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052021 Animal Services Advisory Board Meeting 6:00 p.m., May 20, 2021 The Randolph County Animal Services Advisory Board met in regular session on May 20, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. in the Randolph County Office Building Meeting Room A, 725 McDowell Road, Asheboro, NC. Cynthia Grantham, Lou Wilson, J.R. Beard, and Commissioner David Allen were in attendance. Commissioner Darrell Frye, Lisa Sparks, Sgt. Lawrence Albright, April Wilburn, and Jason Balder were absent. Also present were Ex-Officio member County Manager Hal Johnson, Clerk to the Board Sarah Pack, Animal Services Manager Heather Wood, Business Operations Manager Ashley Morris, Animal Adoption Coordinator Heather Stewart, Animal Shelter Mascot Dog Bruce, and various other Animal Services staff members. The Veterinarian seat and one animal rescue/volunteer community seat are vacant at this time. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, temperature checks were completed upon entrance into the building and social distancing was maintained throughout the meeting. Call to Order and Opening Comments Commissioner Allen called the meeting to order and welcomed the Board members. Because a quorum was not present, the minutes of the previous meeting were not voted on. Overview County Manager Hal Johnson said the last meeting of the Board was in September 2020. The pandemic had slowed down the frequency of meetings but because the COVID-19 infection numbers are dropping, meetings can begin again. Mr. Johnson recognized several Animal Services staff members in attendance. Because of the challenges of the pandemic, the public hasn’t been able to hear the positive news coming from Animal Services. The department is doing an excellent job improving the mechanics of the Animal Shelter since establishing Animal Services as an independent department. Mr. Johnson referred to the Notice of Warning that was received by the Shelter in 2020. He spoke with the State Director regarding the notice and the history of Animal Services. The Director said that the process used by the County was worthy of example to other counties. Although the department had come a long way, a Notice of Violation was still issued regarding some changes needed at the Shelter. Mr. Johnson discussed the Notice of Violation with Heather Wood, who immediately reached out to Christy Shore, the State Inspector, to begin making corrections. Shelter staff have been very responsive in addressing the issues noted by the state. Mr. Johnson read an excerpt from the inspection report completed by Ms. Shore. Ms. 05/20/21 Shore was highly impressed with the improvements at the Shelter. She commended the staff for their dedication and hard work to making changes at the Shelter and thanked them for everything they’re doing. Mr. Johnson is very proud of Animal Services and wants to get the word out to the public about what a great job the staff is doing. Departmental Updates Heather Wood, Animal Services Manager, presented a packet of information to Board members. There is a new Pet Therapy schedule for County employees to take advantage of. Mascot Bruce, Wellness Administrator Sam Varner’s dog Pablo, and another adoptable pet visit different departments to help employees destress. Mr. Johnson said that Pet Therapy program is extremely beneficial for employees and the feedback for the program has been wonderful. Ms. Wood said employees are already beginning to anticipate “dog day.” Prior to the pandemic, Bruce was visiting nursing home residents, which will hopefully be resumed when the pandemic is under control. Glen Mitchell from Randolph Community College has partnered with Animal Services to begin an internship program. Interns learn about animal handling, vaccine administration, and other animal care. Ms. Wood gave details regarding the internship program and the administrative tasks involved. She showed photographs of the quarantine kennel building process. She and Ashley Morris measured the kennels and sent photographs to State Inspector Shore. Mr. Johnson asked what the quarantine kennels are for. Ms. Wood said that in some cases, quarantined animals need to be held for a period of ten days. This new area will free up regular kennel space for strays. Animal Services recently held a rabies vaccination day and gave roughly 25 vaccines. Each Animal Services staff member is certified to give a rabies vaccination, with the exception of new hires working in adoption or administration who must first complete a six-month probationary period. Ms. Wood said that several months ago, Board member Jason Balder, who also works at the North Carolina Zoo, shadowed the Animal Care Attendants and he is in the process of creating curriculum and a training program for the Animal Care Attendants. This will include domestic and exotic pets. This program will be available at the Shelter. Mr. Balder has been a partner for the Shelter in cases where exotic animals are involved. Ashley Morris, Business Operations Manager, discussed the new Rabies Vaccination Medical Consent Form. Officer Moody would like for Animal Control Officers to be able to administer rabies vaccines in the field for citizens who may not be able to get their animals to a vet. The owner will sign the form, which 05/20/21 protects the County if the animal were to have a reaction to the vaccine. This program is slated to begin in July. Animal Services is currently recruiting for an Animal Services Coordinator, which