEING TAKEN? IS, IS THERE ANY REASON THAT YOU KNOW, WHY WE'RE NOT TRANSFERRING MORE OF THEM OUT? I MEAN, THE NUMBERS LOOK LIKE 277 KITTENS IN CATS, SO THAT'S OVER 300 WITH MY BASIC MATH AND, UM, JUST 65 DOGS.
SO, UM, WE, WE PULL OUT POLICE, ALL OUR RESCUE PARTNERS TO TRY TO PULL WHAT THEY CAN.
YOU KNOW, WE DO GET A LOT OF FEEDBACK THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE STRUGGLING WITH THEIR, THEIR OWN SPACE CONSTRAINTS AS WELL.
UM, SPECIFIC PARTNERS LIKE, UH, A PA OUR LARGEST, LIKE WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE ARE, UM, SORT OF GOVERNED ALSO BY OUR, OUR LICENSE OR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, I THINK IS WHAT IT'S CALLED.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO TAKE SORT KIT KITTENS, THEY'RE FIVE BEHAVIOR DOGS, ANYTIME.
ANY SMALL DOG BEHAVIOR THAT THAT HAS THAT HAS ANY CONCERNS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME OF SEASON, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY DO, UM, TEND TO HELP AND PULL THOSE ANIMALS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO PULL.
UM, THEY HAVE HELPED US, LIKE WE HAVE REGULAR VISITS ON, ON THURSDAYS, I BELIEVE, WHERE THEY COME AND VIEW OUR ANIMALS.
WE ARE OUR, OUR BEHAVIOR TEAM SUPERVISORS PUSHING ANIMALS TO PUT ON THEIR RADAR FOR CONSIDERATION TO GO EVEN PAST, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THEY CAN GO PAST THEIR FIVE THAT'S REQUIRED FROM THEM.
UM, AND EVEN JUST TO GIVE SOME ANIMALS THAT ARE BEEN SITTING THERE FOR AT A, A C FOR A LITTLE BIT OF TIME JUST TO CHANGE A SCENERY SO THAT MAYBE THEY'LL, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO HOPEFULLY FIND, UH, AN OWNER OR A FOSTER TOGETHER THEM INTO HOMES.
UM, JUST TO CLARIFY THOUGH, THE OPERATIONS AGREEMENT WITH AUSTIN PET'S LIFE SAYS THEY HAVE TO TAKE ALL TREATABLE PARVO PUPPIES AND BOTTLE KITTENS AT, IN THE AT RISK LIST, UM, THAT A SO REQUESTS THEM TO TAKE AS PART OF THE MINIMUM INTAKE.
AND ALSO BOTTLE BABIES MEANS KITTENS THAT HAVE BEEN ABANDONED OR, OR NED AND DEPEND ON HUMAN INTERVENTION TO SURVIVE.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT ALL KITTENS THAT HAVE BEEN SENT TO A PA NEEDED HUMAN INTERVENTION AND THERE WERE NONE THAT COULD SURVIVE ON THEIR OWN.
SO, UM, I THINK AS, AS IF, IF WE SEE THEM AS A POTENTIAL FIT FOR THAT FITS WITHIN THAT, THEN WE WILL PLEA 'EM OUT TO, TO OUR PARTNER.
UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT OUR, OUR MEDICAL TEAM IS ALSO GOVERNED BY.
LIKE, HEY, THESE ARE ANIMALS THAT NEED THAT ADDITIONAL CARE THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR CARE TO GIVE.
THEN WE, WE, WE WILL PLEAD 'EM TO OUR PARTNER.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD, SO, SO ANY KITTEN THAT COMES INTO THE SHELTER THAT IS UNDER ONE POUND TYPICALLY NEEDS BOTTLE FED.
UM, SO THOSE ARE ALL SENT TO AUSTIN PETS ALIVE.
UM, THERE WILL BE SOME THAT'LL KIND OF IN BETWEEN OR MAYBE, UM, IN MAY SPECIFICALLY, THERE WERE SOME THAT WERE A LITTLE BIT OLDER BUT NOT OLD ENOUGH TO SPAY AND NEUTER THAT WE WENT AHEAD AND SENT THERE SO THAT WE COULD REDIRECT OUR RESOURCES TOWARDS OUR DOGS.
WE CURRENTLY ARE FULL IN OUR, UM, CAT ADOPTION CENTER WITH BOTH A HEALTHY ADULT CATS AND KITTENS.
UM, I DIDN'T WALK THROUGH THE CENTER TODAY, UM, BUT ON SATURDAY THERE WAS ABOUT, OH, MAYBE SIX KENNELS THAT WERE EMPTY.
UM, AND THAT INCLUDED THE NURSERY AREA AS WELL.
SO HAD THEY NOT TAKEN THAT, THOSE 300 KITTENS, UM, WE WOULD HAVE CATS AND CRATES ALONG WITH DOGS AND CRATES TOO.
UM, SO, AND, AND LIKE JASON SAID, THEY'RE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO TAKE ANY KITTENS, UM, THAT NEED TO BE BOTTLE FED.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE SENDING THEM ALL THERE AS OPPOSED TO KEEPING THEM IN OUR CARE WHERE WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE RESOURCES TO, UM, CARE FOR THEM.
SO JUST TO UNDERSTAND THIS, IT'S BETTER FOR A, A C TO CARE FOR A DOG IN A CRATE THAN A CAT IN A CRATE.
UH, I, I'M NOT GONNA SAY ONE'S BETTER THAN THE OTHER, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SENDING TO THEM.
UM, WELL, THEY'RE TO DO THAT THEY'RE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED FOR THE BOTTLE.
BUT THE, SO 12 WEEKS OLD TH THOSE ARE STAYING AT THE SHELTER.
SO, UM, ANYTHING OVER A POUND THAT'S TYPICALLY ABOUT, THAT'S TYPICALLY ABOUT FOUR WEEKS, RIGHT? EACH KITTEN'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT ABOUT FOUR WEEKS OF AGE OR OLDER ARE STAYING AT THE SHELTER WEPAY AND NEUTERING THEM AT ONE AND A HALF POUNDS, WHICH IS REALLY PRETTY SMALL.
[00:40:01]
AND THAT'S ABOUT SIX WEEKS OF AGE, UM, BEFORE THEY'RE GOING, UM, UP FOR ADOPTION.ANY OF THOSE KITTENS ARE THAT ARE IN THAT GAP BETWEEN BOTTLED BED AND ONE AND A HALF POUNDS, THOSE GUYS ARE ON OUR FLOOR AS WELL.
AND WE'RE SENDING THEM OUT AS, UM, FOSTERS UNTIL THEY'RE OLD ENOUGH TO BE SPAYED AND NEUTERED.
UM, IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT A DOG AND A CRATE WOULD BE PRETTY STRESSED AND RISK BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS. UM, VERSUS SINCE I HAVE A KITTEN IN A CRATE, UM, DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THE SAME.
UM, SO I DON'T THINK ANY ANIMAL IN THE CRATE IS PROBABLY IDEAL.
BUT THIS HAS GONE ON FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, I WAS JUST CURIOUS, UM, I KNOW WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE DOGS AND CATS AND I KNOW THAT ON EACH OF THESE, THERE'S A FEW, UM, RABBITS THAT ARE ON THERE.
IS THE HOUSE RABBIT RESOURCE NETWORK, ARE THEY ABLE TO PULL MOST RABBITS FROM YOU GUYS? I KNOW THEY, THEY USED TO, SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS STILL, SO YES, I THINK WE STILL UTILIZE THEM AS A RESOURCE WHENEVER WE GET, UH, YOU KNOW, AN INFLUX OF RABBITS.
'CAUSE I KNOW A FEW WEEKS AGO, LIKE WE HAD LIKE SIX RABBITS AND IT'S REALLY FUNKY ONES I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
SO
I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THAT WAS STILL GOING ON WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO HELP WITH THAT.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? WELL, UM, I, WHAT'D YOU SAY? OH, I JUST SAID THANK YOU JASON.
UM, SO, SO IT, IT OCCURS TO ME THAT THERE ARE, UM, A LOT OF CAT RESOURCES, LIKE THE AMAZING CAT VOLUNTEERS, THE AMAZING CAT FOSTERS THAT ARE RESOURCES THAT CAN'T JUST BE TRANSFERRED OVER TO DOGS.
UM, UH, CAN YOU GIVE SOME EXAMPLES OF, 'CAUSE YOU'RE SAYING THE SHELTER IS DECIDING TO USE THEIR RESOURCES FOR DOGS INSTEAD OF CATS.
SIMPLY MEDICAL AND SPAY NEUTER RESOURCES.
TO ADD THESE ADDITIONAL, WE CURRENTLY HAVE, GOSH, ABOUT 60, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS, BUT ABOUT 60 MORE FEE LINES IN, UM, THE SHELTER IN THE CAT CAT ADOPTION CENTER THAN WE DID JUST A WEEK AGO.
SO THAT'S 60 MORE SPAY NEU THAT WE NEED TO DO.
AND, AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BE SPAYING AND NEUTERING.
UM, AS MANY ANIMALS AS WE HAVE IN OUR, IN OUR SYSTEM.
WE'VE BEEN TAKING IN ABOUT 65 TO 80 ANIMALS A DAY.
UM, WITH THE KITTENS, THAT'S BEEN THE BIG INFLUX.
UM, WE'RE ABLE TO SPAY 25 TO 30 SPAY OR NEUTER 25 TO 30.
SO THAT'S LEAVING THAT EXTRA 50 ANIMALS THAT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THEM ALTERED IF WE KEEP THEM IN OUR, NOT ONLY SPACE, BUT UM RIGHT.
HOW DO WE GET THEM ALTERED IF WE KEEP THEM IN OUR CARE, UM, AS WELL AS MEDICAL.
CATS IN GENERAL ARE NOTORIOUS FOR THE MEDICAL NEEDS THEY HAVE AS OPPOSED TO DOGS HAVE BEHAVIORAL NEEDS.
UM, SO, UM, ADDING THOSE EXTRA PIECES TO A ALREADY STRESSED, UM, VETERINARY TEAM I IS REALLY THE, THE BIGGEST CONCERN ON THAT.
AND, UM, SO, AND THEN LAST TIME THERE WERE, UM, SOME CONCERNS THAT, UM, FOSTER PLEAS SPECIFICALLY FOR KITTENS WEREN'T BEING RECEIVED BY POTENTIAL FOSTERS.
DO YOU KNOW IF, UM, ANY OF THAT WAS LOOKED INTO OR ADDRESSED IN ANY WAY? WELL, I ASKED THE TEAM ABOUT IT AND SO THEY HADN'T HEARD ANY SPECIFIC THINGS OF THAT HAPPENING.
SO, UM, YEAH, I MEAN, THEY, THEY HAVE THEIR UPDATED LIST.
I ALSO ASKED, 'CAUSE I KNOW LAST MONTH ABOUT THE PURGE LIST, LIKE LOOKING AT THOSE AND WHETHER WE KEEP 'EM.
UM, BUT YEAH, I MEAN THEY, THEY SEND LISTS OUT FOR WHATEVER IS ACTIVE IN, IN A PERSON'S GIFT PULSE ACCOUNT.
AND SO I'M NOT SURE IF Y'ALL ARE HEARING OR HAD ANY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES THAT Y'ALL HAVE HEARD FROM THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH ME AND THEN I'LL LOOK MORE INTO IT.
SO YOU, YOU FROM YOUR STAFF, THEY DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS AN ISSUE AND NOTHING NEEDED CHANGING? YEAH, NOT THAT I HEARD FROM.
BECAUSE I'M ALSO A FOSTER AND I'VE NEVER RECEIVED A SINGLE FOSTER EMAIL FROM THE SHELTER.
UM, I JUST, AS A PLUG, I FOSTERED ONE OF THE JAIL DOGS AND, UM, FELL DEEPLY IN LOVE WITH HIM AND HE, BUT HE GOT ADOPTED OUT AND, UM, IT MADE ME THINK THAT IF I WERE TO EVER ADOPT A LARGE DOG FROM THE SHELTER, I WOULD GET ONE FROM THAT PROGRAM LIKE THAT.
