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Animal Shelter Advisory Committee Minutes - 08/10/2012MINUTES THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ASAC) August 10, 2012 MEMBERS PRESENT: Julie Gibson, DVM i Veterinarian /Member Penny Miller, Citizen -At -Large I Citizen /Member Katrena Mitchell, Chair /Animal Services Administrator I ' Shelter Staff /Member Stephen Dodge, LRCA/Animal Control Supervisor I' City Official /Member Michael Smith, Councillor- District 1 1' Council Liaison Lila Arnold, Animal Welfare Organization Rep. I' Rescue Rep /Member Lou Kreidler, Director of Public Health I Staff Steven Parady, Recording Secretary i Staff I. CALL TO ORDER Katrena Mitchell, Chair, called the meeting to order. II. REVIEW & APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY MINUTES The minutes from the ASAC Meeting on May 11, 2012 were distributed and reviewed. Mrs. Miller made the motion to accept these minutes with a second by Councillor Smith. Motion was carried. III. OLD BUSINESS Ms. Mitchell informed the committee that PAWS Patrol was a collaborative effort between the Humane Society, City of Wichita Falls Animal Services Center and P.E.T.S. Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic would be held on September 29, 2012. Volunteers would be going door to door handing out information and resources on spay and neuter importance, vaccinations, city licenses and the pet pantry in both English and Spanish literature. Mrs. Kreidler informed the committee that they proposed wraps in the new budget for the Animal Control trucks which would include information on spay and neuter, city licenses as well a proposed new vehicle for Animal Control giving each officer their own truck which will also create more coverage. Ms. Mitchell also advised the committee of National No Kill day which took place on June 11, 2012. The Humane Society was out to do onsite adoptions that Saturday and following Monday here at the Animal Services Center which resulted in a total adoptions of 48 animals for both days. She also stated that she hoped they could work together in the future for another event. IV. NEW BUSINESS Mrs. Miller commented that the Facebook page for the City seems to be working very well. She informed the committee she posted a dog on there she found and the owner was located and picked the dog up. Ms. Mitchell stated that the Facebook is working very well because social networking is where everything is at right now and that Animal Services is posting most of the animals that come through on the site. Councillor Smith informed the committee that he was speaking and working with other council members on a spay and neuter ordinance. Mrs. Kreidler asked Ms. Mitchell where the citizen was that came in and had an intact permit. Ms. Mitchell replied that the citizen was from Waco. Ms. Kreidler 1 advised Ms. Mitchell that she may want to contact Waco to see how their ordinance reads. Councillor Smith informed the committee that he'd been doing some research on chained dogs. He then read an article from an organization called Dogs Deserve Better. Councillor Smith also informed the committee of some other states and cities that had laws on chained animals which were California, Connecticut Nevada, Virginia, West Virginia, and Texas and that chaining is prohibited in the following communities around Wichita Falls: Austin, Big Springs, Dallas, Electra, Georgetown, Fort Worth, Irving, Nassau Bay and Lawton, Oklahoma. He read articles from a couple of those cities. Councillor Smith informed the committee that some of the ordinances had some exceptions. Mrs. Kreidler stated that some dogs are jumpers and climbers and the only way to keep them confined is to have them chained or tethered. Dr. Gibson stated that she knows citizens that rent properties and only have a 4 foot fence. Mrs. Miller agreed that it would be okay if only chained for a few hours but not all day. Mrs. Kreidler advised that the issue is with the way the law reads now is that Animal Control would need to be at that address and monitor the length of time that animal has been on the chain. Mr. Dodge stated that the law also reads that it can't unreasonably restrict the animal's movement and who's to say what unreasonable is. Councillor Smith agreed that the law is suggestive. Mrs. Miller stated that she would like to see a spay and neuter ordinance and some kind of chaining ordinance. Mrs. Kreidler would like to have something ready on the chaining ordinance for the first council meeting in November. Ms. Mitchell agreed that it would be a good time line for her to put the information together. Mrs. Kreidler mentioned that it would be better to have a total ban due to it would be hard for Animal Control to enforce anything else. Councillor Smith stated his ideal situation is a total ban and then go through another city entity for tickets and appeals. Mrs. Kreidler stated that it would probably follow the same process as the city license and rabies vaccination which goes through municipal court. Mrs. Kreidler advised the committee that the City won its first vicious case where an animal hadn't bitten. Ms. Mitchell gave the committee the Shelter statistics for last month. Animal Services took in 492 animals, the Humane Society took 38, rescue took 22, 59 of the animals got reclaimed and 357 were euthanized. ADJOURN Ms. Mitchell advised that the next ASAC meeting is set for Friday November 9th, 2012 at 12:00 p.m. Mrs. Miller made the motion to adjourn. Dr. Gibson seconded the motion to adjourn. Motion carried and all were in favor. Katrena itche ASAC Chairman Animal Services Administrator Steven Parady ASAC Recording Secretary Animal Services Sr. Admin Clerk Date Date RECEIVED, ``-N ITY C✓ERK'S OFFIC BY: WE: bl4y��