HomeMy WebLinkAboutASAB Meeting Summary 07152020 Orange County Animal Services
1601 Eubanks Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27516
919-942-PETS (7387)
ANIMAL SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD (ASAB)
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
Virtual Meeting Summary
MEMBERS PRESENT: Amanda Schwoerke (Chair), Bryan Stuart (Vice Chair), Casey Ferrell
(Secretary), Lee Pickett, Lucia Welborne, Edmund Yiryakian, Sue Millager, Sunita Driehuys,
ABSENT:
STAFF PRESENT: Bob Marotto (Animal Services Director), Rachel Plast (AA), Cooper Hatch (PC)
FORMER MEMBERS: Maureane Hoffman, Molly Mullin, Diane Obeid
Call to order: 6:35 p.m.
Review and adoption of the agenda: approved
Summary of February 2019 meeting: approved
Review of public participation guidelines: not reviewed
General public comments on items not on agenda: none
Monthly Meeting Attendance Record (confirm completion): confirmed
Thank you to retiring members: Beth Grooms, Maureen Hoffman, Molly Mullin, and Diane
Obeid
• Chairperson Schwoerke offered remarks in gratitude of the service and dedication of the
outgoing board members
o "These will be incredibly hard shoes to fill"
Animal Services Advisory Board updates:
• ASAB Appointment Updates
o No new updates
• Board vacancies
o Animal welfare advocate (2)
o Pet-related business owner/manager
■ Recommendation: Susan Spinks
o At-large non-municipality
o Animal trainer position
■ Recommendation: Allan Polak
o Motion to approve nomination of Susan Spinks and Allan Polak to the ASAB: approved
unanimously
o Discussion with new applicant for animal advocate position
■ Lori Gershon, animal welfare advocate position
Animal Hearing Panel Pool
• Casey Ferrell approved to join Ed T. and Amanda S. as the third member of the Animal
Hearing Panel Pool
• BOCC amended the general policy; members of the Hearing Panel Pool are beholden to
the code of ethics
Animal Services during the pandemic
• Overview
o At the onset of pandemic,there was an open question of whether animal services were
essential services.That was quickly resolved and OCAS deemed essential, allowing it to
continue to operate. Circumstances drove significant innovation to assure continuity of
service. Hard choices included suspension of low-cost rabies vaccination program;
anticipate possible resumption of the program in the fall. Also suspended spay/neuter
programs.Also had to manage shelter population and intake; asking the community to
lessen the burden on the shelter has been successful in reducing shelter load.
o Intake for 2Q20:42%fewer animals than 2Q19.
o Shelter population on July 3, 2020: 209 vs.July 2: 2019: 291
• Kitten Intake Program
o Working to avoid taking in unweaned kittens and keep those animals with their mothers
o 51 calls received about found kittens
0 3 people fostered their found kittens through us
0 20 "other" (inclusive of sterilization via working cat program, kept kittens and did not
use our resources, reached out to rescues, etc.)
0 28 Did not want to keep the kittens on property and brought them to us as strays
• New Foster Program
o 92 foster families; adopted out 55 cats from foster; doing virtual meet-and-greets
• Pet Food and Vet Care Assistance Initiatives
o From the Pet Food Pantry at OCAS we have helped serve 140 animals (72 dogs, 67 cats,
and 2 rabbits). We have partnered with the OC Emergency Services for 5 Food
Distribution Events that alternate between Carrboro High School and Cedar Ridge High
School.Through those events we have given away around 400 bags of cat and dog food.
o The Vet Assistance Program is still in the process of begin established.This will be a
program that will help cover the vet costs for treatable, non-routine, non-emergency vet
care. We currently have$6,000 from the GoFunclMe for this program.
o Pretty far below numbers of spay/neuter surgeries compared to this time last year: 2019
Q2--140 surgeries vs. 2020 Q2--75.
Structural Racism and Animal Welfare
• Lee Pickett led discussion of the inequalities, inequities, and evidence of systemic bias toward
people of color in the world of animal services, access to veterinary care, etc.
• Next step: Lee to send a note to ASAP asking members to express whether they have interest in
the topic to warrant further discussion in a next ASAB meeting
Adjournment and next meeting: Meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.