San Francisco Commission of

Animal Control & Welfare

Meeting Minutes

Thursday, April 13, 2006

1.       Call to Order and Roll Call

Present:  Commissioners Laurie Kennedy, Sherri Franklin, Joanne Kipnis, Mara Weiss DVM, J.R. Yeager, William Hamilton, Richard Schulke

Absent with excuse: Commissioners Vicky Guldbech

2.         Public Comment

L-Danyielle Yacobucci – Referring to the web site resource list - add the statement under the section on ACC that animals can be euthanized at ACC. 

Eric Mills – AB 2110 - Korsek Bill passed the Public Safety Committee. Commission should read the article in Time magazine about global warming and how it is affecting wildlife.  Spoke to Mayor Newsom about African Clawed Frog. There is not one full time Game Warden in CA.

Pam Earing – Maine has become the first state in the country to extend protection to animals under domestic violence laws. Restraint orders include women, children and animals.   Would like to see San Francisco move on this. 

Mary Ann  Buxton – Referring to Feral/Homeless Cat section of web site resource list – delete SPCA  CAT volunteer section. Keep the rest.

Out of Order

New Business

a.  Consider developing a recommendation for legislation that would provide pet-friendly landlords with a tax-break.

Guest Speaker: Mr. Rex Reginald

Commissioner Kipnis moved to discuss the item. Seconded by Commissioner Franklin.

Commissioner Schulke introduced the item.  It is difficult to find housing in the city if you have pets.  People need to leave the city since they cannot find housing.  What it needed is compensation for landlords who allow pets.  Will make it easier for renters and it is a benefit to landlords.  This is an idea that the city of San Francisco can pioneer.  There has already been quite a bit of interest in this initiative.

Commissioner Hamilton – If city tax revenue is cut back due to passage of pet-friendly tax breaks for landlords, such a proposal should include language that clarifies other sources of revenue to make up for it, or the proposal will have little chance of approval y the Board of Supervisors.

Rex Reginald – Presented draft legislation which would provide landlords with a tax break if they allow renters to have pets.  Once the city decides to get behind the legislation.  Will be willing to contact large corporations, such as SBC, to see if they would give discounts on certain utilities and services to landlords who make their whole building pet friendly.  The legislation also would require responsible tenants.  The legislation will help cut back on the number of animals euthanized and thereby cost of euthanasia.  Has interviewed hundreds of San Francisco residents and the Mayor.  All are receptive to the idea. 

Commissioner Kennedy – A few issues need to be researched including,  (1) financial impact to the city, (2) what type of pets are  included; (3) would the pets need to be licensed.

Public Comment

Ron Cole – Add “well behaved” to the legislation; look at SPCA Open Door Policy; research at UC Berkeley; may want to try to get it through the Franchise Tax Board for the state.

Stan Manasy – Animal Fund – Great idea.  Easy to calculate how much the city could lose, but more difficult to calculate how much the city would make on this.  Multitude of things that would add to commerce, more than what the city would loose.  Residents would be very receptive to the idea and set the tone for the rest of the country. Would not increase the amount of dog attacks.   

________ - There are families with children who can’t afford to live here and we are now talking about giving the landlords a break for letting them rent to people with pets. We have a cash strapped  city with not enough funds for its infrastructure.  We should be ashamed of ourselves.

 Laura Wegner –Took five months to find a place to live.  Offered more money to the landlord to have them allow a pet. In addition to the tax credit, there may be other ways to generate funds from this. 

Elliot Katz  - Support the idea of a tax credit.  Landlords are concerned about the insurance companies, due to previous dogs attacks.  A tax break would balance out that concern.  Sends a positive message. 

Eric Mills – Pets should be changed to “companion animals”.  Families may have left town because the kids wanted pets but the family could not find a place to live.

Mary Ann Buxton – Supports the idea.  Good opportunity to encourage landlords to require some guarantees, such as, pets must be spayed and neutered, dogs are licensed.  Took 6 months to find a place with two dogs.

Sean Pritchard– San Francisco Apt Association -  Asked about the structure of the tax break.  Owners are concerned about  disruptive dogs.  Need criteria for pet behavior.

Commission Discussion

Commissioner Schulke – Great idea that needs more work.  Rex needs to do more research and then come back to the Commission.

Commissioner Kennedy – Need criteria for animal’s behavior, spay neuter, verification that the renter is the actual owner/guardian and that the pet is healthy and vaccinated, financial impact.  Should work with landlord to see what they want.

Commissioner Franklin  - City should provide a form to landlords that outlines the minimum requirements for allowing a pet; read studies that show renters with pets make better tenants.

Commissioner Kipnis – How does this affect the group of responsible guardians who for some reasons or another do not want to follow the criteria/requirements?  Would it make it more difficult for them to find a place to live?  

