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Animal Shelter Advisory Committee Minutes - 08/30/2019 THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ASAC) MINUTES August 30, 2019 Animal Services Center 1207 Hatton Road Wichita Falls, Texas COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Nicki Bacon Animal Shelter Administrator Amanda Pfeffer Local Rabies Control Authority Leslie Harrelson Public Citizen Marvin Peevey Animal Walfare Organization COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENCE: Bryan Wade, D.V.M Veterinarian OTHERS PRESENT: Lou Kreidler Director of Public Health Amy Fagan Assistant Director of Public Health Steve Jackson City Council Liaison Diann Bowman Animal Care and Adoption Supervisor I. CALL TO ORDER Nicki Bacon, Chair, called the meeting to order. II. REVIEW & APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY MINUTES The minutes from the ASAC Meeting from July 26, 2019, were distributed and reviewed. Mrs. Harrelson made the motion to accept these minutes with a second by Mr. Peevey The motion was carried. III. OLD BUSINESS None. IV. NEW BUSINESS Mrs. Kreidler handed out a draft of the new proposed ordinance to the committee. Mrs. Kreidler informed the committee that they have held all of the stakeholder meetings accept for the dangerous dogs and a couple of commercial permit holder that were not able to attend the previous meeting. Mrs. Kreidler stated that meeting is to be held September 3, 2019 at 2 p.m. Mrs. Kreidler informed the committee that she used the same power point for all the stakeholder that she had used for the Animal Shelter Advisory Committee and highlighted and went more indepth to the area that pertained to that group she was presenting too. Mrs. Kreidler stated that they had received some great feed back from the stakeholder meetings and made changes to the draft ordinace based on that feedback. Mrs. Kreidler stataded that what she wanted to present the proposed changes to the Animal Shelter Advisory Committee. Mrs. Kreidler stated that the first change was on page three. Mrs. Kreidler informed the committee that when they had the feral cat colony stakeholder meeting they made some significance 1 THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ASAC) MINUTES August 30, 2019 changes to that section of the ordinance. In line with that there was xome change to some of the wording. Some of the change was feral cat caregiver., permited instead of registered. Mrs. Kreidler stated that they changed the title to feral cat management so that would be reflected with feral cat care giver. She contuined stated that they changed the definition for a feral cat colony. The definition is now five or more cats that live together in one territory, often near food source and shelter. Mrs.Kreidler stated that they would get more indepth of why the definition was added what they are doing with it when they get to that section. Mrs. Kreidler informed the committee the next change was on page thirteen and that is under license defenses and they just changed the language to match the feral cat colony section. Councilman Jackson aksed what if you have a barn and you have cats around your barn? Mrs. Kreidler replied that those cats are considered barn cats. In section D under wearing of a collar or harness, one of the comments that we received is that it would be dangerous for a barn cat to be wearing tags that are clinking. In our definantion of what a feral cat is a barn cat is actually defined as a feral animal so we needed away to address that so we changed it in section B. Under the wearing of a collar or harness it should be unlawful for any cat owner to provide the cat with a collar what was changed at the end was wording it is a defense to prosecution that the cat is permitted as a member of a feral cat colony, a feral non membercat ora designated barn cat. Mrs. Kreidler contunied stating that the next change was in the livestock section under the livestock permits. Mrs. Kreidler informed the committee that they received a lot of feed back from a veterinarian and from the stakeholder meetings. The wording was that livestock had to have identifying tags and they do not put identifying tags on horses and if you show horses then you do not want to tag them or brand them. So we change the the language stating that all bovine shall have some type of identifying marker such as a brand or ear tag to help identify the owner. All identifying markers shall be documented. All other livestock shall provide picture documentation of owned livestock to the Animal Services Center. When we were talking to Mrs. Pfeffer and deciding what we wanted to do with that they can take that picture documention and upload it so if they get a call in the middle of the night they pull the pictures from the folders. That is the point of them provding the identifying information to us, is so if the animals get loose we have a way to identify where those animals go. Mrs. Kreidler contuined. Under the pet fancier permit one of the concerns that was brought up was an individual who has a pet fancier permit was that she has show animals. With show animals you can not show them if they have been fixed. So we added language stating an animal my be exempt from spay and neuter requirments if the owner can chow current proof of registration with a recognized national show group. Mrs. Harrelson asked the animal may be exempt that it will still be up to Aninal Services descretion. Mrs. Kreidler asked if they needed to remove the word may. Mrs. Harrelson contuined because you have people the create bully breed show groups and then they register them. Mrs. Kreidler replied but they have to be with nation registered group. Mrs. Harrelson replied that the red bully group are a reconzied group. They have created their own group. So she liked the work may. Mrs. Pfeffer replied that keeping the word may gave them more discretion. Mrs. Kridler continued with feral cats. Mrs. Kridler advised that the ordinace use to say feral cat colony management. She stated that it has been changed after talking to the feral cat colony groups that they are two very distinct issues. Individsld that have feral cat colonies that they are taking care of and those individals that are feeding cats in their back yards or in a diffmt locations but are not really a colony. The example that was giving was that there was a lady that was feeding three cats in her backyard, and she wanted to trap those cats get them spayed or neutered and vaccinated and put them 2 THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ASAC) MINUTES