Animal Services Advisory Board

The Spay Neuter Subcommittee will meet at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16 th at the Wichita Animal Shelter, 3303 N. Hillside. Minutes from Sept. 25th The Wichita Animal Control Advisory Board Spay/Neuter Subcommittee met on Sunday, September 25th from 4 PM to 5:10 PM All board members were present. Guests were John and Deborah Stevens and Judy Hill. The metrics for pit bulls, kittens, cats, puppies, and dogs coming into the Wichita Animal Shelter were reviewed by Drew Bessey. Mr Bessey did state that the pit bull numbers appear to be rising despite the current pit bull ordinance. Michelle Townsley reviewed the metrics for the Kansas Humane Society in regards to owner released cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies and provided the top 20 zip codes for owner relinquished pets. Dr Townsley echoed the concern about an increase in pit bulls taken in at the Kansas Humane Society. In 2013 pit bulls were just under 10% of the dogs entering he KHS and last year they were 16% of the dogs entering the KHS. Lack of knowledge by the general public of the pit bull ordinance was a concern. The need for educational programs consisting of billboards, fliers at veterinary clinics, door knockers to be distributed door to door, utilizing neighborhood groups and volunteers to distribute the information, and public service announcements were recommend. Targeting districts and zip codes with larger pit bull populations and where higher intake numbers of pit bulls came from was suggested. Getting the veterinarians involved in sharing with their clients the pit bull ordinance through social media, posting of fliers, and maybe promoting vouchers specifically for pit bulls. (Concerns were focusing on districts and those with financial constraints). A pit bull ordinance education month was suggested. Lack of funding an issue. Lack of enforcement and teeth in the law involving the pit bull ordinance was a concern. Ideas to aid enforcement included: Requiring a minimum fine on all of the pit bull ordinance violations; Requiring a limit of 2 pit bulls regardless of age per property/household, an exception for rescues or fosters may be required; Not allowing an unclaimed pregnant pit bull to leave the WAS unless already spayed regardless of level of gestation; requiring all unclaimed female pit bulls to be spayed prior to leaving the WAS and going to rescue. (Concerns of very late term spay on emotional and physical effects of dogs, forcing rescues to utilize KHS for altering the female pits, if the WAS was still owner of the dog, this would remove legalities, but force WAS to pay for the surgery) Ellen Querner moved and Michelle Townsley seconded that Sarah Coffman design a flier and door knocker be available for distribution. Drew Bessey will try to have a flier about the pit bull ordinance available to hand out at Woofstock and will work with the city on providing a flier similar to the tether flier for long term distribution. The next subcommittee meeting was scheduled for Sunday, October 9th at 4PM at the Wichita Animal Shelter. Respectfully Submitted, Teresa J Burks DVM WACAB Spay/Neuter Subcommittee Chairman