[00:00:02]
[Animal Advisory Commission on August 24, 2023.]
UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, MELISSA, I'LL LET YOU INTRODUCE YOUR TEAM WHEN YOU PRESENT.UH, WE HAVE SPEAKERS THIS MORNING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, WHICH IS NOW DONE BEFORE OUR BUSINESS BEGINS IN ACCORDANCE WITH TOMA.
THIS IS THE TIME INDIVIDUALS GET TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON ISSUES POSSIBLY BEING DISCUSSED TODAY OR NOT, BUT IT CAN HELP US INFORM, UM, OTHER COMMISSIONERS OR D A S OR THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS ON CERTAIN TOPICS DISCUSSED.
THE RULES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWED.
IF YOUR NAME WASN'T CALLED, IT'S BECAUSE YOU DID NOT SIGN UP WITH THE CITY SECRETARY BY 5:00 PM ON TUESDAY.
IF YOUR NAME ISN'T CALLED AND YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK, YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT THE NEXT MEETING.
FEEL FREE TO COME FIND ME AFTERWARDS.
I'M SORRY TO CORRECT THE RECORD.
IT'S 10:00 AM SO IT'S 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THIS MEETING.
IT'S LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES AND BECAUSE OF OUR TIGHT SCHEDULE, YOU WILL BE CUT OFF AT THREE MINUTES 'CAUSE WE HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS TODAY.
IF YOU CAN GIVE US YOUR NAME AND THE TOPIC YOU ARE ADDRESSING, UNDERSTAND THAT AFTER YOU SPEAK, THERE'S NO DIALOGUE.
YOU ARE DIRECTING YOUR COMMENTS DIRECTLY TO US AS COMMISSIONERS.
UM, AND WE ARE GONNA GO AHEAD AND START.
BEFORE WE DO THAT, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN DECORUM, THERE ARE NO DISCUSSIONS IN THE PAST.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING BACK THERE AND IT'S VERY HARD FOR US TO HEAR EACH OTHER.
SO WE JUST ASK THAT YOU TAKE YOUR, UM, DISCUSSIONS OUTSIDE.
I'D LIKE TO READ A VERY, VERY BRIEF STATEMENT BEFORE THEY START.
THIS IS FROM MOLLY IVANS, WHO IS A VERY WISE WOMAN.
LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO FIX WHAT'S WRONG, NOT THE ONES WHO JUST WORK PEOPLE INTO A SNIT OVER THE PROBLEMS. LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO FIX THINGS, NOT THE ONES WHO JUST BLAME OTHERS.
IF SHE SHOWS UP BEFORE WE END, SHE CAN SPEAK NEXT SPEAKER.
GIMME ONE MOMENT TO PULL UP YOUR TIME, MR. BOLES.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND BEGIN YOUR TIME NOW.
THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE HEARING YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR HIM ONLINE NOW? CAN YOU TESTING 1, 2, 3.
CAN YOU TRY ONE MORE TIME FOR ME? TESTING 1, 2, 3.
I'LL TRY TO STOP, TALK SOFTER 'CAUSE I'M NOT VOICE.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND BEGIN YOUR TIME NOW.
SO THE FAILURE OF DALLAS SELMA SERVICE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA POINT OUT SOME SITUATIONS AND THEN I GOT SOME ANSWERS.
UH, I'M GONNA GET, I GUESS FOR THREE MINUTES, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND JUMP TO THESE ANSWERS.
WE USED TO HAVE GRANTS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
FREE SPAY AND NEUTER FOR CERTAIN ZIP CODES FREE.
IT WORKED, IT CLEARED UP A LOT OF OUR ISSUES.
SLOWED DOWN THE INTAKE OF DOGS.
WHY AREN'T THEY THERE? WHERE DO THEY GO? WHY AREN'T THESE PEOPLE GIVING US THE CITY OF DALLAS, DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES FUNDS ANYMORE? WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO REACH OUT TO THESE PEOPLE TO MAKE CHANGES AND GET THESE GRANTS THAT WE USED TO HAVE? WHERE ARE THEY? ALL, ALL SOUTHERN SECTOR.
AS FAR AS, AS FAR AS THE, UH, ANIMAL SERVICE OFFICERS, ACOS, I'M, I'M CONFUSED AS HELL.
I WENT FROM GETTING, BEING TOLD THERE WAS THREE OFFICERS ON DUTY AT ONE TIME TO NOW WE'RE ALMOST TO THE LAST MEETING.
WE WERE UP TO TWO BEFORE WE WERE FILLED.
NOW I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM A DOC, A PERSON THAT CONTACTED ME ABOUT A DOG.
[00:05:01]
ME WHEN D P D DOESN'T DO ANYTHING AND DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES DOESN'T DO ANYTHING.IT'LL BE ON THIS, UH, RECORDING.
MOST OF Y'ALL CAN FIND ME JUST BY GOOGLING JEREMY BOSS DALLAS DOGS.
D S ACOS ARE, ARE FINALLY WRITING CITATIONS.
AGAIN, FOR SOME REASON DURING COVID, WE DIDN'T WRITE CITATIONS.
ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY'S PREACHING ABOUT, AND I, I APPRECIATE THE FOSTER PROGRAM.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF WHERE THESE DOGS ARE COMING FROM? STOP IT.
SOME OF YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN HERE AND YOU'VE SEEN ME SPEAK FOR EIGHT YEARS, 10 YEARS.
I KNOW WHAT I'M SPEAKING ABOUT.
18 POINT 18,000,001 POINT OR 5 MILLION MORE.
SO WHERE'S THE MARKETING AT? OUR VOLUNTEERS AND OUR NETWORKING.
LIKE HELL, I NETWORK AND I GET DOGS ADOPTED WITHIN 20 MINUTES.
SOMETIMES THERE'S MORE, THERE'S MORE MARKETING FOR SOCIAL MEDIA THAN THERE IS A $18 MILLION DOLLAR GROUP.
I MEAN, WHATEVER WE'RE CALLED.
I'M SORRY, I'M NOT A GREAT SPEAKER, BUT BY GOD, I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS, A LOT OF 'EM LEFT.
AND GUESS WHAT, I'VE WORKED WITH 'EM FOR YEARS OFF OF DOWDY FERRY ROAD AND THE CITY AND ALL THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WHY DID THEY LEAVE BAD REPORT IN DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES.
I, NO, I'M GONNA SAY ONE MORE THING.
I I GOT SORRY, MR. BOSS, THAT'S YOUR TIME.
I'M GONNA SEND Y'ALL AN EMAIL.
SHE HERE? NO, UH, BRENT JACKSON? NO.
UH, EILEEN WITZ DON'T START MY TIME YET 'CAUSE I CAN'T TALK.
UM, SO EVERY DAY OKAY, I'M OUT.
ARE YOU, ARE YOU READY NOW? NO, I'M NEVER READY.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW I WAS GONNA SPEAK TODAY.
I DON'T NEED, OKAY, WE NEED TO START IT.
ANYWAY, UM, I WORK WITH, OKAY, MA'AM, I NEED YOU TO TAKE A MOMENT.
SO FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, I DO HAVE TO START YOUR TIMEM.
SO YOUR TIME'S GONNA START NOW.
I'M WITH, I'M WITH DALLAS CAT LADY AND I'VE DONE THIS FOR 17 YEARS.
AND, UM, THE, THE PEOPLE THAT REACH OUT TO ME AND ALL OF US, THE VOLUNTEERS, AND WE USE OUR OWN MONEY AND WE GET, UM, UH, SUPPORT WITH, UH, CHEWY AND OTHER ANIMAL, YOU KNOW, PLACES THAT DONATE TO US THAT WE NEED HELP WITH FOOD TO HELP THE CITIZENS THAT DON'T EVEN HAVE STUFF.
BUT, UM, I'M GONNA GO ALL OVER THE PLACE.
BUT, UM, WE DO NEED, UM, THESE FREE SPAY NEUTER.
AND WE DON'T JUST NEED THE BAD NEIGHBORHOOD ZIP CODES.
OKAY? EVEN IN THE GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ZIP CODES, IT'S A PROBLEM.
UM, THERE'S HOARDERS EVERYWHERE AND WE CAN'T HELP AT ALL.
I CAN ONLY TAKE IN SO MANY, AND I'M ALLERGIC TO CATS AND I STILL DO IT.
AND I'M OUT TRAPPING EVERY NIGHT UNDER BUILDINGS, ON TOP OF BUILDINGS WITH MY DAUGHTER TRYING TO HELP THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT WILLING TO DO IT BECAUSE THEY'RE LAZY.
AND SO I FEEL GUILTY AND IT'S ABOUT THE CATS.