August 30, 2019 back in her backyard. So that not considered a conoly it three cats. Mrs. Kreidler informed the committee that they chaned the name because they chaged one of the sections. They reason for adding the feral cat colony definition is that a colonly is defined as five or more and how we came up with that number is that you can have four or less animals and not need a pet fanicers permit. So a colonly is five or more and then that places that in to a permit for a feral cat colony. We created a section the feral non colony member cat management. That is for or last cats and they must meet all of the requirments. Mrs. Kriedler stated that it must be for or less cats except haveing permissipon from the neighbors. The lanague in 14-220 was really broad it said that you had to get permission from your neighboring property. We really didn have s good difination. We called a few people and asked what that was and we look at that and we were told it had to be contuiniou property. So if there is a street in front of your property then that not a contuiniousproperty to ypou fromt if you have an ally in the back there is no couniousd property in the back. So that would just require getting permission from the neighbors on either side of you or if you live on the corner then you would onlyneed permission from the neighbor beside you. Mrs. Kreider contuined so Mrs. Kreidler, Mrs. Fagan and Mrs. Pfeffer visited after the meeting and came up with signed by every owner where a shared property line exist. So it would mean that they would then need permission from three neghbors. Mrs. Kreidler sated that she called both individals that were at the feral cat stakeholder meeting and spoke with both of them about the change because their biggest concers that they had was fulfilling the permission requirments. They stated that it was really hard for them and the sited that as one of the reasons that they couldn't come into complinance. The other concer they had was the microchip due to the cost. Mrs. Kreidler stated that Mrs. Pfeffer had a really good explaintion for getting them microchipped. Mrs. Kreidler asked Mrs. Davis if she wouldn't mind giving the committee her explaintion. Mrs. Pfeffer the contuined with the cats. The animal control officer will go throught the training and she staed she was excitd about that. All the cats will be scanned and would be registered with that colony or the free roaming no colony cats they can actually go instead of bringing them to the shelter we can take them back since they are going to be listed we will know where that is and returned it back .Also by having the cat registerd there if it is wandering out we can also have that open dilouge and communication with the care giver to let them know what's going on Mrs. Pfeffer stated that she knew it meant microchip all of those cats but it would have a greater impact with help those care takers. It will also hekp us identify the cats. Mrs. Harrelson replied that she spoke to Mrs. Russell and that she was fine with the microchipping. Mrs. Harrelson was also excited about the information that if there were complaints then they were going to educate the citizen that these cats live here heres the reason that us taking it doesn't work. Mrs. Kreidler asked Mrs. Pfeffer to explain the educational component. Mrs. Pfeffer replied that at the beginning of the year when she sat with the Animal Cotrol Officers we listed out some goals. The Animal Control Officer informed Mrs. Pfeffer that they wanted to be more of an educational piece. To incorporate this particular issue that we have is going to make a big impact. Having pamplets and having all this education information for the officers to pass it down not only to those that have the cats there but also to the complaintant the person we are talking to that is having the issues with the cat being there and informing them that thee is a purpose for the cats and that this person is actually being responsible and how amy cats that they are preventing by having those cates spayed and neuterd and by having that colony and doing it responisibilty. And trying to explaint to them the benefit of whats going on so there's not just a one sided you need to fix the problem. I think that it is really going to help. Mrs. Harrelson replaied that she was excited about the education. Mrs. Pfeffer replied that the feral cat issue isn't going to go away but this will improve it and having more convestions, more 3 THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ASAC) MINUTES August 30, 2019 education, and more diolouge. Mrs. Harrleson replied that she was exited and that this whole process from changing the name to animal care officers to the educations makes everything seem friendly. Mrs. Kreidler stated she was really excited about the education and progress as well. Mrs. Bacon state tht page 31 of the had some changes on it. Mrs Kreidler stated that they had changed that. Mrs. Kreidler stated that it's amazing that all of the staff in this room has wrote this ordinance time and time again and we had some one point out that when we changed all the foster information we left the number of animal that you could have in there and so that was unintentional so we simply pulled that out and replace it with the language the number of foster animal allowed will be based on adequare housingas determined by the size of animals being housed. That just keeps it consistant rather it's a pet fanicers or a foster. Mrs. Bacon advised of another change was on page 34. Mrs. Kreidler informed that this was another update to the Running at large section. That if an animal got out and it was a show animal due to the weather or other circumstances then we added that the sterilization under this section may be waived for the first at large if the owner can show current proof of registration with a recognized national show group. So that gives that group one oops then the second time the animal would need to be sterilized. Mrs. Kreidler continued with the dangerous dogs. Mrs. Kreidler stated that they had not meet with that group yet but does not see them making any changes to that section. Mr. Peevey asked if there were very many? Mrs. Pfeffer replied that right now the dogs they actively currently inspect is four. Mrs. Kreidler replaied that it's a small group and does not expect them to be happy with the changesd that have been made but doesn't think they will make any changes. Mrs. Kreidler stated that the requirments are just more stringant and they will have to come into