CAPTIONINGJUNE 26, 2013

ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

***This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the ***following meeting. It should be used for informational ***purposes only. This document has not been edited; ***therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words ***that did not translate.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: HELLO, AND WELCOME TO THE ANIMAL

ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING FOR JUNE 26th, 2013.

WE STARTED A LITTLE LATE TONIGHT JUST TO ALLOW PEOPLE A FEW

EXTRA MINUTES WITH THE WEATHER THAT WAS OUT THERE.

IT WASN'T A GOOD DRIVE IN TODAY.

HAVE ALL THE MEMBERS HAD A CHANCE TO SIGN IN YET?

>> YES.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: THERE SHOULD BE -- THERE'S ONE FORM.

IT'S A BLACK-AND-WHITE SIGN-IN FORM.

>> THAT'S IT.

[INAUDIBLE]

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: IF EVERYBODY WOULD STAND, I'D LIKE TO

HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR OUR TROOPS AND SERVICE PEOPLE

THAT ARE OVERSEAS FOR ALL THE GOOD THAT THEY DO FOR US AND

ALL OF THE SERVICE PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES AS WELL.

WE'LL FOLLOW THAT IMMEDIATELY BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

[MOMENT OF SILENCE]

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, AND I'M GLAD EVERYBODY COULD MAKE IT THIS TIME.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE FOR A QUORUM LAST MEETING, SO

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DOES EVERYBODY HAVE A COPY OF THE AGENDA AND THEN THE

MEETINGS FROM APRIL, NOT FROM MAY.

WE NEED TO APPROVE THE APRIL MINUTES, AFTER WE ADOPT THE

AGENDA, OF COURSE.

ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA?

IF THERE'S NO ADDITIONS OR CHANGES, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO

ADOPT THE AGENDA AS STATED?

>>TIMOTHY GOLDEN: SO MOVED.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: TIM MOVED.

>>MARY BIRRELL: I'LL SECOND IT.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: SECONDED BY MARY.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.

[CHORUS OF AYES]

ALL THOSE OPPOSED.

MOTION MADE, PASSED, AND CARRIED.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, ITEM NUMBER 4.

AGAIN, THESE ARE THE MINUTES FROM APRIL, NOT THE MEETINGS

FROM MAY.

WE DIDN'T HAVE A QUORUM FOR THEM.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY CHANGES TO THE MEETINGS FROM APRIL?

WE DO HAVE THE ATTENDANCE LIST FOR MAY'S MEETING.

JEN FADAL HAS THAT IF ANYBODY WANTED TO PROOF THAT.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA FOR APRIL -- I'M

SORRY -- MINUTES FOR APRIL?

HAVING NO DISCUSSION, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE APRIL

MINUTES?

>> I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM APRIL.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: ANYBODY SECOND THAT MOTION?

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>> I'LL SECOND.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING APRIL'S MINUTES UNCHANGED

RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.

[CHORUS OF AYES]

ANY OPPOSED?

MOTION MADE, PASSED, AND CARRIED.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE MOVING INTO THE PUBLIC SIGN-IN AND -- I'M SORRY --

PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF THE MEETING.

I'D LIKE TO READ A BRIEF STATEMENT.

THE COMMITTEE WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM THE CITIZENS ABOUT ANY

ISSUE OR CONCERN.

YOUR OPINIONS ARE VALUED IN TERMS OF PROVIDING INPUT TO THE

COMMITTEE MEMBERS; HOWEVER, IT IS REQUESTED AT THE TIME YOU

ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE THAT YOUR COMMENTS ARE NOT DIRECTED

PERSONALLY AGAINST A COMMITTEE MEMBER BUT RATHER AT THE

ISSUES.

THIS PROVIDES A MUTUAL RESPECT BETWEEN THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

AND THE PUBLIC.

THE COMMITTEE HAS SET UP A 15-MINUTE PERIOD.

WE HAVE ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN -- WE HAVE

EIGHT SPEAKERS.

YOU'LL BE ALLOWED A MAXIMUM OF -- [OFF MICROPHONE]

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: YEAH, WE'LL MAKE IT THREE MINUTES PER

SPEAKER MAXIMUM.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE THE ENTIRE TIME.

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AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIR, THE COMMITTEE, AGAIN, MAY

HEAR PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE MEETING.

WHEN ADDRESSING THE COMMITTEE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME,

ADDRESS, AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE.

30 SECONDS BEFORE THE END OF YOUR THREE-MINUTE TIME LIMIT,

I'LL TAP ON THE MICROPHONE, LIKE THAT, AND THAT WILL GIVE

YOU TIME, AND THEN AT THREE MINUTES I WILL RAISE MY HAND AND

LET YOU KNOW THAT YOUR TIME IS UP.

FIRST SPEAKER, DR. CHRISTY LAYTON.

>> GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS DR. CHRISTY LAYTON, 1704 WALDEN VILLAGE COURT,

PLANT CITY.

I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY VETERINARY

MEDICAL SOCIETY.

I PASSED AROUND TO YOU GUYS AN E-MAIL THAT I SENT TO THE

COMMISSIONERS EARLIER THIS WEEK, AND I ALSO KNOW YOU'VE

ALREADY RECEIVED THE LETTERS FROM DR. ROESE AND DR. FERGUSON

THAT I REFERENCED.

I'M VERY CONCERNED WITH THE TREATMENT OF THE ANIMALS THAT

HAS BEEN GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AT HCAS OVER THE PAST

YEAR.

FIRST, A HUGE CONCERN TO ME IS WHY HAVE WE LOST THREE FEMALE

VETERINARIANS FROM HCAS OVER THE PAST YEAR?

AFTER REVIEW OF THE TWO LETTERS YOU HAVE, I'M SURE IT'S

EVIDENT TO YOU.

