061622Randolph County Animal Services
MI
Animal Services
Advisory
Board Meeting
6:00 p.m., June 16, 2022
The Randolph County Animal Services Advisory Board met in regular session on June 16, 2022, at 6:00
p.m. in the Randolph County Office Building Meeting Room A, 725 McDowell Road, Asheboro, NC. Cynthia
Grantham, Lisa Sparks, Commissioner Darrell Frye, and Commissioner David Allen were in attendance.
Lou Wilson, J.R. Beard, Jason Balder, and April Wilburn were absent. Also present were Ex-Officio member
County Manager Hal Johnson, Clerk to the Board Sarah Pack, Animal Services Business Manager Ashley
Morris, and Animal Control Manager Jonathan Moody. Other members of Animal Services were present
as well. The Veterinarian seat, law enforcement liaison seat, and one animal rescue/volunteer community
seat are vacant at this time.
Call to Order and Opening Comments
Commissioner Frye called the meeting to order and welcomed the Board members. A quorum was not
present, so the minutes from the previous meeting were not voted on.
Public Comments
Commissioner Frye opened the floor for public comment and closed it after no one wished to speak.
Animal Control Ordinance Update
County Manager Hal Johnson said the suggestions from the previous meeting were incorporated into
the revised Ordinance. This Board is an advisory body; the Ordinance will be presented to the Board of
County Commissioners for adoption in August.
Jonathan Moody, Animal Control Manager, said all items that were questioned regarding the
Ordinance at the previous meeting were updated. There were additions to the draft based on the
recommendation of Animal Services Board members, including the addition of Certified Rabies
Vaccinators (CRVs). The tethering section was expanded and clarified. The holding period was adjusted
to exclude holidays and weekends. Fees have been revised.
Mr. Johnson asked what provisions were the largest changes. Mr. Moody said the Dangerous Dogs
section update will make a big impact; it is no longer under the authority of Public Health. Proper
tethering is addressed in the revised ordinance.
Ms. Sparks asked for clarification regarding what uses for a tether are considered proper. Mr. Moody
said a tether cannot be the main source of confinement.
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Mr. Johnson said the revised ordinance will be easier to interpret for citizens, allowing them to easily
follow it.
Ms. Sparks said there is a section under euthanization that does not reference the updated 72-hour
stray hold that excludes weekends and holidays. Mr. Johnson said it would be added.
Mr. Johnson said the revised ordinance would be presented to the Board of County Commissioners in
August. He commended the Animal Services staff for taking recommendations under advisement. Mr.
Moody said the clarified language will make the case more difficult to throw out; vague language is
difficult to interpret.
Mr. Johnson asked what the process was to take a charge to court. Mr. Moody said a citation will be
issued and the citizen has 14 days to make payment. If they do not pay, they receive a certified letter. If
they still do not pay, the charge goes to court. Mr. Moody will issue a criminal summons to the citizen
and the charge goes to court. Animal Services tries to work with the citizen in every way possible in order
to receive payment.
Departmental Updates
Jonathan Moody, Animal Control Manager, introduced Ashley Knox, who was hired as an Adoption
Coordinator. She is responsible for facilitating adoptions and coordinating social media and online posts
regarding intakes. She is also working with the volunteer program in the Shelter. Mr. Moody introduced
other staff members in attendance, including:
o Savanna Wilson —Animal Adoption Coordinator
o Robert Godfrey— Animal Control Officer
o McKenzie Beeson — Animal Control Officer
o Donna Zogopoulos —Animal Control Officer
o Amanda Batchelder —Animal Services Coordinator
o Sarah Brower —Animal Services Coordinator
Mr. Moody explained the duties of the staff members in attendance.
The Shelter was opened to the public on May 1, 2022. Mr. Johnson asked if the Shelter was fully staffed.
Mr. Moody said two shelter attendants are starting today. There is a part-time position being recruited
right now. All core positions have been filled at this time.
Walk-ins are now allowed for adoptions unless an appointment has already been made for that time
slot. Making appointments has made the process simpler and safer in terms of biosecurity. There are
bleach water trays available for visitors to rinse their shoes off to prevent the spread of disease such as
parvovirus. These trays are on both the adoption side and stray side. There are hard copy applications
available as well.