Ms. Morris referred to as “the center of all of Animal Services.” This position handles dispatch, surrenders, and is the first point of contact for the public when they come into the Shelter. The call volume has increased. This position will increase efficiency. Interviews are under way for this position. Ms. Morris introduced Marcus Singletary, who is a new Animal Control Officer. He has experience with Emergency Services in Wake County. He was looking for a new opportunity when he moved here and is looking forward to establishing himself in Animal Services with Randolph County. Mr. Johnson said that Animal Services has established an identity, which is being exhibited through uniforms for Animal Control Officers and decals on the Animal Control vehicles. Ms. Morris said the new branding is getting the attention of the public in a positive way. Ms. Grantham said that the new professional look will garner respect. Mr. Johnson said that Jonathan Moody, Field Operations Manager, has also implemented new programs for Animal Control Officers. The “old transfer station” near the Shelter is now the hub for Animal Control which has worked out very well in regards to efficiency and effectiveness. Ms. Morris referenced a letter included in the packet from Mr. Moody. A positive relationship has been established with the Sheriff’s Department which has streamlined communication and workload for both departments. Right now, there are several cruelty cases under investigation. The partnership between Animal Services and the Sheriff’s Office has allowed for better investigation of these cases. New training opportunities are also available to Animal Services staff. Commissioner Allen asked what the Shelter population is. Ms. Morris said adoptions may have increased while surrenders have decreased. This may be attributed to appointment-only surrender which gives the owner another opportunity to rethink surrendering their animal. Stray intake seems to have stayed the same, but Animal Control Officers are patrolling more which has resulted in the public being more willing to reach out for help. Commissioner Allen asked when the Shelter will open as normal. Ms. Morris said they would prefer to be fully staffed first. There are currently several new hires in training and a couple of positions are being recruited for. Controlled access to the Shelter has eased the strain on the shorthanded department. Heather Stewart has been working on a volunteer program that is more controlled as well. Ideally, the Shelter will open in the next month or two. J.R. Beard asked if the number of euthanizations has changed during the pandemic. Ms. Morris said the number has decreased which can be attributed to rescues pulling animals. The Animal Shelter has developed very positive relationships with local rescues. There’s still a feral cat problem in the county and the Animal Services staff is working to educate the public about handling feral cats. There is also 05/20/21 educational material regarding vet care and spay/neuter options available to the public. Ms. Morris commended Animal Services staff for their passion and commitment to the betterment of animal welfare in the County. Mr. Johnson complimented Ms. Stewart on her work in improving the social media presence of the department. There is support for the Shelter now on social media whereas in the past, this was not the case. Mr. Johnson said not only does Ms. Stewart disseminate information via social media, but she interacts with the public and answers questions as well. Ms. Grantham asked if there is a limit in the city as to how many dogs a person can have. Ms. Morris said it depends on the city. Ms. Wood said it can vary based on square footage and acreage. Commissioner Allen thanked Ms. Morris for the hard work from the Shelter staff. Lou Wilson echoed these sentiments and said that things are different than they used to be. Ms. Wilson said that nursing home residents love when animals visit and told an anecdote about a resident speaking for the first time in years when she encountered a dog. Mr. Beard said dogs offer a great benefit to people and he has seen the effect on Vietnam veterans. Public Comment Period Pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 153A-52.1, Commissioner Allen opened the floor for public comment and closed it after everyone wishing to speak had done so. Renee Bryant, 417 South Stout Road, Randleman, explained how to calculate the number of dogs permissible on a person’s property in the city of Asheboro. A welfare check can be requested for the animals on a particular property if needed. Dr. Tina Byrd of the Randolph County SPCA said in 2014, roughly 75-80% of dogs and 90% of cats admitted to the Shelter were euthanized. In 2020, those numbers decreased to 50% of cats and 15% of dogs which can be attributed to staff working to make connections with rescues all over the country. She commended the staff for their incredible work. Many animals that are euthanized have poor training, are aged, or are sick. This is a remarkable improvement. Mr. Beard said this shows the dedication of the Shelter staff. Commissioner Allen said that due to the lack of quorum, no action can be taken at this meeting. However, Board appointments need to be addressed at a future meeting as some people are having time commitment issues and others have terms expiring. Adjournment Commissioner Allen thanked the Board for their attendance. With no further business, Commissioner Allen adjourned the meeting at 6:53 p.m. 05/20/21