IF YOU HAVE STEPPED FOOT INTO HCAS IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS,

IT SHOULD BE EVEN MORE CLEAR.

SICKNESS HAS OVERTAKEN THE SHELTER AND, THUS, POURS OUT INTO

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MY PRACTICE, AS I RARELY SEE AN ANIMAL NOW THAT'S BEEN

ADOPTED FROM HCAS THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE SOME SORT OF UPPER

RESPIRATORY DISEASE TREATMENT.

MANY REQUIRE EXTENSIVE TREATMENT FOR UPPER RESPIRATORY,

PNEUMONIA, AND SOME EVEN DIE.

UNFORTUNATELY, THIS HAS BECOME THE NORM FOR THE

VETERINARIANS IN OUR COUNTY.

SOME OF THIS IS DUE TO THE DIRECTOR NOT LISTENING TO THE

VETERINARIANS AT HIS FACILITY WHO ARE THE EXPERTS ON ANIMAL

CARE AND MEDICINE.

SOME OF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE NOT FOLLOWED IS

DECREASING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ANIMALS HELD AT THE FACILITY

TO BE MORE IN LINE WITH SHELTER GUIDELINES, EUTHANASIA OF

SICK OR AGGRESSIVE ANIMALS, AND PREVENTING THE GENERAL

PUBLIC FROM WALKING THROUGH CERTAIN AREAS THAT ARE

DESIGNATED FOR SICK ANIMALS ONLY.

SOME OF THIS IS DUE TO OVERCROWDING OF INDIVIDUAL KENNELS,

TWO, THREE, FOUR DOGS IN A KENNEL, OFTEN WITH DIFFERENT

INTAKE DATES AND NOT BROUGHT IN OR FOUND AS STRAYS TOGETHER.

AS I WALKED THROUGH HCAS THIS WEEK, I SAW EVEN MORE OF THIS

THAN I DID LAST WEEK AND EVEN MORE THAN I DID THE WEEK

BEFORE.

I ALSO WATCHED FOOD AGGRESSION BETWEEN TWO 40-POUND DOGS

HAPPENING RIGHT BEFORE MY EYES, WAITING FOR IT TO ESCALATE

INTO A FIGHT.

THIS DOUBLING UP IN KENNELS OF DOGS AND CATS MUST STOP.

THE DIRECTOR MUST START LISTENING TO HIS VETERINARY EXPERTS

AND ALLOW THEM TO BE TRULY IN CHARGE OF THE HEALTH AND

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WELFARE OF THESE ANIMALS.

ANOTHER CONCERN I HAVE IS THE PROCEDURE OF SENDING OUT

INTACT FOSTER-TO-ADOPT ANIMALS.

I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT RESCUE GROUPS HERE, I'M TALKING ABOUT

THE GENERAL PUBLIC TAKING ANIMALS THAT ARE NOT STERILIZED

AND NOT MICROCHIPPED WITH NO OR MINIMAL DEPOSIT AND

EXPECTING THEM TO BE RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH TO RETURN TO HAVE

THEM ALTERED.

NOT ONLY IS THIS AGAINST STATE STATUTE, IT'S ALSO NOT THE

STANDARD OF CARE FOR SHELTER MEDICINE, AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY

IRRESPONSIBLE.

I HAVE A NUMBER OF OTHER CONCERNS THAT MY TIME LIMIT WON'T

ALLOW ME TO DISCUSS, SUCH AS THE LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

WITH A FERAL CAT PROBLEM THAT HCAS WOULDN'T HELP THEM WITH.

THEY WERE TOLD TO CONTACT THE SCHOOL BOARD AND HAVE THE CATS

REMOVED FROM THE PROPERTY.

NOW, I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT, BUT I DO KNOW

THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD IS NOT THE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT

CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY SHOULD BE TURNING TO WHEN PUBLIC

HEALTH OF CHILDREN ARE AT RISK FROM FERAL CATS.

I NEVER SAW THESE OCCURRING A YEAR OR TWO AGO AT HCAS.

IT WAS A MUCH MORE HUMANE PLACE FOR THE ANIMALS ENTRUSTED TO

THEIR CARE BACK THEN.

PLEASE LET'S STOP PLAYING A SHELL GAME WITH NUMBERS AND

START CARING FOR THE INDIVIDUAL ANIMAL'S QUALITY OF LIFE AND

THE COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY TO TAKE CARE OF THE UNWANTED

ANIMALS AND TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY FROM

ANIMAL-RELATED ISSUES.

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THANK YOU.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: THANK YOU.

NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE I THINK IT'S SUE -- AND PARDON -- I'M

NOT ABLE TO READ THE LAST NAME, IT'S MAYBE McCATHREN.

>> EXCUSE ME, DR. MIKE, WHERE ARE COPIES OF THE LETTER THAT

DR. LAYTON --

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: I THINK THEY'RE STUCK RIGHT --

>> OH.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: -- THEY WENT TO THE LEFT OF ME.

HERE THEY ARE RIGHT HERE.

>> OH, OKAY.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH:

DO YOU WANT TO PASS THOSE ON?

>> THANK YOU.

I WANTED TO REVIEW IT.

>> SUE GREEN.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: [INAUDIBLE]

>> GREEN, LIKE THE COLOR.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: IT'S NOT YOUR TURN YET.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION AMONGST THE BOARD]

SUE McCATHREN.

ANYBODY NAMED SUE?

>> IS THERE ANOTHER SUE?

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: ALL RIGHT.

IF SUE --

SUE'S NOT HERE, SO WE'RE GOING TO STRIKE HER FROM THE LIST.

NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ALLISON, AND, AGAIN, I CAN'T PRONOUNCE

THIS LAST NAME OR READ IT, GRECH.