compliance. Mrs Kreidler stated that again the right of ower to reclaim fee that's the same sterilization language that was in the others for the national show group. Mrs. Kreidler stated that those were the changes that were made since the committee met and went over the ordinance. She also informed the committee that she been very pleased with the stakeholders meetings and the feedback has been great and the changes that have been made based on those meetings. She stated that they do have have one stakeholder meeting left but was still asking for the reccomandation today to bring the ordience and changes to the Board of Health. She also said that if there were in changes from the meeting with the dangerous dog stake holders then they would email those changes out to the committee. Mrs. Kreidler asked for the recommandtion to take the ordience forward to the Board of Health for a vote to recommend the ordiance to council. Mrs. Harrelson asked if that would included the new fees. Mrs. Kreiler replied that the fees are seprate from this oridnance. That they would be two separate ordinaces when they go to council. Mr. Peevey made the motion to take the ordiences and changes to the Board of Health. Mrs. Harrelson seconed the motion. The motion carried all were in favor. Mrs. Kreidler wanted to thank the staff for all the work tha they have put into the revision of the ordience. She stated the staff has been working on this for over a year and that this is version twenty- two of the revisions. She also thanked the committee for their feedback. Mrs. Bacon also thanked the committee. Mr. Peevey stated that he really like how they involved all the groups and got their feedback and including them so that everyone was on the same page. Mrs. Pfeffer stated that she felt like this was a fresh start. Mrs. Harrelson agreed. Mrs. Harrelson so stated that she feels that it brings our community up to par with others that are more animal friendly and paves the way also for those communites that are behind us. 4 THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ASAC) MINUTES August 30, 2019 Mrs. Kreidler stated that she brough the fee changes so that the committee can see the proposed changes. She stated that with the process with the fees. They looked at several cities around the state and looked at what their fees were for similar services. They looked at what we were charging for our fees and how long it had been since we had increased those fees. She stated that she printed out two different copies of the fee list one with track changes and one without so the committee could see what the fee were being increased too. Mrs. Kreidler contuined the spayed an neuter one year license for an animal is going from $7.00 to $10.00 that fee hasn't been increased in some time and the city license run concurrent with your rabies. She informed the committee that they added the two year license because you have individals that move to town or come in when they are in the second of the year rabies vaccinations and prior to they had to choose either a one year or a three year and thatr really pentilized them if they had a three year vaccination. So the two city license is $15.00 and the three year is $20.00 so if they get their three year license it's like buying two years and getting one free. For an animal that is not spayed and neutered the one year city license is $30.00 the two year is $60.00 and the three year is $90.00 and there is no price brak for the additional years. The dangerous animal was increased from $100 for a one-year spayed and neutered animal and $125.00 for an animal that wasn't spayed or neutered was increased to $400 and the license is only good for one year. Currently license runs concurrent with your rabies vaccinations so they could have gotten a three year license but we are not contuining that anymore. Now it's just they one year license an it's $400 dollars and they have to have inspection to renew that license and it has to be renew now every year. Mrs. Kreidler contuined with the cost of the duplicate city tag is $7.00 and we did not change that price. Mrs. Kreidler Contuined to commerical permits. She stated that this section is completely different from what they had because the old section was a mess. She informed the committee that they did this to mirror the ordinance. They have two different sections now they have a commercial permit section and a residential section. She also stated that they lowered some of the permit fees based on the stakeholders feedback and the perctange that they had raised those fees and felt like what we frist proposed was a little higher than they needed to do and that they do have the ability to go to council with fees every year so if they feel the need to increase any of the fees they can do that. Mrs. Kreider stated that most of the commercial permits are going to be a$150 dollars. The kennel permit is $125 they looked at what the fees where there use to be three categories of fees based on the numbe of animals you could kennel. That has changed in the ordience now if you kennel one or a hundred dogs the fee is the same. The requirements are the same. The new permits this year the wildlife education center and the rehablition they are both set at $50.00 those all non profit orginations. We did added a permit reinspection fee if we have to go out to the same place multiple times to do an inspection then they need to be paying for us to continuely go out to do that inspection. Mrs. Kreidler stated on the residential permit those went up minimally. The livestock increased from $35.00 to $75.00. She stated that these fees had not been adjusted in sometime and it takes the officer some time to do the inpection of the property and to get all the identification of the livestock that was out of compliance. The other permits are $50 dollars, the rabbits are $25.00, the swine is $45 and as reminder there will not be any new swine permits accept for those that are grandfathered in and then there is a reinspection and reapplication fee that have been added. Under the speacl permits there is the feral cat colony in the old ordience there was actually two. 5 THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ASAC) MINUTES August 30, 2019 ADJOURN No date was set for the next meeting. Mr. Peevey made the motion to adjourn. Mrs. Harrelson seconded the motion to adjourn. The motion carried all were in favor. Li- a3 -ak Nicki Bacon Date ASAC Chairman Animal Services A inistrator sum a3-2 Steven Parady Date ASAC Recording Secretary Animal Services Sr.Admin Clerk 6