[00:45:01]
HIS BASIC TRAINING WAS OUTSTANDING AND MADE THINGS A LOT EASIER AND MADE HIM VERY ATTRACTIVE TO, TO THE PUBLIC THAT I INTERACTED WITH.NO, I'LL LOOK INTO IT TOMORROW AND IF ANYTHING WE MAY TEST SEND A TEST EMAIL JUST TO OKAY.
WE'RE GOING OR WORSE GETTING ANY BOUNCE BACK OR WHATNOT.
'CAUSE I'VE BEEN A FOSTER FOR ABOUT OVER THREE YEARS AND I'VE NEVER RECEIVED A SINGLE EMAIL FROM THE FOSTER UNLESS IT WAS A DIRECT RESPONSE TO ME ASKING A QUESTION ABOUT MY PARTICULAR FOSTER.
BUT, BUT I'VE NEVER RECEIVED ANY GENERAL PLEA OR, OR STATUS UPDATE OR, OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING IN CONTACT, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR KITTEN FOSTER COMMUNITY AND PROVIDING THEM, UM, PROVIDING THEM KITTENS TO FOSTER.
'CAUSE IT, IT IS SUCH A BIG NEED.
I MEAN, I KNOW MY, MY PERSONAL SISTER WAS INTERESTED IN ADOPTING A KITTEN THAT CAME INTO A A C BUT IT WAS SENT TO A PA BEFORE SHE COULD FOSTER IT.
SO SHE'S NOW A, A PA FOSTER AND NOT A SHELTER FOSTER.
AND, UM, SO, AND SO I COULD PICTURE THAT HAPPENING A LOT.
AND I THINK THERE WILL BE A LOT OF DOWNSTREAM RAMIFICATIONS IF, IF WE DECIDED TO JUST PUT ALL OUR RESOURCES INTO DOGS AND, AND SEND ALL OUR KITTENS TO A PA AND MAYBE THAT'S A DECISION THAT, I MEAN, AS THE MUNICIPAL SHELTER, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD JUST BECOME A DOG SHELTER.
AND, AND THAT'S NOT IN THE INTENTION.
JUST, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR.
BUT DURING THE SEASON WHERE WE, UH, DON'T HAVE A LOT OF KITTENS.
BUT WE DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
SO I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WEREN'T RECEIVING EMAILS.
'CAUSE THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY.
WE HAVE A, A LARGE AMOUNT OF KITTENS THAT ARE THAT FOUR TO SIX WEEKS OF AGE THAT SHOULD BE INTO A FO BE IN A FOSTER HOME.
UM, AND WE CAN PROACTIVELY BE SENDING THEM AS OPPOSED TO WAITING FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN.
UM, AND THEN I HAD ANOTHER, AND THEN WE'LL GET TO YOU.
UM, SO LOOKING AT THE, UM, REASONS FOR EUTHANASIA, I HIT MY HAND ON, SORRY, LOOKING AT, I, I'M, I'M, I HAD MY, I FORGOT TO PRESS MY MICROPHONE TO CONTINUE MY POINT.
I'LL GET TO COMMISSIONER LIGNIN AND THEN TO YOU, UM, COMMISSIONER TIES.
UM, BUT FOR ON THE REASONS FOR EUTHANASIA PAGE, UM, CAN YOU, IS THERE A WAY TO BRIEFLY JUST TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COURT ORDERED DOG EUTHANASIA AND THEN IS THAT SEPARATE FROM ANY A, A SEPARATE BEHAVIORAL EUTHANASIA THE SHELTER MIGHT CHOOSE TO DO IN THE, IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY INTEREST? SO ANY, ANY, UM, ANIMAL THAT THAT, OR DOG THAT GOES FOR, AND I THINK WHEN IT'S CATEGORIZED HERE, IT'LL PROBABLY BE FOR BEHAVIORAL REGRESSION.
IT GOES THROUGH THE NOTIFICATION PROCESS.
AND SO WHEN WE HAVE THOSE HAPPEN, WE'LL SEND OUT A NOTIFICATION, WE'LL GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF PLEADING IT OUT TO RESCUE PARTNERS.
UM, HAVING THOSE GO TO, UH, HAVE BE LOOKED AT BY A PA 'CAUSE THEY USUALLY WILL, WILL TEND TO PULL THOSE ANNALS.
BUT WE HAVE OTHER PARTNERS WHO ARE ALSO WANTED TO BE NOTIFIED OF THOSE SPECIFIC ANIMALS.
AND THEN WE'LL PUT A NOTIFICATION AND WE HAVE TO DO IT AT LEAST FOR 48 HOURS IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
SO IN THE PAST, THOSE HAVE BEEN DOGS THAT HAVE BEEN LIKE ON THE RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST OR AN URGENT PLACEMENT LIST TYPE.
AND THEN THEY'RE JUST GRADUATING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
UM, WHEN THOSE, WHEN, IF FOR SOME REASON NO PARTNER OR THEY DECLINE AND WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE UNICAP, UH, EUTHANIZATION, UM, THEN WE WILL CATEGORIZE THAT AND CAPTURE IT AS A DATA POINT, UM, AT LEAST TO REPORT IT.
UM, THEY'RE STILL CAPTURED IN THE TOTAL NUMBER EUTHANIZED, BUT ANYTHING THAT'S COURT ORDERED DOESN'T GO THROUGH NOTIFICATION PROCESS BECAUSE THE COURT HAS ORDERED THAT ANIMAL TO BE EUTHANIZED.
SO, AND THAT'S A WHOLE SEPARATE LEGAL PROCESS THAT I COULD PROBABLY DO A WHOLE BRIEFING ON BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY CONVOLUTED AND WHATNOT.
BUT ESSENTIALLY THAT, AND THAT'S REALLY THE MAIN DIFFERENCE.
ONE WHAT WILL REQUIRE SOME SORT OF NOTIFICATION AND ONE DOESN'T, BUT THEY'RE STILL GONNA BE CAPTURED HERE WHEN THEY HAPPEN.
'CAUSE THE ONLY OTHER CATEGORY I SEE WHERE THAT MIGHT HAPPEN, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS DB FOUR BITES.
DOES, DOES THAT INDICATE THAT UNLESS THERE WERE A COURT ORDER TO EUTHANIZE A DOG, A DOG WOULD HAVE TO HAVE BITTEN SOMEBODY AND HAVE IT CATEGORIZED AS A T DB FOUR BITE BEFORE THE SHELTER MIGHT EUTHANIZE IT YEAH.
SO IT WOULDN'T REQUIRE A NOTIFICATION BECAUSE THE CODE SAYS THAT A NOTIFICATION IS ONLY REQUIRED FOR, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF IT, WELL, THE COURT ORDERED THE BITE RESULTED IN A DB FOUR OR ABOVE
[00:50:02]
AND OR, AND, UM, YEAH, THEN IT'SI THINK THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO SORT OF BITE INCIDENT.
SO IS THERE NO POLICY OR AVENUE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE SHELTER TO EUTHANIZE AN ANIMAL FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PURPOSES PRIOR TO IT SEVERELY BITING SOMEBODY? UM, SO LET ME UNDERSTAND.
SO IF IT, IF IT IT, WELL, IF IT MET THE DEFINITION, AND I'M GOING BACK YEARS BEFORE WHAT WE, IF IT MET THE DEFINITION OF A SERIOUS BODILY INJURY, THEN THE, AND IT WAS A, UM, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER HOW THE CODE USED TO BE WRITTEN OR HOW YEAH.
IF IT MET A SERIOUS BODILY INJURY, UM, THEN WE COULD EUTHANIZE IF IT WAS OUR ANIMAL.
UH, I MEAN THE SHELTER IS ALLOWED TO EUTHANIZE ANY ANIMAL AT ANY TIME.
WELL, WE JUST HAVE TO DO A NOTIFICATION PROCESS.
AFTER, AFTER A NOTIFICATION PROCESS.
AND SO IS, IS THERE CURRENTLY NO POLICY THAT WOULD ALLOW THE SHELTER TO EUTHANIZE AN ANIMAL THAT IT THOUGHT MIGHT BE A PUBLIC SAFETY RISK PRIOR TO THAT ANIMAL CAUSING SEVERE BODILY INJURY TO A HUMAN? UM, I MEAN, YOU COULD, IT WOULD JUST GO THROUGH THE NOTIFICATION PROCESS AND OUR PLEA PROCESS.
BUT I DON'T SEE ANY OPTION FOR THAT.
ON YOUR RE REASONS FOR EUTHANASIA, THE ONLY, OTHER THAN MEDICAL ONES, THE ONLY TWO ARE DB FOUR BITE OR COURT ORDER? WELL, AGAIN, THE, IT'S NOT ON HERE.
'CAUSE I, UM, IN THE RECENTLY, LIKE ANY ANIMAL THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BEING PULLED BY RESCUE PARTNERS.
SO WE'RE NOT, WELL D FOUR BITES IS ON HERE, BUT THERE ARE ZERO.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT DOESN'T APPEAR THAT IT'S NOT ON HERE JUST BECAUSE THERE WEREN'T ANY, IT APPEARS THAT, THAT IT'S NOT A CATEGORY, IT'S USUALLY BEHAVIOR OR AGGRESSION.
IS, IS, IS THE, IS WHEN WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THE EUTHANIZED EUTHANIZING AN ANIMAL THAT HAS GONE THROUGH THAT PROCESS MM-HMM
AND GONE THROUGH THE NOTIFICATION.
IF NO ONE HAS PULLED THAT ANIMAL AND WE MOVE FORWARD WITH EUTHANIZING, THEN WE WILL MARK IT AS A BEHAVIOR THAT'S THE REASON FOR, FOR, FOR, UM, OKAY.
SO FOR SOME REASON THAT'S NOT SHOWING UP ON THE X AXIS OF THIS CHART TODAY.
UM, AND SO IF SOMEBODY AT THE SHELTER RECEIVED SEVERE BODILY INJURY FROM AN ANIMAL, WOULD THE SHELTER GO THROUGH A COURT ORDER PROCESS? UM, IF IT RESULTED IN THE STATE, DEFINE WHAT A SERIOUS BODILY INJURY WOULD BE? UM, NO, WE DON'T HAVE TO BECAUSE WE OWN THE ANIMAL UHHUH
BECAUSE IF IT'S, IF IT WAS A DB FOUR OR, OR MET SBI, THEN WE COULD GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD TO EUTHANASIA.
SO, BUT IF IT WAS ONE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WAS OWNED BY A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE LEGAL PROCESS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY WANTED TO KEEP OWNERSHIP OF THEIR ANIMALS.
SO IF IT WERE, UM, IN THE CUSTODY, CUSTODY CITY OF THE SHELTER FOR SOME REASON, BUT NOT OWNED BY THE SHELTER AND THEN, AND THEN IF AN OWNER DECIDE LIKE, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS BAD, I'M GONNA TAKE MY ANIMAL TO THE VET AND EUTHANIZE IT, THAT'S, THAT'S WITHIN THEIR RIGHT TO DO THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OH YEAH, COMMISSIONER LOMAN, JUST, JUST WHAT MIGHT BE SOME LOW HANGING FRUIT IN TERMS OF HELPING GET MORE FOSTERS? I'M JUST GONNA CONCUR THAT AS A VOLUNTEER WHO'S ALLOWED TO TAKE DOGS ON OUTINGS, I DON'T GET FOSTER AND I'VE FOSTERED 10 PLUS DOGS AND I STILL DON'T GET EMAILS RIGHT.
SO I'M JUST LOOKING AT LOW HANGING FRUIT.
MAYBE WE CAN, CAN NO, I APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK.
'CAUSE USUALLY WHEN I TELL THEM TO LIKE, HEY, WE NEED TO PUT MORE PLEA, IT'S LIKE, WELL FOLKS GET UPSET THAT WE'RE SENDING YOU SO MANY EMAILS.
I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ONE IN, I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ONE IN YEARS.
SO I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A PLACE WHERE WE CAN LIKE EXPLORE.
SO THAT'S ALL COMMISSIONER TIES.
UH, I KNOW THAT A LOT HAS BEEN A LOT OF, UH, DISGUSTING AND IT'S, SO I'M REMINDING THAT YOUR WANTED FOSTER
DID SHE END UP FOSTERING THAT KIDS AND NO, SHE DIDN'T.
