To view graphic version of this page, refresh this page (F5)

Skip to page body
City and County of San Francisco
Commission of Animal Control & Welfare Archived Meetings

Meeting Information


2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 

San Francisco Commission of Animal Control and Welfare
Draft Meeting Minutes
May 13, 2004

I Call to Order and Roll Call - The meeting was convened at 5:35pm on April 8, 2004 by Chairperson Kennedy, who presided during all aspects of the meeting.

II. Commissioners in Attendance: Chair Kennedy, Vice Chair Franklin, Commissioners, Chi, Kipnis, Guldbech, Herndon, Weiss. Commissioner Eckman will be joining the meeting later.

Commissioners Absent: Commissioners Breslin and McKenna with excuse.

Public Comment: None

III Approval of Draft Minutes

1. Approval of April 8, 2004 Minutes

Commissioner Chi suggested that Commissioners' individual votes be reflected in the minutes when a motion is not voted on unanimously.

    Motion by Commissioner Kennedy to approve the April minutes with changes

    Seconded by Commissioner Eckman

    Unanimous

2. Appeal to revisit and re-vote on the approval of the draft minutes from the March 13, 2004 meeting.

    Motion by Commissioner Kennedy to revisit the March minutes

    Seconded by Commissioner Kipnis

    Unanimous

    Motion by Commissioner Kennedy to modify March minutes based on Commissioner Chi's changes.

    Seconded by Commissioner Franklin

    Unanimous

III. Chairperson's Report and Opening Remarks

1. Welcomed new Commissioner Mara Weis, DVM. Commissioner Weis introduced herself.

2. Congratulated Commissioner Kipnis on her reappointment to the Commission for a two-year term. Commissioner Franklin congratulated Commissioner Kennedy's reappointment to the Commission for a two-year term.

3. There is no Commission secretary at this time. Must get someone who works for San Francisco administrative services. Due to uncertainty about the budget, the city is not announcing the position right now.

4. Officer elections for Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary are next month.

Commissioner Kennedy thanked Commissioner Kipnis for doing the minutes last month.

Pubic Comment - None

IV. Committee Reports/Commissioner's Reports

1. Status of Supervisor support/acknowledgment of the need to prioritize sufficient enforcement of Federal, State, and local law as it applies to entrepreneurs of live animal markets.

Commissioner Kipnis reported that there were no updates. Commissioner Kennedy suggested that this item be taken off the agenda until the Commission is ready to take up this issue.

Public Comment - None

V. Status and tracking of letters of recommendation approved by the Commission, requesting action by the Board of Supervisors

1. SF Zoo update. Commissioner Kipnis provided an update of what has transpired since the last Commission meeting. The update will also set the stage for a New Business item regarding proposed amendments to Supervisor Ma's resolution regarding the transfer of the elephants.

Kipnis reported that some Commissioners attended Joint Zoo Committee meetings, provided public comment at Board of Supervisors meeting, and testified at a special hearing of City Services Committee. Kipnis also provided a brief chronology of events/actions regarding the elephants. The critical issues that came out of the City Services Committee meeting including:

  • Zoo stated it is reevaluating the elephant program and will transfer elephant to credible sanctuary or accredited zoo.

  • Role of AZA/SSP regarding their control over the transfer of the elephants was a point of contention. Zoo stated it had to wait until it received a recommendation in order to move the elephants.

  • According to the zoo, it could take up to 6 months to move the elephants - this was of great concern to the Committee

  • The zoo stated that it could loose it's accreditation if the transfer is not done in accordance with the AZA/SSP, however, there are documented cases of other elephant transfers that did not follow SSP recommendations and accreditation was not lost.

Public Comment

  • Holly Rose - Zoo representative Nancy Chan said that the SSP people need to be targeted. Spoke to Mayors office, she was told that a plan is in place to send elephants to a sanctuary to San Diego.

  • Lisa Vitori - Grateful that Commission is working on this issue. Useful if we change our language to guardianship.