SO I GO OUT AND I HELP AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY DIE ON US AND A LOT OF THEM WILL LIVE, BUT THEN WE HAVE TO FIND HOMES FOR THEM.
AND, UM, IT'S JUST VERY, VERY OVERWHELMING.
YOU, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO EVERYTHING ON OUR, ON OURSELVES, AND WE DEPEND ON EACH OTHER.
AND I DEPEND ON ALL THE OTHER GROUPS TO HELP EACH OTHER.
AND WE TRY TO WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM.
WE NEED SPAY, NEUTER, PLACES TO GO.
I WENT TO A PLACE JUST THE OTHER DAY AND HE HAD THREE DOGS THAT HE WAS BREEDING IN HIS BACKYARD.
AND I SAID, CAN I PLEASE GET THEM FIXED? AND HE SAID, NO, WE SELL THEM.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THAT SITUATION.
WHAT DO I DO? UM, I WANT TO REPORT HIM, BUT WILL THEY DO ANYTHING? I HAVE NO IDEA.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CITY DOES OR DOESN'T DO.
I JUST KNOW THAT I'M OUT ON THE STREETS EVERY DAY RESCUING CATS THAT ARE ON, UM, I 30 IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MEDIAN.
I CALLED ANIMAL CONTROL ONE TIME AND THEY SHOWED UP AND THEY WATCHED ME RESCUE THE F*****G CAT.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THEY NEEDED THE HELP.
AND I WAS LIKE, DO YOU NOT KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING? I HAD ALL THIS STUFF IN MY CAR THAT I BOUGHT WITH MY OWN MONEY.
WE JUST NEED HELP ON THE STREETS AND WE NEED PEOPLE TO MICROCHIP
[00:10:01]
AND WE NEED PEOPLE TO, UM, SPAY AND NEUTER.AND WE NEED MORE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING IN THE CITY.
WE, WE WORK WITH TCAP AND IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
THERE'S 12 AND THEY TURN AWAY EVERY DAY.
AND THEN WHAT DO THOSE PEOPLE DO WITH THE CATS AND THE TRAPS? THEY PROBABLY RELEASE THEM OR THEY'RE HOLDING 'EM OVER THE WEEKEND, WHICH YOU CAN'T DO.
IT'S JUST, IT'S NOT A GOOD SITUATION.
I GET TAGGED A TON EVERY DAY ON FACEBOOK AND REACHED OUT.
I CAN'T DO, I CAN ONLY DO WHAT I CAN DO.
AND IT'S VERY, VERY, VERY OVERWHELMING.
AND, UM, UH, WE NEED MORE, UM, ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS AND THAT ARE WILLING TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, YOU KNOW, AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WE WOULD DO.
JOSE MALDONADO IS JOSE MALDONADO HERE.
AND SHE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOU START.
I'M HERE FOR THE SAME REASON AS HER.
UM, I'M HERE TO ASK MORE PARTICIPATION FROM DASS IN T N R EFFORTS.
UH, RIGHT NOW IT'S DONE BY VOLUNTEERS ALONE.
UM, WE TRAP THE CAT, UM, SOMETIMES HAVE TO HOLD IT FOR SEVERAL DAYS UNTIL WE'RE ABLE, WE GET INTO, INTO A CLINIC.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET AT FOUR IN THE MORNING, FIVE IN THE MORNING TO STAND IN LINE UNTIL THE CLINIC OPENS AT SEVEN OR EIGHT.
OTHER PEOPLE THAT COME BEHIND, THEY GET, UM, THEY GET TURNED AWAY.
THEY EITHER HAVE TO RELEASE THE CAT OR THEY SOMETIMES HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO KEEP A FERAL CAT ON THEIR HOMES FOR SEVERAL DAYS, WHICH IS SOMETHING VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.
UM, SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS FOR THAT TO PARTICIPATE MORE HERE BY, UM, USING THEIR FACILITIES TO TEMPORARY HOUSE THESE CATS.
SO VOLUNTEERS SIMPLY DRIVE THEM TO DUST.
UM, THEY HAVE, UH, VETS ON STAFF, WHICH WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THE SURGERIES.
UM, UH, NEUTERING SURGERIES, ESPECIALLY ON MALE CATS ARE, ARE EXTREMELY EASY.
UH, AND FOR FEMALES, A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED, BUT STILL NOT, NOT DIFFICULT.
UH, I'VE SEEN, UM, THE VETERINARIANS DO AT HOMES IN, IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
UM, SO THAT SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO, TO PARTICIPATE MORE HERE.
AND THEN THE VOLUNTEERS GO TO THAT, PICK UP THE CUT, RELEASE IT.
UM, THIS WILL ALLOW US TO, UM, INCREASE A LOT.
UH, THE NUMBER OF TNR EVERY T N R CUT IS, UM, SEVERAL LETTERS OF KITTENS LESS IN THE STREET.
UM, AND RIGHT NOW, THE, THE, THE STREETS ARE FLOODED WITH, WITH STRAY CATS.
UM, AND NOW DUE TO BUDGET CUTS, UH, T NRSS HAVE COME DOWN.
SO A LOT OF FERALS IN THE STREET, UM, WITH THE HEAT ADDED, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DYING.
UM, VOLUNTEERS ARE TAKING THEM IN, BUT THEY'RE BASICALLY ALMOST HOARDING THE CUTS IN THEIR HOUSES.
I KNOW A PERSON THAT NOW HAS 30 CUTS IN HER HOUSE AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S INSANE.
BUT THEY DO IT BECAUSE CAT THAT THEY TURN AWAY IS A CAT THAT WILL END UP IN THE STREET, PROBABLY DYING FROM HEATSTROKE, RUN BY A CAR, EATEN BAR COYOTE, THUS HAS THE FACILITIES, HAS THE BUDGET, HAS THE VETERINARIANS AND STAFF THAT WOULD ALLOW, UM, TO CONTROL THE POPULATION OF, OF FERALS, UM, SIGNIFICANTLY.
SO I'M, I'M ASKING FOR, FOR THIS.
LET ME, UH, GO AHEAD AND OFFICIALLY START YOUR TIME.
OH, PUSH YOUR TIME BEGINS NOW.
UH, I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN DALLAS.
I'M 77 YEARS OLD, AND VERY HONESTLY, EXCEPT FOR A BIG SHINY BUILDING, I SEE NO IMPROVEMENT IN DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES FROM WHEN I WAS A CHILD.
THERE WAS A TIME ONCE A MONTH, DON'T SHAKE YOUR HEAD AT ME.
I'M OUT THERE EVERY DAY TRAPPING AND NEUTERING IN NORTH DALLAS, BY THE WAY.
AND I HAVE DONE SO FOR 20 YEARS, MORE THAN 20 YEARS.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES, ONCE A MONTH WOULD DO A MASS SPAY NEUTER CLINIC.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THAT STOPPED BECAUSE YOU QUIT PARTNERING WITH PEOPLE THAT WERE PROVIDING THE MONEY FOR IT.
THERE WAS, UM, S P C A, WE USED TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE S P C A AND THEN COVID, THEY SHUT DOWN AND NOW THEY MAKE ALL KINDS OF EXCUSES THAT THEY CAN'T FIX.
SO WE HAVE TO DRIVE TO, TO ALLEN FIRST, DENTON AND GARLAND TO GET CATCH FIXED.
AND WHAT SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT, FOR THOSE OF YOU NOT FAMILIAR, TCAP ONLY FIXES 12 FREE A A DAY.
SO IF YOU'RE NOT ONE OF THOSE FIRST 12, YOU'RE OUTTA LUCK.
[00:15:03]
WE NEED BOOTS ON THE GROUND.WE NEED ENFORCEMENT OF THE SPAY NEUTER ORDINANCE, AND WE NEED OFFICERS OUT THERE WRITING CITATIONS.
AND THREE, FOR A CITY THIS SIZE IS RIDICULOUS.
WE DON'T NEED A BIG NEW SHINY BUILDING.
WE NEED SPAY NEUTER OF CATS AND DOGS THROUGHOUT DALLAS.
ONE AREA OF OF ISSUE A LOT OF TIMES, PARTICULARLY WITH CATS OR APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
AND I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU PASS AN ORDINANCE THAT APARTMENT MANAGERS BE REQUIRED.
WHEN A PERSON COMES TO PLACE THEIR PET DEPOSIT, THEY HAVE TO MAKE A PET DEPOSIT.
IF THEY HAVE AN ANIMAL IN THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, THEY BE REQUIRED TO SHOW THAT IT IS SPAYED OR NEUTER.
AS EILEEN SAID, WE SPEND OUR OWN MONEY, OUR OWN TIME WITH TRAPS, SUPPLIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
THE CITY OF DALLAS NEEDS TO START PARTNERING WITH THESE RESCUE GROUPS, NOT JUST DOING THEIR OWN THING.
