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19 <br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: October 28, 2002 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 2 <br />SUBJECT: Proposed External Evaluation of the Orange County Animal Shelter and Public <br />Comment Period <br />DEPARTMENT: Manager's Office PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />Health <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />American Humane Association (AHA) <br />Description <br />Humane Society of America (HSUS) <br />Description <br />HSUS Materials <br />Reference Check Report <br />Correspondence from APS Board to <br />Board of Commissioners 10/17/2002 <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Gwen Harvey, ext 2307 <br />Rosemary Summers, ext 2411 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill <br />Durham <br />Mebane <br />968-4501 <br />688-7331 <br />336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To consider entering into a contract for an external evaluation of the Orange <br />County Animal Shelter, to provide staff direction on the scope of work for the proposed external <br />evaluation, and to receive public comment on the scope of work, especially emphasis areas and <br />suggestions for meaningful public involvement. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />Several residents raised concerns at the BOCC meeting on September 3 regarding the <br />operation of the Orange County Animal Shelter and the contract that the County has with the <br />Animal Protection Society of Orange County (APS) to provide those shelter services. A follow- <br />up report was provided to the Board of Commissioners at their regular meeting on October 1. <br />During the meeting on October 1, Commissioners discussed the possibility of contracting with <br />an external organization for an evaluation of the Animal Shelter and directed staff to gather <br />more information about each respective national agency that has conducted similar studies. An <br />external assessment would provide an unbiased view of shelter operations and offer <br />benchmarks with other organizations providing shelter services nationwide. The following <br />issues have been identified either through public comment, Commissioner comment or Board of <br />Health Committee as appropriate for inclusion in the external assessment:. <br />• Program and management improvements <br />• Public interaction and customer service/satisfaction <br />• Considerations for the design, maintenance, and programming of any new facility <br />• Continued review and consideration of best disease management practices <br />• Adoption policies (ensuring that healthy animals are adopted) <br />• Provisions for effective, low-cost spay/neuter operations <br />• Operational policies, procedures, protocols <br />