Animal Shelter Advisory Board

CITY OF EVERETT ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY BOARD MEETING Wednesday, September 25, 2019 5:30 – 7:00 P.M. Forest Park - Parks Administrative Offices, Lower Park Conference Room 802 E. Mukilteo Blvd (see directions on page 2) Roll Call Adoption of Meeting Agenda Acceptance of Minutes: August 28, 2019 Member Reports – Introduction of All Board Members Animal Shelter Manager Report Council Liaison Report Citizen Comments DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION ITEM Animal Code Revisions Glynis Frederiksen Adjourn Next Meeting Wednesday, November 27, 2019 Forest Park, Parks Administrative Offices, Lower Park Conference Room MISSION STATEMENT: Everett Animal Services provides for the well-being of animals and the community through progressive animal sheltering, education, and municipal code enforcement. Directions to Forest Park, 802 E. Mukilteo Blvd, Everett, WA 98203 Driving Directions to Forest Park: From the North Take I-5 exit 192 (41st St.) Turn right onto 41st St. Continue heading west on 41st street. The road turns up a hillside and becomes Mukilteo Blvd. The park is on the left at the top of the curves. From the South Take I-5 exit 192 - Broadway / 41st St. Stay left up the 41st St. ramp. Proceed through the intersection to W. 41st St. Continue heading west on 41st street. The road turns up a hillside and becomes Mukilteo Blvd. The park is on the left at the top of the curves. Parking Immediately at the top of the hill take a very sharp left into a small parking lot next to Floral Hall. There will be an A-Board Sign directing you into the parking lot. After parking follow the A-Board signs to the Lower Park Conference Room. It is located down two sets of stairs. The access door to the lower park conference room is on your right.  CITY OF EVERETT ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY BOARD MEETING Wednesday, August 28, 2019 5:30 – 7:00 P.M. Forest Park Administration Building 802 E Mukilteo, Everett, WA 98203 The meeting was called to order at 5:30PM. Shelter Advisory Board members present: Kara Langus, Lindsay Ellsworth, Nathan Shelby, Brooke Fiscus, Bill Morgan, Jennifer Ward, Sarah Hartwell Board members not present: Leslie Shattuck, Alyssa Russell City Council Liaison present: Council member Scott Bader Staff present: Lori Cummings, Parks Director; Kimberly Shelton, Parks Asst Director; Glynis Frederiksen, Shelter Manager; Leslie Wall, Shelter Coordinator; Danielle Marks, Parks Admin Asst. Acceptance of Meeting Agenda: A motion was made to accept the agenda for August 28, 2019. Motion/Second/Approved (m/s/a) unanimously to accept the agenda for August 28, 2019 as presented. Review and Acceptance of Minutes: A motion was made to accept the minutes from May 22, 2019. Lindsay Ellsworth noted a correction to the spelling of her name as listed in the minutes. Motion/Second/Approved (m/s/a) unanimously to accept the minutes as revised from May 22, 2019 as presented. Member Reports  A Member Go Round included a brief introduction of all present. Kara Langus, Lindsay Ellsworth, Nathan Shelby, Brooke Fiscus, Bill Morgan, Jennifer Ward, Sarah Hartwell, Kimberly Shelton, Lori Cummings, Danielle Marks, Glynis Frederiksen, Council Member Liaison Scott Bader Shelter Manager Report Glynis Frederiksen reported on the following items:  Staff Report: o Dee Cordell, Shelter Ops Coordinator has resigned her position. Leslie Wall, former Animal Control Officer, has been promoted to this position. o Vet Tech Angie Lubrin resigned late May. Recruitment efforts are under way. o Seasonal staff for front desk and shelter assistants are working well. o A Fundraising Coordinator position has been created. Recruitment and interviews are complete. Top candidates will be identified soon.  The 12-month rolling live release rate for August 1 – July 31, 2019 is 90.28%.  The average daily animal population rates were shared. The current year is a lower average across the board than this time last year.  Events – Past and Present. Board members are encouraged to to participate in upcoming events either as an attendee or as an EAS volunteer. o Volunteer orientations will be held on September 4 and September 7. o Summer events – Both Sorticulture and Mutt Strut were great events.  o Pups & Pints is an August event partnered with Save a Mutt at Scuttlebutt Taproom. o Santa Paws is the next large event coming up in December. Parks Director Report Lori Cummings  2020 Budget is due next week. Funding in this area of the Shelter is at status quo, with exception of the Fundraising Coordinator. The long-term plan is that this position should ideally more than pays for itself.  Organizational Changes include the Director position shifting to provide support to the City’s Communications team. Kimberly Shelton, Assistant Parks Director, will now provide direct support of the Shelter team.  