HomeMy WebLinkAboutAnimal Services NewsAnimal Service News
August 21, 2013
CHAPEL HILL & CARRBORO FLOOD
• Animal Services role in emergency operations in Chapel Hill and Carrboro included
o Being at the table in the Emergency Operations Center
o Transporting animals from the Red Cross Shelter to the Animal Services Center
o Coordinating other field service responses and animal impoundments
• Networking with others (Red Cross, ES, DSS, etc.) for outreach related to animal recovery
• A total of eighteen (18) animals were impounded (6 dogs, 2 cats, 3 chickens and 7 birds)
o ~50% were sheltered for several weeks and then recovered
o ~25% were surrendered and transferred to a placement partner
o ~25% were unclaimed and made available for adoption, transfer
STAFFING
• Recruitment and selection for one (1) Animal Control Officers is underway
• Recruitment and selection for one (1) Animal Care Technician is underway
• Assistant Program Coordinator recruitment should occur by early September
• New Veterinary Health Care Manager, Josh Fisher, has completed department orientation; he is
now involved in county training for new supervisors (among other things)
MISCELLANEOUS
• Animal Services is now partnering with the Kidzu Children’s Museum in Chapel Hill
o Animal Arts for children at Kidzu each Saturday in August
o Ongoing mutually beneficial programming and outreach
• Fellows from the NC Kenan-Flagler Business School Nonprofit Board Fellows Program
o Request received and application completed by Animal Services
o Whether there are two fellows will be decided by late September
o If there are fellows, they will work with the ASAB as well as staff.
• Rabies Control and Prevention
o Nine (9) confirmed cased year to date (4 raccoons, 2 bats, 2 goats, and 1 fox)
o Recent South Carolina bat rabies death and response
VOLUNTEER GUIDELINES FOR ASAB MEMBERS
• There are now five (5) Animal Services Advisory Board Members who are also OCAS volunteers
o Recognize that his or her roles as advisor and volunteer are entirely separate
o Recognize that s/he has no special standing as a volunteer, i.e., s/he is subject to the
same policies and procedures and management relations as all other volunteers
o Recognize that it is s/he must meet the highest standards in their role as a volunteer
• Sarah Fallin is coordinating with other county staff to determine whether the volunteer status of
ASAB members should be a policy subject, etc.
AS News—August 21, 2013
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THE CONUNDRUM OF OPERATIONS & GOVERNANCE
• There are real tensions between operations (and administration) and governance in conjunction
with advisory boards.
• Trade-offs may occur and there may be a swinging pendulum:
o Priority of governance (in the extreme, regardless of operational impacts).
o Priority of operations (in the extreme, at the expense of citizen involvement)
• It is good to reflect on tensions and trade-offs with recent changes in the Board of County
Commissioners and the impending appointment of a new county manager
• There is a need for balance; it should be the shared goal of the ASAB and Animal Services staff!
By Bob Marotto, Animal Services Director