Orange County NC Website
• Remove the bullet of "Explore Ordinance Changes and change to "Explore Trap Neuter <br />and Release programs for free roaming cats" and, <br />• Explore model programs and ordinances <br />Bob Marotto reminded Board members that it's important not to prejudge how a Trap-Neuter- <br />Release (TNR) would look in Orange County. First, we need to decide whether to have TNR and, <br />if we do, what will make it workable and consistent for Orange County. <br />Unified Animal Ordinance Update - Michelle Walker gave a brief update <br />• ASAB and staff have been working on it for a long time <br />• Confusion with the different ordinances in OCAS' jurisdiction. Orange County Staff <br />Attorney, Annette, helped staff go through all the ordinances and keep it holistic <br />• About a year ago there was public feedback and most recently feedback was received <br />from, Amy Wahl, an attorney from the School of Government <br />• Asked to implement the changes that Amy Wahl proposed <br />• Go before the Board at their work session on April 8 to go through any questions that <br />they have . <br />The notion of defining trespass is a very difficult one. We have received a trespass chart created <br />by the School of Government. The notion of consent and negligence by and of the owner must <br />be taken into consideration and the notion of "implied consent". There is a need to find a <br />middle ground when it comes to these notions. The issue of "watchdog" is still tricky when <br />dealing with someone coming onto the owner's property and the subsequent behavior of the <br />dog. There is an exception to (legal repercussions?) if a dog is a "watchdog". However, the <br />definition of watch dog is very broad and is essentially a dog that barks and is watchful/vigilant <br />(barking, snarling and growling) if someone comes on the property. . There is also the question <br />of "Does the person have consent to come on the property?" Behavior is a specific situation not <br />a blanket term, i.e. my dog is a "watchdog". We are looking to find a middle ground. The County <br />attorneys will do the drafting and then the Unified Ordinance will probably come back to ASAB. <br /> <br />New Business <br />1. Animal Services Update - Bob Marotto <br /> <br />• Winter Storm Activity - Irene and Bob spent the better part of 24 hours in the <br />Emergency Operations Center. Didn't do as much as they needed to do to let people <br />know that they need to prepare for their pets as well as themselves. <br />• Community Spay & Neuter Program - In 2013 a total of 472 cats and dogs were spayed <br />and neutered on the basis of the partnership between Animal Services and AnimalKind. <br />A total of 373 dogs and cats belonging to clients of Orange County Department of Social <br />Services (DSS) were spayed and neutered on a "no pay" basis.