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Meeting Minutes
Thursday, February 9, 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, William Herndon
2. Public Comment
Lee Sinclair – Met with Jackie Speir and representatives from UCSF. Requests the Commission’s endorsement of a proposal presented to USCF regarding funding a position for an animal welfare liaison. Will send a copy of the proposal to the Commission.
Susan Wheeler – Would like to see the Commission revisit the Chinese live animal market issue, in light of the bird flu epidemic. With a new Mayor, maybe something can be done about this problem.
Eric Mills – Action for Animals – A film crew is doing a documentary on the animal movement and wants to visit China Town in Oakland and San Francisco. Got a call from Michele Tsi regarding a butcher who was chopping up a live turtle with the head still on. Above the butcher was a photo of the butcher with Mayor Newsom. This is a hot political issue that no one wants to touch. Would like to see the SPCA have some humane officers to address the issues in China Town. Suggests the prohibition of the sale of live turtles and frogs. Would like to change the cruelty laws. Spoke to Fish and Game Commission in Sacramento. Commission instructed the Deputy Director to do a survey of the markets.
3. Approval of Draft Minutes from the January 12, 2006 Meeting
Commissioner Kipnis acknowledged changes provided by Commissioners Yeager and Hamilton.
Public Comment – Mary Ann Buxton – Provided changes to public comment.
Motion made by Commissioner Kipnis to accept the minutes as amended
Motion seconded by Commission Schulke
Passed unanimously
4. Chairperson’s report and opening remarks
Role of the Commission is to be an advisory body to the Board of Supervisors. Every item on the agenda will have an opportunity for public comment. All items are sponsored by Commissioners who will introduce the item, followed by public comment and Commission discussion. Received feedback that on this month’s agenda, Commissioner Yeager’s name was not included with an item. Will do so in the future on a regular basis.
Public Comment -L'Danyielle Yacobucci– Confused about the way the feral cat item was introduced. The item appeared to be a discussion with Daniel Crain, not an item sponsored by Commissioner Yeager.
5. Committee Reports/Commissioner’s Reports
Commissioner Hamilton announced that the Friends of Animal Care and Control has been sponsoring free microchipping clinic for five years. Will being doing this every other month due to a decline in numbers of animals that need microchipping. The next clinic is at Animal Care and Control on Sunday, February 12, 2006. Will be part of an event cosponsored with the SPCA.
Commission Kennedy announced that the The SF/SPCA and The American Red Cross are offering a Pet First Aid class to the public on Saturday, February 18th between 9:00-1:00.
Public Comment – None
6. Old Business
a. A discussion of the components of an effective feral cat management plan
Guest Speaker: Daniel Crain, President of The San Francisco SPCA
Commissioner Kennedy - This issue provides an opportunity for collaboration. This is a discussion item only that will involve the full Commission.
Commissioner Yeager - This item is for discussion only. The goal of the item is an adoption of a feral cat management plan for San Francisco that leads to negative population growth/zero population. Would like Commission feedback. Would like to see a package plan presented to the Board of Supervisors that includes the following means for reaching the goal: (1) mandatory spay neuter for domestic and feral cats; (2) mandatory cats indoors; (3) broader public education campaigns; (4) TNR. Still a lot of questions about the existing TNR program including: (1) TNR management and general guidelines; (2) feral colony location; (3) sustainable aftercare; and (4) ACC adoptions. Commissioner Yeager spoke to specific questions related to these areas.
Daniel Crain– Thanked the Commission and Commissioner Yeager for bringing this issue forward. Proud to work with the SPCA staff and volunteers, by bringing the numbers down.
SPCA is one agency that is doing what it can to reduce the feral cat populations. 16,923 spay neuter surgeries, all free of charge, were performed since 1994. Other programs affected by the feral fix program as ACC partnership, foster program, adoptions program and cat behavior program – not just the spay neuter clinic. Cost of surgery over the years has gone up considerably. Impound rate has diminished 48%; euthanized rates declined by 84%. Last year was the first time the ACC has euthanized less than 1,000 cats. Impounds go down due to lower birth rates.
