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

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2 1 the task form came up with a strategic plan that was then presented to the Animal Services 2 Advisory Board. The board unanimously adopted it. 3 Dr. White reviewed the executive summary. She said the first part of the plan is a strong 4 recommendation for micro chipping, as micro chipped animals are much more readily returned 5 to their owners. She said micro chipping used to be part of Orange County Animal Services 6 until it was cut from the county budget during a time of fiscal difficulty. She said there is now a 7 charge of$25 to place a micro-chip, and this is voluntary. She said that the new 8 recommendation is, when a stray is brought to the shelter and an owner comes to recover the 9 animal, the owner must pay for micro chipping in order for the animal to be returned. 10 Dr. White said that part two addresses whether animals should be mandatorily spayed 11 and neutered before being returning to their owner. She said that the committee was very 12 interested in moving in that direction at first. However, after reviewing the information, the 13 committee realized that this is not being locally enforced in North Carolina. She said that these 14 mandatory spay and neuter programs are unusual in the US and most national organizations 15 recommend against them. Concerns are that owners will go underground, avoiding vets and 16 licensing, in fear of mandatory spay neuter laws. She said that the shelter cannot spay or 17 neuter animals that don't belong to them. She said that this means if an owner comes to 18 recover a pet, the shelter cannot enforce spaying or neutering in the shelter before returning the 19 animal. Considering the research, it was decided that there were other ways to encourage 20 spaying/neutering animals without legislating. The committee strongly recommended an 21 education process and, as mentioned by Bob Marotto earlier, a very inexpensive or free spay 22 and neuter program. 23 Dr. White said there is need for help from the Board of County Commissioners on 24 deciding whether or not to implement a tiered and differential recovery program. She referred to 25 the tiered pay licensing system, which charges more for reproductive pets than spayed/neutered 26 pets. She said the idea is to take that model and apply it to animals who are recovered. The first 27 time an animal is recovered, it will cost a certain fee to get the animal back and the fee is different 28 depending on whether the animal is spayed/neutered or not. She said that for the second 29 recovery of the same animal, it would cost more for that animal to be recovered and there is again 30 a differential based on the reproductive status. This increase continues with the third recovery, 31 but with an added incentive to spay or neuter. For this third recovery, there will be a $100 deposit 32 that will be returned if the owner returns within 90 days to show proof that the animal has been 33 spayed or neutered. She said that with these fees and a healthy dose of education there is hope 34 that the objective of reducing the number of reproductive animals will be reached. 35 Commissioner Price asked for clarification about the $25 microchip fee and Dr. White 36 said there is an impoundment fee, inoculation fee, possible licensing fee, as well as the micro 37 chipping fee. 38 Commissioner Dorosin asked about the state veterinary rules regarding spaying and 39 neutering an animal that does not belong to the shelter. He asked how long it takes for the 40 animal to become a shelter animal. 41 Bob Marotto said the shelter holds the animal for a minimum of 5 calendar days, 3 of 42 those days the shelter must be open to the public. If it is a legally surrendered animal, the shelter 43 could decide to adopt out the animal immediately. 44 Commissioner Dorosin asked, if five days pass and the dog is reproductive, how quickly 45 would they move forward to spay it. 46 Bob Marotto said that if they think the animal is highly adoptable they may schedule it for 47 sterilization on the 6th day; otherwise, they would have someone to adopt the animal and then 48 schedule the sterilization. This avoids the cost of sterilizing an animal who is then not adopted. 49 Commissioner Dorosin asked, if the animal is not adoptable, then is it not on the 50 spay/neuter list. 51 Bob Marotto said it would not be on a spay and neuter list but on another list.