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IS THERE ANY ALLISON HERE?

>> IS THERE ANOTHER SUE ON THE LIST?

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: THERE IS A SUSAN GREEN.

OKAY.

GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE, SUE, ALLISON.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO SUE GREEN.

SORRY, IT WAS YOUR TURN, SUE.

I APOLOGIZE.

SUE, ALYCE, ART.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: YEAH.

IF YOU GUYS WILL WRITE YOUR ADDRESS ON HERE JUST SO THAT IF

ANYBODY WANTS TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS, WE'RE ABLE TO GET AHOLD

OF YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> MY NAME IS SUSAN GREEN, 6513 BIMINI COURT, APOLLO BEACH,

FLORIDA.

I'VE BEEN A VOLUNTEER AT ANIMAL SERVICES SINCE INCEPTION OF

THE PROGRAM IN 2007 UNDER THE DIRECTION OF BILL ARMSTRONG

AND DENNIS McCULLOUGH.

I WATCHED ANIMAL SERVICES TRANSFORM INTO A TRUE SHELTER FOR

THE PROTECTION OF THE ANIMALS.

THANKS IN LARGE PART TO THE TEAM OF ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS,

WE HAD THE HIGHEST ARREST RECORD IN THE STATE FOR ANIMAL

CRUELTY AND ALONG WITH THE EXPERTISE OF DR. ROESE, WHO HAS

NOW RESIGNED.

THE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS NO LONGER HAVE CONTROL.

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THEY CAN ONLY RESPOND TO THE MOST HEINOUS ACTS OF ANIMAL

ABUSE.

OVER THE PAST YEAR, I HAVE WATCHED ANIMAL SERVICES DECLINE

INTO WHAT IS NOW NO MORE THAN A COUNTY POUND.

OUR ANIMALS ARE HOARDED, BECOME SICK, AND ARE FALLING

THROUGH THE CRACKS.

ANIMALS THAT WERE WAITING TO BE ADOPTED WERE EUTHANIZED BY

MISTAKE, AND THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN STAFF IS EXTREMELY

OVERWORKED.

OTHERS HAVE HAD TO LANGUISH IN THEIR KENNELS BECAUSE

OVERWORKED STAFF FAIL TO CHECK OUT THEIR MICROCHIP

INFORMATION, CAUSING EXTRA DELAYS IN THE SHELTER WHILE AN

ADOPTER WAITED TO TAKE THEM HOME.

THESE ANIMALS ALSO HAVE HAD TO WAIT TO BE VETTED BEFORE

BEING RELEASED, AND WITH ONE VET ON STAFF AT THE TIME OR UP

UNTIL NOW, THAT WAS ANOTHER UNNECESSARY DELAY.

I KNOW JUST ABOUT EVERY EMPLOYEE AT ANIMAL SERVICES EXCEPT

FOR THE NEW HIRES AND UNDER MANAGEMENT, BUT I HAVE YET TO

MEET SOME OF THEM WHO HAVE BEEN THERE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS

NOW.

ALL NEW MANAGEMENT POSITIONS HAVE BEEN HIRED OUTSIDE OF THE

SHELTER, MAKE THAT THE COUNTY, AND IN SOME INSTANCES OUT OF

STATE.

I NEVER SEE THEM, I ONLY HEAR ABOUT THE NEW PROCLAMATIONS OF

PROCEDURE CHANGES SENT BY E-MAILS OR BY THE RESULT OF CLOSED

MEETINGS.

EMPLOYEE MORALE AT BEST IS AT ZERO.

PEOPLE ARE STRETCHED TO THE MAXIMUM.

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THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM HAS SUFFERED GREATLY OVER THE PAST

YEAR, WHICH CAUSES THE ANIMALS TO SUFFER.

IT HAS NOT SEEMED VITAL TO PLACE A VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR SO

THAT WE CAN BRING MORE VOLUNTEERS ONBOARD RIGHT AWAY TO

ASSIST THE STAFF.

ALL OF THESE FUNCTIONS SEEMED TO HAVE COME TO A GRINDING

HALT.

WE ARE EXPECTING A NEW COORDINATOR THE FIRST OF THE MONTH,

COMING FROM IOWA, I MIGHT ADD, AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW

LONG IT WILL TAKE BEFORE SHE'S FUNCTIONAL.

WE USED TO HAVE A MEDIA PERSON ON-SITE AND AN EXCELLENT ONE,

I MIGHT ADD.

SHE WAS ABLE AT THE SHELTER TO SELECT ANIMALS TO SPOTLIGHT

ON AN ALMOST DAILY BASIS, AND EVENTS WERE PLANNED FOR

PROMOTIONS FOR ADOPTIONS, ET CETERA; HOWEVER, THIS ACTIVITY

HAS BEEN ALMOST NONEXISTENT FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS IN THE BETTER INTEREST OF THE

SHELTER THAT SHE BE RELOCATED DOWNTOWN.

THE NEW SHELTER HOURS ARE IMPLEMENTED TO INCREASE THE

OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO WORK TO COME LOOK FOR ANIMALS

TO ADOPT; HOWEVER, BY 10:00 A.M. WHEN THE SHELTER IS OPENED,

THE CAGES ARE STILL UNCLEAN, THE ANIMALS HAVE NOT BEEN FED,

AND THE SHELTER LOOKS ANYTHING BUT INVITING.

THESE ARE AREAS WHERE VOLUNTEERS COULD HELP FILL IN THE

GAPS, BUT WITH NO DIRECTION, IT DOESN'T GET DONE UNLESS A

VERY SELECT FEW JUMP IN TO HELP.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: SUE, I'M SORRY, YOUR THREE MINUTES ARE

UP, BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT YOUR LETTER TO MIKE

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HONER, WE'LL MAKE SURE IT GOES INTO PUBLIC RECORD.