DID SHE ENDED UPT ABLE TO, BUT SHE'S NOW IN THEIR SYSTEM AND SHE'S GONE THROUGH THEIR TRAINING AND SHE'S NOW A FOSTER FOR A PA INSTEAD OF FOR THE CITY SHELTER.
OH, SO NOW SHE'S FOSTERING THAT CAT? NO, BUT SHE'S
[00:55:01]
HAS DONE ALL OF APAS, NEONATAL KITTEN TRAINING AND IS IS ON THEIR LIST AND GETTING EMAILS FROM THEM AND NOT, AND NOT FROM THE CITY SHELTER.SO IF SHE ALSO, UH, UM, SIGN UP FOR FOSTERING AT THE CITY SHELTER, UH, I DON'T KNOW.
AND I DON'T, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE VEERING INTO A WEIRD THING TO BE DISCUSSING FIRST
I I, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S REALLY GOOD THAT WHETHER IT IS THE CITY OR ANOTHER ORGANIZATION PEOPLE WANNA FOSTER WHEREVER THEY GO.
I THINK IT'S, IM AND UH, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
AND, AND, AND, UM, IT, IT IS ALSO REALLY GOOD THAT YOU WERE GIVEN THAT FEEDBACK TO BOSTON ANIMAL SHELTER AND AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES NOW AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW ANY ORGANIZATION GETS BETTER BY GIVING THAT FEEDBACK.
ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE STAFF BRIEFINGS? ALL RIGHT.
UM, I ASSUME COMMISSIONER HOLT AND VANLANDINGHAM DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UM, DIRECTOR DANGLER AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR GARZA.
[3.Staff briefing regarding the Austin Animal Services Donation Fund. Presentation by Monica Dangler, Director, Austin Animal Services, Jason Garza, Assistant Director , Austin Animal Services, and Melissa Pool, Chief Administrative Officer, Austin Animal Services. ]
ON TO NOW IS THE BRIEFING REGARDING THE OPTIMAL AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES DONATION FUND.MELISSA POOLE, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR ANIMAL SERVICES.
UM, LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET THIS TO WORK.
ALRIGHT, SO, UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE DONATION FUND AS A MUNICIPALITY, THE, UH, DEPARTMENT IS ABLE TO RECEIVE DONATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CITY'S ADMINISTRATIVE BULLETIN ZERO SEVEN DASH ZERO SIX, WHICH ADDRESSES SOLICITATION OF GIFTS, CONTRIBUTIONS, AND ITEMS OF VALUE BY CITY EMPLOYEES.
UM, THOSE FUNDS ARE USED TO SUPPORT ANIMAL SERVICES, PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES FOR WHICH FUNDING NEEDS ARE NOT FULLY MET BY THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, EVERY YEAR THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR APPROVES THE USE OF DONATION FUNDS AND TYPICALLY ALLOCATES THE DONATIONS WE'VE RECEIVED FOR THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR.
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW FISCAL YEAR.
UM, THE PUBLIC MAY DONATE TO SPECIFIC PROGRAM AREAS OR THEY CAN MAKE JUST A GENERAL DONATION TO THE SHELTER.
AND THEN ANY FUNDS THAT WE DON'T USE IN ONE YEAR, WE'LL ROLL OVER TO THE NEXT.
SO THAT'S JUST REALLY BASIC NUTS AND BOLTS OF HOW IT WORKS.
CURRENTLY, THESE ARE THE AREAS THAT THE PUBLIC HAS AVAILABLE TO DONATE TO.
THEY CAN EITHER MAKE A DONATION TO OUR MOST PRESSING NEED, A GENERAL SHELTER DONATION, UM, OR THEY CAN, IF THEY HAVE A PASSION AREA THAT THEY SEE AMONG THOSE BULLETED AREAS, THEY CAN DONATE SPECIFICALLY TO THOSE AREAS.
SO PET PLACEMENT, UH, PET CARE, WHICH INCLUDES THE DOG WALKERS, ANIMAL ENRICHMENT, FISTING, FENCING ASSISTANCE, UH, RABIES CLINICS, SPAY AND NEUTER VOUCHERS, THE COMMUNITY CAT PROGRAM, THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AND, UH, THE DOG PLAY YARD ARE ALL AREAS THAT ARE ON THE CURRENT FORM AND AVAILABLE FOR DONATION.
SO THIS SLIDE, UM, GIVES YOU A LOT OF HISTORICAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE REVENUE WE'VE RECEIVED AND EXPENSES, UH, FROM THE DONATION FUNDS.
AND THEN THE SECOND CHART SHOWS A COMPARISON OF BUDGET COMPARED TO EXPENSES OVER THAT SAME FISCAL YEAR PERIOD.
WHAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU IS JUST, UM, THE VARIABILITY YOU CAN SEE FROM 2020, UM, WE ONLY BROUGHT IN 150, $1,200 IN REVENUE.
UM, WHEREAS IN 2024 WE HAD SOME REALLY LARGE DONATIONS.
WE HAD ONE DONOR, UM, DONATE 275,000.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT PARTICULAR YEAR WE WERE MUCH HIGHER THAN THE OTHER YEARS, KIND OF AN OUTLIER YEAR.
UM, IN RED, I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU OUR, WHAT WE'RE TAKING IN VERSUS WHAT WE'RE SPENDING.
SO YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, IF WE WEREN'T CARRYING BALANCES OVER, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE A FEW YEARS WHERE WE, WE WERE, UH, EXPENDING, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN WE WERE TAKING IN, IN TERMS OF REVENUE.
[01:00:01]
SO WE DO TYPICALLY CARRY OVER IN MOST YEARS OF BALANCE.UM, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE BUDGET VERSUS EXPENSES SLIDE.
UM, ANOTHER THING BEFORE I MOVE THERE, SORRY, GOING BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS, UH, BUT ON THE REVENUE VERSUS EXPENSES SIDE, WE HAD, UM, WE ALSO SOMETIMES, UM, WE HAVE A VERY TIGHT GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND WE, YOU KNOW, USE THESE DONATION FUNDS TO FULFILL THOSE OTHER NEEDS.
IN 2023, WE ACTUALLY WENT OVER OUR BUDGET AND THE GENERAL FUND.
AND SO WE HAD TO USE SOME OF THE DONATION FUNDS TO COVER THOSE COSTS.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE MORE EXPENSES IN 2023.
UM, AND THEN IN 2024, UH, WHERE WE WERE IN BETTER SHAPE FINANCIALLY, WE ACTUALLY MOVED SOME OF THE EXPENSES BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH, WHICH KIND OF PAID SOME OF THAT BACK AND KEPT IT BACK IN THE GENERAL FUND.
SO THERE ARE, THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY IN EACH OF THOSE YEARS AND THINGS THAT HAPPENED.
THOSE WERE TWO THAT STUCK OUT A LITTLE MORE.
SO I WANTED TO EXPLAIN, UM, WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THOSE TWO PARTICULAR YEARS.
SO WITH REGARD TO BUDGET VERSUS EXPENSES, UM, YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK THROUGH OUR EXPENSES, YOU CAN SEE AGAIN THAT 2023 WAS HIGHER, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET SITUATION.
UM, 2024, YOU KNOW, MOVED THAT SOME OF THAT BACK.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN HOLDING ONTO SOME FUNDING FOR SOME SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE HIGHER THAN WE EVER HAVE BEEN, UH, SITTING, YOU KNOW, AT THE BE THE BUDGET BEING OVER A MILLION.
UM, AND THEN OUR CURRENT BALANCE BEING AT 835,000.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE INTENTIONALLY BEEN HOLDING ONTO SOME FUNDING, AND I'LL GO OVER THAT IN THE NEXT SLIDE WHERE I CAN SHOW YOU OUR, UH, PLAN FOR UTILIZING THE DONATIONS FUND.
WE HAVE A LARGE PROJECT THAT WE WERE HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH OUR SMALL DOG KENNEL PROJECT.
UM, AND OVER $500,000 WAS DEDICATED JUST TO THAT.
SO WHILE IT MAY LOOK LIKE YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A HIGH BALANCE THERE.
WE ALSO HAVE, UH, A SPECIFIC NEED THAT WE WERE, UM, SAVING THOSE FUNDS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT NEED.
SO, UM, THE SPENDING PLAN FOR FY 26, AND I DIDN'T INCLUDE EVERYTHING.
I JUST PULLED OUT THE LARGER ITEMS. UM, BUT THAT SMALL DOG KENNEL PROJECT, AS YOU KNOW, SOME OF YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE, WE HAVE HAD FOR MANY, MANY YEARS USED, UM, IN SMALLVILLE, UH, KENNELS THAT ARE DESIGNED REALLY FOR CATS AND THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO CLEAN.
UH, IT'S NOT THE IDEAL SPACE FOR DOGS.
SO WE WERE WORKING, UM, TO GET DESIGN PLANS IN PLACE SO THAT WE COULD BUILD AN AREA THAT'S MORE APPROPRIATE FOR DOGS.
AND THAT'S WHAT THAT 550,000 WAS SET ASIDE FOR.
ALSO, WE'VE BEEN REGULARLY FUNDING OUR DOG WALKERS THROUGH THE DONATION FUND.
SO WE SET ASIDE 250,000 FOR DOG WALKERS.
UM, EACH YEAR WE ARE FULLY FUNDING OUR DOG WALKERS FROM THE DONATION FUND.
UM, ALSO THIS YEAR WE HAD TO USE, OR WE HAD, UM, PUT ASIDE FUNDING FOR VET SERVICES TO HELP, UM, WITH SOME OF THE TEMPORARY COSTS BECAUSE WE HAD NO BUDGET IN VET SERVICES FOR TEMP STAFFING THIS FISCAL YEAR.
UM, YOU'LL ALSO SEE THE OVERNIGHT EMERGENCY CLINIC.
I WANTED TO KIND OF EXPLAIN ON THAT ONE.
SO I THINK YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO PUT FORWARD SOME BUDGET REDUCTIONS, AND ONE OF THOSE WAS WE, UH, HAD BUDGETED OVER $400,000 FOR THE O OVERNIGHT EMERGENCY CLINIC SERVICES LAST YEAR, AND WE HAD TO CUT SOME FUNDING FOR THAT.
WELL, UH, WE WERE GIVEN A HUNDRED THOUSAND, UM, FROM A COUNCIL OFFICE FOR A PORTION OF IT, AND THEN ANOTHER A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
WE WERE SUPPOSED TO IDENTIFY WITHIN OUR EXISTING BUDGET, ANOTHER A HUNDRED THOUSAND THAT THEY, UH, FELT WE WOULD REALIZE, UH, IN SAVINGS WITH THE VET, UH, VETS BEING ABLE TO MAKE THE DECISIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SPAY AND NEUTER, UH, TAKING OUT THAT, UH, PIECE OF CODE, REMOVING IT THAT HAD TO DO WITH VISIBLY PREGNANT ANIMALS.
SO, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THE FUNDING FOR THAT BECAUSE WE WERE GONNA GO OUT AND SOLICIT AND HAVE A CONTRACT IN PLACE.
WE SET ASIDE IN OUR DONATION FUNDS, THIS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THAT PIECE OF IT, BECAUSE WE WERE NOT SURE WE WOULD REALLY REALIZE THAT SAVINGS IN OUR GENERAL FUND.
[01:05:01]
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THAT A HUNDRED THOUSAND IS.IT WAS 200 TOTAL, UH, A HUNDRED THOUSAND THAT WAS GIVEN, UH, TO US THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.
AND THEN SETTING ASIDE THE AMOUNT WE WERE EXPECTED TO REALIZE THROUGH, UH, BUDGET SAVINGS AND THEN 40,000 FOR HEARTWORM PREVENTION.
WE HAVE A CONTRACT, UH, WHERE WE, FOR HEARTWORM, HEARTWORM PREVENTION, AND IT'S FUNDED THROUGH THEIR DONATION FUND, UH, SHELTER AND PET PLACEMENT.
WE HAVE, UH, 40,000 THAT WE SET ASIDE FOR THAT, THE RABIES CLINIC AND SPAY AND NEUTER VOUCHERS 35.
