1. Call to Order and Roll Call
Present Commissioners: Sally Stephens, Annemarie Fortier, Ryan Young, Pam Hemphill, Philip Gerrie, Susanna Russo, Shari O’Neill DVM, John Denny – SFPD, Lisa Wayne – Rec & Park
Absent Commissioners – Vicky Guldbech – ACC
2. General Public Comment
L’Danyielle Yacabucci – Speaking in behalf of Martha Hoffman. She feels Rec & Park should make a priority for wildlife habitat and corridors in GG Park. Current policy has been decimating wildlife habitats and corridors. Examples are Lincoln to Kirkham along La Playa and near GG Park Nursery and children’s playground. They should be fined for decimating these habitats.
Public comment closed
3. Approval of Draft Minutes from the Nov, 8, 2012 Meeting
Minutes approved unanimously with no Commission nor public comment.
4. Chairperson’s report and opening remarks
No report by the Chair
5. New Business
A) Discussion only about the issue of wildlife feeding – There are laws against feeding yet feeding wildlife is a common practice. What can be done to stop this practice that is harmful to wildlife?
Comr. Hemphill – Feeding wildlife is something we have all done. It is however not good for the health of wildlife nor for us. We are looking for a cultural change in this practice. Just as the ordinance passed in the 70’s about requiring dog owners to pick up dog feces was seen as unworkable, it is now part of the culture. Kelle Kacmarcik , who works for Wildcare in San Rafael, will speak to us about wildlife feeding and the harm that is causes.
Kelle Kacmarcik – I run Wildcare’s Wildlife Solutions Program. We deal with wildlife that has entered people’s homes. Crawl space or attic. I also supervise the front desk staff which has a hotline where people can call in with problems with wildlife. Am well acquainted with this issue. We get calls each and every day. In our hospital we deal with the consequences of people feeding wildlife.
Feeding wildlife is actually unkind to wildlife and can result in their death. People don’t realize they are not the only ones feeding. People don’t see it as harmful to give a little scrap. In public areas throughout the City, a steady stream of people are feeding the wildlife. It is a consistent problem. We would like to educate people about this problem. We discourage feeding all wildlife at Wildcare. We won’t ever eliminate it completely. People will still have bird feeders in their back yard. Consequences of feeding wildlife are: loss of foraging skills, loss of fear of humans, inadequate nutrition, spread of disease, interferes with migratory practices, loss of biodiversity and destruction of habitat, disturbs natural balance, and leads to overpopulation, and it leads to animals becoming nuisance wildlife.
It is against the law to feed wildlife in Marin County but it is not prosecuted because it is not brought to the DA. We encourage people to taper off rather than stop immediately. Panicked wildlife may go to another back door if feeding stops, in search of food. Neighbors may not feel the same way as a feeder. We get a lot of calls wanting to trap and relocate wildlife but it is against the law in CA to do so. Licensed trappers are required to either kill the animal or release it on site which doesn’t solve the problem. Sealing up living spaces and stopping feeding are the ways to go. Feeding bobcats and coyotes are a big problem as they will go after cats and small dogs when their natural food sources are not available and people are giving handouts drawing them in.
Feeding does not provide adequate nutrition. One symptom is called Angel Wing found in malnourished Canada Geese. Their wings do not grow properly and cannot fly leaving them a risk to predation. Bread is especially bad for aquatic birds. People think one piece of bread won’t hurt but I’ve observed people coming to feed all day long at Lake Merritt. Angel wing can sometimes be repaired but our responsibility is to only release birds that can take care of themselves so we sometimes have to euthanize those we can’t release.
Another concern is the spread of disease. Salmonella can be spread by dirty bird feeders. We recommend cleaning them once a week with hot soapy water. Wildlife is opportunistic. They go for easy and free food sources. That leads to higher concentrations of animals than is natural. That can lead to the spread of disease. Distemper can be spread from raccoons to dogs. One of the first questions we ask a caller is if their dogs are vaccinated.
Another problem is feeding wildlife interferes with their migratory patterns. Feeding bread to birds causes nutritional deficiencies in Vitamin E and is hard for the bird to digest. Sick gulls, brought in, will at first, only eat things like fries or chicken McNuggets. Migrating birds, that come through here, have to compete for scarce food with non-migrating birds. A lot don’t make it.