>> OKAY.

THANK YOU.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: I'M SORRY.

THANK YOU.

>> I'LL JUST PUT MY ADDRESS HERE.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: I BELIEVE THE NEXT NAME IS ALISE

McCATHREN.

>> ALYCE McCATHREN.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: I STAND CORRECTED, ALYCE McCATHREN.

IS ALYCE HERE?

>> HELLO.

MY NAME IS ALYCE McCATHREN, AND I LIVE AT 6513 BIMINI COURT

IN APOLLO BEACH.

I TOO HAVE BEEN VOLUNTEERING AT ANIMAL SERVICES SINCE THE

INCEPTION OF THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM IN 2007, AND I FULLY

AGREE WITH THE STATEMENT MADE BY SUE GREEN ABOUT THE

CONDITIONS AT THE SHELTER NOW.

I WAS NOT AT ALL PLEASED WITH THE WAY DENNIS McCULLOUGH WAS

OUSTED FROM HIS JOB.

HE AND BILL ARMSTRONG DID A WONDERFUL JOB IN MAKING HCAS

SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF.

HOWEVER, SINCE I TRY VERY HARD NOT TO GET INVOLVED IN

POLITICS AND TO SAVE MY ENERGY FOR MINISTERING TO THE MANY

HOMELESS AND LOST ANIMALS THAT COME THROUGH OUR DOORS, I

DETERMINED TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND NOT COMPLAIN OR PASS

JUDGMENT ON OUR NEW MANAGEMENT UNTIL NOW BECAUSE I'M

DISAPPOINTED IN THE PATH WE'RE TAKING.

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I WON'T REPEAT ALL THE THINGS SUE GREEN JUST BROUGHT UP THAT

WE AS VOLUNTEERS AND CITIZENS ARE UNHAPPY ABOUT EXCEPT ONE

THING THAT I WANT TO IMPRESS ON ALL OF YOU.

WE'VE GONE FROM BEING A MODEL ANIMAL CONTROL AND ENFORCEMENT

INSTITUTION BACK TO BEING THE DREADED DOG POUND.

THIS IS A SCARY, SICKENING, AND CHILLING SITUATION TO ME,

AND I HOPE IT IS TO YOU TOO, AS YOU'RE THE VOICES FOR OUR

ANIMALS.

PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND DO IT AS QUICKLY AS

POSSIBLE.

THANK YOU.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: THANK YOU, ALYCE.

NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ART FRYVOLENT.

>> GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS ART FYVOLENT.

I LIVE AT 2741 BAYSIDE DRIVE IN ST. PETERSBURG.

I GOT INVOLVED WITH ANIMAL SERVICES ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO

WHEN I WAS LIVING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

I RECENTLY MOVED OVER TO PINELLAS, BUT I'M STILL DEEPLY

INVOLVED.

I'M SURE MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE MOVIE "THE MUSIC

MAN."

PROFESSOR HAROLD HILL IS A MAN WHO SELLS IMAGINARY MUSICAL

INSTRUMENTS.

HE RIDES INTO TOWN, CONVINCES AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY THAT THE

CHILDREN OF THE TOWN ARE GOING TO TURN INTO CRIMINALS UNLESS

THEY BUY THE INSTRUMENTS THAT HE'S SELLING.

THE COMMUNITY GETS SO CAUGHT UP WITH THE WORRY ABOUT THEIR

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KIDS THAT THEY BUY INTO THIS CON WITHOUT ADEQUATE RESEARCH,

INVESTIGATION, OR DISCOVERY.

AND SO IT IS, IN MY OPINION, WITH SAVE 90.

NATHAN WINOGRAD IS PROFESSOR HAROLD HILL, BLOWING INTO OUR

RIVER CITY TO A HERO'S WELCOME WITH LOUD PROMISES OF SAVING

90% OF THE ANIMALS AT ANIMAL SERVICES, AND, WOW, IT SEEMED

LIKE A GREAT GOAL, SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY WANTED TO HAVE

HAPPEN.

BUT THERE WERE LOTS OF QUESTIONS WAITING TO GET ASKED THAT

NOBODY GOT ANSWERS TO.

THERE WERE -- WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHY SOME OF THE ANSWERS

GOT -- SOME OF THE QUESTIONS GOT ANSWERED.

DID ANYONE RESEARCH THE SAVE 90 MOVEMENT?

FROM BASED ON WHAT I'VE SEEN, NOT REALLY.

HYPNOTIZED BY THE MAGICAL NUMBERS AND PIXIE DUST, WE DIDN'T

PAY ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS, AND NOW IT HAS COLLAPSED

AROUND ANIMAL SERVICES AND THE ANIMALS.

THE ANIMALS AND THE PUBLIC ARE NOW PAYING THE PRICE.

MANY ANIMALS ARE STILL PAYING NOW THE ULTIMATE PRICE, AND

IT'S TIME FOR A SWIFT AND STRONG RESPONSE FROM THIS

ORGANIZATION THAT TODAY I LAY AT YOUR FEET.

I MET WITH IAN AT THE REQUEST OF TWO OF THE COMMISSIONERS,

MARK SHARPE AND KEN HAGAN, AND HE SEEMS TO BE A NICE ENOUGH

GUY WITH A GOOD HEART, AND DUE TO NO FAULT OF HIS OWN, IN MY

OPINION, AFTER RUNNING BUSINESSES FOR 20 YEARS, HE'S IN WAY

OVER HIS HEAD.

HE HAS A LIST OF TO-DOs, BUT HE HAS NO STRATEGIC OR

MARKETING PLAN.

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HE HAS A 32-PAGE DOCUMENT OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE LITTLE

MORE THAN FLUFF, AND THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IN IT ABOUT

SPAY/NEUTER, SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US, I BELIEVE, AGREE IN.