  • Denise Bolbol - Distributed an affidavit that summarized the AZA/SPP's lack of legal authority. Bolbol encouraged the Commission to consider the permanent closure of the elephants exhibit at the zoo while we still feel the pain of the death of Calle and Maybelle. She thanked the Commission for working on this issue.

  • Eliott Katz - It would be counter productive to put any language regarding the future of the exhibit in the amended resolution. The resolution from Ma did not give sense of immediacy. It included language regarding complying with AZA, which will only stall the process of transferring the elephants. The amended resolution needs to reflect immediacy of this situation.

  • Richard Kwan - What is the reason why male elephants are not present at the zoo?

    Commissioner Chi stated the most immediate issue is to transfer the elephants to a sanctuary, not a zoo. Supports Denise's suggestion that the Commission recommend closing of the elephant exhibit permanently, however, not if it would distract from Ma's resolution.

    Commissioner Kipnis suggested that a more effective approach would be to address this issue following the Board's vote on the resolution.

    Commission Wheeler agreed that the future of the elephant habitat should be addressed,but not now.

    2. Establishment of a "Responsible Dog Guardianship" Legislation Package:

    Commissioner Franklin stated that they were waiting to hear back from the city attorney. Supervisor Dufty's office does not want to meet with them until the city attorney has reviewed the legislation package. Commissioner Guldbech stated that she spoke with the city attorney and should hear back in another week.

    Public Comment - None

    Commissioner Kipnis stated that the SPCA publicly thanked the Commission in their e-mail newsletter for the proposed legislation.

    VI. New Business

    1. Discuss and define work plan to maximize Commission/Commissioners' potential.

    Commissioner Kennedy requested that Commissioners think about ways the Commission can best maximize its potential including how we conduct meetings and how we work between meetings. Commissioners will bring ideas for ground rules to the June Commission meeting.

    Public Comment - None

    2. Discussion of New Commissioner Orientation Packet

    Commissioner Kipnis presented a draft of a new Commissioner orientation packet for new Commissioners. Kipnis reviewed the basic components of the packet and asked for feedback. Commissioners will e-mail comments.

    Public Comment - None

    Commissioner Franklin said that the packet is very helpful especially during the first few months of a new Commissioner's term.

    3. Discuss letter of appreciation to former Commissioner Kelly Jensen

    Commission Kipnis presented a draft letter of appreciation to former Commissioner Kelly Jensen.

    Public Comment - None

      Motion by Commissioner Kennedy to send commendation letter to Kelly Jensen

      Seconded by Commissioner Eckman

      Unanimous

    4. Discuss generating a follow-up letter regarding the recommendation of the Commission to send the two remaining elephants at the SF Zoo to the PAWS sanctuary in California.

    Commissioner Eckman arrived at the meeting at 6:30.

    Commissioner Kipnis presented a draft cover letter and proposed amendments to Supervisor Ma's resolution regarding the transferring of the elephants, which is on the agenda for the City Services Committee meeting next week. The Commission agreed that the cover letter should be shortened to one page, including bulleted highlights of the amendments; the resolution should also be abbreviated to one page.

    Public Comment

  • Holly Rose - Spoke with Zoo representative Nancy Chan who said the zoo couldn't legally do anything without AZA and SSP. Rose stated that the zoo is procrastinating; do not want to deal with PAWS.

  • Lisa Vitori -Appreciated AZA language in the resolution; thanked the Commission for establishing the city's ownership of the animals. Angered by the fact that Rec. and Park do not come to the Commission meetings. Suggested that the Commission contact the Mayor and the Rec. and Park Commission directly and take charge of this issue.

  • Eliott Katz - Thanked the Commission for putting time and energy into this issue.

    Commissioner Eckman suggested that the Commission send a copy of the resolution and other information to the Mayor; also try to set up a meeting with the Mayor to inform him of the urgency of this matter.