THERE'S NO, THERE'S, THERE'S NO COORDINATION, THERE'S NO REACH OUT, THERE'S NO PARTNERSHIP.
IN ADDITION, THE CITY OF DALLAS NEEDS TO START GETTING CREATED.
I'M EMBARRASSED THAT WE DON'T HAVE A BETTER ANIMAL PROGRAM.
ALRIGHT, YOUR TIME BEGINS NOW.
FIRST OFF, I WANNA SAY THAT I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET MONEY FOR A NEW FACILITY WHEN YOU CAN'T EVEN RUN THE FACILITY YOU HAVE.
AND INSTEAD OF PRACTICING INDISCRIMINATE KILLING, WHICH D A S IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A KILLED FACILITY, AND THEY SHOULD UTILIZE THAT $18 MILLION TO SAVE LIVES AND CAPTURE THE OTHER KENNELS THAT SEEMED TO HAVE DISAPPEARED THAT WERE ORIGINALLY IN THE BUILDING.
ALSO, WE DON'T NEED TO PAY A DIRECTOR A LOT OF MONEY FOR POOR PERFORMANCE.
THE, UM, HILL RATE HAS INCREASED SINCE MELISSA HAS BEEN AT THE HELM AND DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE GOING DOWNHILL.
AND I WAS TOLD LAST MEETING THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO KILL PUPPIES, BUT YET THEY'VE BEEN KILLING PUPPIES AS YOUNG AS SIX MONTHS OLD.
SPAIN OR KILLING FOR SPACE IS NOT A SHELTER.
NUMBER TWO IS THE DALLAS ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.
NOW SEEMS WHEN YOU GOOGLE IT TO GO TO D A S'S WEBSITE, THAT'S A CLEAR CONFLICT.
D A SS THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION IS SUPPOSED TO BE AN OVERSIGHT AND REPORT TO THE COUNCIL AND TO THE MAYOR, NOT TO RUBBER STAMP WHATEVER CONCOCTIONS, UH, D A S IS COMING UP WITH THAT ARE NOT LOWERING THE KILL RATE AND INCREASING THE FOSTER ROAD.
AND LASTLY IS A COMMISSIONER CASSANDRA, I THINK THAT'S HOW YOU SELL HER NAME ON HER WEBSITE, ADVERTISES LEVEL THREE PROTECTION DOG BITE WORK.
EVERY VETERINARIAN I'VE TALKED TO SAID THAT IS A DANGER, IT'S A DANGER TO THE COMMUNITY, IT'S A LIABILITY AND IT ONLY NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH CERTAIN ANIMALS BY CERTAIN PEOPLE.
I'M SHOCKED THAT A COMMISSIONER IS ADVERTISING THAT THEY'RE TEACHING ANIMALS TO BE AGGRESSIVE, WHICH IS A VIOLATION OF WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS ON D S'S WEBSITE AND ALSO ON THEIR NEW FACILITY.
THEY'RE TRYING TO INCREASE PT SAFETY.
BUT YET A COMMISSIONER IS TEACHING PE DOGS TO BITE.
ALSO, THE DOG BREEDING CERTIFICATE SEEMS TO BE THAT HER HUSBAND'S ONE OF THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT HAS A DOG BREEDING ATE.
ALSO, I READ THAT THEY WANNA LOWER THE FEE FOR A CERTIFICATE.
WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU DO THAT? YOU PUT PET LAND OUT OF BUSINESS, BUT YET YOU'RE ALLOWING ONE PERSON TO BREED DOGS, TO TEACH BITE DOGS AND TO BE ON THE COMMISSION THAT IS TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE AND RIDICULOUS AND A DANGER AND SOMETHING'S GONNA HAPPEN TO SOMEBODY.
AND Y'ALL HAVE RECEIVED MORE THAN ONE NOTICE, ESPECIALLY FROM ME ABOUT THIS BITE WORK AND YOU'RE JUST DISREGARDING IT.
SO, OTHER THAN THAT, LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE.
OH, ON THE COMMISSION FOR THIS NEW BUILDING, IT'S, THANK YOU.
[00:20:03]
ELLEN.OKAY, I'LL GO AHEAD AND BEGIN YOUR TIME NOW, IF YOU'RE READY.
GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME.
MY NAME'S KAREN BROPHY STEVENSON.
I'M AN INDEPENDENT ANIMAL WELFARE ADVOCATE.
I WAS BORN IN DALLAS AND I CURRENTLY RESIDE IN DISTRICT 11, I MEAN AT A TRAILER PARK IN DISTRICT ONE.
SO SEE DAILY, THE CHALLENGE IS THE DOGS AND CATS OF OAK CLIFFORD EXPERIENCING.
MY HUSBAND AND I ARE ALSO LARGE DOG FOSTERS AND VOLUNTEERS FOR DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES, FORT WORTH ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL, AND OTHER RURAL SHELTERS IN TEXAS.
I ATTENDED MY FIRST ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING LAST QUARTER.
I WAS SURPRISED AT THE END OF THE MEETING THAT ONLY THREE OR FOUR OF THE 13 COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAD COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS AT THE MEETING ON BEHALF OF THE DOGS IN CATS OF DALLAS COUNTY.
I ASK THAT THE END OF TODAY'S MEETING, NONE OF YOU PASS ON YOUR TIME.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OF YOUR OWN, THEN I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM EACH OF YOU WHAT YOU'LL BE, GO, GO BACK AND CAN COMMUNICATE TO YOUR CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE ARE THE THREE MOST PRESSING ISSUES FACING DOGS AND CATS IN DALLAS.
IF YOU'RE IN DISTRICTS ONE THROUGH EIGHT, PLEASE LOOK AT MY HANDOUT.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR YOUR SUGGESTIONS ON HOW MORE ANIMALS IN YOUR DISTRICT CAN COMPLY WITH CITY CODE TO BE SPAYED OR NEUTERED.
HOW YOU CAN ENCOURAGE THE CITIZENS IN YOUR DISTRICTS TO STOP ALLOWING THEIR PETS TO ROAM.
IF YOU'RE IN DISTRICTS NINE THROUGH 14, I'D LIKE TO HEAR HOW YOU CAN HELP EDUCATE PEOPLE IN YOUR DISTRICTS THAT THE BREEDING AND CELL OF ANIMALS IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR CITY CODE.
HOW CAN YOU ENCOURAGE MORE ADOPTIONS FROM DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES AND LESS DOGS BEING PURCHASED FROM BACKYARD BREEDERS? ONE PROPOSAL FROM DA LEADERSHIP FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 IS A REDUCTION OF THE COST OF A BREEDING PERMIT.
LOWERING THE BARRIERS TO BREEDING IN DALLAS IS TAKING YET ANOTHER STEP BACKWARDS.
INSTEAD, I ASK THIS GROUP TO CONSIDER A MORATORIUM ON BREEDING IN DALLAS COUNTY FOR AS MANY YEARS AS IT TAKES FOR US TO GET BACK TO A 90% LIVE RELEASE RATE AT DAS.
IN LAST QUARTER'S MEETING, THE ONLY TIME SPAY NEUTER WAS MENTIONED WAS WHEN COUNCIL DISTRICT 14, MS. SANDERS, THANK YOU, ASKED ABOUT A HEAT MAP OF WHERE ALL THE DOGS AND CATS ARE COMING FROM.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU EVER GOT THAT HEAT MAP FROM DAS, SO THAT'S WHY I GAVE OUT WHAT I DID.
IT'S A GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF STRAYS COMING INTO DASS FROM OCTOBER 1ST, 2022 THROUGH AUGUST 9TH, 2023 FROM THE DATA AVAILABLE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS OPEN DATA PORTAL.
AS YOU CAN SEE, DISTRICTS ONE THROUGH EIGHT, YOU HAVE A PROBLEM.
CHAIRWOMAN BOSKY DISTRICT FOUR IS THE WORST OFFENDER AS IT RELATES TO ANIMAL CODE COMPLIANCE.
YET THERE'S NOT BEEN A MEMBER FROM THE DISTRICT ON THIS COMMISSION IN YEARS.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO HELP GET THAT SEAT.
THE PRELIMINARY FISCAL YEAR, 2024 DASH BUDGETS BEING CIRCULATED.
I'M HAPPY TO SEE THERE'S $250,000 IN PUBLIC FUNDING INCLUDED ANNUALLY SO THAT THE FREE SPAY AND NEUTER AVAILABILITY IS AVAILABLE.
AGAIN, THAT BEING SAID, IT'S NOT NEARLY ENOUGH.
ALLOWING PRIVATE SPAY NEUTER FUNDING TO END IN 2020 WAS INTO 2021.