Progress made includes; (1) revised colony management guidelines; (2) development of CAT Volunteer Agreement; (3) formalized training for colony caregivers; (4) outside contract help to assist with data gathering and reporting. Agreed with Commissioner Yeager that colony caregiving is a huge commitment. SPCA is making progress towards making sure the colonies are well taken care of including knowing when a primary caretaker is not able to follow-up on his/her responsibilities and provide back-up.
Limitations include need for more funding, volunteers, lack of community understanding about the feral fix program and of the ACC - SPCA partnership. Many myths about feral cats including cats living short, miserable lives, feral cat programs are not sustainable, feral cats cannot be eliminated using non lethal methods.
Commission Discussion
Commissioner Hamilton – Still not sure this is under our mandate. Adoption of management plan by whom? So many questions raised that the Commission nor the city have control over. Most of what is proposed would need to be under the jurisdiction of Animal Care and Control. Mandatory spay neuter would require asking the city to spend a lot of money and resources. Need a lot of input from Animal Care and Control on this issue.
Commissioner Weiss – Very difficult to convince the Board of Supervisors to spay neuter all dogs; will be harder to enforce this on cats indoors.
Commissioner Schulke – Not sure how Yeager’s plan would be enforced through the city. Would require the SPCA to voluntarily collaborate with other groups. The Commission can encourage but not have jurisdiction over that collaboration. Support mandatory spay neuter, but does not believe that Board would touch the issue of mandatory spay neuter for cats.
Commissioner Kennedy – Issue of mandatory spay neuter enforcement has much to do with financial resources and therefore, the Commission needs to get feedback from Animal Care and Control.
Commissioner Yeager - Believes that mandatory spay neuter would be supported by the city. For some people just knowing that spay neuter is the law would make people abide by it. No reason to stop going forward even if some people will not abide by the law.
Commissioner Kipnis – Based on experience, part of the Commission’s strategy for success is to consider whether the Board of Supervisors would take on a specific issue before the Commission proceeds with its recommendation. The Commission also needs to consider non-legislative way to address issues and concerns, which can be just as effective.
Commissioner Hamilton –Yeager’s plan is a Cat Management Plan, not just a feral cat management plan since it does address mandatory spay neuter for domestic cats. The plan is asking for too much and may stretch the credibility of the Commission before the Board. Hamilton cites an example of a colony cat hit by a car which was brought to Pets Unlimited by ACC. Cat was returned to ACC for care. This situation became an issue of who was responsible for the cat. This issue of ownership must be decided before we go to the Board with a recommendation.
Commissioner Franklin –With regard to TNR, the SPCA is addressing many of the TNR issues raised in Yeager’s plan. The city does not have the funds or interest to deal with TNR.
Commissioner Kennedy – If ACC would support the issues of mandatory spay neuter, they might have more sway with the Board. Hard to know that without ACC representation at this meeting. Furthermore, SPCA will be getting valuable data together regarding feral cat situations. This will help direct the resources and actions to manage the feral cat program. At some point we may be able to ask. Would like to see more data before going forth with a TNR resolution.
Daniel Crain –SPCA supports mandatory spay neuter. Does not have an opinion about leash laws for cats but does encourage that cats are kept in doors. SPCA does not have a mechanism to assure that cats adopted are kept inside.
Commissioner Yeager - Asked for clarification on the progress made by the SPCA with regard to colony management.
Daniel Crain - Training has improved, back-up buddy system; most improvement is the getting data pulled together. Called upon Mary Ann Buxton to discuss colony data.
Mary Ann Buxton - Colony data reflects a sample of the colonies throughout the city. Shows the decrease in numbers. Currently expanding our database to track the number of cats and colonies.
Commissioner Yeager – Concerned that since cats are forced back where people may not want them. No mechanism to cover those circumstances. Costs a great deal of money and so much efforts to take care of cats that are not wanted back after they are spayed and neutered, specifically in areas near the waterfront. Has 50 cats to take care of. What is the incentive to volunteer if volunteers get overloaded.