Feeding wildlife disturbs the natural balance and leads to over-population. Two species of particular concern for people are rats and pigeons. Well fed rats and pigeons will have larger litters and more will survive due to abundant sources of food. Natural sources of food cannot support the larger populations. Too many coyotes, foxes and raccoons can often lead to aggression from wildlife. Loss or degradation of habitat accounts for 88% of the endangered or threatened animals listed in the US. Other species thrive in urban and suburban settings. They are considered nuisances.
We also see animals coming in that have been shot with pellet guns.
Relocation is not legal nor effective to solve wildlife conflicts. Eliminating the food source is. Even if an animal is trapped you don’t know if that was the problem animal. We need to address the problem at the root. Otherwise the problem continues. We are glad people call about wildlife problems. Our concern is for those that do not call and take matters into their own hands by trapping and killing wildlife inhumanely on their own.
We are excited this matter is before this Commission. We have collaborated with ACC, Project Coyote, and the River Otter Ecology Project to have signs put at the Palace of Fine Arts. Instead of feeding wildlife one can provide habitat for wildlife by planting flowers and shrubs that provide natural foods. Seal up any points of entry inside the house. Lock down any cat or dog doors at night with your animals inside. If you do feed your animals outside, bring in their food inside at night. Talk to friends, family, and any neighbors about the deadly consequences of feeding wildlife. Help wild animals by enjoying them from a distance. I’ve provided a list for injured or endangered wildlife and also a list of humane management services in the Bay Area.
Comr. Gerrie – The purpose of this hearing is to protect and save wildlife. Possible solutions are stronger ordinances, more signage, etc. What do you think is the best way to do this?
Kelle Kacmarcik – A public education campaign would be most effective. Prohibitions are hard to enforce. It is not a Police Dept. issue. Will the courts prosecute it? I don’t think so. We don’t have the resources to prosecute violators who habitually feed wildlife.
Comr. Fortier – Can you tell us about the sign that would be put up at the Palace of Fine Arts? Also, who will finance the signs?
Kelle Kacmarcik – It says, “Please don’t feed wildlife for their health and your safety.” We have a partnership with ACC, Audubon, Project coyote, Wildcare, and the River Otter Project.
Comr. Fortier – Who authorizes the posting of these signs?
Kelle Kacmarcik – Rec & Park will post them.
Comr. Fortier – It seems like a good start, Private money for the signs and getting them posted. Only authorization is needed. Mountain Lake Park is another problem area for feeding of wildlife.
Kelle Kacmarcik – Any body of water is a problem. Birds congregate around water.
Comr. Wayne – One of my duties at Rec & Park is overseeing the Integrated Pest Management program, IPM. Wildlife issues sometimes fall under the category of pests. We have recently posted signs around the Palace. We are willing to post more if these prove inadequate. ACC investigated the recent raccoon attack. It was found that a neighbor was feeding the skunks and raccoons. This is unrelated to the authorized swan-feeders who are feeding them romaine lettuce and other healthy things. I would hate for anyone to associate the raccoon feeders with the swan feeders.
Comr. Hemphill – Please clarify that there are Rec & Park volunteers feeding the swans the right things as well as regular people and tourists also feeding them.
Kelle Kacmarcik – Another problem is who is going to take the time to educate the problem feeders one on one?
Comr. Wayne – Signs can only do so much. People tend to ignore signs.
Kelle Kacmarcik – They should be in several languages as well.
Comr. Wayne – Docents would be helpful. These places are also known for good places to feed the ducks. Those areas could be targeted.
Kelle Kacmarcik – When I’ve tried to talk to people about feeding, they get very, very defensive.
Comr. O’Neill – Health is another aspect, attracting rodents etc. Maybe we could address this from a public health standpoint? There are parasite issues and other human health concerns from wildlife. It is a human as well as a wildlife health issue.
Kelle Kacmarcik – We don’t want people to be scared of wildlife but that is one of the angles we can look at.
Comr. Young – Do you a sense if the problem of feeding is more in public spaces or more in back yards? The tactic for public education could differ depending on where it is happening.
Kelle Kacmarcik – Its definitely both. We can possibly have more effect in the public areas. One way is to get the media involved. Unsure what the hook would be to make it a compelling issue. Backyard feeders are a bigger problem in that they create nuisance wildlife who wind up getting killed. At Wildcare Center, we say ‘fed wildlife is dead wildlife.’ People need to realize that they can’t take wildlife into their homes, especially when an animal is sick. There are resources to take care of them. People come in with wild juvenile animals they’ve been feeding but can’t take care of any longer. They want us to “wild” them up. That doesn’t often work. There are sufficient wild food sources for wild animals. We live in a temperate climate with year round access to food.
