MINUTES
San Francisco Commission of Animal Control & Welfare
Thursday, June 19, 2014
1. Call to Order and Roll Call at 5:34pm
Commissioners present: Annemarie Fortier; Nanci Haines; Davi Lang; Shari O’Neill, DVM; Sally Stephens; Russell Tenofsky; Sergeant Sherry Hicks; Rebecca Katz
2. General Public Comment
None. Public Comment closed.
3. Approval of Draft Minutes from the May 15, 2014 Meeting
Minutes approved.
4. Chairperson’s report and opening remarks
A) Welcome to New Commissioners – Nanci Haines and Davi Lang
Commissioners introduce themselves
Sally Stephens - Chair of SF Dog, involved in neighborhood, interest in dogs, wildlife and cats
Russell Tenosfky - Been involved locally since late 1990s. Volunteer at PAWS, some national organizations, work in communications for some local organizations.
Nanci Haines - Volunteer at SPCA, just began own organization called Rider Ranch Rescue. Involved with all animals.
Sherry HIcks - Vicious and Dangerous Dog unit of SFPD. Also work with bull terrier rescue.
Annemarie Fortier - SF resident since 1995. Always interested in dogs, but greater interest in dogs and how they coexist with children and families
Sherri O’Neal - Local veterinarian. Also special interest in disaster training.
Rebecca Katz - Director of SF Animal Care and Control
Davi Lang - born and raised in SF. Dog guardian. Worked with PETA, volunteered with Animal Care and Control. Interest in circus animals and pet overpopulation.
Public Comment - Lurilla Harris requests notices be mailed to her, as she does not have access to Internet. Chairperson agrees to mail notices to Ms. Harris if she provides address.
No further public comment.
Public comment closed.
B) Remembering Commissioner Jennifer Mieuli Jameson -
Sally Stephens - Jennifer died suddenly about a month ago. She was Vice Chair of the commission and had been for about a year. She formed Loup Garou in 2010 to support black cats and dogs to help find them homes, as they do not get adopted as often. She worked with ACC, SPCA, animal shelters San Francisco, San Jose, Kern County, Sacramento, Contra Costa County, Merced and many others. Volunteered at SPCA with feral cats, was a foster parent with Gimme Shelter Cats Rescue. She organized volunteers for Rocket Dog rescue, coordinated adoption events. Died May 19. She was 49 years old. Email from Angela Pedia, founder of Northern California Family Dog Rescue and former Commissioner. Angela called her a force of nature, committed to the animals of our city. Jen’s approach to animal rescue work was always joyful and collaborative. Jen had a zest for life and a smile that could light up a room. Her tragic death is heartbreaking. Her rescue group, Loup Garou, merged with Northern California Family Dog Rescue. The Jennifer Mieuli Jameson Memorial Fund has been set up to ensure that her work continues. We will miss Jen dearly. But her work will go on into the future. There will be a memorial for Jen this coming Saturday at St. Stephen’s Church.
Rebecca Katz - Angela summed up her commitment to animals. Jen was very collaborative. Cared a lot about animals, but about people, too. It’s a tragedy.
Commissioner Tenofsky - It is hard to add to what has been said, but her bubbly personality will be missed. She worked very hard on her own. A huge loss for the community of San Francisco and the animals of our city.
No public comment.
5. New Business
Update from the SF SPCA. Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, Co-President of the SF/SPCA will present a review of animal welfare in San Francisco and recent happenings at the SF/SPCA.
Dr. Scarlett - SPCA has a pact with ACC that every healthy and adoptable animal will be sent to SPCA within 24 hours. SPCA also has adoption and accepts surrenders. SPCA has hospital, behavior and education programs. The mission is to end animal abandonment in SF. Euthanasia rates in SF are lower than national average and other Bay Area communities. Intake per capital also is lower than other California communities. Combined with ACC data, intake and cats has been going down in recent years, which leads to lower euthanasia. Intake of dogs has been increasing since 2007. It is a focus to bring the dog intake down. It is unclear what is driving the surrender of dogs in the city, but change of life and housing are biggest issues.
March 1, 2014, SFSPCA merged with Pets Unlimited. Lots of similarities, great merger for both organizations. Pets Unlimited has a large emergency hospital and adoptions, but has a small adoption center. SPCA remodelled adoption center this spring. There were not enough terminals for all the adoptions, so needed to add more terminals. Added new dog area, too. Goal is for 1,000 more dog adoptions this year.
Commissioner Fortier - How can you increase adoptions by 1,000. Where would they come from?
Dr. Scarlett - San Francisco has more adopters than people who give up animals. So, many people are turning to puppy mills to adopt animals. We transfer in animals from Stockton and other areas to meet the adoption needs.
Commissioner Stephens - What happened with the education imitative about puppy mills, to inform people of the issue.
Dr. Scarlett - The funds for that ran out, but we do hope to do it again with more funds. There was, however, evidence that fewer people were going to puppy mills.
Commissioner Lang - Why is SPCA taking pit bulls from other locations and turning down pit bulls from SPCA?
Dr. Scarlett - We do not normally take pit bulls from other areas. Our priority is pit bulls and Chihuahuas.
Public comment - local papers could run pictures of shelter animals available for adoption.
No additional public comment. Public comment closed.
6. Old Business
Update on Animal Care and Control’s Budget
Commissioner Stephens - Mayor’s budget included 2 additional animal officers, part time hearing officer for VDD unit. Up to 9.5 positions had been recommended, but not enough in budget for all those. Supervisor Weiner stated that he still supports funding for all those positions. If the Supervisors want to add more money to ACC, it would have to come out of somewhere else in the budget.
Commissioner Fortier - when will the two new officers begin?
Rebecca Katz - Hoping within the next six months. Funding will arrive on July 1. Other positions that we would fill if funding came through would be PR, more vet techs, etc.
Commissioner Stephens - ACC also runs the DART program, the emergency training program that includes training for animal rescue in a disaster. Trainings are very in demand.
No public comment. Public comment closed.
7. General Public Comment
None. Public comment closed.
8. Items to be put on the Calendar for Future Commission Meetings
9. Adjournment at 6:35pm