BUT NO PLAN IN PLACE WAS A HUGE MISS.
EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, THAT WAS A HUGE MISS.
EVERY BOOTS ON THE GROUND PERSON FROM CAT TRAPPERS TO THE IN SHELTER VOLUNTEERS WILL TELL YOU IT'S LIKELY YOU'VE GONE BACK 10 YEARS.
THEY'RE NOT THE PEOPLE A LOT YOUNGER THAN ME WILL TELL YOU IT'S THE WORST IT'S EVER BEEN.
INTAKE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 FOR DOGS AND CATS, I THINK HAS INCREASED 20%.
IT'S NOT THE LAST TIME YOU'LL HEAR FROM THANK YOU.
SHE WAS, BUT I'M NOT SEEING HER NOW.
I'M NOT SEEING HER NOW, BUT, UM, THANK YOU.
UM, DELIA AGUILAR, WHO WAS SLATED TO SPEAK IN PERSON, I AM SEEING HER ONLINE, SO CAN YOU BRING HER UP PLEASE? YEAH.
MS. AGUILAR, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO TURN ON YOUR CAMERA, WE CAN HAVE YOU SPEAK VIRTUALLY.
MS. AGUILAR, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I CAN HEAR YOU, BUT IN ORDER TO SPEAK WE ALSO HAVE TO SEE YOU.
ARE YOU ABLE TO TURN ON YOUR CAMERA? I'M NOT SURE HOW TO DO THAT.
SO IN ORDER TO MEET THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, WE HAVE TO SEE YOUR VIDEO.
ARE YOU ABLE TO PUT ON YOUR VIDEO?
[00:25:06]
LET'S SEE.UM, OKAY, SO IF WE CAN'T HAVE THAT, I DID SEE TAMMY.
TAMMY, ARE YOU ABLE TO TURN ON YOUR VIDEO? I'LL BE, IT'S STILL NOT WORKING.
ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO TURN ON YOUR VIDEO? YEAH, I'M TRYING AND THERE'S A BLOCKER ON THE COMPUTER THAT, SORRY, I'M AT MY PARENTS' HOUSE, SO THAT'S OKAY.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON FROM THIS PORTION.
AND JILLIAN EXPLAINED THAT, SO I'M SO SORRY.
JILLIAN, I JUST WANNA CONFIRM, UM, HAL LANDON CHIC, UH, JACKSON AND BANKSTON, THEY'RE NOT ONLINE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE GIVING THEM A CHANCE TO SPEAK.
IF THEY'RE NOT ONLINE, THEN WE'LL START THE MEETING.
LET'S NOT LOOK QUITE GOOD WITH THE DIRECTOR'S PRESENTATION.
UM, THAT WILL CONCLUDE OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS PORTION.
I, UH, APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS AND I HOPE THAT YOU CAN STAY AND LISTEN TO THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT AND THE REST OF OUR MEETING.
MELISSA, IF YOU WANNA PROCEED.
GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, BOTH, UM, COMMISSIONERS AND THE PUBLIC.
UH, MY UPDATE IS FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
ANIMAL SERVICES ARE STARTING FROM THE BEGINNING.
UM, BEFORE WE START WITH, UH, MS. WEBER'S REPORT, UM, WE HAVE THE MEETING MINUTES IN FRONT OF US.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER SAXON FOR, UM, EXPLAINING THAT.
UH, HAS EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO READ THE MINUTES? THANK YOU.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO, UM, APPROVE THE MINUTES? I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I MAKE A MOTION.
UM, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.
A AYE, I KNOW THAT WE'RE MISSING.
AND FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE RECORD, UM, COMMISSIONERS MOSS, UM, HANSSEN AND, UH, SED, IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.
SORRY ABOUT THAT, MELISSA, THAT'S INCORRECT.
I'M MELISSA WEBER, DIRECTOR FOR DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES.
UM, TODAY WE WILL BE COVERING NEXT SLIDE.
WE'LL BE COVERING QUARTER THREE DATA THAT COVERS FROM APRIL, 2023 TO JUNE, 2023.
WE'LL BE GOING OVER, UM, OUR VALUES OF SERVICE, UH, THE CITY OF DALLAS, VALUES OF SERVICE, OUR EMPATHY, ETHICS, EXCELLENCE, ENGAGEMENT, AND EQUITY.
AND WE AT DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES ARE EMBRACING THOSE AND, UM, COMMITTED TO THEM ALONG WITH OUR D A S PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC SAFETY, COMPASSION AND NO SHORTCUTS.
SO ON THE SLIDE FIVE, UM, OUR DASHBOARD OF PERFORMANCE, OUR LIVE RELEASE RATE BY SPECIES, YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR DOG, UH, LIVE RELEASE RATE IS THE SAME AS THE LAST TIME OUR CAT LIVE RELEASE RATE HAS DROPPED.
THAT IS DUE TO NEONATE KITTEN, UM, DROPPING.
BUT YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR LIVE INTAKE ON THE FOLLOWING SLIDE IS, IS GROWING.
UM, THE, ON THE OTHERS YOU'LL SEE THE 11% LIVE RELEASE RATE, AND THAT IS DUE TO A COCKFIGHTING ROOSTER GROUP THAT WE HAD THAT WAS JUST UNDER 3000 BIRDS.
AND WHILE WE DID TRY EVERY AVENUE TO FIND LIVE PLACEMENT FOR THOSE BIRDS, KNOWING THAT WE'LL FIND, HAVE MORE COCKFIGHTING BUSTS IN THE FUTURE, AND WANTING TO HAVE A POSITIVE OUTCOME FOR THEM EVEN REACHING OUT TO ALL OF THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO.
NEXT SLIDE IS TOTAL INTAKE BY SPECIES, AND YOU CAN SEE DOGS, CATS, UM, WE ARE SEEING THE CLIMB AND THEN YOU, YOU SEE THOSE, THE ROOSTERS REPRESENTED AND THE OTHERS ALSO.
NEXT SLIDE IS OUTCOME COMPARISON BY SPECIES.
SO WE'RE COMPARING, SHOWING OUR LIVE OUTCOMES VERSUS THE NON-LIVE OUTCOMES.
[00:30:01]
22 IS WHEN WE WERE STRUGGLING WITH DISTEMPER.AND THEN, UM, THIS YEAR WE'VE STRUGGLED WITH CANINE INFLUENZA VIRUS.
I AM HAPPY TO REPORT, AND WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THIS LATER, THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD A POSITIVE CASE OF CANINE INFLUENZA SINCE MAY 1ST, AND THAT WE'VE MOVED ON FROM THAT AND THAT WE DO HAVE, UM, MEASURES IN PLACE TO HOPEFULLY CATCH, UM, ILLNESS BEFORE WE HAVE AN OUTBREAK IN THE FUTURE.
UM, HERE ON THE NEONATAL KITTENS, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE LIVE OUTCOMES FOR THEM DOES CONTINUE TO GROW.
AND THIS IS A CITY GOAL TO DECREASE NON-LIVE DOG AND CAT OUTCOMES.
AND WHILE WE HAVE THIS 44% HERE, THAT HAS ACTUALLY DROPPED 26%.
SO IN OUR LAST MEETING WE WERE, WE HAD A 70% INCREASE, AND NOW WE'RE AT A 44 IN INCREASE, WHICH I KNOW IS CONFUSING.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR A DECREASE IN FIVE.
SO IN THE LAST QUARTER WE HAD AN INCREASE OF 70.
NOW WE'RE DOWN TO AN INCREASE OF 44 WORK.
SO WE'RE CONTINUALLY LOOKING AT THAT AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPACT LIFESAVING, BECAUSE AT DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES, WE DO CARE ABOUT EVERY LIFE THAT COMES TO US.
WE DO REALLY CARE ABOUT IMPACTING LIFESAVING AND MAXIMIZING LIFESAVING.
NOBODY AT D A S WANTS TO HAVE TO EUTHANIZE A PET FOR SPACE OR ANY OTHER REASON.
LIKE IT'S, IT'S VERY, UM, IT'S CHALLENGING FOR THE TEAM.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE PUBLIC WHEN, WHEN THEY'RE UNHAPPY WITH IT, IT'S NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE AND IT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE GOAL OF TRYING TO GET 90% AGAIN.
AND SO AS WE BRING ON STAFF AND, AND THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIFESAVING IS A PRIORITY.
LIFESAVING AND PUBLIC SAFETY ARE WHY WE ARE HERE.
AGAIN, NOBODY AT DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES IS WORKING BECAUSE THEY WANT THE CITY OF DALLAS TO BE UNSAFE OR BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO FIND POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR THESE PETS.
UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, I I DID MENTION THE SPOT CHECK FOR ILLNESS TO AVOID BREAKOUTS.
UM, WE HAD THOSE TWO BACK TO BACK SERIOUS, UM, ILLNESSES.
WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS WE ARE TESTING, WE JUST MOVED TO PHASE TWO OF OUR TESTING.
WE WERE TESTING EVERYBODY WHO BROKE WITH ILLNESS SO THAT WE COULD KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE BUILDING.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE SPOT TESTING ARE CONTAGIOUS ROOMS SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE BUILDING.
AND ANIMALS ON INTAKE THAT COME IN ILL, SO IF THEY'RE WALKING AND WE HOPEFULLY CAN CATCH IT.
THAT SAID, A DOG CAN WALK IN WITH AND, AND, YOU KNOW, CATS CAN WALK IN WITH PAN LOOP.
DOGS CAN WALK IN WITH DISTEMPER OR PARVO AND OR INFLUENZA AND NOT BE SHEDDING THE VIRUS WHEN THEY WALK IN.
SO THEN WE DON'T KNOW TO TEST THEM OR NOT, NOT SHOWING SYMPTOMS, BUT IF THEY COME IN SYMPTOMATIC, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THEM.
UM, WE ARE WORKING, OUR TEAM IS WORKING WITH DALLAS, UM, PETS ALIVE AND SPAY NEAR THEIR NETWORK ON RE REFINING THE PAST PROGRAM TO HELP KEEP PETS AND PEOPLE TOGETHER.
UM, WE ARE CALLING FINDERS, UM, BEFORE WE MOVE AHEAD WITH ANY EUTHANASIA DECISIONS.
WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CALLING OWNERS IF THEY, THEY ALLOWED US TO, BUT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH FINDERS ALSO TO TRY AND FIND THOSE POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR THE, UM, WE HAVE LIFESAVING PROGRAM GOALS AND ENHANCED R T O PRACTICES TO TRY AND GET THAT NUMBER BACK UP BECAUSE WE DO REALIZE THAT A DROP IN RTOS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S IMPACTING LIFESAVING.
THIS IS OUR, UM, OUTCOME BY SPECIES FOR DOGS, OUTCOME OF DOGS, AND, UM, WHERE THEY'RE GOING ON THE TOP GRAPH.
AND THE BOTTOM GRAPH IS THE NON-LIVE OUTCOMES AND IT SHOWS, UM, WHAT THEIR EUTHANASIA REASONS WERE.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR BIGGEST ON THE DOGS IS THE SPACE AND, AND IT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING.
OUTCOME BY OUTCOME FOR CATS, YOU'LL SEE THE NUMBER WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE THAT GROWTH IN LIVE OUTCOMES FOR THE CATS AND THE ACTUAL DECREASE IN NON-LIVE OUTCOMES FOR CATS.
OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE ON OUR CATS IS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT, UM, WE DON'T SEE A LOT OF HEALTHY STRAY CATS.
THE CATS THAT WE GET ARE SICK OR INJURED AND OFTEN, UM, ARE EUTHANIZED FOR IRREMEDIABLE SUFFERING OR NEONATAL
[00:35:01]
KITTENS THAT, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT AREN'T ARE BAITING.UH, ANOTHER CITY MOUNT MEASURE INCREASED DOGS AND CATS.
THAT'S ON TOP OF LAST YEAR'S GROWTH THAT WAS IN THE 50TH PERCENTILE.
AND THAT IS CURRENTLY WE HAVE 851 DOGS IN FOSTER, AND THAT IS THE CAPACITY OF TWO SHELTERS.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING TO, TO BE AFTER LIFE SAVING.
YOU KNOW, SAY WHAT YOU WILL ABOUT THE FOSTER PROGRAM.
THE FACT THAT WE, THOSE ARE TWO SHELTERS WORTH OF DOGS THAT ARE HAVING POSITIVE OUTCOMES BECAUSE OF OUR FOSTER PROGRAM IS, YOU KNOW, IS, IS GREAT THAT WE'RE, WE'RE FINDING THOSE OUTCOMES FOR THEM.
I KNOW IT INCREASES LIFE LIFESAVING, UM, PERFORMANCE MEASURE, ACHIEVE DOG, 40% RETURN TO HOME RATE.
LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE GOING AFTER THIS NUMBER.
AND I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT I KEEP TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE OUR GOAL IS 40%, WE'RE AT 18%.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING NOW IS WE'VE BEEN DOING LOST AND FOUND FLYERS IN THE FIELD WHEN WE IMPOUND A DOG.
WE'RE NOW DOING THE LOST AND FOUND FLYERS ALSO IN THE SHELTER.
SO IF SOMEBODY BRINGS US A DOG, WE'RE GIVING THEM A FLYER TO TAKE AND POST BACK.
WE HAVE CAMERAS FOR PICTURES ON THE FIELD FLYERS NOW WE'RE DOING ESCORTED LOST AND FOUND WALKTHROUGHS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE SEEING ALL OF THE AREAS WITHIN THE BUILDING.
AND THEN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING IS, UM, WE DO HAVE A NEW MICROCHIP, UM, VENDOR AGREEMENT.
AND AS PART OF THAT, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO WORK OUT TRAINING FOR THE FIREHOUSES AND SCANNERS FOR THE FIREHOUSES TO BE ABLE TO SCAN LOST PETS AND CONTINUING MICROCHIP CLINICS BECAUSE MICROCHIPPING IN PET IS VERY IMPORTANT.
THE LOOSEN THE ZONE DOG BITES.
THE GOAL WAS TO KEEP IT AT ZERO INCREASE.
WE ACTUALLY CONTINUE TO DECREASE BY 7%.
THOSE LOOSE AND LOOSE DOG BITES.
OUR INCREASED STAFFING HAS ALLOWED OUR AGGRESSIVE OPS TEAM TO STAY FOCUSED AND TEND TO THOSE ESCALATED DOG CALLS AND REFERRALS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE STILL AREN'T FULLY STAFFED, BUT WE ARE MAKING STRIDES FROM WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR WITH OUR A S O STAFFING.
OUR NEXT SLIDE IS THE FIELD ACTIVITIES, AND THAT SHOWS YOU OUR SERVICE REQUEST.
TIMELY RESPONSE RATE IS AT 57%.
SO WE REALIZE THAT WE NEED TO GET AFTER THAT ARE LOOSE AND LOOSE ON SERVICE REQUESTS, 13,000.
AND TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE HAVING THOSE SERVICE REQUESTS, BUT WE'RE STILL ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS ON THE AGGRESSIVE OPS TEAM THAT I TALKED ABOUT ON THE LAST SLIDE SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THOSE, THOSE LOOSE AND LOOSE ON DOG BITES DOWN.
AND THEN OUR SERVICE REQUEST TYPES, YOU'LL SEE THE EXTERNAL PROACTIVE AND FOLLOW UPS.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS OUR A S O STAFFING ASSIGNMENTS VERSUS VACANCIES.
AND IT JUST GIVES YOU A BREAKDOWN OF THE OFFICERS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE TOTAL, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ANIMAL SERVICE OFFICERS WE HAVE WHAT THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA READ IT ALL TO YOU, BUT, BUT YOU HAVE THAT SO THAT YOU CAN, UM, YOU CAN SEE THE PROGRESS.
NEXT SLIDE IS OUR MEDICAL TREATMENT, OUR SPAY AND NEUTER SURGERIES.
AND, AND 100% I WANT TO AGREE WITH MANY OF THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SPAY AND NEUTER.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IN OUR BUDGET WE DID, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE, WE HAD A LOT OF ASKS FOR OUR BUDGET.
WELL, I'LL GET TO THE BUDGET LATER.
AND WE REALIZED THAT THAT QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR SPAY AND NEUTER WAS ONE OF THE PRIORITIES SO THAT WE COULD CONTINUE OFFERING THAT TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THE CITY OF DALLAS AND D A S TRADITIONALLY HASN'T FUNDED.
UM, BUT I DO WANNA SAY THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE, UM, THE GRANTS THAT WERE THERE AND, AND THAT WAS THE SURGE FUNDING, THE LET'S FIX THIS.
AND, AND IT WAS GOING AFTER DOG SURGERIES PRIMARILY.
AND, AND THAT COMPLETED 108,000 SPAY NEUTER SURGERIES, WHICH IS AWESOME.
40,000 OF THOSE WERE DONE AT D A S.
AND D A S DOES CONTINUE TO DO SURGERIES FOR THE, FOR ALL THE PETS IN THEIR CARE.
UM, WE SPECIALTY SURGERIES, YOU'LL SEE OUR SPECIALTY SURGERIES ARE DOWN.
WE DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A NATIONWIDE VETERINARIAN SHORTAGE.