AND THEN WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER SMALLER, LIKE WE HAVE, UH, I JUST PUT IT ALL TOGETHER IN MISCELLANEOUS, BUT THERE IS A PLAN FOR EVERY DOLLAR.
UM, AND THE REMAINING 49,000, UH, ENCOMPASSES THAT.
SO IF WE WERE TO FULLY REALIZE OUR SPENDING PLAN, UM, WE WOULD, WE WOULD BE IN A
UM, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, OUR DOG WALKERS ALONE, YOU KNOW, THAT IT TAKES MORE THAN THAT TO FUND THAT GROUP.
SO, IN SUMMARY, IT'S JUST, IT VARIES A LOT FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
UM, WE, YOU ALWAYS TRY TO HAVE A PLAN ABOUT HOW WE USE THOSE FUNDS.
WE ALSO HONOR THE WAY THAT PEOPLE DONATE THOSE FUNDS.
SO IF THEY'VE ALL THEY HAVE DONATED TO A SPECIFIC PURPOSE, THEN WE TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WE'RE, YOU KNOW, ALLOCATING THE FUNDS.
BUT WE TRULY HAVE A LOT OF OPERATIONAL NEEDS THAT ARE NOT COVERED BY OUR GENERAL FUND, THAT WE ARE REALLY RELYING ON THIS DONATION FUND TO COVER, YOU KNOW, EVERY FISCAL YEAR.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T RECEIVE IN MORE DONATIONS THIS YEAR, WE RE UH, AND USE THE FUNDS AS WE INTENDED TO.
WE'RE GONNA BE IN A DIFFICULT POSITION NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
NOW, WE MAY NOT MOVE FORWARD THIS YEAR WITH A SMALL DOG KENNEL PROJECT, IF THAT HAPPENS.
YOU KNOW, THAT MAY, THAT MAY FREE UP SOME AND WE MIGHT BE IN A BETTER SITUATION.
BUT THOSE ARE JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW SOME OF THE THING, THE THE FOUND, THE, THE KIND OF RULES AROUND IT, HOW WE TYPICALLY OPERATE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK SOMETIMES FOLKS LOOK AT IT AND THINK, WE HAVE THIS HUGE POT OF MONEY, BUT WE HAVE A HUGE POT OF NEEDS TOO.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT, I'M OPEN FOR QUESTIONS.
JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT ALL TOGETHER AND WALKING US THROUGH IT.
IT PROVIDES A TON OF CLARITY FOR, FOR US IN THE PUBLIC, AND I KNOW THAT, UM, IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME TO PUT IT TOGETHER IN A MEANINGFUL FORMAT, UM, TO RELAY TO US.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR, FOR DOING THAT.
UH, THAT WAS VERY CLEAR, UM, AND VERY HELPFUL.
UM, SO JUST WANTED TO APPRECIATE THAT.
SO, UH, THE NUMBERS WERE YEAR TO DATE FROM JANUARY THROUGH MAY.
THE, THE NUMBERS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR RUNS FROM OCTOBER THROUGH SEPTEMBER.
THE NUMBER FOR, FOR 2026 WAS PULLED, I THINK JUNE 3RD.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL, OKAY.
SO FRONT OCTOBER IS THROUGH JUNE 3RD, CORRECT? I'M SORRY, SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME.
UH, SO THE NUMBERS HAVE FRONT OCTOBER, 2025 THROUGH JUNE 3RD, 2026, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO, UH, I KNOW, SO IN THE FISCAL YEAR AND SINCE THE END OF SEPTEMBER, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO WE, UM, SO THE, SO THE RUN RATE FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, IS THIS WHAT YOU PROJECTED OR, I, I'M NOT, I SAY YOU, BUT IT MIGHT BE THE WHOLE ANIMAL SERVICES TEAM.
ARE YOU GUYS RUNNING ON, ON TARGET OR BEHIND? UM, WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS ABOUT THE SMALL DOG KENNEL PROJECT, YOU KNOW, AND THAT WILL, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BIG CHUNK, YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF FACILITIES NEEDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AT THE SHELTER, WE'VE GOT EQUIPMENT THAT IS BREAKING DOWN THAT WE'RE HAVING TO REPLACE, YOU KNOW, OUR HVAC SYSTEM, OUR, YOU KNOW, UM, DISHWASHER, WASHER, DRYER.
SO IF, IF WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SMALL DOG KENNEL PROJECT, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE OTHER NEEDS THAT WE HAVE THIS
[01:10:01]
FISCAL YEAR.SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, THE REVENUE IS A MIXTURE OF, UH, DONATIONS PLUS CITY MONEY? NO, IT'S ONLY DONATIONS.
SO WE HAVE A GENERAL FUND, AND THEN WE HAVE THE DONATION FUND.
THE DONATION FUND IS, IS STRICTLY WHAT PEOPLE HAVE DONATED TO US FOR, FOR MUNICIPAL USE.
DO YOU GUYS PROJECT HOW MUCH YOU'LL BE BRINGING IN THIS YEAR? WELL, RIGHT NOW, I JUST AM LETTING YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WE'VE RECEIVED TO DATE, WHICH IS 248,000.
AND IT'S, YOU, YOU'D NEVER KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR HOW WE COULD GET, UH, ANOTHER LARGE DONOR OR WE, WE MIGHT NOT HAVE VERY MANY, YOU KNOW, DONATIONS THE REST OF THE YEAR.
IT'S, IT'S NOT A, AN EASY THING TO PREDICT.
AND THERE, I I, I'M, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, AND MAYBE IT'S NOT YOU THE PERSON TO ANSWER THAT, BUT THERE MUST BE LIKE A MARKETING OR A PUSH TO GET DONATIONS.
THAT, THAT ACTUALLY IS PART OF MY TEAM.
AND SO, AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE THAT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DONATE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT WE WANT TO INCLUDE, UM, IT IN OUR, OUR POSTS MORE REGULARLY.
YOU KNOW, YOU, HOW DO YOU WANNA, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR A WAY TO HELP THE SHELTER ADOPT, FOSTER, DONATE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN A, A LINK TO OUR WEBSITE WHERE THEY CAN, UH, DONATE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, YOU'RE ALWAYS SUCH A DELIGHT TO LISTEN TO.
AND SO, UM, UH, HELPFUL AND INFORMATIVE AND, AND JASON'S REPORT ALSO.
UH, UH, SO IF I GO ON, NOW THAT I KNOW WHERE TO DONATE, IF I GO TOMORROW AND DONATE TO THE DOG WALKERS, DOES THAT MONEY JUST GO TO THE DOG WALKERS OR ARE YOU SAYING YOU MIGHT PUT IT SOMEWHERE ELSE IF YOU, IF YOU'RE DONATING FOR THAT UNIT, IT WOULD GO TO THAT.
WE HAVE, SO THERE'S THE OVERALL FUND MM-HMM
AND THEN WE HAVE UNITS SET UP.
AND SO THAT'S A SPECIFIC UNIT WITHIN THE DONATION FUND.
SO IF YOU DONATED THERE, IT WOULD GO TOWARDS THE DOCK MEMBERS.
AND I THINK MUCH LIKE COMMISSIONER ZAES, I THINK SHE BROUGHT UP A REALLY GOOD POINT, WHICH IS, I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE DONATION FUND.
I'VE KNOWN ABOUT IT, AND I ASKED YOU TODAY, WHERE DO YOU DONATE? I MEAN, I DIDN'T KNOW.
SO I'M GLAD YOU HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE.
AND I THINK THAT IF THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN KNOW THAT WE HAVE EXACTLY ONE SHELTER, UM, THAT SERVICES OUR COMMUNITY SOLELY, THAT THEY WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DONATE TO IT.
I JUST DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE THAT IT'S EVEN THERE AS AN OPTION.
SO I'M GLAD YOU'RE WORKING ON THAT, AND I'M GLAD THEY'RE PART OF YOUR TEAM.
AND YES, WE, WE ARE GONNA DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET THE WORD OUT AND MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO DONATE.
AND JUST PIGGYBACKING OFF OF THAT, IT SOUNDS LIKE BECAUSE YOU, THE DONATION FUNDS, YOU CAN ROLL OVER MM-HMM
THAT IF YOU HAD AN EXCESS IN ONE OF THOSE SPECIFIED GROUPS, YOU COULD ROLL IT OVER IF YOU HAD AN EXCESS FOR YOUR COSTS FOR THAT YEAR.
SO, HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND COMMISSIONER LOMAN AS THE PERSON WHO ASKED FOR THIS, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
'CAUSE THIS WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING.
I MEAN, I KNEW ABOUT THERE WERE DONATIONS, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW ANY OF THE INTRICACIES.
AND YES, I'M SO GLAD YOU GUYS ARE GONNA PROMOTE THIS.
'CAUSE THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE MORE.
MAY I ASK A QUESTION BEFORE WE MOVE ON? OH, OF COURSE.
UM, COMMISSIONER VANLANDINGHAM.
THIS IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM BEST FRIENDS OF AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, STAFF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
UM, I THINK THE REST OF WHAT WE HAVE ON OUR AGENDA, UM, DOESN'T, DOESN'T NECESSARILY PERTAIN TO YOU.
SO IF YOU NEED TO LEAVE, YOU HAD, I'M SURE HAD A LONG DAY.
SO JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO, AND AGAIN, NO, NO PUBLIC SPEAKERS HAVE SIGNED UP FOR ANY OF THE AGENDA ITEMS TODAY.
[4.Approve the election of Chair. ]
AND ELECTION OF THE CHAIR.UM, I, I MEAN, I HAVE SOME DISCUSSION OF THAT, BUT WE CAN WAIT TILL, ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS? COMMISSIONER LOMAN, LIKE TO, CAN YOU TURN YOUR MIC OFF PLEASE? ALRIGHT.
UM, I WANTED TO FIRST OF ALL SAY I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE AS CHAIR OF THIS.
I RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT IN, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, IN THE INTEREST OF TRYING TO MOVE THIS COMMISSION FORWARD IN A MORE POSITIVE AND NEUTRAL, UM, FASHION, I WOULD LIKE TO
[01:15:01]
NOMINATE COMMISSIONER, UM, MARON.UM, COMMISSIONER NORTON AND I WILL NOMINATE, UM, COMMISSIONER NIELSEN, AND I WOULD ACCEPT SECOND.
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? COMMISSIONER NEMAR? I'M JUST CLARIFYING FOR THE RECORD.
DID WE GET A SECOND ON COMMISSIONER MARIN? SHE ACCEPTED, SO SHE'S THE SECOND ON THAT.
AND, UM, WE CAN MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION.
UM, AND ANY, ANY ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO DISCUSS? OKAY.
UM, I, I WILL SAY THAT, UM,
UM, I'M SO GLAD THAT SHE'S ON THE COMMISSION.
I THINK SHE BRINGS AN CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE, WHICH ARE EXPERTISE IN WILDLIFE, WILDLIFE RESCUE IN AUSTIN, AND LEADING LEADERSHIP AND LEADING, UM, A BIG ORGANIZATION.
UM, I WILL JUST MENTION THAT I, I, I WORRY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TIME COMMITMENT BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ARE EXTREMELY BUSY WITH, WITH ALL OF YOUR WORK AT THE WILDLIFE CLINIC.
AND, UM, SO ONE THING THAT, UM, I WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UM, SO ON THE AGENDA, I HAD APPROVED THE ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW REPORT FOR THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.
AND, UM, I WAS WORKING ON THAT AND I WAS NEARLY DONE WITH IT AND THEN GOT AN EMAIL FROM, FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE THAT THIS YEAR THEY WANT IT IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT WITH DIFFERENT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
AND SO IT WAS GONNA REQUIRE SOME MORE WORK, UM, LIKE SIGNIFICANTLY AMOUNT MORE WORK, UM, THAN I HAD ALREADY PUT IN.
SO IT WAS LIKE, OKAY, I WILL, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE THE APPROVAL OF THE WHOLE COMMISSION, BUT, UM, IF I WERE CHAIR, I'D WANT TO HAVE THE WHOLE COMMISSION APPROVE IT.
IT TURNS OUT THAT IT'S NOT DUE UNTIL JULY 31ST.