HIS BOSSES, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION, BASED ON THEIR

ACTIONS AND DEEDS, ARE OBVIOUSLY WAY TOO FOCUSED ON NUMBERS

AND EVERYTHING ELSE BE DAMNED.

A MANAGEMENT STYLE OF SECRECY AND LACK OF COMMUNICATION AND

GET THE NUMBERS AT ANY COST IS KILLING ANIMALS, COSTING

LIVES, CAUSING RESIGNATIONS, AND DEMORALIZING STAFF.

THEY ARE DISREGARDING HEALTH, WORKER SAFETY, PUBLIC SAFETY,

AND BASIC RIGHT-AND-WRONG DECISION-MAKING IS WAY OFF THE

TRACKS.

AS THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, YOU HAVE THE MORAL AND

LEGAL OBLIGATION TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF ANIMAL SERVICES

SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO LISTEN TO THE FACTS THAT ARE GOING

TO BE PRESENTED TONIGHT AND REALIZE THERE IS A HUGE PROBLEM

AND IT'S GETTING WORSE, AND IT'S CREATING AN IMMINENT THREAT

TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

AFTER THIS MEETING, YOU CANNOT SAY THAT YOU HAVE NOT BEEN

WARNED, AND IF YOU FAIL TO INFORM THE COMMISSIONERS

ACCORDINGLY AND DO NOT DO WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE

CITIZENS AND THE ANIMALS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, IT CAN AND

WILL GET MUCH WORSE.

THERE ARE MANY PLANS OUT THERE TO DO THE RIGHT THING,

INCLUDING SEVERAL THAT I'VE PROPOSED FOR DOING WHAT NEEDS TO

BE DONE, BUT IT STARTS WITH --

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: MR. FYVOLENT --

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>> -- [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK] HAROLD HILL --

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: -- I'M SORRY, YOU'VE RUN OVER --

>> -- RUNNING HIM OUT OF TOWN ON A RAIL.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE AMY HOWLAND.

>> GOOD EVENING.

GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN.

I SAT WITH YOU ON THE TASK FORCE, AND I THINK ONE OF THE

THINGS THAT I SAID EVERY SINGLE TASK FORCE MEETING WAS

ANIMAL SERVICES IS UNDERSTAFFED.

THE ANIMALS ARE NOT BEING CARED FOR THE WAY THEY SHOULD BE.

WE HAVE BECOME THE EQUIVALENT OF A HOARDER WITH OUR OWN

ANIMALS SHELTER.

WE HAVE WAY TOO MANY, NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE TO TAKE CARE OF

THEM, THE ANIMALS ARE -- CAGES ARE NOT GETTING CLEANED THE

WAY THEY SHOULD, THEY'RE NOT GETTING FED THE WAY THEY

SHOULD, THEY'RE NOT GETTING MEDICATED THE WAY THEY SHOULD.

IT ALL GOES BACK TO A LACK OF STAFF.

THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE ANIMALS

ADEQUATELY, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE

HIRED, BUT THOSE ARE BACKFILL POSITIONS, AND WE NEED NEW

POSITIONS AND WE NEED NEW POSITIONS QUICKLY OR WE'VE GOT TO

START LOOKING AT EUTHANIZING APPROPRIATELY.

THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY ANIMALS FALLING BETWEEN THE CRACKS,

AND THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE AND THAT SCARES THE LIFE

OUT OF ME.

THERE ARE, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, VERY HEALTHY ADOPTABLE

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ANIMALS BEING EUTHANIZED BECAUSE THERE ISN'T SPACE BECAUSE

AN ANIMAL THAT'S BEEN THERE TOO LONG HAS NOT BEEN CAUGHT IN

TIME.

I GO TO ANIMAL SERVICES PRETTY MUCH TWICE A WEEK.

I'M ALWAYS THERE, I'M ALWAYS PESTERING HONER, AND I SEE THIS

EVERY SINGLE WEEK, AND IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO GET ANY

BETTER.

I'VE ALSO BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE SHELTERING PRACTICES OF

PUTTING TWO ANIMALS TOGETHER WHO HAVE COME IN AT COMPLETELY

DIFFERENT DATES.

ONE ANIMAL -- I'M SORRY -- ONE KENNEL CONTAINED TWO ANIMALS

THAT HAD DOGS TWO -- I'M SORRY -- TEN DAYS APART, ANOTHER

ONE THREE DAYS APART, AND THAT'S THE QUICKEST WAY TO SPREAD

ILLNESS.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

THANK YOU.

UNDER THREE MINUTES.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: MUCH UNDER THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU.

DON THOMPSON.

>> GOOD EVENING.

DON THOMPSON, 5484 LITHIA PINECREST ROAD IN LITHIA, FLORIDA.

FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO TALK TO YOU AS THE CLINIC OWNER

OF THE VETERINARY CENTER AT FISHHAWK.

UNFORTUNATELY, I'VE GOT TO ECHO THE SAME THINGS THAT DR.

CHRISTY JUST SAID, AND I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THE POINT, I

JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE ARE SEEING -- MOST OF THE

ANIMALS THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED ARE COMING IN WITH ALL SORTS

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OF UPPER RESPIRATORY ISSUES, AND WE'VE ALSO SEEN SOME VERY

EXTREME CASES.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'M NOT A DOCTOR, AND SO I WOULD LEAVE TO

DR. KATIE, WHO'S SITTING RIGHT HERE, FOR YOU GUYS TO DISCUSS

IN MORE DETAIL, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO GET A HANDLE ON WHAT'S

GOING ON WITH THE UPPER RESPIRATORY, AND I'M AFRAID THAT

WE'RE STILL BACK TO -- THAT ACTUALLY WE DID DISCUSS A LOT OF

THIS STUFF, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IGNORING THE ADVICE

OF THE PROFESSIONALS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PROBLEMS.

AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO OUR ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTOR,

HE'S NOT A MEDICINE PERSON, AND SO MAYBE WE OUGHT TO BE

LISTENING TO THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.

THE LETTERS THAT WERE WRITTEN FROM THE TWO VETERINARIANS

THAT RESIGNED ARE TO ME REALLY TROUBLING, GUYS, AND THAT

OUGHT TO BE SOMETHING THAT BOTHERS YOU-ALL.

THE OTHER THING THAT I'M PARTICULARLY ALARMED ABOUT AND,

FRANKLY, REALLY -- I DON'T WANT TO USE THE WORD

"INCENSED," BUT, GUYS, I CAN'T HAVE SOMEONE COME INTO MY

CLINIC WITH A 120-POUND DOG THAT WAS ADOPTED FROM ANIMAL

SERVICES THAT IS SO VICIOUS AND SO AGGRESSIVE THAT I CAN

BARELY CONTROL IT, THAT I TAKE 20-PLUS TABLETS OF

TRANQUILIZERS TO KNOCK IT DOWN ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO

EUTHANIZE IT HUMANELY, THE FAMILY TERRIFIED, THE FAMILY, ONE

OF THEM BITTEN.

GUYS, THIS IS JUST A TRAIN WRECK AND WE'RE WAITING FOR IT TO

HAPPEN.

I APPRECIATE THE NEED TO SAVE AS MANY ANIMALS AS POSSIBLE,

BUT TO SAVE JUST TO THE POINT OF A NUMBER, WE NEED TO BE

17

LOOKING AT THESE ANIMALS INDIVIDUALLY AND FIGURING OUT WHICH

ONES ARE LEGITIMATELY ADOPTABLE AND WHICH ONES ARE NOT, BUT

THE NOTION THAT THEY'RE ALL ADOPTABLE IS WRONG, PERIOD.

WE DEAL WITH IT EVERY DAY.

I DON'T KNOW WHO DOESN'T, BUT WE DEAL WITH IT EVERY DAY.

THE OTHER CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS IS THAT WE'RE ALSO TAKING A

LOT OF CALLS AT THE FOUNDATION ABOUT CATS.

AGAIN, I THINK WE'RE JUST GOING TO GROW MORE OF THEM AND

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THAT, BUT WE NEED TO FIND

SOME PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE FRUSTRATED BY

THIS PROCESS, MAYBE, AGAIN, FIND SOME MIDDLE GROUND THAT WE

CAN ALL AGREE ON BUT ALSO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THOSE PEOPLE

THAT ARE REALLY EXASPERATED BY CATS RUNNING ON THEIR

PROPERTY AND PARTICULARLY AT SCHOOLS.

THAT'S A HUGE ISSUE, AND WE'VE HAD AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CALL

ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE LEARNED NOW SOME OF THESE ISSUES

WITH MULTIPLE DOGS IN CAGES.

GUYS, THAT'S A PART OF THE DEFINITION OF HOARDING, SO IT'S

HARD FOR US TO LOOK AT THAT AND THINK THIS IS A GOOD ROUTE.

SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES, AND AS A

VETERINARY CLINIC OWNER, I REALLY HOPE THAT WE DO THAT

SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

THANK YOU.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: THANK YOU, MR. THOMPSON.

DID SUE McCATHREN OR ALLISON GRECH -- WERE YOU ONE OF THE

LATECOMERS THAT CAME IN?

THERE WERE THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE THAT CAME IN.

18

NO?

OKAY.

THAT WILL BE THE END OF PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE HAVE A REPORT FROM ANIMAL -- I'M SORRY.

>> I'VE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE.

DO YOU HAVE A TIME AFTERWARDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT?

I APOLOGIZE, I WAS CAUGHT ON THE BRIDGE, AND IT TOOK ME

THREE TIMES LONGER TO GET HERE.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: WE -- WELL, YEAH, WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD

AND JUST COME ON UP AND SIGN IN, WE'LL DO IT RIGHT NOW.

IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE, I'M JUST GOING TO REPEAT A

BRIEF PREAMBLE.

PLEASE TRY TO KEEP IT PROFESSIONAL, ADDRESS THE ISSUES,

DON'T ATTACK -- ADDRESS INDIVIDUALS, AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE

MINUTES.

30 SECONDS FROM THE END OF YOUR TIME I'LL TAP ON THE

MICROPHONE, AND IF YOU'LL WRITE DOWN YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS

AND LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE READY TO BEGIN.

>> OKAY.

GO.

I'M READY.

THANK YOU.

MY NAME IS TRISHA KIRBY.

I ACTUALLY LIVE IN CLEARWATER.

ABOUT A MONTH AGO I RESCUED ONE OF THE CATS FROM THE SHELTER

WHO WAS VERY SICK AND I NURSED HIM BACK TO HEALTH, THE URI

THAT YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT.

GORGEOUS CAT.

19

AND THEN I STARTED HELPING WITH OTHER ONES AS A GRATITUDE

MEASURE, JUST VOLUNTEERING AND STUFF.

I GO TO THE SHELTER, TOOK SOME PICTURES, STARTED POSTING

THEM ON-LINE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO SAVE THEM

OVERNIGHT, THESE RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH THIS FACEBOOK

PAGE, URGENT CATS.

I'M NOT WITH THESE PEOPLE, BY THE WAY, I JUST WAS HELPING

THEM.

I JUST NOTICED OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT THEY KEEP TRYING TO

HELP AND THEN THEY GET STIFLED, AND THAT REALLY BOTHERS ME.

RESCUES AREN'T ALLOWED TO PULL, THERE'S BLOCKS PUT IN THE

WAY.