NOT JUST D A S I KNOW THAT THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE D F W METROPLEX THAT ARE AFFECTED
[00:40:01]
AND NATIONALLY, IT, IT TRULY IS A, A CRISIS.UM, AND SO D A S CURRENTLY HAS TWO, TWO FULL-TIME VETS AND THEN A, UM, A TEMPORARY CITY TEMPORARY VETERINARIAN THAT SAYS TELEHEALTH AND COMES IN ON FRIDAYS.
BUT WE USED TO HAVE A STAFF OF SIX VETERINARIANS.
AND SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO THOSE SPAN NEUTER SURGERIES.
OUR SPECIALTY SURGERIES MAY BE DROPPING A BIT, BUT, UM, THE FACT THAT WE CONTINUE, LIKE WE KNOW THAT SPAY AND UTE IS IMPORTANT.
AND THEN THE LAST THING IS OUR HEARTWORM TREATMENT SHOWS YOU THE HEARTWORM TREATMENTS.
UM, JUST AS A LOOK AHEAD, WE ARE GONNA BE CHANGING OUR HEARTWORM TREATMENT PROTOCOL IN THE FUTURE.
UH, BUT BEFORE THAT, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING WITH OUR RESCUES, OUR FOSTERS AND VOLUNTEERS AND, AND STAKEHOLDERS SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE CHANGES THAT ARE COMING AND HOW WE'RE DOING THAT.
NEXT SLIDE IS OVERCOMING ILLNESS.
AND, AND THIS IS JUST, THAT SHOWS YOU WHAT WE HAD DONE DISMANTLING THE CLEAN BREAK.
UM, BECAUSE WE WERE RUNNING TWO FULL OPERATIONS OUT OF ONE BUILDING.
SO WE LITERALLY HAD, BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT WE COULDN'T STOP INTAKE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT MANY SHELTERS, NOT ONLY IN THE D F W AREA, BUT IN TEXAS AND NATIONALLY WHEN THEY GET C I V IS THEY SHUT DOWN INTAKE.
AND THAT'S NOT AN OPTION FOR DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANT TO SHUT INTAKE.
WE WANT TO BE HERE AS A RESOURCE TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE WANT TO BE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THAT THE PETS THAT NEED TO COME TO US ARE COMING TO US.
AND SO ANYWAY, SO OUR ANSWER WAS DURING THAT CLEAN BREAK OPERATING TWO, UM, TWO FACILITIES AND ONE THAT'S TWO FULL STAFFS.
AND WHAT, FOR, FOR EACH FACILITY, I, I MENTIONED ALREADY THAT WE HAD NO POSITIVE TESTS SINCE MAY 1ST.
AND THAT'S A HUGE VICTORY FOR US.
AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF OUR TEAM.
I WAS ON A CALL THIS MORNING BEFORE THIS MEETING AND OUR MEDICAL TEAM AS WE WERE DISCUSSING MOVING INTO PHASE TWO OF, OF TESTING OUR MEDICAL TEAM HAS SINCE, UM, LAST NOVEMBER, PERFORMED 4,000 P C R TESTS, UM, TO SUBMIT FOR TESTING ON, TO BE AWARE OF ILLNESS AND, AND JUST THE, THE LABOR THAT GOES INTO THAT.
UM, NEXT SLIDE IS OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM.
UM, OUR VOLUNTEER HOURS ARE, ARE ABOUT THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.
VOLUNTEER INDIVIDUALS ARE CONTINUE TO GROW.
AND OUR VOLUNTEER RETENTION, I KEEP SAYING AT THE END OF NEXT, NEXT MEETING WE'LL HAVE THAT NUMBER 'CAUSE IT'S AN ANNUAL NUMBER THAT WE GET.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, VOLUNTEERS ARE AMAZING.
LIKE I, I DID WANNA GIVE THIS OPPORTUNITY LIKE OUR VOLUNTEERS, THEY SHOW UP FOR ALL OF THE THINGS AND WITHOUT THEM, I DON'T, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR VOLUNTEERS.
WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR RESCUES? OUR RESCUES ARE AMAZING.
RESCUE POOLS ARE UP APPROXIMATELY A THOUSAND ANIMALS FROM LAST YEAR, WHICH IS ABOUT 58%.
UM, I MENTIONED LAST TIME THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE REALLY TRYING TO GO AFTER, IS THAT WE RESCUE ENGAGEMENT.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE TOP 10 RESCUE GROUPS FOR DOGS AND CATS BY AGE GROUP HERE.
UM, OUR, OUR TOP FOUR ARE TRADITIONALLY OPERATION KINDNESS, ROCKWALL PETS, DALLAS PETS, ALIVE AND HEARTS AND BONES.
UM, SS P C A HAS HELPED US LAST YEAR ON SOME CATS AND IS, UM, IS CONTINUING TO TAKE SOME CATS FROM US TOO.
AND THIS SHOWS YOU, UM, WHO IS GOING TO RESCUE RESCUE GROUPS, DOGS AND CATS BY AGE GROUP.
YOU CAN FIND ALL THE INFORMATION OUT ABOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS BUDGET OF FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY@DALLASCITYHALL.COM.
IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, JUST GOOGLE FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY, CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, AND THIS IS DIRECTLY FROM OUR BUDGET BOOK.
AND YOU'LL SEE OUR DEPARTMENT GOALS ARE LISTED HERE.
I, I HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE READ TO ME OFF SLIDES.
Y'ALL CAN READ
BUT YOU'LL SEE OUR, OUR BUDGET, WE'RE FORECASTED TO, TO END THE YEAR AT 18 MILLION 149, 360 7.
UM, I DO WANNA SAY A LITTLE BIT OVER 80% OF OUR BUDGET IS, OR RIGHT AT ABOUT 80% OF OUR BUDGET GOES TO PEOPLE.
THAT'S PERSONNEL, THAT'S STAFF.
[00:45:01]
THAT'S WHERE TO GO, UM, FOR THE STAFF TO RUN THE SHELTER.AND WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY, APPROXIMATELY 200 FULL-TIME PEOPLE AND ABOUT 50 TEMP BEDS.
UM, THE NEXT SLIDE IS SHOWING OUR BUDGET FOR EQUITY, UM, INFORMATION AND OUR MAJOR BUDGET ITEMS. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE, ON OUR ENHANCEMENTS, YOU KNOW, WE PUT A WHOLE LIST OF ENHANCEMENTS THAT, THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF DALLAS, UM, BOTH HUMAN AND AND PET.
AND WE KNOW THAT THAT SPAY NEUTER IS A PRIORITY.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT, THAT WERE THE PRIORITIES.
THERE'S, THERE'S A LONGER LIST THAN THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, KNOWING THAT WE, THE SPAY NEUTER IS A PRIORITY, UM, INCREASING THAT FOSTER PROGRAM, YOU'LL SEE THE WE FIELD HIRING BONUS AND INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR RTOS AND THEIR BODY CAMERA MAINTENANCE.
UM, I WANNA TALK ABOUT THIS V NEUTER BECAUSE THE, THE, THE SURGE FUNDING WAS ACTUALLY FOR PRIVATE, IT WAS PRIVATE FUNDING FOR PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS.
D A S DID NOT SEE ANY OF THAT MONEY, EVEN THOUGH WE DID 40,000 OF THE 40,000 OF THE SURGERIES.
UM, WE HAVE, WE DO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WAYS THAT WE CAN BE HELPFUL WITH SPAY NEUTER.
WE ARE USING FUNDS IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.
WE FOUND FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO SUBSIDIZE SPAY NEUTER SURGERIES THROUGH SPAY NEUTER NETWORK.
THAT'S AN APPROVED VENDOR THAT WE HAVE WITH AN M O U.
UM, AND SO I, AND I REALIZE THAT THERE ARE CHALLENGES WITH ALL OF THE PLACES.
YOU KNOW, THEY ACCEPT THIS, THEY ONLY ACCEPT THIS MANY OR THEY'RE HERE, BUT LIKE, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE SURGERIES ARE AVAILABLE AND THAT WE CAN, YOU CAN HAVE THEM SUBSIDIZED BY D A S AND UM, AND WITH, FOR CATS, WITH THE SSR NUMBER, THEY CAN BE, UM, SPAYED OR NEUTERED FOR FREE.
AND DOGS WITH A FIX-IT TICKET CAN BE SPAYED OR NEUTERED FOR FREE.
UM, SO THIS, THAT FUNDING WILL HELP THAT.
AND THIS, THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO MENTION IS FINANCIALLY, THIS IS THE MOST THAT WE'VE DONE AS D A S IN THE CITY OF DALLAS PUTTING FUNDS INTO SPAY AND NEUTER.