Mr. Johnson asked Mr. Moody to elaborate on establishing relationships with rescues. Mr. Moody said
he would like to facilitate a Rescue Coalition Meeting quarterly. Rescues will be invited for networking
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and conversing in order to build and strengthen relationships. This will allow everyone to understand
clearly the governmental restrictions placed upon the shelter and what Animal Services can and cannot
do. There is a process to determine whether an animal goes to adoption or to a rescue. For example, if
an animal is heartworm-positive, it will go to a rescue. The cost to treat for the citizen is high and extra
care is required.
Ms. Sparks asked if the County adopts out any diseased, deformed, or sickly animals. Mr. Moody said
we cannot adopt these types of animals out; however, the animal can go to a rescue. This is a requirement
by the State of North Carolina. Ms. Sparks said rescues rely on donations. Animals being offered to
rescues typically are not able to be adopted out to the public, unless there are space concerns. She asked
how quickly animals are spayed and neutered. Mr. Moody said there has been no change; appointments
are every Wednesday. Business Manager Ashley Morris said she plans to visit each vet in the county in
order to establish a working relationship where they may be able to accommodate the Shelter's spay and
neuter requests. Ms. Sparks asked how many dogs on average are brought in daily. Mr. Moody said on
average, ten dogs per day are brought in. Ms. Morris said owner surrenders will still be limited to
appointment only, which encourages the owner to take responsibility for rehoming their animal rather
than bringing it to the Shelter. Ms. Sparks suggested a County -funded veterinarian. Commissioner Frye
said he had discussed a prospective staff vet with Ms. Sparks. Ms. Morris said animals that are injured
have to be treated; having a staff vet would save the County time and money and would speed up
turnaround time for adoptions. Commissioner Frye asked if Ms. Morris was referring to a full time vet.
Ms. Morris said Guildford and Alamance counties have vets on staff and she'd like to discuss their
arrangements with their staff vets to see what may work for Randolph County.
Mr. Moody said community service hours are still being offered to citizens. Three employees have
completed the State course and have taken the exam and are waiting for their certificates. McKenzie
Realty came to the shelter to have a team -building exercise for their staff which resulted in two adoptions.
Mr. Moody referenced a chart comparing statistics from 2021 and 2022 (Attachment A). Numbers are
lower for cats and dogs than they were last year. Intake has increased. More animals have been reclaimed
which can be attributed to timely social media posts displaying found pets. Rescues can be slow to take
animals right now. With fuel prices increasing, this is putting stress on long distance transportation. Many
local rescues are full. Call volume is steadily increasing.
Mr. Johnson asked the reason for the call volume increasing. Mr. Moody said citizens are beginning to
trust Animal Services. Officers are visible in their target zones and are out on patrol. There is increased
presence and Mr. Moody said the staff is very willing to stay late to accomplish what needs to be done.
Mr. Moody said bites have increased.
Ms. Sparks asked if there has been an increase in strays. Mr. Moody said there are a lot of stray dogs;
intake has remained fairly steady. Citizens are finding strays and calling them in.
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Mr. Johnson said there are 22 departments and 900 employees in County government, but working in
Animal Services is a tough job. He said the department is tasked with complex situations to address and
the staff does a wonderful job.
Ashley Morris, Business Manager, said a veterinarian (vet) needs to be on staff. All positions at the
Shelter are filled at this time. Having a vet to spay and neuter on site would be helpful. There may be a
time where support is needed from Commissioners if the Shelter has to shut down due to lack of space.
They do not want to euthanize due to lack of space. Shutting down the Shelter would allow for animals
to be moved out.
Ms. Sparks said in a critical situation, shutting down the Shelter is a common practice. Many other
shelters are in similar situations. Mr. Moody said if they hit the maximum allowable number of animals
housed, which is set by the State, they have to shut down. Ms. Morris said that number is 100 cats and
100 dogs. There are many stipulations in order to house animals together which can pose a challenge.
Ms. Morris said this is a proactive thought, but potentially shutting down is an option if the Shelter
becomes overcrowded.