Comr. Young – I’ve been looking into educating by including information in the Recology bills. Also, finding ways to educate school children.
Kelle Kacmarcik – We have a winter education camp going on right now. The message is don’t feed them, they don’t need our help unless sick or injured. Don’t feed them. Don’t poison them. Wildcare started when people would bring in orphaned baby raccoons after they had trapped and relocated the mom. It cost several thousand dollars to take care of these animals that are there because of the good but mistaken intentions of a home owner.
Comr. Stephens – With educating about coyotes the information went with the PG&E bills since they go to renters as well as home owners. Often garbage bills are paid just by the landlord. People will often just throw out anything that is not just the bill.
Kelle Kacmarcik – Even if we reach 20% that would still help.
Comr. Stephens – I don’t think the popper scooper analogy is appropriate. I have never heard of anyone nor have I heard of anyone that knows of anyone receiving a citation for violating that law. The concept has spread throughout the community and we need to find a way to get this concept, not feeding wildlife, spread in the same way. I don’t think the laws and fines make any difference.
Kelle Kacmarcik – I don’t think so either. It isn’t enforceable. We don’t have the resources to hire officers to patrol and cite for these offenses. We also don’t have the resources to have a mass mailing in SF and Marin Counties.
Comr. Stephens – Another possibility is neighborhood groups and associations. I’m president of Golden Gate Heights. Most have newsletters or websites. A little blurb could be put in the newsletters. People would get the message from their kids, from newsletters, from signs in the park, and from their PG & E bill.
Kelle Kacmarcik – We have been doing that for rodenticides. A great horned owl was recently found dead in Glen Canyon. It tested positive for a high level of rat poison. We put out a call to local neighborhood groups saying that rodenticides kill the animals that are meant to control the rat population.
Comr. Hemphill – I think those laws, such as the pooper scooper law, are helpful. It got a lot of coverage in the media.
Kelle Kacmarcik – Do you think people were cited at the time it came out?
Comr. Hemphill – Yes
Comr. Denny – I have issued citations for pooper scooper violations. The problem is you have to be right there to witness the occurrence. You can also make a citizens arrest and use whatever force necessary until the police come. The fine is $319. Some people evade the fine by saying they did it, then it is only an $89 ticket.
Kelle Kacmarcik – Does anyone know what the fine is for feeding wildlife in the parks?
Comr. Gerrie – Either $187 or $192. As to education, having this on the agenda today made the paper, so was educational. We wanted to hear from the public and the Commissioners what they thought as the existing feeding bans are vague and confusing. The park code state one should not feed any substance which is harmful to wildlife. The act of rewriting this ordinance will bring a lot of attention. I would also want to exempt managed feral cat colonies. Should the ban be on just public lands? Should the ban include leaving food out in garbage cans? Why are there separate restrictions in the Park and Police Codes?
Kelle Kacmarcik – I agree, even just defining “harmful” would be helpful.
Comr. Stephens – If you tell people what they can or cannot do on their private property you will run into resistance. The current law does say now you cannot feed.
Comr. Gerrie – Only in certain areas. The ban on backyard wildlife feeding in Morris Co NJ is very comprehensive. It says that only if the feeding causes neighbors to complain does it rise to the level of breaking the law.
Kelle Kacmarcik – We have similar laws in Marin. A neighbor complains and action is taken.
5 A) Public comment
Richard Drechsler – Bird feeding is a national pastime. Audubon society sells birdseed in their stores. Every day 1000’s of pounds of bird seed are fed to back yard birds. Birds run into windows in houses when attracted to feeders. Feeders transmit diseases. Seeds feed other wildlife as well. The problem is definitely worse in the neighborhoods vs the parks. It’s ironic that the City has a double standard. Feeding wildlife in the parks is not OK but is OK in your backyard. Hope you can resolve this problem through education and changing the culture on the effects of feeding wildlife.
Bridget Duffy – Found this meeting enlightening. Did not know there were swan feeders feeding them the right things. If more people knew that, then they’d be less likely to feed bad stuff. Education stops people from feeding wildlife the wrong things. Encourage positive publicity about what we are doing will be helpful.
Marianne Buxton – Signage idea is great. Signage for coyotes is helpful. Signs on Ocean Beach for the Snowy Plover boundaries is also helpful. Information on food source plants for wildlife would be good so people can provide food for wildlife that way. Another attractant in the parks are overflowing garbage cans.
Richard Fong – Supports strengthening the ordinance.