    Commissioner Chi supports Commissioner Eckman's suggestion that the resolution emphasize the urgency of the transfer and that the elephants be moved to PAWS

    Commission Wheeler supported the suggestion of meeting with the Mayor.

      Motion by Commissioner Kennedy that Commissioners Kipnis, Eckman and Franklin work together to redraft the cover letter and resolution and send to City Services Committee by Monday of next week, and to try to set up a meeting with the Mayor to discuss this issue.

      Seconded by Commissioner Franklin

      Unanimous

    5. Development of local "Cambridge-type" ordinance that would provide critical oversight of UCSF live-animal testing.

    Commissioner Eckman stated that there was nothing new to report.

    Public Comment -

  • Lisa Vitori - Cambridge type ordinance is under effective, worthless. Suggested going after UCSF contractors and not waiting for the ordinance - it makes no difference in Cambridge.

  • Richard Kwan- What type of authority would the Commission have over UCSF testing? Elliott Katz - Not helpful to have something as ineffective as the Cambridge ordinance. Need to put something in place here that would have much more impact than what was done in Cambridge.

    Commissioner Eckman stated that as far as oversight is concerned, the Commission is limited in that we can do - only make a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.

    Commissioner Kennedy asked for clarification with regard to any loopholes that would allow an unbiased oversight committee to have access to UCSF labs and that would be acceptable to the Board of Supervisors. Elliott Katz said that the ordinance being developed is stronger than the Cambridge ordinance. The Commission needs to put forth a recommendation to the Board stating that they need to take action in response to UCSF's noncompliance with promises that were made by UCSF at earlier Board hearings (to abide by animal cruelty laws). Since UCSF has not abided by the laws, the city can now come back and move to institute an oversight committee.

    Elliott Katz suggested that he meet with Commissioners Franklin and Eckman to develop a recommendation to the Board providing a rational as to why oversight is necessary; why a Cambridge style ordinance is needed. Should the Board accept the recommendation, they could then discuss what that oversight committee would look like. The new ordinance, which is almost ready, could then be presented to the Board.

    VII. Pubic Comment

  • JR Yager - Spoke out against how the TNR program is run. Referred to a letter he wrote to the Commission re: trap neuter return, a look at practices in SF. In reality, the cats are returned to, in some cases, unhealthy and dangerous places and left to starve. The TNR program does not provide any follow through on the cats. Are we doing the right thing by simply sterilizing them? Commissioner Guldbech stated that TNR has really exploded and there is a need to have a system in place to assess how it is going, who the people are who are feeding and monitoring the colonies Need to register colonies and the people who are following up on the colonies. ACC can then track what is going on and who is involved. Commission Wheeler will speak with JR since she has done a great deal of work in this area.

  • Ron Cole - Commission is not on the city flow chart. Kipnis will check on that.

  • Lisa Vitori - Expressed concern about the Dog Advisory Committee meeting. Asked the Commission to sponsor a request to Park and Rec. to account for the dog policy, evaluate the policy and see if it is working. The Dog Advisory Committee is untrustworthy.

    VIII. Calendar Items

    Commissioner Kennedy asked that Commissioners e-mail next months agenda items to her.

    VIX. Closing Review of Task Allotment and Next Steps

    Commissioner Franklin reviewed task allotments:

    1. All Commissioners submit input to Kipnis regarding the Commissioner orientation packet.

    2. Commissioners Guldbech and Franklin will follow-up with city attorney regarding the dog legislation.

    3. Commissioner Kennedy will send a commendation letter to Kelly Jensen.

    4. Commissioners Franklin, Eckman and Kipnis will refine amendments to Supervisor Ma's resolution and send it to the City Services Committee. Also, contact Mayor's office for a meeting.

    5. Commissioners Eckman and Franklin will contact Suzanne Roy, IDA, to work on a recommendation to the Board regarding USCF treatment of laboratory animals.

    Meeting adjourned at 7:23 p.m. May 13, 2004.