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Animal Shelter Advisory Committee Minutes - 02/14/2014 RECEIVED IN CITY CLERK'S OFFICE DATE: .Vithi- MINUTES BY: TIME: ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ASAC) February 14, 2014 MEMBERS PRESENT: Jan Herzog I.Citizen/Member Katrena Mitchell f Shelter Staff/Member Lori Weaver I Rescue Rep/Member Lou Kreidler Director of Public Health I Staff Stephen Dodge, LRCA I City Official/Member Michael Smith, Councillor, Councillor-At-Large C Council Liaison Steven Parady, Recording Secretary MEMBERS ABSENT: Holly Hoffman, DVM I Veterinarian/Member 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 November 8, 2013 were distributed and reviewed. Mrs. Herzog made the motion to accept these minutes with a second by Mrs. Weaver. Motion was carried. III. OLD BUSINESS Ms. Mitchell advised the committee that PETS Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic will have completed their 30th fence this weekend, and that frees almost sixty dogs. She also informed the committee that they have two more that have been approved and eighteen on their list to get everything taken care of before final approval. Councillor Smith asked Ms. Mitchell if there have been any citations written for dogs being on chains. Mr. Dodge replied that there have been a few citations written. Councillor Smith asked Mr. Dodge if the citizens that have received the citations if they have kept their dogs off the chain. Mr. Dodge replied that the officers do give the citizens the Chain Off information and follow up to make sure that the dogs are still off the chain. Mrs. Kreidler explained to the committee that the first time the officers go out the give them a ten day notice to fix the issue, either off the chain or applied with the chain off program then their ticketed. Animal Services has ordered some signs that state they are participating in the chain off program due do Animal Control getting the same complaints on the same addresses. Ms. Mitchell also advised the committee that since the last meeting, the draft ordinances they have being working on the last few months were presented at strategic planning. She asked Mrs. Kreidler and Councillor Smith if they would like to give an update on how everything went at the meeting. Mrs. Kreidler advised the committee that some of the issues that the committee had were the fees and the way Animal Services raised the fees. Mrs. Kreidler informed the committee that that what was needed was to find a way to incentivize a way to have your dog spayed or neutered rather than being punitive to those who don't have their animals spayed or neutered. Mrs. Kreidler informed the committee that they are working on a process so that the fees would be lower for those who have their animals spayed and neutered. Also, if the animal is impounded and the animal is spayed or neutered has current shots and city license then it's a free get out of jail the first time. Mrs. Kreidler advised the committee that City Council was fine with all the ordinances but had issues with the fees. Mrs. Kreidler informed the committee she would like to take it to the first City Council meeting in March. Mrs. Kreidler informed the committee that the other thing that they discussed was Animal Services doing some limited adoptions. When looking at the numbers for the past three years, the number of reclaims have gone up. The number of animals that were sent to rescue have gone up. The one area where the numbers stayed constant is the number of animals the Humane Society is taking. It is believed that they are at their saturation point of the number of animals that they can take so what our thought is if Animal Services could start doing limited adoptions here and set aside a couple of large dog cages and small puppy cages and a couple of cat cages and make a commitment to hold those animals for a month. Animal Services would charge a $50 fee which would cover our cost for keeping the animal and they would need to make an appointment for spay and neuter at the vet of their choice, prepay for that and then we would deliver the animal the day of the appointment and they would pick it up that afternoon. Mrs. Kreidler informed the committee that she believes that council was on board with that idea. Mrs. Kreidler advised the committee that it would be a dual cooperative relationship. There are citizens that would adopt from them that wouldn't adopt from us and citizens that would adopt from us that wouldn't adopt from them. Councillor Smith stated that he knows in the past that he's been told that citizens believed that this was the place that they thought they were supposed to go and didn't want to go out there. Mrs. Herzog asked Ms. Mitchell what would be the criteria for the adoption qualifications. Ms. Mitchell informed that we couldn't have a history with the potential adopter, all their animals would need to be spayed and neutered, current on vaccinations and city license. Councillor Smith informed the committee that with the vaccinations, city license, testing all included in the cost at no extra cost to the city and almost as important as a positive image for animal control. IV. NEW BUSINESS Mrs. Kreidler stated that she also believes that this will also help people understand we're not just a kill shelter. Ms. Mitchell informed the committee that the first year