THEY JUST SEEM TO BE HARASSING THEM.

THEY CANCELED GOOD PROGRAMS THAT I SEE WHERE ANIMALS WERE

ADOPTED OUT, SO, LIKE, IF I WANT TO GO AND HELP, I CAN'T

HELP, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T -- THEIR ADOPT-TO-REHOME PROGRAM WAS

CANCELED, THE ADULT FOSTERING CATS PROGRAM WAS CANCELED, THE

KITTEN PROGRAM WAS CANCELED ALL BECAUSE THEY SEEMED TO BE

LACKING VET SERVICES, LIKE THE ANIMALS GET BACKED UP, AND

THAT'S PART OF THE REASON THAT THEY GET SICK, BY THE WAY, IS

BECAUSE THEY BACK UP ON VET SERVICES, AND THEN THE ANIMALS

ARE THERE TOO LONG AND THEY GET SICK.

LAST NIGHT I PULLED A CAT OFF OF DEATH ROW.

THIS IS JUST ME.

I'M JUST A REGULAR PERSON.

I'M NOT A FOSTER.

I HAVE ONE PET, ONE CAT THAT I RESCUED.

I PULLED ONE OFF OF DEATH ROW, LITERALLY OUT OF THE

20

EUTHANASIA ROOM.

HE WAS SIGNED OFF, HIS PAPERWORK WAS THROWN AWAY,

EVERYTHING, AND HE'S DYING RIGHT NOW, LIKE, STARVING HIMSELF

TO DEATH.

I HAVEN'T GOT HIM TO EAT YET, BUT I'M SYRINGE FEEDING HIM.

I DO KNOW WHAT I'M DOING.

I HAVE SOME CARE BASICS THAT I KNOW.

I'M TAKING HIM TO THE VET AS SOON AS I CAN, WHICH IS -- THE

APPOINTMENT IS ALREADY MADE.

BUT MY POINT IS THAT IT'S UNNECESSARY.

IT'S UNNECESSARY.

HE'S A GORGEOUS CAT.

I TOOK A PHOTO OF HIM TOO WEEKS AGO.

HE WAS AN UP-FRONT, NOW-CAN-GO KITTY, GORGEOUS, AND THEN HE

GETS SICK AND THEY LET HIM DIE.

THEY DON'T TREAT ANYWHERE ALONG THE WAY.

THEY NEED TO TREAT THESE ANIMALS ALONG THE WAY.

YOU NEED TO GIVE THEM SOME MEDICINE OR SOMETHING OR ARRANGE

THE SITUATION WHERE THEY DON'T GET SICK LIKE THIS AND START

STARVING THEMSELVES TO DEATH.

THIS IS THE THIRD ANIMAL RESCUE THAT I'M DOING RIGHT NOW IN

THE PAST THREE WEEKS THAT IS STARVING ITSELF TO DEATH.

IT'S UNCALLED FOR.

AND DON'T PUT THEM TO SLEEP, FOR GOD'S SAKE, THIS IS A

TREATABLE MEDICAL CONDITION.

IT'S TREATABLE.

IT'S EASY TO TREAT IN THE FIRST FEW DAYS, BUT WHEN YOU LET

IT GO FOR TWO AND THREE WEEKS, THEY'RE DYING, AND THEN THEY

21

PUT THEM DOWN.

IT'S UNNECESSARY.

THE ANIMALS ARE GORGEOUS.

SO I'M JUST ASKING TO PLEASE HELP THE RESCUES.

PLEASE DON'T STIFLE THEIR EFFORTS.

I HAVE A GRAPH HERE I'LL GIVE YOU.

THE TOTAL ADOPTIONS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS STAYED PERFECTLY

STATIC AT -- I THINK IT WAS ABOUT, WHAT, 18 -- 16% TO 18%.

THEN IT WENT UP DRAMATICALLY ON THE BLUE LINE.

IT DOUBLED TO 40%, THE ADOPTION RATE.

THAT IS STRICTLY DUE TO THE EFFORTS OF URGENT CATS OF TAMPA

BAY.

THAT WEB SITE IS WHAT DID IT, AND IT'S THROUGH WORKING

THROUGH RESCUES DEDICATED ALL NIGHT LONG.

I'VE GOTTEN NO SLEEP THE PAST TWO WEEKS TRYING TO RESCUE

CATS.

SO ALL I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT THEY -- PLEASE HELP THEM,

WORK WITH THESE GUYS AND HELP THEM BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE ARE

HELPING THESE ANIMALS.

EVERY CAT I GET I'M TREATING AND TAKING CARE OF.

I'M TAKING THEM TO THE VET.

I KNOW HOW TO DO SUBCUTANEOUS FLUIDS.

I KNOW EVERYTHING, SO, I MEAN -- I WORK WITH THE VETS TOO,

BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT I DO KNOW HOW TO CARE FOR THEM.

AND I WISH I HADN'T GONE INTO THIS WORLD BECAUSE IT'S JUST A

DARK PLACE.

AND, PLEASE -- MANDATORY SPAY AND NEUTER, PLEASE WORK WITH

PINELLAS.

22

THEY HAVE A WORKGROUP IN SEPTEMBER, THE 10th, TO WORK ON

MANDATORY SPAY/NEUTER, AND I THINK THAT'S VERY, VERY

IMPORTANT.

THERE'S SO MUCH WE CAN DO TO HELP THESE ANIMALS AND WE JUST

DON'T.

PLEASE HELP THEM ON BEHALF OF SMUTCHZ, THE CAT THAT I'M

HELPING RIGHT NOW.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: THAT'S THE END OF PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE'LL HAVE A REPORT -- I'M SORRY.