Mr. Moody said the Juvenile Day Reporting Center brought out three clients to complete community
service hours.
Commissioner Frye asked if there was any provision in the ordinance for dogs who are housed in a
small outdoor kennel. Mr. Moody explained space requirements along with food, water, and cleanliness
requirements. If a dog is constantly barking, Animal Services can perform a welfare check.
Mr. Johnson asked what Animal Services does if a call from another jurisdiction comes in (such as within
the city limits). Mr. Moody said they would contact the responding agency and assist if needed.
Commissioner Frye shared an incident that he received a phone call from a citizen about regarding
deceased cattle near the roadway. Mr. Moody said if a deceased animal is near the roadway, the
Department of Transportation is responsible for removal.
Ms. Sparks asked if there were any updates on the Director position. Commissioner Frye said the
position is recruiting through the end of the month.
Commissioner Frye said board member terms are expiring. If anyone does not wish to be reappointed,
he asked members to let Mr. Johnson know. Mr. Johnson explained that the ASAB didn't meeting during
the pandemic for safety and health reasons. If an appointing body does not reappoint a board member,
that member will continue to serve until reappointed or until someone else is appointed.
Ms. Sparks suggested sharing educational spay and neuter opportunities with the public. Mr. Johnson
said Chelsey Butler, Media and Communications Specialist, has been tasked with outreach content
creation and will be working with Mr. Moody for marketing opportunities. Ms. Sparks said some of the
increases in intakes may be due to lack of education. Mr. Johnson said the County is working to strengthen
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its online presence due to the absence of a local newspaper. Ms. Sparks said this is also an opportunity
to educated the public about vaccinations as well.
Adjournment
Commissioner Frye thanked Board members and Animal Services staff for their work. The meeting was
adjourned at 6:47 p.m.
6/16/22
Dogs
Cats
2022
2021
1/01/2021-06/14/202
Intake 685
9.49%
Intake 1322
0
9.07/0
558
11.Z9%
Euth 65
Euth 120
63
Adopted 140
Rescued w„ -193
Reclaimed 217
20.44%
;28 2SW,`
31.68%
Adopted 307
Rescued , 513
Reclaimed 364
23 22%
,p38 80%:;
27.53%
117
2'17
155
20.97%
:=38,89%:-
27.78%
RTO 1
0.15%
RTO 5
0.38%
2
0.36%
Died in Care 9
1.31%
Died in Care 3
0.23%
1
0.18%
DOA 4
"Other" . 1
0.58%
0.15%
DOA 5
"Other" 1
0.38%
0.08%
2
1
0.36%
Escaped 0
0
Escaped 1
0.08%
0
0.00%
SFT 11
0.15%
SFT 3
0.23%
0
0.00%
Quarantine 3
0.44%
Quarantine 0
0
0.00%
Available 14
2.04%
Available 0
0
0.00%
Pending Exam 1
'0.15%
Pending Exam 0
0
0.00%
Holding 35
5.11%
Holding 0
0
0.00%
Adoption Hold 0
0.00%
99.85%
100.00%
Intake 733
66.85%
Intake 1878
0
77.21%
724
66.99%
Euth 490
Euth 1450
485
Adopted ; 85
1160°%
Adapted 198
10.50%
103
14.23% r
Rescued " 37
5.05% iRescued
Reclaimed 21
2.86%
Reclaimed 45
2.40%
18
2.49%
Died in Care 11
2.50%
Died in Care 28
1.50%
12
1,66%
DOA 3
0.41%
DOA 6
0.30%
- 0
0.00%
"Other" 1
0.14%
"Other" 2
0.10%
0
0.00%
Escaped 2
0.27%
Escaped 1
0.05%
0
0.00%
SFT 0
0.00%
SFT 1
0.05%
1
0.14%
Quarantine 1
0.14%
Quarantine 0
0
Available 20
2.73%
Available 0
0
Pending Exam 0
0.00%
Pending Exam 0
0
Holding 60
8.19%
Holding 0F
0
RTW 2
0.27%
RTW 0
0
Adoption Hold 0
0.00%
Attachment A