SO WHOEVER THE CHAIR IS WILL HAVE UNTIL JULY 31ST TO, UM, WRITE THE ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW FOR THE LAST 12 MONTHS.
UM, IF I'M ELECTED CHAIR WILL BE HAPPY TO DO THAT, I'LL COMMIT TO GETTING IT DONE BY THE JULY MEETING SO THAT THE ALL OF THE COMMISSION CAN, UM, CAN READ IT AND SEE IT.
UM, IF I DON'T HAVE THE CONFIDENCE OF THE COMMISSION TO BE ELECTED CHAIR, I WILL NOT DO THAT WORK ON IT
SO, UM, UH, BECAUSE WHY? THAT WOULDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
UM, SO, SO THERE WILL BE THAT I, UH, AN ANOTHER TH THING THAT THAT'S BECOME CLEAR TO ME IS THAT, UM, THERE NEEDS TO BE EVERY YEAR, UH, A BUDGET WORKING GROUP CREATED IN JANUARY SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, THAT SOMETHING, UM, VERY PARTICULAR THAT WE NEED TO DO, UM, THAT, THAT IS IN OUR BYLAWS THAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL, UM, UH, ABOUT, UH, BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE SHELTER.
UM, THIS YEAR I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THAT WORKING GROUP AND, AND, UM, DID PUT TOGETHER, UM, SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CITY COUNCIL.
AND IT'S THE FIRST TIME, AT LEAST SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION, THAT THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED BECAUSE ALL OF THE PREVIOUS CHAIRS I FELT, UM, TRIED TO BUMP THAT
UM, SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING ELSE TO KEEP IN MIND, THAT IN JANUARY THAT'LL BE A, THAT'LL BE A EASIER TIME WILDLIFE WISE, BUT, UH, STILL A TIME COMMITMENT AND THAT, UM, SO, AND EVERY MONTH I, I WATCH THE VIDEOS AT LEAST ONCE TO, TO GO BACK OVER THEM AND, AND TRY TO FOLLOW UP, UM, AND, AND TRY TO BE PREPARED.
SO IT IS MORE OF A TIME COMMITMENT THAN, THAN I EXPECTED, THAT'S FOR SURE.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO KEEP DOING IT, BUT JUST WANNA MENTION THAT.
BUT ALSO WITH THAT BEING SAID,
[01:20:01]
AND THERE IS A DEADLINE FOR THE ANNUAL ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW, WHICH IS JULY 31ST.AND THAT IS, SO IT CAN BE REVIEWED BY THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE AND OFFICIALLY POSTED TO THE WEBSITE.
SO BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME CONTENTION AND DIFFICULTY, UM, ELECTING THE CHAIR LAST YEAR, WE DID NOT SUBMIT AN ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW IN TIME FOR IT TO GO TO THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE AND, UM, BE APPROVED.
SO I THINK THAT WAS A BIG FAILURE ON THE PART OF THE COMMISSION.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
LAST YEAR I DID FINALLY GET ELECTED CHAIR IN AUGUST AND I HAD PROACTIVELY PREPARED AN ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW ON MY OWN FOR THAT MEETING.
AND SO THAT'S IN THE BACKUP, BUT IT ISN'T ON OUR WEBSITE AND IT DOESN'T REFLECT WELL ON US.
SO I DO NOT WANT US TO LEAVE HERE TODAY WITHOUT A CHAIR ELECTED SO THAT THE CHAIR CAN WRITE THAT ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW.
AND SO, JUST THAT BEING SAID, ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON ANYTHING? YES, COMMISSIONER MARIN.
AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR YOU AND YOU WERE THE FIRST ONE THAT I KNEW PERSONALLY ON THIS COMMISSION.
UM, SO I WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR, RIGHT? THIS IS NOT A VOTE FOR OR AGAINST MYSELF OR COMMISSIONER NELSON.
UM, JUST BEING HERE A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, RIGHT? I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DETECT A LOT OF OBVIOUS TENSIONS THAT ARE OCCURRING INTERNALLY.
UM, I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THIS ROOM THERE IS ONLY ONE SIDE.
WE HAVE MANY GROUPS HERE, BUT THERE IS ONLY ONE SIDE.
IT IS ON THE SIDE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
AND I KNOW WE ALL SHARE THAT, UM, THAT VIEW.
AND I WOULD HOPE TO, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS MAYBE TAKE SOME OF THAT TENSION ON OR OFF, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER THAT MAY BE.
I HAVE PRETTY THICK SKIN, UM, PRIOR TO THIS.
I ALSO HAVE 15 YEARS OF CORPORATE FINANCE, UM, FROM IBM.
SO, YOU KNOW, FAMILIAR WITH BUDGETING, THAT SORT OF THING, HIGH PRESSURE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN GRATEFUL TO BE ON THE ANIMAL SIDE FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS IN NONPROFIT.
I FEEL LIKE I'VE STARTED AGING BACKWARDS A LITTLE BIT FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WELL ON THIS COMMISSION.
UM, AND, UM, I HOPE TO GET TO KNOW EVERYBODY, OBVIOUSLY VERY WELL, AND MY DEEP APPRECIATION, EVERYBODY WHO IS ON THIS COMMISSION.
AND IF I CAN OFFER SOME HELP IN SOME WAY, EVEN IN THE FORM OF SOME, UH, RELAXING OF TENSIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT.
UH, I'M ALL IN FOR THIS COMMISSION.
ALRIGHT, ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF, OF APPOINTING COMMISSIONER MARIN AS CHAIR.
HAVE YOU GOTTEN THEM? I THINK IT'S EIGHT.
ANY OPPOSED, ANY ABSTAINING? I MEAN,
UM, ALRIGHT, UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF REAPPOINTING ME AS CHAIR THREE.
HOW ARE YOU? UM, SHE VOTED FOR.
DO, DO YOU WANNA BE ON THE DAIS FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE VOTE? IF SO, YOU NEED TO STAY ON CAMERA.
[01:25:02]
NONE OPPOSED.COMMISSIONER EMER AND VAN LANDINGHAM.
COULD YOU VERBALLY SAY HOW YOU'RE VOTING? I'M VOTING FOR COMMISSIONER MARIN.
I'M VOTING FOR COMMISSIONER MARIN.
SHE'S NOT, THAT'S NOT WHAT'S BEING VOTED ON RIGHT NOW.
WHAT'S BEING VOTED ON IS MY APPOINTMENT.
SO ARE YOU VOTING NO OR ABSTAINING OR FOUR? YOU CAN VOTE FOR BOTH IF YOU WANT.
UH, I'M VOTING NO BECAUSE I DIDN'T SAY I WOULD ABSTAIN EARLIER.
WELL I GUESS THIS IS WHY THEY USUALLY DO THIS AT THE END.
'CAUSE YOU'RE NOW CHAIR AND NEED TO RUN THE MEETING.
SO
I MEAN, I, YOU COULD, WELL, I'M NOT THE CHAIR, SO I CAN'T RUN IT, SO, UM, YEAH, I GUESS SHE COULD APPOINT THE VICE CHAIR, ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING IN THE RULES ABOUT THAT.
I MEAN, SHE'S HERE, SO SHE'S THE CHAIR.
I I DO IT, THE VICE CHAIR DOES IT.
IF THE CHAIR'S NOT HERE, THE CHAIR'S HERE.
I CAN, I JUST DON'T WANNA BREAK THE RULES.
[5.Update and Discussion from the Off Leash Dog Working Group regarding working group focus areas. ]
TO DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. NUMBER FIVE, UPDATE AND DISCUSSION FROM OFF, OFF LEASH DOG WORKING GROUP REGARDING WORKING GROUP FOCUS AREAS.UM, I JUST HAVE A SHORT POWERPOINT.
UM, SORRY, I JUST HAVE A SHORT POWERPOINT TO, UM, KIND OF TELL YOU WHERE, WHAT THE THINKING IS AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.
GO TO THE NEXT ONE OR, THANK YOU.
SO AS A REMINDER, UM, THE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS WE APPOINTED WERE WHITNEY, MYSELF AND, UH, NON-COMMISSIONED PAT RE UM, THANK YOU.
AND SO WHAT I DID, SO WE HAD AN OFF-LEASH DOG WORKING GROUP.
UM, IT RAN TWO YEARS AND WE DID IT WITH, UM, THE PARK AND REC BOARD.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT OFF-LEASH DOGS, THERE ARE A COUPLE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF US OFF-LEASH DOGS.
WHAT OUR FOCUS AND WHAT I ASK YOU TO APPROVE ME LOOK, TAKING A LOOK BACK, BACK AT, WERE BASICALLY OWN DOGS WHO WERE EITHER OFF LEASH BECAUSE THEIR OWNER OPENS UP THE DOOR AND LETS THEM RUN OUT, UM, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
OR THEY'RE IN A PARK AREA THAT'S NOT A DESIGNATED OFF LEASH DOG AREA.
UM, WE REALLY DID NOT FOCUS ON DUMPED DOGS, AND THAT IS NOT THE FOCUS NOW.
AND THAT, UM, UH, I THINK WOULD BE OUTTA SCOPE FROM WHAT I ASKED, WHICH IS JUST TO UPGRADE FROM WHAT WE DID LAST TIME.
UM, ONE OF OUR, UM, MEMBERS, UM, PAT REUS REALLY WANTS TO FOCUS ON THAT AND I'VE KIND OF BACKED OFF AND SAID, NO, I THINK IT'S A GREAT TOPIC.
I THINK IT WOULD MAKE A GREAT WORKING GROUP.
I THINK IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT KIND OF WORK THAN WHAT WE HAD, WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.
UM, SO DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? UM, OKAY.
UH, SO WHAT I DID WAS I LOOKED,
[01:30:01]
I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO, UM, START WHAT I WANTED LOOK AT.SO I WENT BACK TO WHAT I DID THE LAST TIME AND I THOUGHT, WELL, YOU KNOW, OVERALL IT'S PRETTY GOOD, BUT WHAT DO WE WANNA CHANGE? SO THE ITEMS IN RED, SO WHAT WE LOOKED AT BY THE LAST WORKING GROUP WAS MISINFORMATION ABOUT EXISTING LAWS, ESPECIALLY ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. PEOPLE CALLING THEIR NEIGHBORS.
KARENS BECAUSE THEY'RE CALLING 3 1 1 TO FOLLOW THE LAW.
UM, NEW AUSTINITES WHO DON'T KNOW THE EXISTING LAWS, THEY SEE THEIR FRIENDS ALL OVER AT A PARK WITH THEIR DOGS OFF LEASH AND THINK, OH, IT'S AN OFF-LEASH DOG PARK.
WE HAVE A DESIGNATION OFF-LEASH DOGS ON PARKLAND THAT IS LEASH ONLY.
UM, SO CITIZENS CAN'T SAFELY ENJOY THE PARKLAND OFF-LEASH DOGS IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHICH ARE OWNED DOGS, UM, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN'T ROAM AROUND THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND AS YOU KNOW, PART OF WHY I THOUGHT OF THIS IS THAT BAD DOG ATTACK THAT WAS IN MY, UH, TWO BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE.
UM, UH, OPTIONS FOR CITIZENS TO REPORT ISSUES AND THEN CONTINUED EDUCATION AND MONITORING.
AND I THINK THIS IS WHAT WE DIDN'T DO.
UM, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY WAY TO CON COME UP WITH A PLAN TO CONTINUE WHAT WE HAD DONE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'D KIND OF LIKE TO LOOK AT.
UM, I HAD DONE A SLIDE ON THIS, BUT FOR THE GOVERNMENT GROUP, BUT THEN I PULLED IT.
THAT WAS A LAW THAT I, I WANNA INVESTIGATE A BIT WHERE IT'S REALLY CLARIFIED FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHAT'S ANIMAL ABUSE, UM, WHAT'S COVERED UNDER THAT.
AND I'M, I'D LIKE TO MAYBE TALK TO THE LAW DEPARTMENT ABOUT ANY IMPACTS WITH THAT.
IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S CONSTANTLY THEIR DOGS GETTING OUT ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW, CAN WE, IS THERE SOMETHING IN THIS LAW THAT COULD HELP US MANAGE THAT, WHICH WASN'T THERE THE LAST TIME? SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT IT LAST TIME, WHEN WE LOOKED AT CI CITIZEN CONCERNS, WE LOOKED AT HOW, YOU KNOW, NEXT DOOR EMAILS, CONVERSATIONS.
AND SOME OF WHAT WE FOUND IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT BIKES CHASING, CAUSING ACCIDENTS, RUNNING UP TO STROLLERS OR CITIZENS WITH WALKING AIDS.
UM, I'VE GOT A EMAIL FROM I THINK SOMEONE IN DISTRICT 10 WHO WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT TYPE OF THING OUT IN THAT, UH, IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THERE.
UM, AND I'M GLAD, UM, WE GOT THE PARK RANGERS TO GO OUT AND KIND OF PATROL THE AREA.
SO HE WAS REALLY HAPPY THAT HAPPENED.
POOP NOT SCOOPED, NOT ENOUGH TICKETS WRITTEN FOR VIOLATIONS.
SO THE TICKET PROCESS IS REALLY CONFUSING TO PEOPLE ALONG WITH HOW MUCH THE TICKETS ARE DOGS RUNNING UP TO RANDOM ADULTS AND CHILDREN AND, UH, DOG OWNERS WHO REALLY ARE NOT TRAINED TO BREAK UP DOG FIGHTS AND GET INJURED, UH, DOING IT.
UM, SO ONE QUESTION I HAVE FOR ALL OF YOU, UM, IS, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT'S MISSING, ANYTHING THAT YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THAT BEFORE WE KIND OF DIVE INTO THIS THAT YOU, UM, HEAR FROM YOUR, UM, GROUP OR EMAILS OR ANYTHING THAT WE WANT TO ADD? YES.
UM, SO, UH, SO I KNOW THAT, UM, I ACTUALLY HAD SOME CONCERNS FROM, UH, MY COUNCIL PERSON ON EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE WORKING ON HERE WHERE, UM, ESPECIALLY FOR THE SOUTH AUSTIN REC CENTER IS WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY ON THERE.
UM, ALSO TALKING ABOUT HOW PARK GOERS WOULD CALL 3 1 1 OR NINE ONE ONE, BUT THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY NEVER COMES OUT OR IT TAKES HOURS, RIGHT? AND THEN THE PERSON IS GONE.
AND, UM, I GUESS MY, WHAT I HEARD IS THERE ARE ONLY 23 PARK RANGERS IN ALL OF AUSTIN, SO THAT CAN CAUSE, YOU KNOW, LIMITATIONS ON WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY VIABLY ABLE TO DO.
AND UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK PART OF THE QUESTION WAS, YOU KNOW, CAN PARK RANGERS ACTUALLY GIVE OFF LEASH CITATIONS OR THINGS LIKE THAT SO YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THAT WAS DEFINITELY A HUGE CONCERN FROM THE DISTRICT THREE, UH, COUNCIL.
UM, SO SOUTH AUSTIN PARK, UH, REC CENTER IS, UH, INTERESTING BECAUSE I, THAT'S WHERE I GO VOTE.
AND THEY HAVE THIS GIANT SIGN THAT SAYS ALL DOGS MUST BE ON LEASH.
AND THERE WAS EXACTLY ONE PERSON THERE WITH ONE OFF LEASH, DOCK AND
IT'S, UH, AND SIGNS WERE PART OF WHAT WE DID THE LAST TIME AND I WAS SO EXCITED TO SEE THE SIGN AND SO BUMMED TO SEE, UM, THE THE PERSON.
BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT FEEDBACK.
AND I DO, UM, UH, I DO WANT TO LOOK AT NUMBERS AGAIN BECAUSE WE DID TALK ABOUT LIKE, YOU KNOW, TRAVIS COUNTY'S 938 SQUARE MILES.
I THINK WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS, A LIMITED AMOUNT OF, UM, PARK RANGERS AND WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT DO, AND HAS SOME TECHNOLOGY CHANGE WHERE THEY CAN WRITE TICKETS.
I DON'T, THE PARK RANGERS, I DON'T BELIEVE COULD WRITE TICKETS FOR THAT.
UM, PLUS ONE PROBLEM IS, UH, THAT CAME UP THE LAST TIME IS, UH, THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO VERIFY THE PERSON OR DIDN'T AT THE TIME.
UH, SO THEY COULD SAY, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? AND YOU COULD SAY ANYTHING.
[01:35:01]
THE TIME WEREN'T REAL HAPPY ABOUT THE TICKETS, SO IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED ISSUE, BUT I THINK IT'S, UH, WE DEFINITELY WANNA LOOK AT IT AND LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AGAIN.SO CAN WE GO BACK TO SLIDE THING? OH, SORRY.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS CAN PROVE TO BE SOMEWHAT OF A CASE STUDY OR, I LIVED IN MUELLER FOR FIVE YEARS AND A COUPLE YEARS IN MUELLER LAKE PARK, WHICH IS BASICALLY NOW AN OFF LEASH DOG PARK, BUT IT'S NOT MM-HMM
HAD SIGNS ALL OVER IT THAT'S SAID ALL DOGS MUST BE ON LEASH.
AND THEN SIX MONTHS LATER THEY ALL WENT AWAY.
AND THIS IS A PARK THAT HAS, I MEAN, MUELLER IN ITSELF IS, UH, UH, AN ENTIRE CITY PLANNED, UH, AND PARTIALLY FUNDED DEVELOPMENT.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT HAPPENED THERE.
IF THAT WAS AN INTENTIONAL, WE PUT THE SIGNS UP AND TOOK THEM DOWN.
UM, WHAT CAUSED THE SIGNS TO COME DOWN AFTER, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAUSED 'EM TO GO UP AND THEN WHAT CAUSED 'EM TO COME DOWN? I JUST DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S SOME VALUABLE INFORMATION AS TO THE PROCESS THAT MIGHT BE FOUND THERE.
UM, WERE THESE LIKE THE SIGNS YOU PUT IN THE GROUND? YEAH, SO WHAT WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH, WITH OTHER GROUPS, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE, I MEAN, WE DID LOOK AT THOSE SIGNS AND, AND AS COPIES OF SIGNS, THERE WAS A CHURCH.
SO ONE AREA THAT WE LOOKED AT A LOT IS CALLED LITTLE IS REFERRED TO AS LITTLE ZILKER.
AND THERE WAS A CHURCH IN THE AREA THAT OFFERED TO HAVE THEIR SPACE AS AN OFF LEASH DOG SPACE.
AND THEY PUT UP, UM, POOP BA BAGS AND EVERYTHING, AND IT WAS ALL DESTROYED.
UM, WE, THERE WERE SIGNS THEY GET TAKEN DOWN AND THEY OFTEN GET TAKEN DOWN BY CITIZENS BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT IT.
SO I'LL CHECK WITH THE, I CAN PROBABLY CHECK WITH THE HOA OR SOMETHING, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHY THEY CAME DOWN.
I, UH, AND WHO PUT 'EM UP? WERE THEY CITY SIGN? YEAH.
I, I NEVER KNEW THEY APPEARED ONE DAY AND THEN ONE DAY THEY WERE ALL GONE.
SO, SO WE HAD LOOKED AT PUTTING UP SOME SIGNS AND, AND DIFFERENT AREAS, BUT THEY TEND TO GET TAKEN DOWN.
UH, COMMISSIONER NORTON, DO YOU THINK THAT, UM, BRINGING INTO ACCOUNT THE FUNDS THAT WERE USED TO REPAIR FENCES IN AUSTIN IS PART OF THIS WORK GROUP OR NOT SO MUCH? UM, Y YES.
SO THIS IS KIND OF A NEW SLIDE.
UM, SO WHAT I, UM, PLAN TO LOOK AT ARE SOME OF THE 3 1 1 AND NINE ONE ONE CALL DATA RELATED TO OFF LEASH DOGS IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I THOUGHT MAYBE I'D LOOK BACK A YEAR, I MEAN, I CAN'T LOOK AT EVERY CALL, BUT KIND OF GET NUMBER OF CALLS BY CATEGORY LIKE LOOSE DOG OR SERIOUS BODILY INJURY AND KIND OF LOOK AT SOME OF THE FOLLOW UPS ON THE 3 1 1 AND 9 1 1 CALLS.
AND SPECIFICALLY HOW MANY SUGGESTING SUGGESTIONS FOR FENCING CAME? UM, AGAIN, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD SITUATION, I DID A PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST FOR THE ANIMAL PROTECTION, UM, UH, VISITS TO THAT PARTICULAR HOUSE.
UM, I DIDN'T SEE ANY SAYING WE CAN PUT FENCING UP WHEN THAT DOG WAS GETTING LOOSE ALL THE TIME.
UH, AND I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING THAT THE PERSON, THE OFFICER WENT BACK TO THE PERSON WHO MADE THE COMPLAINT AND UM, SAID, WERE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THIS DOG? WAS THIS A SERIOUS SPOT? YOU KNOW, WERE YOU CONCERNED FOR, YOU KNOW, YOUR SAFETY WITH THIS DOG? I DIDN'T SEE THAT.
AND SO I WANNA LOOK AT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BUT, UM, DEFINITELY FENCING SUGGESTIONS IS HIGH ON MY LIST.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD HELP WITH SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD DOGS THAT GET OUT.
UM, IT WOULD'VE HELPED IN THIS SITUATION TO KEEP THE DOG CONTAINED MOST OF THE TIME.
AND THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, IT GOT LOOSE COMING OUT OF A CAR.
UM, SO IT WOULDN'T HAVE HELPED THEN, BUT I THINK THAT'S A BIG ISSUE.
UM, ANYWAY, SO I WANNA SEE THE ACTION ACTION TAKEN FOR REPEAT CALLS.
UM, CAN ANYTHING BE DONE NOW? I, I DON'T KNOW.
SO I WANNA KIND OF LOOK AT PONCHO'S LAW A LITTLE BIT AND UM, I KNOW AT ONE POINT APOS WERE ABLE TO SEND LETTERS TO, UM, PEOPLE WHO LET THEIR DOGS LOOSE SAYING, HEY, WE'VE GOT THIS COMPLAINT, UM, YOU KNOW, BLAH BLAH, BLAH.
ARE THOSE BEING DONE? UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS, WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW? AND, UM, KIND OF THEN, UH, IN THE FUTURE, LOOK BACK AFTER A YEAR TO CONFIRM EDUCATION'S MAKING AN IMPACT.
SO I THINK ONE OF THE FOCUSES OF THE GROUP, IT'S NOT MOVING
YOU KNOW, WHAT COLLATERAL DO WE HAVE? WHAT KIND OF MESSAGING DO WE HAVE? HOW DO WE GET
[01:40:01]
INFORMATION OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA? UM, SHOULD WE CONSIDER HAVING SESSIONS AT LIBRARIES AND BRINGING PEOPLE IN AND TALKING ABOUT IT? 'CAUSE IT GETS SO MUCH, UM, THERE'S SO MUCH ON NEXTDOOR AND SUCH ABOUT THIS, UM, THAT MAYBE PEOPLE WOULD COME, UM, IT WOULD BE KIND OF SCARY MAYBE TO BE THERESO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER FEEDBACK FROM ANY OF YOU, DAVID.
I JUST WANTED TO REINFORCE THE, THE FENCING ISSUE AND UHHUH RELATED TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUE BECAUSE THAT AGGRESSION, UM, FROM A HOME IS A LEARNED PRACTICE BEHAVIOR.
SO THAT, YOU SAID IT HAPPENED FROM A CAR, BUT A DOG THAT'S REPEATEDLY GETTING OUT FROM A FENCE AND LEARNING AND PRACTICING THAT BEHAVIOR, IT WILL TRANSITION OVER TO GETTING OUT OF THE CAR.
SO IF IT HADN'T GOTTEN OUT 25 TIMES PRIOR, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT THAT CAR EXIT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED THE SAME WAY.
JUST I WOULD, I'M, WELL, I'M ENCOURAGING THAT IT'S, THAT'S GOOD FEEDBACK AND I THINK IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT AND I THINK THAT WE DON'T WANT ANYONE'S PET TO GET OUT.