Commissioner Franklin – This work can easily lead to burn out. How does the SPCA deal with volunteers who are close to burnout, need help.
Mary Ann Buxton – Will work to find back-up volunteers if a caretaker needs help or is burnt out. Important that volunteers communicate with the SPCA when they are feeling burnt out. Need the volunteers to work with the SPCA, not just leave without warning.
Public Comment
Dana Smith – SPCA Volunteer – Contradictions in Yeager’s plan. Plan discusses mandatory cats indoors and laws that prevent free roaming in general, which would lead to no feral cats –to round up and kill. Questions raised by Yeager in his plan provide a disincentive; a lot of the points are obstacles to supporting the TNR program. We do what we can. Requiring 100% success rate for TNR and life time care would prevent SPCA from other activities such as adopting out cats and dogs.
Brent Platter - Center for Biological Diversity - Sea otters are decreasing due to diseases from feral cat feces. TNR program must be effective in reducing suffering as well as population size throughout the city. Scientific evidence from JAVMA cites specific criteria to have an effective TNR program; (1) neutering 71% of feral cat population; (2) caring capacity for feral cats is reduced; (3) scale of program must be small. The data presented today does not indicate that these criteria are being met. Commission should recommend these criteria to the Board of Supervisors.
Michele Blunt – SPCA Volunteer – Recommend to Board that it take a step in dealing with TNR; develop public service announcements; need education campaign
Lana Bajsel – Knows many volunteers who are feeding and trapping and managing cats in bad parts of town; people who live in these areas are feeding those cats, although not admitting that they are. Not our job to determine what areas are good for cats. Against cat indoor policy. Mandatory spay neuter should be for all animals.
Eric Mills – Commend SPCA. Supports HSUS statement that the decision to maintain colonies should be made with a community-based approach to minimize the colony effect on wildlife. Do not set up colonies where they can affect wildlife.
Susan Wheeler – SCPA Volunteer – Brought forth the TNR resolution when on the Commission as an educational tool. Education, not laws. People will not register their colonies. PETA has gone out after managed cat colonies and taken them in to be euthanized.
Alan Hopkins – Audubon Society – None of us are for round up and kill. Currently no oversight on public lands; no rules for the program; volunteers do not understand the wildlife issues; colony managers do not have wildlife experience. Need to look at how to do this right. No need for an undercover program; get real data and make it work right.
Lisa Wayne – Rec. and Park Dept (Natural Areas Program) – Has done TNR; urges the Commission to keep on this issue. The feral cat management plan is a good first step. Most concerned with wildlife and locations of feral cat colonies. Did not see anything in the SPCA materials that addresses wildlife. Concerned about sustainable aftercare. Concerned about release of cats brought to ACC. Colony records need to be public. Urge the Commission to ask the SPCA to invite other stakeholders who are supporters of wildlife to participate in development of guidelines.
Virginia Handley – Animal Switchboard – The law states that any injured stray is to get emergency medical care from Animal Care and Control. 15 years ago mandatory spay neuter for cats was dropped due to the feral cat issue. Recommend to the Board that there be an ordinance for mandatory spay neuter of owned cats who go outdoors.
Maria Alioto – SPCA Volunteer – Done TNR over 10 yrs. Project Bay Cat Foster City, Audubon Society and Homeless Cat Network all collaborated to get cats spayed and neutered. SPCA is doing an amazing job; up to the volunteers to determine what they can handle.
Nadine Mae – No one sets up colonies; they arise from people who dump cats. Most colonies are in people’s yards, not public lands. Offended by implication that colony care givers do not care about other types of wildlife. Would like to see us all work together to reduce the feral cats. Do not publicize list of colonies because we do not want cats dumped there. Where we have not enough volunteers, we have distributed Good Samarian flyers to educate the community about the help we need. Education is very important. Feral cats can be socialized.
Bill Carlin – Endorses mandatory spay neuter and public education. The rest of the feral cat management plan is not ready for prime time. Plan contains many questions with no answers, no data and no facts. Endorses the possibility of mandatory spay neuter for all cats and dogs; endorses the SPCA’s TNR program; and endorses public education.