Commissioner Herndon -   Important to narrow down what animals we are taking about. See what already exists in the city with regard to pet friendly housing and how much more the initiative would generate.

3.         Approval of Draft Minutes from the March 9, 2006 Meeting

Commissioner Hamilton moved to pass the minutes as amended

Motion seconded by Commissioner Franklin

Unanimous

4.         Chairperson’s report and opening remarks 

There are three upcoming commission vacancies.  Terms expire for Commissioners, Kipnis, Weiss, and Kennedy.  The Rules Committee hearing is on May 18th.

5.          New Business

b. Hear about a proposal to create a system of openness and accountability regarding live animal research at UCSF. The goal of the “Bud” proposal submitted to UCSF is to create a community liaison position to work with UCSF to improve upon the welfare and care of their research animals.  Guest Speakers: Lee and Jake Sinclair

Commissioner Kennedy introduced this item. She and Commissioner Franklin met with the Sinclairs to discuss the proposal.  Commissioner Franklin remarked that this new proposal is very similar to the Commission’s 1994 UCSF recommendation. 

Lee and Jake Sinclair - Asked for the Commission’s support of a proposal to obtain a privately funded animal welfare liaison at UCSF.  Represent 350 members of the local San Francisco Community who have signed on to this effort to make improvement to the animal research dept at UCSF.  Proposal given to UCSF in December, facilitated by Rep Jackie Speier.  This liaison, nicknamed BUD (short for Ombudsman) will have two main requirements; (1) expert in the 3 Rs - replacement, refinement, reduction of use of animals in research; and (2) serve as liaison to the public.  Plan to do a national search for BUD and will ask for Commission input on some of those nominations.  Hope that BUD would have a platform at Commission meetings to discus UCSF issues with the public.  See similarities of the Commission’s 1994 UCSF proposal.  See this proposal as building on the effort the Commission started in 1994. Efforts are focused now on endorsement of the proposal and funding.

Public Comment

Richard Fong – how much is this related to proposition 71.  Already have a task force at Mission Bay – how does this fix with that.  Are we going to get any results out of UCSF?  Animals in testing are never going to live a life outside of the laboratory.

L-Danyielle Yacobucci – Supports this idea.  Hope the Commission takes this on.

Eric Mills –Great idea.  Amazed that the UC system is not open to the public, yet it is funded by state funds, our tax dollars.  Recommend that the Sinclairs check with Animal Welfare Institute for funding and HSUS.

Commission Discussion

Commission Weiss – Great idea.  What is the Commission’s role in selecting the candidates and is that our role?

Commissioner Kennedy – To play a role in reviewing candidates, we would have to ask the Board of Supervisor to change our role.

Commissioner Hamilton – The Charter that created UCSF basically creates a separate government; they are very powerful.  What does UCSF get out of this that would make them go along with the plan?

Sinclair – It is a voluntary initiative.  UCSF would have to agree with the plan.  This plan would help UCSF with their public relations problems and violation problems, for example.

 Taping stopped due to mechanical problems.

Commission agreed that this proposal does build on the Commission’s 1994 UCSF proposal and agreed to endorse the Sinclair’s efforts.

c.  Proposal to seek city funding for the production and mounting of permanent public signs deterring the abandonment of pet cats/kittens in areas where this is commonly done and directing pet owners/guardians to Animal Care and Control instead.

Commissioner Kennedy moved to discuss this item.  Motion seconded by Commissioner Franklin.

Commissioner Hamilton introduced the item.  Appears to be a lot of people dumping cats right near  Evans and Caesar Chavez streets.  Suggests putting up signs that inform residents that it is against the law to dump cats, and include contact information for ACC. The signs would be in English, Spanish and Chinese.

Public Comment

L-Danyielle Yacobucci – ACC should be in charge.  SPCA also needs to be a part of this.  Signs need to be positive and  educational.  Prefer that we use TV and radio spots to get the word out. 

Commission Discussion

Commissioner Franklin – people will still dump regardless of signs

Commissioner Weiss – signs should state that ACC has an adoption program

Commissioner Hamilton – people who live and/or work in the area may be the ones who are dumping the cats.

Commissioner Hamilton will do more research on this issues (e.g. cost) and bring it back to the Commission next month.

6.         Public Comment - None

7.         Closing Review of Task Allotment and Next Steps

Commissioner Franklin will follow-up on the issue of animal protection in domestic violence situations, using the recently passed Maine law as a model.

Commissioner Hamilton will do more research on the signs and come back to the Commission with this item next month.

Commissioner Schulke will follow up with Rex Reginald regarding the proposed tax break legislation.

Commissioner Kennedy announced her new job as Humane Education Manger at the SPCA.

8.         Adjournment

Meeting adjourned 7:15 p.m.