AND I, AND I ALSO, THERE WAS AT ONE POINT I THOUGHT LIKE BUILDERS COULD DONATE LEFTOVER FENCING MATERIAL.
I THOUGHT THAT'S HOW WE GOT FENCING MATERIAL.
I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS FROM THE DONATION FUND.
SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD DO LOOK AT AS A CALL OUT TO BUILDERS AND SAY, HEY, IF YOU HAVE, EVEN IF IT'S, IF WE HAVE A PLACE TO STORE IT, IF IT'S A FEW PANELS OR SOMETHING, WE MIGHT HAVE PLACES TO DO IT WITH THIS PARTICULAR DOG, HE COULD ONLY JUMP OVER FROM ONE AREA.
SO EVEN IF THAT CORNER HAD BEEN SIX, NOT A CYCLONE FENCE, HE PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN OUT SO MUCH.
UM, CAN WE SEE THE COMMISSIONERS AGAIN IN CASE ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
OKAY, MR. DANIEL, THEN WE'LL GET TO THE, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND I DEFINITELY SUPPORT THE, LOOKING AT THE CALLS TO 3 1 1 AND APOS AND SEEING IF THERE'S CALLBACK.
'CAUSE I RECENTLY HAD TO CALL, UM, JUST OVER A WEEK AGO AND REPORTED LOOSE DOGS THAT ARE CONSTANTLY LOOSE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ARE BEING AGGRESSIVE.
AND BOTH OF MY CALLS WERE CLOSED AND I NEVER HEARD FROM AN A PO.
SO I'M REALLY CURIOUS HOW MANY OF THOSE CALLS ARE JUST CLOSED OUT AND NO CONTACT IS MADE.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER VAN LANDINGHAM.
UM, I WONDER IF WE MIGHT WANT TO INVITE CODE COMPLIANCE TO TALK ABOUT FENCING, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S A CODE COMPLIANCE ISSUE, IF I'M NOT WRONG.
UM, FENCING HAS TO BE MAINTAINED, I BELIEVE.
UM, I, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT REGARDING THAT.
I THINK SOME OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE ARE THAT THERE IN, IN, LIKE SAY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S A REGULAR CYCLONE FENCE AND THE DOG COULD GET OVER IT, IT NEEDED A SIX FOOT FENCE, IT NEEDED SOMETHING TO BLOCK IT FROM GOING OVER.
IT'S PROBABLY A FOUR FOOT FENCE.
SO IT WOULD PROBABLY CODE COMPLIANCE WOULD SAY, WELL, YEAH, IT'S A FENCE IN GOOD SHAPE.
THE PROBLEM IS FOR THIS SPECIFIC DOG, IT WOULD SAIL THE FENCE PRETTY EASILY.
SO HAVING THOSE SUPPLIES AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE TO RAISE THE FENCE AND TACK IT DOWN WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN REALLY HELPFUL.
BUT, UM, UH, WE COULD CONSIDER THAT, UM, A GOOD SUGGESTION BY AND LARGE WITH LIKE SIX FOOT FENCES THAT ARE IN BAD SHAPE.
BUT YEAH, IF PEOPLE, IF NEIGHBORS CALL AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS PERSON YEAH, IT, THEY ARE LIABLE FOR DOING IT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I, I THINK TO YOUR POINT, DOES CODE COMPLIANCE KNOW THAT THEY COULD GO, THAT THERE'S A RESOURCE FOR THE PEOPLE TO GET BETTER FENCING? SO I THINK THAT'S GOTTA BE THE MESSAGE.
FENCING, COMMISSIONER HOLT, UM, THIS IS ACTUALLY KIND OF A QUESTION FOR MONICA, WHICH I HAVE ZERO EXPECTATION THAT YOU KNOW THIS INFORMATION OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD.
I THINK SHE CAN ANSWER IT, MAYBE DIG INTO IT POINT OF ORDER.
UM, WE CANNOT HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S NOT IN THE COMMISSION ANSWER QUESTIONS.
I'M SORRY, CAN I ASK A QUESTION AS A VIBE? YES.
AND WE MIGHT KNOW THE ANSWER OR MAYBE SHE'LL NOD AND WE COULD SAY YES OR NO.
UM, I AM WONDERING IF WE HAVE DATA ON HOW MANY PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FENCE
[01:45:01]
RESOURCES IF WE HAVE LIKE, UM, ZIP CODE BREAKDOWN? UM, I, I JUST, I THINK THAT WE HAVE LIKE A REAL FINE LINE THAT WE WANNA WALK, RIGHT? WE WANT DOGS THAT ARE NOT LOOSE AND WE DON'T WANT TO, UM, CRIMINALIZE BEING TOO POOR TO FIX YOUR FENCE, RIGHT? AND I, AND END UP IN A SITUATION WHERE THEN PEOPLE CANNOTYEAH, THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION.
AND THERE WAS ALSO, AT ONE POINT, LIKE A DOGHOUSE PROGRAM BECAUSE I USED, WHEN I WOULD DOG WALK, I'D SEE THE APOS DRAGGING DOG HOUSES THAT THEY'D ALSO GIVE TO PEOPLE TO HELP THEM.
ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD LOOK AT? CAN I SAY ONE OTHER THING ABOUT THE DOGHOUSE? UHHUH
THE DOGHOUSE IS, UM, GREAT, BUT THAT COMES ALONG WITH A LOT OF, UM, OTHER STATE OF TEXAS RULES THAT WE WANNA BE SURE WE'RE FOLLOWING.
LIKE THE DOG HAS TO HAVE CLEAN WATER.
UM, IT CAN'T BE TETHERED LIKE, IT, IT, IT BECOMES MORE COMPLICATED, YOU KNOW? OKAY.
ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, WELL THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK.
ALRIGHT, SO IS THERE, UM, MOTION FOR RENAMING OR YOU JUST WANTED TO DISCUSS, UM, SCOPE OF THE WORKING GROUP? UM, JUST DISCUSS SCOPE.
[6.Approve the addition of members to the Off Leash Dog Working Group. ]
ITEM NUMBER SIX TO APPROVE THE ADDITION OF MEMBERS TO THE OFF LEASH DOG WORKING GROUP.I JUST WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR AGAIN THAT IF ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC IS INTERESTED IN JOINING THE WORKING GROUP GROUP, THEY CAN ALSO EMAIL, UM, THE CHAIR OF THE WORKING GROUP, WHICH IS COMMISSIONER NORTON, UM, AT HER COMMISSION EMAIL, WHICH IS GONNA START WITH A BC UM, AND, AND LET AND, AND GET IN TOUCH WITH HER THAT WAY.
AND THAT'S ALLOWED AT ANY TIME.
AND, AND THEN IT WILL JUST BE FORMALIZED AT AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING, BUT YOUR INVOLVEMENT CAN START ANY TIME.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE WHO'S ASKED ABOUT JOINING.
UM, IT'S JUST THERE IN CASE WE DID SO, YEP.
[7.Approve the addition of members to the Foster Incentives Working Group. ]
ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, APPROVE THE ADDITION OF MEMBERS TO THE FOSTER INCENTIVES WORKING GROUP.AND I BELIEVE THIS WOULD BE COMMISSIONER HOLT.
AND I APOLOGIZE, I DID NOT PUT THIS ON THE THING UNLESS WE HAVE TO DO THIS TO FORMALIZE WHAT HAPPENED AT THE LAST MEETING.
UM, I HAVE NOT ALL OF THE ACTIVE, WERE ALL OF THE ACTIVE MEMBERS APPROVED AT THE LAST MEETING.
SO, BUT LIKE, I GUESS I GET CONFUSED WHEN IT HAPPENS.
IF WE NEED TO DO IT NOW, IT'S ME AND COMMISSIONER VAN LHAM, COMMISSIONER LOMAN AND PAT TRES.
AND IF ANY, AGAIN, IF ANY ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT, THEY CAN JUST EMAIL, UM, COMMISSIONER HOLT AT HER COMMISSION EMAIL ADDRESS AND LET HER KNOW.
AND YOUR INVOLVEMENT CAN START BEFORE YOUR MEMBERSHIP IS FORMALIZED AT A MEETING COMM.
SO I GUESS PAT VAL TRACE IS, HAS NOT YET BEEN FORMALLY VOTED ON.
UM, DO YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION? YES, I WILL MOVE THE FOUR OF US AND THAT, THAT ADDS PAT VAL TRACE SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE ADDITION OF PET VALVE TRACE TO THE, UM, FOSTER INCENTIVES WORKING GROUP? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? UM, COMMISSIONER AHMED JOINED AND HE'S VOTING IN FAVOR, SO THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
[8.Approve a Recommendation to Council regarding breed labeling policies in shelters.]
EIGHT, APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL REGARDING BREED LIT LABELING POLICIES AND SHELTERS.THIS IS ALSO YOU COMMISSIONER HOLT.
SO WE BROUGHT THIS, OR AM I GONNA START? YES, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
[01:50:01]
COOL.UM, SO WE BROUGHT THIS FORWARD LAST MONTH.
WE HAD SOME VALID CONCERNS FROM COMMISSIONERS AND, UM, A SENSE OF CONCERN, UM, FROM MONICA.
SO WE WENT BACK AND REVISITED, UM, WITH OUR WORKING GROUP.
WE HAD, UM, MISTY, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR AT THE WILLIAMSON SHELTER AND MONICA JOIN.
UM, AND WE WENT THROUGH AND TWEAKED THE LANGUAGE SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS THE WHAT DO WE DO IF SOMEONE IS SPECIFICALLY LOOKING FOR, UM, A SPECIFIC BREED, UM, AND TO ADDRESS THE SHELTER LOVE SOFTWARE LOGISTICS CONCERN.
UM, SO BASICALLY ON ITS FACE, THE RECOMMENDATION LOOKS NEARLY IDENTICAL
BUT THERE WAS, UH, I FORGET THE EXACT PLACES WE CHANGED THE WORDING.
WE TWEAKED THE WORDING, UM, AND TWO OF THE S TO ALLOW A LITTLE BIT MORE DISCRETIONARY IMPLEMENTATION, UM, AT THE SHELTER.
AND WE ADDED A, UM, WHEREAS TO ADDRESS CONCERNS THAT SOME OF THE SHELTER VETS HAD HAD ABOUT NEEDING TO INCLUDE A BREED ON THE RABIES CERTIFICATE.
UM, AND WE CON UH, CONFIRMED WHAT THE TEXAS CODE THAT BREED AS A CATEGORY DOES HAVE TO BE ON A RABIES CERTIFICATE, BUT IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE AN A KC RECOGNIZED BREED AND MIXED BREED AS WE HAD PROPOSED, UM, IS PERFECTLY ALLOWABLE AND IS AND DONE AT THE, UM, WILLIAMSON SHELTER AS WELL AS THOSE OTHER SHELTERS REFERENCED IN THE RECOMMENDATION.
UM, IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION? NO DISCUSSION.
ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF PASSING THIS RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL REGARDING BREED LABELING POLICIES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE TIME AND WORK PUT INTO THAT AND FOR CLARIFYING ABOUT THE RABIES CERTIFICATE.
I WAS QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
[9.Approve the Annual Internal Review Report for Animal Advisory Commission. ]
TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE, APPROVE THE ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW REPORT FOR, UM, THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.I HAD PUT THAT ON THERE AND HAD PROMISED, UM, A DRAFT OF THAT AND THEN LEARNED JUST A COUPLE DAYS AGO THAT THE FORMAT THAT THEY WANTED IN IS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM, FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.
UM, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO JUST HAVE A DISCUSSION BECAUSE PART OF IT IS WHAT DOES THE COMMISSION WANT TO DO IN, UM, FUTURE IN THE, IN THE UPCOMING YEAR.
AND SO THAT'S ONE WHERE IT, IT CAN BE GOOD TO HAVE, UM, FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMISSIONERS FOR, FOR THE CHAIR TO WRITE TO WRITE THAT UP.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'LL HAVE TIME TO WRITE IT UP BEFORE THE JULY MEETING, WHICH IS ON WHAT DAY? NABA.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT, BUT LIKE I SAID, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE WHOLE COMMISSION, BUT BE NICE
UM, DO, DO YOU HAVE ANY, LIKE THE OLD VERSION THAT YOU HAD, WHAT WILL BE IT'S NO LONGER RELEVANT, WHICH IS WHAT I LEARNED FROM WORKING ON THE OLD VERSION AND THEN BEING TOLD THAT THEY HAVE A NEW FORMAT.
