Municipality of Anchorage Animal Control Advisory Board Meeting Minutes December 5, 2019

1. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 5:34 p.m. by Ms. Hamer. A quorum was present.

Members Present: Allegra Hamer, Chair; Mitzi Anderson, Vice-Chair; Timothy Ebben; Cathy Foerster; Michelle Sinnott; Pamela Schamber; Debbie Sis

Members Absent: Jennifer Spencer

Staff Present: Michael Tierney, Anchorage Health Department (AHD); Kristin Troxell, AHD; Myra Wilson, Animal Licensing and Placement Services (ALPS); Laura Atwood, ALPS

2. Minutes from the October 24, 2019 Meeting: Ms. Sinnott made a motion to approve the Animal Control Advisory Board (ACAB) minutes. The motion was seconded by Mr. Ebben. Minutes were approved as written.

3. Requested Presentations:

None.

4. ACAB Member Introductions:

Tim Ebben – Owner of a doggie-daycare in Eagle River and brings the commercial ownership perspective to ACAB.

Michelle Sinnott – Lawyer for PeTA and works remotely from Anchorage. The focus of her work is on captive animals in zoos and circuses.

Michael Tierney –AHD Contract Administrator for Anchorage Animal Care and Control Center (AACCC). The operation of the AACCC is contracted to Denali Universal Services.

Kristin Troxell –AHD Administrative Coordinator and provides administrative services to Animal Care and Control.

Allegra Hamer –The Chair of the ACAB and is a volunteer at the AACCC. She previously worked at the Bronx Zoo in New York.

Cathy Foerster – Chair of the Off-leash Dog Park Committee for the ACAB. She recently retired from her position as a petroleum commissioner. Debbie Sis – Long-term volunteer foster Mom for kittens for the AACCC, hospice services, and the “The Listening Post”. The newest member of the ACAB.

Pamela Schamber – Owner of a sled dog team and two horses. She represents the mushing and equine communities.

Myra Wilson –Director of Animal Care and Control and a licensed veterinarian. She worked as a veterinarian in private practice for 20 years and has managed the AACCC for the past 19 years.

Laura Atwood – The AACCC Public Information Officer providing outreach and education services.

Mitzi Anderson –The Vice-Chair of ACAB and the Chair of the Title 17 Committee. The Director of the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission. Board member for the “Stubby Dog”, a non-profit organization that advocates for pit bulls.

5. Persons to be Heard: None.

6. Standing Reports:

Anchorage Animal Care and Control (AACC) Monthly Report and Public Outreach

Dr. Wilson & Ms. Atwood reported on October 2019.

The total number of animals received YTD 2019 was 4,456 compared to 4,087 in 2018. The YTD total animal intakes increased by 369 animals compared to last year. The number of cats received during October 2019 was 218 compared to 170 in 2018. The number of dogs received during October 2019 was 207 compared to 189 in 2018. The number of others received during October 2019 was 36 compared to 42 in 2018. During October 2019 AACC received approximately 60 more animals compared to 2018. During October 2019 the cat claim rate was 28%. The cat adoption rate was 84% during October 2019. During October 2019 the dog claim rate was 71%. The dog adoption rate was 70% during October 2019.

In October 2019, 491 licenses were sold compared to 608 in 2018. The number of licenses sold YTD as of October 31, 2019, was 5,621 compared to 5,094 in 2018. The number of spay and neuter surgeries completed YTD as of October 31, 2019, was 369 compared to 401 YTD in 2018. AACC was short-staffed on veterinary staff during October so many of the spays and neuters were done outside by partner veterinary agencies.

There were 61 animals classified YTD October 2019 and 51 animals classified YTD October 2018. The number of citations issued increased between 2019 and 2018; the total number of citations issued in YTD 2019 was 1,322 compared to 861 YTD 2018. There were 533 animal bites YTD in October 2019 compared to 522 animal bites YTD in October 2018. The total number of requests for service during October 2019 was 477 compared to 425 during October 2018. The number of requests for service YTD was 4,817 as of October 31, 2019, compared to 4,549 during the previous year. Community Outreach: • AACC hosted volunteers from The Listening Post, a community-service organization that offers compassionate listening services on the first and third Thursdays, and the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. • Monthly pet supplies and food give-away.

Media Requests: • KTVA 11 Daybreak Adopt-a-Pet: Adoptable pets are featured either by video or photos on Friday mornings. There is a Caption Contest photo on the AACC Facebook page on Thursday. The hosts of Daybreak pick and feature the winner on Friday’s show. • Mix 103.1 – Weekly show on Wednesday’s at 8:30 a.m. includes both on-air time and Facebook Live with an adoptable animal.