Leslie Wall, as a former ACO for over 2 years and has stepped up into her new role as Shelter Coordinator, and has already made a positive impact.  September 25 is the next Shelter Advisory Board meeting. This will be an important meeting to attend, as Shelter staff will present Code Revisions at this meeting.  The next Shelter meeting may be an on-boarding meeting as a meeting and greet for the new Fundraising Coordinator, if possible. Council Liaison Report  Nothing to report. Citizen Comments – No citizens present. Informational /Discussion Items Volunteer Program Update, presented by Leslie Wall Currently, ideas are being solicited to offer more opportunities for seniors to participate at the shelter. Improved volunteer program leadership has been implemented with a current volunteer pool of 362 volunteers. Total volunteer hours in 2018 was 16,323.5 hours. The 2019 hours beginning January – August 2019 was already reached 12,326.5 hours. Volunteers will be cross-trained so they may assist with dog placement into the right homes and reading to birthing cats. Other volunteer opportunities to be enhanced are the Puppy Play for LifeTM program; Senior participation; lobby assistance program to assist with paperwork processing; and reading to feral cats to name a few. Potentially, a lower volunteer age may be explored to allow children to read to animals, which may also assist with reading disabilities. Everett Animal Shelter Website, presented by Glynis Frederiksen Shelter staff solicited ideas on how to improve the Shelter website. Board members suggested it would be beneficial to make all aspects of the website more mobile-friendly, for example the listing of animals up for adoption. Currently the 3rd party platform is not mobile friendly. It was also suggested adding more shelter statistics such as live release rate and other more commonly identifiable statistics could clarify the shelter status. Shelter lingo should also be avoided whenever possible. Board members believe the current website is very thorough and has great information available. Animal Code Revisions, presented by Glynis Frederiksen Recently Washington State Legislation pass a bill (HB 1026) prohibiting cities from breed profiling. The main goal for code revisions is to remove breed specific language, strengthen behavior based action language, and improve operational efficiencies, while making language fair and flexible. Discussions took place surrounding the definitions of a pet, potentially dangerous dog (PDD), and dangerous dog (DD). Three categories were defined in discussing potentially dangerous dogs (PDD), and two different categories defined under dangerous dogs (DD). Removal of breed specific language is an option, or leave the language intact and strengthen safety and enforcement efforts. Once new language is drafted, the code revisions will be presented to Legal and the Mayor for approval. Upon approval, the Code Revisions will then be presented to Council. Council requires three readings before an Ordinance may be signed. Other Business Motion was made to adjourn the meeting. M/S/A unanimously. Meeting Adjourned @ 7:13 PM Next meeting: September 25, 2019 at Parks Admin Building 100, Lower Park Conference Room Respectfully submitted, Danielle Marks, Administrative Assistant Parks & Community Services  CITY OF EVERETT ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA ITEM COVER SHEET TITLE: Adoption Staff Glynis Frederiksen Animal Code Revisions – Recommendation Phone 425-257-6013 Board Recommendation Discussion Date September 25, 2019 Information Other DESCRIPTION SUMMARY: In 2019 the State Legislature amended the State law relating to breed-based designations of dogs a dangerous or potentially dangerous dogs. The current Everett Municipal Code designates certain breeds of dogs as potentially dangerous, which much be amended to comply with the State law changes. At the August 28, 2019 Advisory Board meeting an overview of potential code revisions to EMC 6.08 – Dangerous Dogs was discussed. Staff have considered Advisory Board input, worked with the city legal department and developed recommendations for code revisions. These code revisions include:  Eliminating breed reference  Amending the formal appeal process for dogs designated as dangerous or potentially dangerous, to include a review first by the Animal Services Manager prior to further appeal to the hearing examiner at the Everett Municipal Court in order to expedite appeals  Other measures City staff feel are desirable and necessary for the protection of human health, safety and welfare and to prevent injury to property and cruelty to animal life. Staff will present proposed code revisions and request the Board recommend the proposed changes be submitted to Everett City Council for adoption. RECOMMENDATION Review proposed code revisions, discuss with staff and recommend staff submit code revisions to Everett City Council for adoption.