SO AGAIN, RECOGNIZING THAT IT'S IMPORTANT.
UH, HOLD ONE ADDITIONAL FREE VACCINE CLINIC IN SOUTHERN DALLAS.
AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE HELD TWO FISCAL YEAR TO DATE.
WE'RE LOOKING TO HOLD ONE MORE.
PLUS WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ONGOING, UM, SPAY NEUTER ONCE A MONTH AND FREE VACCINE CLINICS TWICE A MONTH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SPAY NEUTER FREE VACCINE AND PARTNERSHIP WITH TCAP.
ONCE A MONTH, WE ARE WORKING WITH TCAP TO, UM, TO DO MORE SPAY NEUTER SURGERIES.
SO AGAIN, HAVING THOSE SERVICES PROVIDED.
AND, AND I DO WANNA GO BACK ON THE SR NUMBERS, THOSE SSR NUMBERS.
AND THIS FUNDING IS FOR ANY ZIP CODE IN DALLAS.
IT'S NOT, NOT JUST SOUTHERN DALLAS.
NEXT SLIDE IS JUST A LIST OF OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY EVENTS WE DID.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT AND I HAVE A HARD TIME.
I'M, AGAIN, I'M NOT GONNA READ 'EM ALL TO YOU.
I JUST DIDN'T, I COULDN'T, LIKE, THEY'RE ALL SO IMPORTANT AND SO MEANINGFUL TO THE PEOPLE THAT ATTEND THEM.
SO I, I DIDN'T WANNA PICK AND CHOOSE OF, OF WHAT MIGHT BE MORE IMPORTANT.
THE NEXT SLIDE, CHANGING HEARTS AND MINDS IN OUR MARKETING.
UM, AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE, UH, WE'RE WE ARE EXCITED.
WE'VE, UM, WE'VE WORKED WITH ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS ON DEVELOPING A MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION PLAN.
YOU KNOW, IF WE FIND THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO OUTSOURCE TO GET, YOU KNOW, REALLY REFINED, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL DO.
I DID WANNA MENTION IN THIS THOUGH, YOU KNOW, ON DA S'S ADOPTION FACEBOOK PAGE, WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO FIND ADOPTERS FOR AN ANIMAL, WHEN WE POST SOMEBODY WHO IS AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION.
AND THEN THE NEGATIVE COMMENTS, YOU'RE NOT HELPING SAVE THAT DOG'S LIFE.
THAT IS ACTUALLY TURNING PEOPLE AWAY FROM D A S CREATING NEGATIVITY AND IT'S IMPACTING LIFESAVING IN A NEGATIVE WAY.
SO LIKE IT, I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU HAVE TO LIKE ME, THAT YOU HAVE TO LIKE D A S, BUT FOR THE SAKE OF THE ANIMALS IN OUR CARE, PLEASE HELP US FIND ADOPTERS.
[00:50:01]
NOT PUSH THEM AWAY.YOU KNOW, AND, AND AGAIN, THIS IS ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS GOT THIS FOR US, GOT THIS N B C CONTACT FOR US AND, AND WE'VE BEEN RUNNING WITH IT.
WE'RE SUPER HAPPY ABOUT CLEAR THE SHELTERS.
IT RUNS THROUGH THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
THE BIG CELEBRATION IS THIS SATURDAY WITH THE BIG PUSH.
UM, N B C AND TELEMUNDO WILL BE AT THE SHELTER.
WE'LL BE OPEN EXTENDED HOURS FROM EIGHT 30 TO SIX 30.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF IS PUMPED UP.
WE'RE GONNA BE THERE AT FOUR IN THE MORNING AND WE'RE HOPING TO FIND, WE'RE HOPING TO CLEAN THE SHELTERS.
NEXT SLIDE IS ABOUT OUR, OUR TASK FORCE UPDATES.
UM, OUR BOND PROPOSAL AND, YOU KNOW, A A NEW SHELTER WOULD BE HELPFUL.
OUR SHELTER WAS NOT MADE WITH LIFESAVING PROGRAMS IN MIND.
IT WAS NOT MADE TO MITIGATE ILLNESS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE SEE SO MANY ILLNESSES.
THE WORLD HAS CHANGED IN, IN THE WAY THAT THE ILLNESS IS ADDRESSED.
THE WAY THAT, UM, STRAY ANIMALS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE WANT PUBLIC SAFETY AND LIFESAVING AND, UM, AND SO, UH, A NEW BUILDING WOULD REALLY IMPACT THAT.
AGAIN, I HAVE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE BEEN AMAZING IN HELPING MOVE THIS FORWARD.
UM, THE NEXT SLIDE IS SOME CONCEPTUAL DRAWINGS OF A NEW, THE NEXT TWO SLIDES ACTUALLY ARE, WE WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE INDOOR OUTDOOR WINGS THAT I WILL CALL THEM, UM, EVEN THOUGH A WING MIGHT CARE FOR.
SO EACH DOG WOULD HAVE AN INDOOR OUTDOOR KENNEL.
THE WINGS WOULD BE ROWS OF 30, DO 30 DOGS.
BUT IF ONE DOG BROKE, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SHUT OFF COMPONENTS OF THE WINGS AT EVERY FIVE KENNELS.
SO IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE LOSING A WHOLE WING OR THE WHOLE SHELTER OR THE WHOLE SIDE OF THE SHELTER, WE'RE LOSING THAT SMALL PART.
SO THAT WOULD TRULY IMPACT LIFESAVING FOR US.
THERE'S A COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY, UM, CLINIC SO THAT WE COULD DO ALL THOSE SPAN SPANIARDS IN ADDITION TO OUR SHELTER CLINIC.
UM, THERE IS SEPARATE ENTRANCES FOR THE COMMUNITY CLINIC FOR INTAKE FOR ADOPTION.
THERE'S FLEX SPACE, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'VE PARTNERED NOW WITH D P D ON, ON SUSPECTED ANIMAL CRUELTY, HAVING FLEX SPACE TO BE ABLE TO USE FOR THE ANIMALS THAT COME IN FROM THOSE SEIZURES.
AND THEN ALSO, THIS IS NOT A LANDLOCKED, UM, SPACE.
THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW, FEEL, HOWEVER YOU WANNA FEEL ABOUT ME AND CURRENT D A S, THIS IS A SHELTER THAT WOULD TAKE US INTO 2050 AND BEYOND, SO I WON'T BE AROUND THEN.
SO
SO, UM, SO THEN, AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS THE LAND THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, IT'S PARKS LAND.
WE WOULD BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARKS SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, THERE WOULD BE A DOG PARK.
THERE WOULD BE OUTDOOR WALKING SPACES AND TRAILS THAT WOULD CONNECT TO, TO PARK AND RECS, UM, TRAILS.
WE COULD HAVE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, WE COULD HAVE SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR KIDS FOR HUMANE EDUCATION AND WOULD BE ABLE TO PARTNER ON THOSE RECREATION SPACES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR YOUR TIME.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND, UM, START THE TIMING FOR OUR COMMISSIONER'S QUESTIONS.
AND WE USUALLY DO THREE, TWO, BUT I'M GONNA GIVE FIVE TODAY.
UM, AND I FEEL LIKE WE CAN GET THROUGH EVERYBODY.
OH, ALSO, I TRULY APOLOGIZE, I DIDN'T SEE THAT STEPHANIE HANSSEN WAS ON, UM, THE CALL, SO I APOLOGIZE.
COMMISSIONER HANSSEN, WE SEE YOU THERE AND WE KNOW, UH, I THINK YOU'VE BEEN HERE THE WHOLE TIME.
UH, COMMISSIONER SANDERS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START? ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO ASK YOUR QUESTIONS IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF? THANK YOU.
UM, CAN YOU TURN UP YOUR, HOW'S THE VOLUME GUYS? OKAY, IT'S MAX.
IF YOU COULD JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE LOUDER.
I'M, I'M, UH, OUT OF TOWN AT A WEDDING, SO I APOLOGIZE.
I'M IN A YARD AND IT'S LOUD AROUND HERE.
COMMISSIONER SANDERS, YOU'RE STILL VERY LOW.
I MAY NOT, UM, LET ME, I CAN TRY NOT, I CAN TRY TO TAKE OFF MY AIRPODS MAYBE AND JUST DO THE SPEAKERS.
[00:55:01]
IF THAT'LL HELP.YEAH, YOU WANT ME TO TRY THAT? WE CAN, WE CAN BARELY HEAR YOU.
DO YOU MIND IF, UM, WE MOVE ON TO ANOTHER COMMISSIONER AND MAYBE SOMEBODY ELSE CAN SORT SOMETHING OUT WITH YOUR AUDIO'S? COME RIGHT BACK.