Animal Services opened, the euthanasia rate was 66% and of last fiscal year taking out the county animals and owner request euthanasia, it was 56%. Mrs. Kreidler stated that it's a ten percent decrease in three years which she found amazing. Mrs. Herzog stated that Pets Low Cost Spay and Neuter is looking at what their impact is on the community and one would think that with all the animals that it has to have an effect, but there seems to still be a lot of animals coming in. Ms. Mitchell informed the committee that the numbers for January were as high as it's been in over a year and the euthanasia rate was 50.56 percent. Mrs. Kreidler informed the g Y P committee that she was proud of what Ms. Mitchell and her staff have accomplished. Mrs. Herzog asked if they had any information in comparison to other cities our size. Ms. Kreidler replied that we could get those but it would be like comparing an apple and an orange because every body's program is different. Mrs. Herzog asked as far as council members and with the ordinances is there any way they can help. Mrs. Kreidler replied that she doesn't think it would hurt when they get to that point to have people email the representatives saying " I'm aware this is coming before council and I'm in support of this and these are the reasons." Councillor Smith advised that one of the things he thought was genius was a barn cat program, which allows adoptions of semi feral and feral cats and kittens which is unsuitable for home environments to be place in barns, warehouses and other suitable locations. Counsellor Smith also stated that Pets Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic has grant funding for spay and neutering and vaccinations of feral cats. Councillor Smith also informed the committee that the best thing about that program is that there were no fees to adopt the feral cats and doesn't cost the city anything. Councillor Smith asked Mrs. Kriedler to explain what would transpire with the flea markets. Mrs. Kriedler replied that currently as the ordinance stands now flea markets are considered a pet shop and right now the flea market has a pet shop permit so anyone who wants to come in under their permit and set up to sell kittens and puppies and there's no control over that. One of the changes made to the ordinance was to take flea markets out of the definition of a pet shop. So now that each indidvial vendor that wanted to set up would have to get one of the permits that we have set up which is a seller's permit or litter permit. If you have a litter of kittens or puppies and you want to just give them away then you'll need to have a twenty-five dollar litter permit that would need to be posted everywhere to be able to do that. Now we will waive the fee if you agree to set up an appointment to have that animal spayed or neutered. For the breeders permit if you are actively breeding you'll have to pay one hundred fifty dollars for that permit, and again if they spay and neuter that animal we will waive that fee, and if you want to sell the litter then you'll need a seller's permit. Mrs. Kriedler also informed the committee that another thing that was added and was kind of aggressive was a stud permit so if they are going to stud their male animal out then they will need to pay a permit fee each time they stud the animal. Mrs. Kriedler also stated that the puppies will have to be at least eight weeks for them to be weaned from their momma. So if someone wanted to turn in a litter of puppies to us they would have to do so with the momma if they are under eight weeks. Ms. Mitchell stated that it would hold the citizens accountable because there are a lot of community resources available to them. Mrs. Kreidler also stated that there is an educational course they would be required to take when they get a permit and the fee is included with the permit fee. Councillor Smith stated that he would like to see those take effect immediately. Mrs. Kreidler replied that she would like the thirty days to provide information and education to the community since they are requiring new permits. Ms. Mitchell informed the committee that World Spay Day was coming up on February 25th and that Animal Services would be hosting a micro chipping clinic that would be free to anyone scheduling a spay and neuter appointment at the vet of their choice and the P.E.T.S. clinic will be on hand that afternoon from two to six making appointments on site and for any animals that is already spayed and neutered, and we will also be doing the same thing at the Health Departments health's fair on April 5`h Ms. Mitchell also stated that they will set up some event's with the Obedience Club and PAWS for Greatness to set up some event and to set up a dog walk and there be stations set up where they can learn about health care information for their pets and a few pet contest and a pet food drive for the P.E.T.S. food pantry. Mrs. Mitchell stated that those are two community events that we are looking forward to. ADJOURN Ms. Mitchell advised that the next ASAC meeting is set for Friday May 9, 2014 at 12:00 p.m. Mr. Dodge made the motion to adjourn. Mrs. Herzog seconded the motion to adjourn. Motion carried and all were in favor. ThCkJQO Katrena Mitchell Date ASAC Chairman Animal Services Administrator 1. s % Steven arady Date ASAC Recording Secretary Animal Services Sr.Admin Clerk