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W <br />The ASAB will continue to serve as a sounding board for stakeholder <br />groups, reviewing animal - related policy issues raised by residents or <br />identified by the BOCC. Animal Services and other county staff will <br />continue to direct residents to the ASAB as a critical step in any <br />consideration of stakeholder concerns, before bringing an item to the <br />Board of County Commissioners. <br />The ASAB would stress that it remains fundamentally concerned about the <br />human aspects of animal issues and services as well as animal welfare, <br />and recall that one of its members is the veterinarian who serves on <br />Orange County's Health Board. In addition, the ASAB values the "human - <br />animal bond" and the role of animal companions in enriching the quality of <br />life for individuals, communities and cultures. A good illustration is the <br />ASAB's support for Animal Services partnership with the Department of <br />Social Service to provide affordable pet sterilization to households of <br />lesser means. <br />What are your Board /Commission's most important accomplishments? <br />The ASAB continued to work with staff and stakeholders to support and <br />promote a strategic plan for managing pet overpopulation in Orange <br />County. A major component of this work was the creation of a free - <br />roaming cat task force that met more than ten times, held stakeholder <br />listening sessions, and developed a plan to address free - roaming cats as a <br />constituent part of pet overpopulation in Orange County. <br />The ASAB worked closely and collaboratively with staff on the proposed <br />unified animal control ordinance. Significantly, this encompassed <br />collaboration with the UNC -CH School of Government faculty to address <br />and resolve several controversial issues, e.g., trespass and watchdog. <br />The ASAB also worked closely with staff to review funding applications <br />from outside agencies. Through this process, the board sought to identify <br />agencies that augment the "animal services" provided by the County where <br />there is a clear resident need for such services. <br />Finally, the ASAB has sought to coordinate effectively with the BOCC to fill <br />vacancies on the board. This ongoing effort includes interviewing ASAB <br />candidates and making a recommendation to the BOCC for vacant <br />positions. It also includes an orientation for new members, which provides <br />an overview of County "animal services" and introduction to the advisory <br />board in relation to County governance. <br />