COMMISSIONER REPP, DO YOU WANNA CALL ME? ARE YOU AVAILABLE? OKAY, I'LL UNMUTE.
COMMISSIONER REPP, I THINK YOU'RE MUTED.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? SAME THING.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE US A MOMENT.
'CAUSE I COULD HEAR, UM, MS. SANDERS VERY WELL FROM THE COMPUTER.
SO HERE'S WHAT WE'LL DO, UM, GUYS, WE'RE GONNA GET SOME HELP FOR YOU, UH, ON THE VIRTUAL SIDE.
UH, COMMISSIONER SACKER, DO YOU MIND IF I START WITH YOU? YEAH, NOT AT ALL.
LET ME KNOW WHEN MY TIME STARTS.
WANT ME TO DIVE, DIVE? HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
UH, TODAY, UH, THIS IS A WONDERFUL, UH, MEETING.
WANNA THANK ALL THE SPEAKERS, JEREMY, EILEEN, JOSE, TRUMAN, DINA, UH, AND KAREN.
NEIGHBORS LIKE YOU THAT BRING AWARENESS TO US, UM, REPRESENTING EACH DISTRICT THAT Y'ALL ARE IN.
UH, THE BIG TAKEAWAYS THAT I HEARD WERE CITATIONS, MARKETING, SPAY AND NEUTER BREEDING REDUCTIONS.
WE HEAR YOU, WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
UM, WE'RE TRYING OUR HARDEST ALL OF US HERE.
UM, I WANNA ALSO THANK THE DAS FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING THROUGH OVER 3000, UM, DEATHS, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE HAD THE, THE WHOLE ROOSTER ISSUE.
UM, THAT'S GOTTA BE HARD ON ANYBODY.
UM, WE THANK ALL OF OUR, UH, DASS ASSOCIATES, UH, AND TEAMMATES.
AND I WANTED TO JUST REAL QUICK TAKE SOME TIME TO READ THROUGH THE PURPOSE OF THE AMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.
UM, SO WE ARE A COMMISSION AND WE ACT AS AN ADVISORY BOT TO THE CITY MANAGER, RIGHT? AND THEN TO ALSO OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE ASSIST THEM IN COMPLYING WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF STATE LAW AND CITY ORDINANCES PERTAINING TO THE OPERATIONS OF AN ANIMAL SHELTER.
THAT'S, THAT'S OUR MANDATE, THAT'S OUR PURPOSE.
BUT AS VOLUNTEERS, ALL OF US, WE, WE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND AS WELL.
ALL RIGHT? WE, WE VOLUNTEER, UH, WITH THE SHELTER.
WE VOLUNTEER IN OUR COMMUNITIES TO HELP THE ANIMALS IN NEED.
UM, WE TAKE FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL.
OUR DISTRICT MEMBERS COME TO ME, EMAIL ME AND TELL ME ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE ON THEIR MINDS.
AND I TRY TO BRING THAT TO AWARENESS HERE.
TOMA ACTUALLY PREVENTS A LOT OF COMMUNICATIONS OUTSIDE OF THESE MEETINGS.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, THIS IS OUR CHANCE TO SIT DOWN AS A TEAM AND REALLY GO THROUGH SOME, SOME BIG HIT ITEMS. UH, PERSONALLY, I, I MEET WITH MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, HANDING OUT FLYERS THAT WE CREATE HERE ON OUR TASK FORCES.
AND THEN ALSO JUST PERSONALLY, I I, I, CATS' OUR HUGE THING IN OUR DISTRICT.
THANK YOU TO, UM, KAREN, FOR THE GRAPH.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, LIKE WE HAVE A TON, BUT WE'RE TRYING, WE'RE TRYING OUR HARDEST, UM, TO BRING THESE ISSUES, UH, TO BEAR.
I WANNA ALSO, UH, CALL OUT A COUPLE OF OTHER ITEMS, UM, ON PAGE SIX.
MY, MY FIRST QUESTION, UM, WAS GOING TO, UH, LOOK AT THE INCREASE IN OUR, UM, SHELTER FOR, FOR DOGS AND CATS, IF I'M CORRECT.
IS, IS THIS ESSENTIALLY SAYING THAT WE HAVE THAT AMOUNT THAT ARE BEING SURRENDERED TO THE SHELTER, UM, SURRENDERED OR STRAYS? GOTCHA.
SO THESE ARE, IT'S A 46 OR, OR SUSPECTED ANIMAL CRUELTY.
SO, SO I JUST DID A QUICK MATH, 46% INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR.
AND I JUST THINK IT'S GOOD TO CALL OUT THAT WHEN WE SEE INCREASES LIKE THIS, WE SEE OTHER AREAS ALSO INCREASE.
SO LIVE OUTCOMES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS, UM, AND REALLY UNDERSTAND THE DATA.
UH, BUT I, I JUST WANTED TO CALL OUT SOME OF THE OTHER ITEMS, UM, WITH, UH, UH, SORRY.
UH, I WANTED TO CALL OUT ONE MORE THANKS RATHER, UH, TO COMMISSIONER UHS FOR, UH, ALL OF THE MARKETING WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE.
I'VE BEEN SEEING IT ALL OVER THE PLACE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE FROM OUR NEIGHBORS.
WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING, WE'RE TRYING TO GET MARKETING, WE'RE TRYING TO GET MORE AWARENESS.
UM, AND IF YOU, IF YOU ALL LOOK BACK IN FISCAL YEAR IN 2019, YOU KNOW, OUR ADOPTIONS WERE THROUGH THE ROOF, BUT WE ARE NOT GETTING PEOPLE IN TO ADOPT.
SO WE'RE HAVING TO FIND OTHER WAYS, WHETHER IT'S FOSTERING OR THE PROGRAMS. SO I THINK, UM,
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WHAT'S A GOOD TAKEAWAY FROM TODAY IS LOOKING AT THESE DATA, UH, AND THEN UNDERSTANDING WHAT PATHS WE CAN TAKE FROM HERE.BUT ULTIMATELY, IN TERMS OF WHAT OUR PURPOSE IS FOR THE COMMISSION, I THINK WE'RE IN LINE.
UH, I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS AND I YOU'LL BACK MY TIME.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE 54 SECONDS LEFT.
AND WE'RE ALSO, UM, TRYING TO GET A HOLD OF OUR TECHNICIAN TO SEE WHAT THE AUDIO IS.
SO WE'LL GO THROUGH ALL OF OUR COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE HERE IN THE ROOM, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO OUR ONLINE COMMISSIONERS.
AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, UM, I'M GETTING TEXTS THAT EVERYBODY ONLINE CAN HEAR 'EM ONLINE.
UM, I, I WOULD, ALONG WITH COMMISSIONER SAXA HERE, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
I KNOW I SPEAK FOR MOST OF MY COMMISSIONERS, ALL OF MY COMMISSIONERS I'M SURE.
I ALSO TRAP CATS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M, I'M VERY LUCKY THAT I HAVE, UH, NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE STANDING IN LINE AT FOUR AND FIVE IN THE MORNING.
AND NOT ONLY ARE YOU DOING THAT IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT YOU'RE TAKING TIME TO COME HERE AND SHARE THAT AND SPEAK UP.
AND THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, BROADCASTED MEETINGS.
AND I, I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I KNOW, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
UM, I HAVE LIKE 400 POUNDS OF DOGS IN MY HOUSE RIGHT NOW.
MY HUSBAND'S GONNA LEAVE ME AT SOME POINT.
BUT, UM, I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE HERE AND YOU'RE DOING IT IN THE COMMUNITIES, AND YOU'RE, YOU ARE ALSO TRYING TO BE A BRIDGE BETWEEN, UM, CITY OFFICIALS AND YOUR COMMUNITIES, AND THAT THAT'S NOT A SMALL TASK.
AND WE JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, A COUPLE OTHER THINGS I WANTED TO SAY.
FIRST, I WAS GOING TO, UM, ASK MELISSA A QUESTION.
I SEE, AND I KNOW YOU BRIEFLY TOUCHED ON IT IN THE BUDGET YOU HAVE ALLOCATED, UM, MY, NOW I'VE LOST MY PAGE, BUT THE MONEY FOR SPAY AND NEU, SORRY, ADDING TO REPLACE LOSS GRANT FUNDING FOR SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES, $250,000.
I KNOW THAT HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE, AND I KNOW THAT'S A BIG INITIATIVE.
SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME TIME AFTER I, AFTER I'M DONE SPEAKING TO EXPAND ON WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE AND, UM, TELL EVERYONE AGAIN, NO, THIS IS A NEW PROGRAM.
WE HAVEN'T HAD TO DO THAT IN THE PAST, AND THAT'S A BIG CHUNK OF MONEY.