L’Danyielle Yacabucci – Viruses can often cross species. Media can be a problem in how they portray feral cats and wildlife. Ordinance could state species appropriate food. It would be nice if trappers reported what they do to ACC. What they trap and what they do with those animals. Records would be good. Wonder if Audubon still sells birdseed. If so, that is a mistake. A phone number on the signs would be helpful.
Redesign garbage cans so wildlife cannot get inside. Complicated issue. Wildlife needs more habitat.
Paula Kotakis – Worked in GG Park for 28 years. Problem with the trash cans is that at night people go around getting recycling out and leave the trash doors open. That’s how wildlife gets in.
James Yorck – If you put the amount of the fine on top of the sign, it would be much more effective.
Public comment closed
Comr. Gerrie – When we had the rescue zoo issue, two or three of us wrote up some recommendations for the Supervisors. If we had a similar sized working group to make the prohibition more clear and comprehensive we could then revisit it and propose that to the Supervisors.
Comr. Hemphill – Would prefer with a PG & E flyer-type education and a fine dollar number being on the sign. I was impressed by the fines for these sort of offenses but they were not even available on line. These things are not enforced but just the fact that a fine exists is compelling.
Comr. Stephens – A couple of years ago there was an attempt to do that with feeding pigeons on West Portal. A big sign was put up with the fine amount but only lasted a month or two until covered over with graffiti .
Comr. Hemphill – They need to be maintained.
Comr. Fortier – Does the ordinance in Marin cover animals in public and private property? It includes all wildlife?
Comr. Gerrie – I like the definition of wildlife in the Park Code. “Wild by nature and not customarily domesticated” That clearly excludes feral cats.
Comr. Hemphill – Stow Lake and Lake Merced get used for a lot other recreational purposes. Maybe the feeders could socialize with other people instead.
Comr. Stephens – That is the appeal for the feeders – to not associate with other people.
Comr. Hemphill – We now have compost to dispose of left over bread. As to health risks from wildlife, it is very, very low. I’m worried about emphasizing disease as a reason to not feed wildlife.
Comr. Stephens – Because of an over reaction?
Comr. Hemphill – Then people stigmatize the animals. At the concrete bridge at Lake Merced there is a big sign about keeping one’s dog on leash and not riding bicycles but nothing about not feeding wildlife. I’ve seen people hop out of their cars and feed.
Comr. Wayne – That is one of our hot spot areas. We’ll be putting signage up there soon. Other areas are at the Palace and Sharp Park where there is chronic ground squirrel feeding. Appreciate the comments about the garbage cans. That is an ongoing attractant to wildlife. There are some new bear-proof receptacles for GG Park as well as the Palace. They are expensive so it isn’t a feasible near-term solution.
Comr. Russo – Can the fines be put on the signs?
Comr. Wayne – These are in print but the next version can be.
Comr. Russo – Publicizing the fines could be very effective.
Comr. Gerrie – Signage around the Lagoon at the Palace could be a problem as the most scenic, photogenic spots are the same areas where feeding is done. A sign would obstruct that beauty. When we walked around the Lagoon we didn’t see the signs you mentioned as they were out of view of these spots. How would you post signs?
Comr. Wayne – You’re right. It’s delicate. We’ll have to look into just where to post them.
Comr. Hemphill – Posting the feeding times for the swans would be helpful to recognize that the swans are being fed. The bison as well. People could come to watch versus to feed.
Comr. Fortier – Do the swan feeders wear a park vest?
Comr. Wayne – We don’t want it to become a show. They are out there to do a job.
Comr. Fortier – It would go a long way to educating the public.
Comr. Wayne – They do approach people they see feeding other wildlife. It can be exhausting to be doing that when you are just there to do the one job.
Comr. Fortier – Is that the only location in the City that has that program?
Comr. Wayne – Pam mentioned the bison. Nothing else comes to mind. Unsure if the parrots of Telegraph Hill is a sanctioned activity.
Comr. O’Neill – Even if a sign just said the swans are being fed that would go a long way.
Comr. Wayne – Good point.
Comr. Stephens – If there were docents, they would educate people as to why they shouldn’t feed. It wouldn’t be as confrontational then as just telling them to stop feeding.
5 B) Discussion and possible action to elect Commission Officers – Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary.
Comr. Stephens – We have no treasurer since we have no budget. We currently don’t have a Vice-Chair since Dr. Aldridge vacated that seat.