SO I MEAN THE, THE ONE FROM LAST YEAR'S IN THE BACKUP AND THEN, AND THEN IT'S, AND THEN THE ONE FROM 2024 IS ON THE WEBSITE BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GET LAST YEAR'S APPROVED AND OKAY.
SO YOU ALREADY HAVE IT WAITING IN YOUR EMAIL.
THE
UM, SO, UH, ANY COMMENTS ON ANY INPUT ANY COMMISSIONER WANTS TO HAVE RIGHT NOW ON THE, THE ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW? NO,
[01:55:01]
THAT'S, THANK YOU FOR THE INPUTS,I JUST TRY TO LIKE, I GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY BEFORE I, UM, JUMP IN THERE BECAUSE I HAD BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT IT.
AND SPECIFICALLY ABOUT, UM, FUTURE DIRECTIONS, FUTURE GOALS.
UM, I THINK, UM, I WOULD LOVE FOR THERE TO BE A WAY FOR THERE TO BE FORMAL FOLLOW UP ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE'VE PASSED FOR US TO, UM, INFORM THE PUBLIC AND INFORM THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS ON WHAT WE'VE PASSED HERE.
WHERE HAS IT GONE? IS CITY COUNCIL DOING ANYTHING WITH IT? WAS IT JUST DROPPED? UM, 'CAUSE I THINK IT TOOK, IT'S ONE THING THING FOR US TO SIT HERE AND PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK FOR FALL FOR PASSING A RECOMMENDATION, BUT WHERE, WHERE WE REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IS THE FOLLOW THROUGH.
SO I'D LOVE TO ESTABLISH A FORMAL THAT
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE IMPROVED DEBATE AND DISCUSSION ON THE BUDGET.
LIKE LAST TIME IT WAS JUST ME BEING ON THE WORKING GROUP AND PRESENTING IT AND, AND THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS IT BEING IN THAT MEETING, WHICH IS NOT IDEAL.
UM, UH, WITH A WORKING GROUP CREATED EVERY JANUARY FOR THAT PURPOSE OF WORKING ON THE BUDGET, I THINK THAT WOULD REALLY HELP.
AND UM, THE FIRST ITEM ON THE PURPOSE AND DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION IN OUR BYLAWS IS TO ADVISE CITY COUNCIL AND TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT ON COMPLIANCE WITH TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE CHAPTER 8 23 ANIMAL SHELTERS.
AND I SUSPECT THAT THE MAJORITY OF US ARE WOEFULLY UNFAMILIAR WITH
UM, AND SO I JUST, I WANT TO REDIRECT ATTENTION TO THAT, UM, AND HAVE THIS COMMISSION ACTUALLY DO THAT.
AND, AND, UM, IN FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, I WILL, UH, PROPOSE WHEN, WHEN THE AGENDA HAS TIME THAT WE HAVE THAT BE, UH, A PROPOSED WORKING GROUP.
UM, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, I THOUGHT IT WOULD ALSO BE, UM, VERY HELPFUL IF WE PERHAPS IN A, IN A ROTATING WAY, LIKE PUT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CURRENTLY 12 COMMISSIONERS.
IDEALLY WE'D HAVE 13, BUT THEN THEORETICALLY ONE PERSON PER MONTH COULD TAKE ON, UM, READING CURRENT LITERATURE, BABY LEAVE THE CHAIR OUT OF THIS 'CAUSE SHE ALREADY HAS ENOUGH TO DO.
BUT READING, READING CURRENT LITERATURE, THERE'VE BEEN A LOT OF REFERENCES TO BEST PRACTICES IN ANIMAL SHELTERING.
AND SO I THINK IT'D BE GOOD FOR THE COMMISSION TO SEE WHAT THE PRIMARY LITERATURE IS ON THAT.
UM, AND THEN SO, AND PRESENT IT, UM, HERE TO KEEP THE COMMISSION AND THE PUBLIC UP TO DATE ON THAT.
SO THOSE ARE MY RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND I MAY ALSO EMAIL YOU ADDITIONAL ONES,
IS THERE ANY OTHER, UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? AND SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO TABLE THIS TO NEXT MONTH.
POSTPONE POSTPONE TO NEXT MONTH.
UM, LIKE I SAID, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE IT DONE BY THE MEETING JUST BY JULY 31ST, BUT IF IT'S DONE BY THE MEETING, WE CAN ALL DISCUSS IT AND VOTE ON IT.
SO I SEE ON OUR AGENDA, WE DON'T
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
SPECIFICALLY HAVE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. AGENDA ITEM.CAN I DISCUSS IT? I MEAN, WE, YEAH, IT'S A, IT'S A STANDING.
SO, UH, PRIOR TO ADJOURNMENT, THE LAST AGENDA ITEM IS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. ANY, ANY COMMENT? COMMISSIONER MARIN, CHAIR MARIN
[02:00:01]
MIGHT WANT TO, UM, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.THAT IS A DOMESTIC AND WILDLIFE THING VERY EQUALLY.
AND JUST AS OF THIS MORNING THERE WAS A GOAT, UH, CONFIRMED WITH IT IN GILLESPIE COUNTY.
SO IT IS RAPIDLY, UM, YOU KNOW, STARTING TO MOVE FORWARD, YOU KNOW, NOT A CAUSE FOR PANIC.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, ONE-OFFS HERE AND THERE.
BUT I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, OF DISCUSSION OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT IS, WHAT'S FOUND, YOU KNOW, WHAT PEOPLE CAN POTENTIALLY DO, UM, TO PROTECT THE DOMESTIC ANIMALS AND WHAT TO DO IN RUNNING ACROSS WILDLIFE.
AND IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WANT TO BRING SOMEBODY TO INVITE SOMEBODY IN TO PRESENT ON? OR DO YOU JUST WANNA
WILL IT BE OUTSIDE? I MEAN, RIGHT NOW I'M IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE, SO I KNOW THEY'RE ALSO DEALING WITH THE DOMESTIC SIDE LOOKING FOR TEXAS ANIMAL HEALTH COMMISSION.
SO I'M HAPPY TO TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO WE MAY, WE MAY HAVE ENOUGH EXPERTISE ON THE COMMISSION THAT WE DON'T NEED TO INVITE.
ANY OUTSIDE SPEAKERS ON THAT AND HAVE THAT JUST BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
OR JUST LIKE AN INFORMATIVE OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON, POTENTIAL PROTECTIVE MEASURES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN, UM, SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP DURING PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION FOR A PET REUNI REUNIFICATION WORKING GROUP TO ADDRESS DATABASE ISSUES.
IS THERE A SECOND FOR PUTTING THAT ON NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA? NOT AT THIS TIME.
SO, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT CAN'T BE ON NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA.
IT, UM, AVA, DO YOU KNOW THE DEADLINE FOR ADDING THINGS TO AGENDAS FOR THE JULY MEETING? I, WEDNESDAY FIRST.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1ST WILL BE OUR DEADLINE FOR, UM, ADDING ITEMS TO THE JULY, UM, MEETING.
AND THEN IF, IF THERE'S TIME ON THE AGENDA, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON FORMING A WORKING GROUP ON COMPLIANCE WITH TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE.
IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT? COMMISSIONER NORTON, ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS RIGHT NOW? COMMISSIONER VANLANDINGHAM A QUESTION, MAYBE NOT AN AGENDA ITEM, BUT, UM, THE 4TH OF JULY, I BELIEVE NEXT TO NEW YEAR'S EVE IS THE BIGGEST TIME OF MONTH THAT, UH, PETS GO MISSING.
COULD WE ASK, UM, DIRECTOR DANGLER TO HAVE SOMETHING ABOUT THAT IN HER MONTHLY REPORT? YEAH, THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
WHAT, UM, POINT OF ORDER YOU CAN'T, SORRY.
BE JOAN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COMMISSION.
HEY, FOR THE PRESENTATION, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THE MISSING PETS? UM, THIS IS REAL OFF THE CUFF.
I THINK I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE, TO BE MORE UPLIFTING.
NOT ABOUT WE NEED, WE NEED EDUCATION ABOUT LIKE, KEEP YOUR PETS INSIDE.
YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY THE, THE MEETING WILL BE AFTER JULY 4TH.
BUT YEAH, I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS IN JUNE, UM, FOR THE JUNE MEETING.
BUT LIKE MAYBE A, A PUSH FOR YOU CAN COME GET YOUR TAG AT AA HOUSE
[02:05:01]
ANIMAL SERVICES.UM, DON'T LET YOUR, YOU KNOW, JUST A BIG THING ABOUT DON'T LET YOUR PETS GO MISSING AGAIN ON THIS REALLY SCARY DAY FOR PETS.
AND MAYBE BE SURE AND GET TO THE MICROCHIP CLINIC IF YOU NEED, OR GO TO THE SHELTER BEFORE THEN AND GET YOUR MICROCHIP, WHICH YOU CAN DO ANYTIME THE PRC IS OPEN.
DO I HAVE THAT RIGHT? OR ANYTIME THE SHELTER'S OPEN, ANYTIME THE PC IS OPEN.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW?
I, I THINK IT WOULD BE ALSO, UM, I MEAN WE MEET AFTER THAT, UH, FOR OF JULY, WHICH IS A TOUGH WEEKEND FOR ANIMALS AND FIREWORKS AND ALL THAT STUFF.
IT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW, AND I KNOW THERE'S MORE WORK, UM, HOW MANY MORE ANIMALS COME TO THE SHELTER BECAUSE OF THAT? AND WHAT DO THE, WHAT LESSONS CAN WE LEARN FROM THAT TO PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR TO MAKE IT LOWER THAT AMOUNT? I, I DON'T KNOW.
JUST IDEAS HERE IS, IS A DIFFICULT SITUATION.
SO ARE YOU ASKING FOR AN AGENDA ITEM TO DISCUSS WAYS TO, I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS IT? THIS ISN'T A FOR WHAT WE WANT AN AGENDA ITEM, SO I'M UNCLEAR OF WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
ONE OF MY DOCTORS RAN WITH MY SHOES.
SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT.
SO, UH, I HEARD THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER AARON WAS TALKING ABOUT 4TH OF JULY AND YEAH.
IT WAS AN AGENDA ITEM, BUT IT'S, THEN WE REALIZED IT WAS A LITTLE LATE, BUT WE COULD ADD ONE FOR FUTURE IF SOMEONE WANTS TO DO THAT.
LET ME, YEAH, LET ME THINK ABOUT IT.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER VAN LANDINGHAM.
MAYBE WE COULD LOOK AT NUMBERS, UM, IN 2025 VERSUS 2026 AND HOW WE CAN, UM, HELP DIRECTOR DANGLER AND THE CITY WITH THEIR, UM, LIKE THE PROBLEM WITH THE BIG, UM, THE BIGGEST DAY OF THE YEAR FOR LOSE JOBS AND THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN HELP THEM IN 2027.
AND THE, THE LAST THING THAT I'D LOVE TO GET ON NEXT MONTH'S, UH, COMMISSION MEETING IS WHEN I WAS WATCHING THE, THE MEETING FROM LAST MONTH, I THINK THERE WAS SOME DISCREPANCIES, UM, BEHIND SOMETHING VERY, VERY FACTUAL, UM, THAT, THAT WE NEED TO CLEAR UP AND IT'S POSSIBLE FOR ANYBODY TO MAKE A MISTAKE.
AND I WANNA GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO CLEAR UP FACTUAL ERRORS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THOSE COULD BE VERY MISLEADING TO FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND, UM, TO THE PUBLIC.
AND SO THAT WOULD JUST BE, UM, A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CLAIM THAT IT WAS NOT IN THE BYLAWS FOR THERE TO BE A COMMITTEE ON NO KILL AT ANY POINT SINCE IT WAS PASSED.
'CAUSE IN MY EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, IT WAS ALWAYS THERE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? UH, COMMISSIONER NORTON? IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER DANIEL.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT IS UNANIMOUS.