Backup — original pdf

Backup

RESOLUTION NO. Whereas, the Austin Animal Center (Center) is operated by a Chief Animal Services Officer and management team (Leadership); and Whereas Leadership has consistently failed to provide the Animal Advisory Commission (Commission) with the data necessary to monitor the ongoing status of the Austin City Council (Council)-mandated No-Kill Policy; and Whereas Leadership has disregarded the guidance of the Commission and violated the City of Austin’s stray-hold ordinance which has exposed the City to legal liability, and caused the placement of animals the City did not yet own and should have held for possible reunification with their owners; and Whereas Leadership's monthly reports are confusing, misleading, incomplete, and lack transparency to the Commission and to the public; and Whereas Leadership has alienated partnership organizations, volunteers, and other stakeholders, which has contributed to shelter overcrowding and lack of volunteer support for shelter pet care and adoptions; and Whereas Leadership has failed to adequately manage or support lifesaving foster and volunteer programs and to engage the willing public to help; and animals; and Whereas Leadership has failed to provide adequate services to help reunite or assist taxpayers with lost or found Whereas Leadership has ceased to provide or substantially reduced animal-related services to the public on Sundays, citing inaccurate and incomplete information to support their rationale; and Whereas Leadership has stopped providing intake and pet owner support services on weekends, when they are generally most-needed by Austin residents; and Whereas Leadership has not indicated they plan to reinstitute animal services previously provided to Austin Whereas Leadership refuses to implement data-driven, best practices to alleviate the ongoing space crisis; and Whereas Leadership refuses to prioritize the use of taxpayer funds to address the most urgent needs of the residents; and shelter; and Whereas Leadership has consistently failed to tell the public about or market the ‘long stay’ dogs, despite lengths of stay in excess of one year; and Whereas Leadership’s out-of-state transport program contributes to the space crisis, denies taxpayers a selection of highly adoptable pets, and moves animals to kill communities which is incompatible with the Council-mandated No-Kill Policy; and Whereas Leadership has not responded to Commissioners’ requests for data on the out-of-state transport program; and Whereas Leadership refuses to collaborate with the volunteer dog behavior support group who utilizes rewards-based training and is now sending Austin Animal Center dogs to a trainer known to use shock and prong collars; and Whereas Leadership has repeatedly refused to accept help from or collaborate with Austin animal stakeholders that could provide immediate, free help to solve the problems the shelter is facing; therefore Be It Resolved, that the Austin Animal Advisory Commission does not have confidence that Austin Animal Center Leadership has or will demonstrate that it can achieve and sustain the Council-mandated goals of Austin’s No-Kill Policy, or provide the services the taxpayers should receive from their municipal shelter.