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o At-large non-municipality <br />o Animal trainer position <br /> Recommendation: Allan Polak <br /> <br />o Motion to approve nomination of Susan Spinks and Allan Polak to the ASAB: approved <br />unanimously <br /> <br />o Discussion with new applicant for animal advocate position <br /> Lori Gershon, animal welfare advocate position <br /> <br />Animal Hearing Panel Pool <br /> Casey Ferrell approved to join Ed T. and Amanda S. as the third member of the Animal <br />Hearing Panel Pool <br /> BOCC amended the general policy; members of the Hearing Panel Pool are beholden to <br />the code of ethics <br /> <br />Animal Services during the pandemic <br /> Overview <br />o At the onset of pandemic, there was an open question of whether animal services were <br />essential services. That was quickly resolved and OCAS deemed essential, allowing it to <br />continue to operate. Circumstances drove significant innovation to assure continuity of <br />service. Hard choices included suspension of low-cost rabies vaccination program; <br />anticipate possible resumption of the program in the fall. Also suspended spay/neuter <br />programs. Also had to manage shelter population and intake; asking the community to <br />lessen the burden on the shelter has been successful in reducing shelter load. <br />o Intake for 2Q20: 42% fewer animals than 2Q19. <br />o Shelter population on July 3, 2020: 209 vs. July 2: 2019: 291 <br /> Kitten Intake Program <br />o Working to avoid taking in unweaned kittens and keep those animals with their mothers <br />o 51 calls received about found kittens <br />o 3 people fostered their found kittens through us <br />o 20 “other” (inclusive of sterilization via working cat program, kept kittens and did not <br />use our resources, reached out to rescues, etc.) <br />o 28 Did not want to keep the kittens on property and brought them to us as strays <br /> New Foster Program <br />o 92 foster families; adopted out 55 cats from foster; doing virtual meet-and-greets <br /> Pet Food and Vet Care Assistance Initiatives <br />o From the Pet Food Pantry at OCAS we have helped serve 140 animals (72 dogs, 67 cats, <br />and 2 rabbits). We have partnered with the OC Emergency Services for 5 Food <br />Distribution Events that alternate between Carrboro High School and Cedar Ridge High <br />School. Through those events we have given away around 400 bags of cat and dog food. <br />o The Vet Assistance Program is still in the process of begin established. This will be a <br />program that will help cover the vet costs for treatable, non-routine, non-emergency vet <br />care. We currently have $6,000 from the GoFundMe for this program. <br />o Pretty far below numbers of spay/neuter surgeries compared to this time last year: 2019 <br />Q2--140 surgeries vs. 2020 Q2--75.