Agenda - 03-19-2013 - 5a - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 1 breeding and the Animal Services Advisory board is in support of this bill. This has been 2 referred to as "puppy mill" legislation to prevent cruel and inhumane practices. 3 She said that mid-year, the Animal Services Advisory Board will start the discussion 4 regarding free roaming cats in Orange County. This is a public health issue, as well as a cat 5 humane issue. 6 7 Bob Marotto— Director of Orange County Animal Services (ASAB) 8 At the request of Chair Jacobs, Mr. Marotto gave a description of the history and role of 9 Animal Services. He said Animal Services was created by the Board of County Commissioners 10 in 2005. This occurred one year after the county assumed operational responsibility of the old 11 animal shelter on Animal Shelter Drive in Chapel Hill. He said that with the creation of Animal 12 Services, the animal shelter and staff were combined with animal control and their staff, which 13 had previously been a section of environmental health. In 2009, the new Animal Services 14 Center was opened on Eubanks Rd and combined everyone under one roof. 15 Chair Jacobs thanked Dr. Bergstrand for her long service to the ASAB and welcomed 16 Michelle Walker. He then opened the floor for questions. 17 Commissioner Dorosin asked how many current vacancies exist in the ASAB. 18 Bob Marotto said they have one current vacancy, defined for the board as an at large 19 non-municipal vacancy. There are currently nine applicants who fit the board criteria. Half of 20 these candidates were invited to the January meeting of the advisory board and the other half 21 will be invited to the February meeting. This is so that the board can converse with the people 22 about what they do and what kind of commitment is required, and also to form a 23 recommendation for the commissioners. 24 Commissioner Price asked if they had enough ability/time to address the dangerous dog 25 issue. 26 Bob Marotto said there are ways in which their tool kit can be improved. Three major 27 gaps include the fact that currently there is no requirement for identification or microchip 28 requirements for animals that are deemed dangerous. There are no specific or suitable 29 confinement requirements in Orange County. The statutory confinement requirements are 30 loose. There is no express authority to seize an animal in violation of the current requirements. 31 In addition, there is the issue of whether the county should have authority, in the event 32 of serious incidents, to destroy an animal subject to due process provisions. This exists in other 33 jurisdictions. These issues will be brought forward to the commissioners in the future. 34 Chair Jacobs said they have a legislative agenda coming forth on February 19th. He 35 noted that this would be the best time to bring forward the puppy mill information. Chair Jacobs 36 said he appreciated that they were working with Triangle Wildlife Rehabilitation. Chair Jacobs 37 asked for an update for the board about the Mobile Emergency Animal Unit for Pet Location. 38 Bob Marotto said that extraordinary progress had been made with Triangle Wildlife 39 Rehabilitation in coming up with a performance agreement and folding money into the Animal 40 Services budget as they fill this gap with wildlife. He noted that Triangle Wildlife is closing and 41 this hole will need to be filled some other way. 42 Mr. Marotto said the Mobile Emergency Animal Unit for pet location emerged post- 43 Katrina. The purpose is to have companion animals sheltered in the same building as their 44 owners after a disaster, not in the same room, but in the same facility. The reasons for this 45 include effective emergency management and response, since many people don't want to leave 46 their animals. He said that North Carolina has been a pioneer in developing companion animal 47 mobile equipment trailers, which serve to carry resources required to outfit a section of a school 48 or other building for pet co-location with their owners. Animal and emergency services have 49 worked closely together, including a large scale co-location exercise at a local school in 2012. 50 This was a successful event.