The Chair runs the Meetings to keep order and is aware of the Sunshine Laws. The Chair prepares the agenda. The Chair cannot say yes or no to an item but can talk about wording to make it clear to the public. If a particular agenda is full one month, the Chair can suggest that an agenda item be postponed a month. That is rare. Since we have no budget, the Chair makes the copies and pays for them. I don’t mind doing that. Another task is to update the City’s database quarterly on who is serving on the Commission. They don’t ask for Commissioner addresses but do ask for what supervisor district they live in. We also now are required to tape our Meetings in digital format that is put up on our website. The Chair has been doing that as well. Since we have no budget, a paid Secretary would normally do some of these jobs. I asked if anyone wanted to do the recording. No one volunteered. Since I was asked by the City, as the contact for the Commission, it fell to me.
The Vice-Chair is there to take over if the Chair is unable to chair or if there is an agenda item that the Chair has brought, the Chair doesn’t preside over that particular item. The Vice-Chair also handles the timer for public comment.
The Secretary does the Minutes. Philip has put a lot more detail in the Minutes than is required. We appreciate the level of effort he puts into the Minutes. Basically what is required is a summary of the items discussed. For public comment, all that is required is if they are in favor or opposed. And, if there was any action taken. Philip works from the audio tapes of the Meetings. I try and get the tapes up on the website the night of the Meetings.
We also do a Quarterly Report of items that have been brought up and actions taken. If there isn’t much to report we’ll make the report for six months.
Comr. Gerrie – As Secretary I’ve learned all of the items discussed in much more detail than by just listening. Having to write it all down. I look up names and words on the web to get it right. It has been a whole education. It would be a great way for someone new to learn about the issues.
Comr. Fortier – As a new member of the Commission, I don’t feel I can volunteer for any office since, after attending only one meeting, I don’t fully understand how everything works.
Comr. Stephens – We definitely need a Vice-Chair. Are you willing to continue serving as Secretary?
Comr. Gerrie – I was hoping someone might be interested in taking it on. I’ve been doing it for 5 or 6 years. What has also been great is working with you as you proof read my draft and always have some tweaking - misspelled words or things that need to be worded better as I interpret what is said as closely as possible. I would be willing to continue.
Comr. Stephens – Then all we really need is a Vice-Chair. In the past, the Vice-Chair has only taken over Chairing the Meeting a couple of times. The monthly responsibility is only doing the timer. No one appears to be ready to take on being Vice-Chair. We could postpone all officer voting for a couple of months? Or just leave Vice-Chair open for now?
Comr. Russo – We should just leave Vice-Chair open for now.
Comr. Stephens – The proposal is that I will continue on as Chair and Philip will continue on as Secretary. Vice-Chair will remain open.
No Public Comment
Motion passes unanimously to keep Comrs. Stephens and Gerrie on as Chair and as Secretary and to leave the position of Vice-Chair open for a couple of months.
6. General Public Comment
Lurilla Harris – Suggest putting the need for a budget on the agenda – at the least, paying for copies. Has the signage banning feeding wildlife been approved and posted yet? Wants the sign to include possums. Signage prohibiting feeding usually includes streets, sidewalks, and parks. It does not mention back yards. Problems will persist if backyards not included.
Julienne Johnson – Fix San Francisco – Requests that ACWC review on a quarterly basis the statistics provided by ACC. Last year the prior year’s statistics were not published until 8 months into 2012. We need to raise awareness on the fate of shelter animals in SF. It would also educate the Commission on patterns of intake, adoption, return to owner, euthanasia, etc. The ultimate goal is to identify ways to save greater than 90% of the animals in SF. There are now 87 communities that save more than 90% of the shelter animals. That includes open admission shelters like ACC. In 2011, Austin Texas passed a no-kill ordinance. They have an intake of 23,000 animals a year. Their just-published save rate for 2012 was 92%. ACC’s live intake rate, since 2006, has declined. Their live-release rate has not improved. The SF SPCA is alarmingly taking fewer cats from ACC. There was a MOU signed between SF SPCA and the Stockton City Shelter. Stockton’s cute and cuddly animals are being imported at the expense of SF’s animals. This is not fixing the problem in Stockton. This Commission can help bring awareness to this problem by reviewing ACC’s statistics.
Public Comment Closed
Items to be put on the calendar for Future Commission Meetings and Task Allotments
Comr. Stephens – Comrs. intend to come back with a possible education campaign or changes to legislation on feeding of wildlife.
No Public Comment
Adjournment 7:12 PM
Respectfully submitted by Philip Gerrie
Commission Secretary
