Versión en español a continuación. Special Meeting of the Animal Advisory Commission Monday, October 12, 2020 Animal Advisory Commission Meeting to be held October 12, 6 to 8:30 p.m., with Social Distancing Modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance by NOON on Sunday, October 11. All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the Animal Advisory Commission Meeting, residents must: • Call or email the board liaison, Belinda Hare, at Belinda.hare@austintexas.gov or 512-978-0565, no later than noon, Sunday, October 11. Email works best for communicating. Information required is the speaker’s name, item number(s) you wish to speak on, whether you are for/against/neutral, and a telephone number or email address. • Once a request to speak has been called in or emailed to the board liaison, residents will receive either an email or phone call providing the telephone number to call on the day of the scheduled meeting. • Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. • Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. • Handouts or other information may be emailed to Belinda.hare@austintexas.gov by noon on Sunday, October 11. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. • If broadcast live, the meeting may be watched here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Reunión del Animal Advisory Commission FECHA de la reunion October 12, 2020, 6 – 8:30 p.m. La junta se llevará con modificaciones de distanciamiento social Se permitirán comentarios públicos por teléfono; no se permitirá ninguna entrada en persona. Todos los oradores deben registrarse con anticipación noon, Sunday, October 11, antes del mediodía). Todos los comentarios públicos se producirán al comienzo de la reunión. Para hablar de forma remota en la reunión, los residentes deben: • Llame o envíe un correo electrónico al enlace de la junta en Belinda.hare@austintexas.gov or 512-978- 0565 a más tardar al mediodía (el día antes de la reunión). La información requerida es el nombre del orador, los números de artículo sobre los que desean hablar, si están a favor / en contra / neutrales, y un número de teléfono o dirección de correo electrónico. • Una vez que se haya llamado o enviado por …
Animal Advisory Commission Meeting Schedule 2021 • March 8 (SXSW is March 15 – 21, 2021) • November 8 (Veteran’s Day is Thursday, November 11) Animal Advisory Commission Meeting Schedule for 2021 Second Mondays Second Mondays, 2021: • January 11 • February 8 • April 12 • May 10 • June 14 • July 12 • August 9 • September 13 • October 11 • December 13 [Type here]
Animal Advisory Commission Meeting October 12, 2020 Agenda Item 4b Backup submitted by Commissioner Ryan Clinton The Human Animal Support Services ("HASS") initiative includes planning and implementing the following programs: • Supporting and encouraging owners of pets to rehome their animals rather than burdening the shelter system. • Supporting and encouraging persons who find pets to return the animals to their owners. • Supporting pet owners who want to keep their animals by providing, if necessary, veterinary medical and behavioral support. • Working to find outcomes for animals before they enter the shelter system (or as soon as • possible thereafter). Improving services to traditionally underserved communities and those that may lack the resources necessary to utilize existing shelter services. HASS does not include: • Closing intake. • Long waiting periods for adoptions, owner surrenders, or stray intake.
Ordinance No. 20191017-025 Section 3-1-26 - Add language to (A); (2) has new language; original numbers (2) and (3) become (3) and (4): 3-1-26 NOTICE TO RESCUE ORGANIZATION (A) Not less than two business days before the euthanasia of any animal that does not qualify for exemption under Section C, the City animal shelter must: (C) This section does not apply to: (1) An animal who is irremediably suffering; (2) An animal who has been recommended for euthanasia for humane reasons or to protect the public from imminent danger to persons or property. To qualify, the animal must meet four of the following decision-making criteria: i. Multiple severe bites in either a single incident or multiple incidents. ii. Escalation to severity of bite incidents. iii. No immediate warning preceding a bite or bites. iv. Immediately after the bite occurs, the animal’s behavior appears to return to normal. v. Demonstrated aggression to other animals, most often including severe injury or death. vi. Demonstrated aggression to humans, most often including documented bites. vii. Shelter staff cannot safely care for or transfer the animal. (3) A dog whose release to a rescue organization would violate a court order; or (4) A dog with a documented history of unprovoked biting that has resulted in severe injury to a person.