Martha Hoffman – SPCA Volunteer – Colonies are not set up by people, they are already there. We work with cats where they are. Colonies on public lands are under complete oversight and there is no uncontrolled release of cats taken from ACC. Opposes mandating cats indoors. Cats on leashes is an absurd idea.
Jane Greenwald – Supports the do-nothing position. Because resources have been focused on spay neuter, the numbers are low enough so that we can take better care of the cats. Would like to see city policy statement endorsing TNR on public land. Would like to see microchipping, if there are available funds. Cats by the waterfront is a bit iffy, but the colonies in the neighborhoods are fed very well. Mandatory spay neuter does not effect ferals – should do a study of the issue first.
Marion Gourley – SPCA Volunteer –Could use more dedicated volunteers to help with TNR and feral colony management. No need or time for external committee which will delay TNR; based on five years of phone calls, the majority of community members want to support TNR versus trap and kill. Feral cats need positive advocacy. TNR works for the cats. Supports mandatory spay neuter for those cats that are brought to ACC before returning to owner.
L’Danyielle Yacabucci – SPCA Volunteer – Is there a position Commissioner Yeager would take that does not kill feral cats. Volunteers are not interested in playing god. Had to euthanize a 10 yr old feral cat because she was injured and it was in the best interest of the cat. Wanted to return the cat to her colony but was told she could not do that. How is it that the best interest of humans is becoming more important than the best interests of the animals. Laws do not work. We are not hiding the colonies, we are keeping them safe.
Richard Fong – Be proactive. Look at alternative ways of birth control.
7. Commission Discussion
Commissioner Kennedy – Need more stats on many of the issues presented in order to move forward. Support mandatory spay neuter for animals brought to ACC as strays and then returned back to their owners.
Commissioner Franklin – Carl Friedman stated that once an animal is brought into the ACC, it is someone’s property and therefore they cannot be altered. In Oakland they do have mandatory spay neuter addressing this situation.
Commissioner Schulke –Support mandatory spay neuter. ACC point of view and more stats would be helpful to help make a recommendation on this issue. Education is needed.
Commissioner Weiss –Our role is to hear from ACC and SPCA in terms of what they need from the Commission in order for the Commission to move forward. Can the city give money to the SPCA to assist with TNR.
Commissioner Hamilton – Any organization can apply for funds through the city.
Commissioner Kipnis – Support mandatory spay neuter. Education is needed. Emphasize the ACC and SPCA partnership as a base for an education campaign.
Commissioner Schulke will research the possibility of an effective education campaign, what it would entail, funding sources, and bring the item back to the Commission at a future meeting.
Commissioners Kennedy and Franklin will research the issue of mandatory spay neuter for ACC animals being returned to their owners.
Commissioner Yeager –Will research free roaming cat laws and bring this issue back to the Commission. Supports the Natural Areas approach. Encourages the SPCA to dialog with groups interested in the effect of TNR on wildlife. To discuss the location of colonies and impact on wildlife.
8. Public Comment
Virginia Handley – Animal Switchboard – Suggests that the Commission ask the Board to pass a local ordinance on the live animal markets; referred to Law AB238. Update: Pit Bull law passed. Law prohibiting selling puppies under 8 weeks old passed. In the works is a bill for establishing minimum requirements for trapping wildlife.
9. Calendar Items
E-mail items to Kennedy Commissioner e-mail. Schulke would like to address the issue of Hare Live Coursing. Hamilton would like to discuss the draft list of outside resources for our web site.
10. Task Allotments
1. Commissioner Schulke will research and look into potential funding for education campaign through the city.
2. Commissioner Kennedy and Franklin will look at the possibility of legislating mandatory spay neuter for animals that go through ACC.
3. Commissioner Yeager will research free roaming laws in existence.
11. Adjournment
Commissioner Schulke moved to adjourn meeting
Motion seconded by Commissioner Franklin.
Passed unanimously
Meeting Adjourned 8:00 pm