Interviews: • Lauren Maxwell with KTVA saw the Facebook post stating that AACC was at capacity for cats and was seeking adopters. The story focused on why AACC had so many cats (primarily due to unclaimed stray) and being an open-admission shelter that does not turn animals away. • Lauren Maxwell with KTVA followed up on the story about cats due to the successful adoptions. The story thanked people that adopted and those who sponsored adoption fees. One person raised over $2,000 for adoption fees. • Samie Solina with KTUU aired live from the night drop kennels. They talked about the purpose of the kennels (for strays, not surrenders), how the kennels work, and reminded people that they could get locked in should they go inside one and the door shuts behind them.

School Presentations: • Presented on how to be safe around dogs to help prevent dog bites to: • Airport Heights – K & 1st Grade – 60 students – 10/15/2019 • Bowman Elementary – 3rd Grade – 63 students – 10/17/19 • Willowcrest Elementary – ERC – 10 students – 10/22/19 • O’Malley – K & 1st Grade – 68 students – 10/29/19 • O’Malley – 2nd & 3rd Grade – 73 students – 10/30/19

Facebook: • Facebook followers – 17,180 as of October 31, 2019. • Top five Facebook posts (1) At capacity for kennel space for cats. Plea for adoption and responsible pet ownership, (2) Six severely matted Yorkies, (3) Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Link to Safe Escape grant from Red Rover, (4) Recap of cat adoptions: 30 cats adopted, Friday-Sunday, and (5) Thank you for adopting cats and raising funds for adoption fees.

Instagram: 305 followers currently.

7. Committee Reports:

a. Off-Leash Dog Area Committee – (Cathy Foerster) – No report.

b. Title 17 Review Committee – (Mitzi Anderson) – Assembly voted to pass AO-2019-91(S) at their December 3, 2019 meeting except for the cost of care section. That section was pulled and will be brought forward at a later date. There are additional questions that need to be addressed on this topic. The next big topic on the agenda is how to deal with off-leash dogs in areas not designated as off-leash areas, such as trails.

8. AHD Staff Reports:

Michael Tierney, AHD – Provided copies of changes that were laid on the table at the December 3rd Assembly meeting that removed Section 14 from AO 2019-91(S-1). Mr. Tierney will update AO-2019-91(S-1) removing Section 14 and Ms. Troxell will post the document on the Animal Care and Control website. The updated information needs to be available to the public for viewing as it can take some time for the changes to be codified. The code changes were effective upon Assembly approval; however, Animal Care and Control will be working with the public to educate them on the changes and the process to become compliant.

The MOA 2020 budget passed in November 2019. The budget for the AACC contract, including the escalator, was approved. The contract extension for 2020 was sent out to Denali Universal Services for review and approval. This is the last option period for the existing contract. The 2021-2025 contract will go out for bid sometime in 2020.

The Emergency Pet Sheltering Resource database for volunteers is in the process of being updated. The database is used in the event of an emergency requiring community support for animal transport or shelter. AHD is working with the MOA IT department on a few database issues and once resolved Mr. Tierney will work with AACC to add their volunteers into the database as desired.

There has been a request from the Assembly for the Title 17 Committee to consider a code change requiring members of the public to report a found lost animal in their possession to Animal Care and Control. This has been added to the Title 17 Committee agenda.

9. Old Business: None.

10. New Business:

Tim Ebben – Initiated a conversation regarding whether commercial license holders should also be required to have a multi-animal license if they have dogs owned by the business in addition to their client’s dogs. Mr. Ebben received a letter from Animal Care and Control stating he needed a special purpose multi-animal license in addition to his Commercial license because his business owns seven dogs. Mr. Ebben’s dogs live at his dog daycare facility and do not go to his home. The current language in Title 17 does not include an owner’s dogs in a commercial license as it does for a mushing facility license. This has been added to the list of items to be discussed at the Title 17 Committee meetings.

Pam Schamber – There was a recent issue in Canada where protestors trespassed on the property of mushing facilities and law enforcement had to get involved. Ms. Schamber asked if the addresses of mushing facility license holders could be requested by the public. Mr. Tierney explained Municipal Code Title 3 addresses information requests from the public and the MOA will be as transparent as allowed. There is information that is not to be given out, such as the names and addresses of complainants, per code. Information can be requested through a Freedom of Information request form, and the cost will be dependent on the staffing requirements necessary to compile and review the information.

11. Persons to be Heard on Meeting Topics:

None.

12. Informational Items:

a. Next Title 17 Review Committee meeting will be held Thursday, December 12, 2019, at 11:30 a.m. at the Anchorage Health Department 4th floor conference room located at 825 L Street, Suite 423. b. Next ACAB Meeting will be held Thursday, January 23, 2019, at 5:30 p.m. in the Animal Care and Control classroom located at 4711 Elmore Rd.

13. Adjournment: Ms. Foerster made a motion to adjourn. The motion was seconded by Mr. Ebben. With no objections, the meeting adjourned at 6:47 p.m.