August 2020 August 2020 Animal Services Report ANIMAL SERVICES REPORT Animal Services News Animal Protection month of August. • A total of 427 animals were adopted (207 dogs, 208 cats, one livestock and one bird). • A total of 95 dogs and cats were returned to their owners (RTOs). • A total of 851 animals were brought to the shelter (519 stray, 196 owner surrender, 23 abandoned, 50 public assist and 63 wildlife). • Animal Protection Officers (APOs) returned 52 animals to their owners in the field during the • Officers handed out 38 fencing assistance applications, implanted eight microchips and impounded 171 injured animals. • Officers entered 207 rabies exposure reports and submitted 48 specimens for rabies testing. Eight bats tested positive and one raccoon. o The raccoon interacted with a dog in downtown Austin, so notification was sent out to the community regarding the positive test and to advise caution. APO’s are impounding any sick raccoons from this area regardless of contact to confirm that it was an isolated incident. • Animal Protection, along with other workgroups from Animal Services assisted in Hurricane Laura relief both at the intake facility at Circuit of the Americas and the temporary shelter set up by the city at the Austin Convention Center. • Wildlife APO received 55 total coyote-related activities: o 23 sightings o 20 wild sick reports of mange o 2 incidents involving pets o 2 observations o 1 encounter involving pet o 1 wild injured o 1 assist public involving sending emails to residents • Out of 55 coyote related activities, 26 fell within the reported behavior types (sighting, encounter, and incident). Incidents: Pets and livestock were a factor in all 4 activities • o 1 incident involved a coyote jumping into a fenced backyard and killed dog. o 1 incident involved a coyote taking off leash cat. Was unable to contact resident. • Encounters: Pets were a factor in 3 out of 4 activities August 2020 Animal Services Report between and the coyote ran off. Volunteer, Foster and Rescue Programs o 1 encounter involved a coyote following a girl walking her dog. A resident stepped in- • AAC continues add volunteer support incrementally. In August dog walkers increased to five walkers per day, and cat volunteers now have three spots per day. An anesthetic recovery volunteer spot has also been added, and additional recruitment efforts are being made …
ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20201012-4b Seconded By: Nancy Nemar Date: October 14, 2020 Subject: Human Animal Support Services (HASS) Motioned By: Craig Nazor Recommendation The Animal Advisory Commission recommends that the City of Austin Animal Services participate in the HASS pilot program as a tier 1 city. Description of Recommendation to Council HASS will fundamentaly transform animal sheltering from the outdated 120 year-old pound/shelter model into the human animal support services model that emerged during the COVID-19 crisis. This new model will provide community based support and services that value all humans, all animals and their bond. What are the goals? • Rehoming without using the shelter kennel • Lost and Found without using the shelter kennel • Keeping Pets with Family by providing medical and behavioral support • Public Safety Reimagined • Intake to Placement ASAP What is HASS? ● HASS provides CASE Management to find the RIGHT pathway for each individual animal and person ● HASS is creating a network of community fosters who are able to accept animals instead of putting them in a shelter kennel ● HASS is sheltering animals who have no other legitimate option ● HASS is a transition - as programs are built, animals and people use those programs What HASS is not. ● HASS is NOT leaving animals on the streets to die ● HASS is NOT forcing people to be part of the network of support ● HASS is NOT preventing animals from entering the shelter who really need to be there ● HASS is NOT a sudden beginning 1 of 2 Rationale: HASS will be the most significant change to Animal Services any of us will ever participate in. Therefore it is our expectation and request that the City Council do the following as part of any resolution. a. Set up a task force of city employees, citizens, commission members and public officials to work on fully integrating Animal Services with Human Services initiatives. b. Set clear performance metrics that show shift in services, budget, efficacy of new programs and outcomes. Vote For: 8 Against: 3 Abstain: 1 Absent: one vacancy Respectfully submitted. Attest: AAC Chair 2 of 2
ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20201012-4b Seconded By: Nancy Nemer Date: October 14, 2020 Subject: Human Animal Support Services (HASS) Motioned By: Craig Nazor Recommendation The Animal Advisory Commission recommends that the City of Austin Animal Services participate in the HASS pilot program as a tier 1 city. Description of Recommendation to Council HASS will fundamentaly transform animal sheltering from the outdated 120 year-old pound/shelter model into the human animal support services model that emerged during the COVID-19 crisis. This new model will provide community based support and services that value all humans, all animals and their bond. What are the goals? • Rehoming without using the shelter kennel • Lost and Found without using the shelter kennel • Keeping Pets with Family by providing medical and behavioral support • Public Safety Reimagined • Intake to Placement ASAP What is HASS? ● HASS provides CASE Management to find the RIGHT pathway for each individual animal and person ● HASS is creating a network of community fosters who are able to accept animals instead of putting them in a shelter kennel ● HASS is sheltering animals who have no other legitimate option ● HASS is a transition - as programs are built, animals and people use those programs What HASS is not. ● HASS is NOT leaving animals on the streets to die ● HASS is NOT forcing people to be part of the network of support ● HASS is NOT preventing animals from entering the shelter who really need to be there ● HASS is NOT a sudden beginning 1 of 2 Rationale: HASS will be the most significant change to Animal Services any of us will ever participate in. Therefore it is our expectation and request that the City Council do the following as part of any resolution. a. Set up a task force of city employees, citizens, commission members and public officials to work on fully integrating Animal Services with Human Services initiatives. b. Set clear performance metrics that show shift in services, budget, efficacy of new programs and outcomes. Vote For: 8 Against: 3 Abstain: 1 Absent: one vacancy Respectfully submitted. Attest: AAC Chair 2 of 2
SPEAKER LIST: Animal Advisory Commission Remote Meeting, Monday, Oct. 12, 6 to 8:30 p.m. Item 4b F/A/N F Name Ellen Jefferson 10/9; 3:07 pm Lucy Fernandez 10/11; 9:31 am Christine Poreca 10/11; 9:52 am Sandra Muller 10/11; 11:15 am Yolanda Rodriguez 10/11 11:46 am Pat Valls-Trellis 10/11; 11:49 am 4b 4b 3a 3b 4b 2a 2a F F A F A A A
AAC Meeting Minutes 2020-10-12 ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION SPECIAL CALLED MEETING October 12, 2020 APPROVED DECEMBER 17, 2020 The Animal Advisory Commission convened, via video conferencing, in a Regular Meeting, Monday, October 12, 2020, 6 p.m. Chair David Lundstedt conducted a verbal roll call and called the Commission Meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. Commission Members in Attendance: David Lundstedt, Lisa Mitchell, Craig Nazor, Katie Jarl, Palmer Neuhaus, Edward Flores (joined the meeting during Item 3b), Dr. Jon Brandes, Nancy Nemer, Monica Frenden, Andrea Schwartz, JoAnne Norton, and Ryan Clinton. Commission Members Absent: District 4 Vacant Staff in Attendance: Don Bland, Jason Garza, Belinda Hare Speakers included (agenda item): • Ellen Jefferson, 2a • Lucy Fernandez, 2a • Sandra Muller, 3a; 3b; 4b • Yolanda Rodriguez, 2a • Pat Valls-Trellis, 2a 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Nazor moved to approve the minutes from the September 21, 2020, Special Called Meeting; Commissioner Nemer seconded the motion. Commissioner Norton abstained. Motion passed 10 - 2 with one abstention and Commissioner Flores not present. Commissioners Lundstedt, Mitchell, Nazor, Jarl, Neuhaus, Brandes, Nemer, Frenden, Schwartz, and Clinton voted to approve. Commissioner Flores joined the meeting at Item 3b; District 4 position is vacant. 1 AAC Meeting Minutes 2020-10-12 2. Staff Briefings a. Don Bland, Chief Animal Services Officer (CASO), and Jason Garza, Deputy CASO, presented the August 2020 Austin Animal Center and Animal Services Reports. 3. OLD BUSINESS a. Update, Discussion and Possible Action regarding Workgroup on Austin Animal Center’s Shelter-Neuter-Return (SNR) Program No action. b. Update, Discussion and Possible Action regarding Code Revision Workgroup. Commissioner Schwartz moved to adopt changes to the ordinance as presented by Commission Norton; Commissioner Nazor seconded the motion. Commissioners voted 9 to 3 against the motion. Those voting against included Commissioners Lundstedt, Mitchell, Jarl, Neuhaus, Frenden, Nazor, Brandes, Nemer and Clinton. Commissioners Norton, Flores and Schwartz voted for the motion. District 4 is vacant. 4. NEW BUSINESS a. Update, Discussion and Possible Action on the Commission’s 2021 meeting schedule. Commissioner Mitchell moved the meeting schedule as presented; Commissioner Jarl seconded the motion which passed unanimously 12 to 0, with all Commissioners present voting for the meeting schedule. to accept b. Update, Discussion and Possible Action on Human Animal Support Services (HASS). Commissioner Nazor moved to recommend City Council participate in HASS; Commissioner Nemer seconded the motion which passed 8 to 3, with Commissioner Frenden abstaining. Those voting in favor …