>> I'M JUST -- I'M NEW TO THIS TOO, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR

COMING IN LATE.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY A COUPLE QUICK THINGS, JUST BASICALLY

ECHOING TRISHA'S --

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: WE'LL HAVE YOU AS OUR LAST PUBLIC

SPEAKER SINCE WE'RE MISSING TWO.

IF YOU'LL SIGN IN ON THE SHEET, PLEASE, AND I THINK YOU

HEARD MY BRIEF PREAMBLE.

YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

AT TWO AND A HALF MINUTES, I'LL TAP ON THE MICROPHONE.

>> I DON'T SEE A PEN UP HERE.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: CAN SOMEONE -- JACK, CAN YOU LOAN --

THANK YOU.

>> MY NAME IS TRISTIN BITNER, AND I LIVE AT 6350 92nd PLACE

IN PINELLAS PARK, FLORIDA.

BASICALLY, I -- I LEARNED ABOUT THE SHELTER THROUGH THE

URGENT CATS OF TAMPA BAY FACEBOOK PAGE AS WELL, AND I LOVE

23

CATS, BASICALLY.

I -- I DON'T WORK WITH ANYBODY EITHER.

I JUST -- I WANT TO HELP CATS, AND I AM CONCERNED ON

NUMEROUS LEVELS.

WHEN I FIRST STARTED COMING TO THE SHELTER, IT WAS A COUPLE

MONTHS AGO, AND THE SHELTER AT THAT TIME HAD AN ADOPT-TO-

REHOME PROGRAM FOR ADULT CATS AND A FOSTERING PROGRAM FOR

THE KITTENS, WHICH WAS GREAT, BUT THEN SHORTLY THEREAFTER,

BOTH OF THOSE PROGRAMS WERE DISBANDED.

I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHY.

I HEARD THAT THERE WERE PROBLEMS.

THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT HOARDING, ISSUES LIKE THAT.

THIS -- IT WAS CONCERNING, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE -- I MEAN,

HOW DO YOU ADOPT KITTENS OUT IF YOU CAN'T FOSTER THEM?

AND SO ANY -- ANYWAY, I GOT INVOLVED WITH A LOCAL RESCUE

GROUP WHO COULD PULL CATS AND KITTENS FOR FOSTERING, WHICH I

THOUGHT, OKAY, THIS WAS A WORK-AROUND.

THERE'S A LOT, A LOT -- YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE LOCALLY

THAT ARE WILLING TO HELP AND NETWORK AND HOLD ADOPTION

EVENTS FOR THESE CATS, GET THEM OUT OF A REALLY BAD

SITUATION IN A SHELTER ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY'RE GETTING

SICK AND GET THEM INTO A HOME.

SO THIS, OBVIOUSLY, IS NOT WORKING NOW BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT

ALLOWING RESCUES TO PULL EITHER, SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT

WE CAN DO AT THIS POINT.

OUR HANDS ARE TIED, AND ALL WE SEE NOW ARE MORE AND MORE

CATS GETTING EUTHANIZED.

I DON'T REALLY KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE DOGS, AND -- BUT, YOU

24

KNOW, MY LOVE, OBVIOUSLY, IS FOR THE CATS, AND MY CONCERN IS

FOR THE CATS, AND I WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT I CAN TO HELP

THE CATS, SO WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF A PROGRAM

TO ASSIST WITH GETTING THE CATS OUT OF THIS ENVIRONMENT AND

REHABILITATED AND INTO A HOME.

THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: THANK YOU.

THIRD TIME'S A CHARM.

THAT WILL BE THE OFFICIAL END OF PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE'LL HAVE A REPORT FROM ANIMAL SERVICES.

>>IAN HALLETT: GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

IAN HALLETT, DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL SERVICES.

THOSE ARE TOUGH ACTS TO FOLLOW, BUT LET ME -- GIVE ME A

MOMENT TO GO THROUGH SOME THINGS AND GIVE YOU A REPORT,

TAKING A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT APPROACH ON THIS ONE.

THIS WEEK MARKS MY 53rd WEEK ON THE JOB, SO I FELT LIKE IT

WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO KIND OF LOOK BACK OVER THE YEAR,

ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED.

SO WITH THAT, I PUT TOGETHER A QUICK POWERPOINT FOR YOU THAT

IS NOT GOING TO THE -- DOES ANYBODY KNOW THE SHORTCUT FOR

THE --

>> BOTTOM -- SEE THE BOTTOM THERE WITH [INAUDIBLE]

OKAY.

KEEP GOING THROUGH THERE.

>>IAN HALLETT: THERE WE GO.

>> THERE YOU GO, RIGHT THERE.

>>IAN HALLETT: I'M USED TO IT ON THE LEFT SIDE.

SO I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, OUR

25

CHALLENGES, AND THE FUTURE, AND I'M SURE A LOT OF QUESTIONS

WILL COME UP ALONG THE WAY, AND I THINK I'LL WIND UP

ANSWERING SOME OF THOSE, SO IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE, YOU KNOW,

HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS TO THE END.

ON THE SHELTERING SIDE, OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS PAST YEAR,

AS YOU KNOW, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER I GOT HERE, WE DID --

PIONEERED -- DID A PIONEERING EVENT IN OPENING ON THE 4th OF

JULY.

ON THAT DAY WE HAD 400 VISITORS AND 60 ADOPTIONS.

SHORTLY AFTER THAT, IN NOVEMBER, I EXPANDED THE HOURS FROM

10:00 TO -- 10:00 A.M. TO 7:00 P.M. EVERY DAY, AND I

ACTUALLY ALSO OPENED UP INTAKE TO SEVEN DAYS A WEEK,

ACTUALLY AT THE REQUEST OF ANIMAL CARE, WHO WOULD GET

SLAMMED ON TUESDAYS BECAUSE WE WERE CLOSED TO INTAKE FOR TWO

DAYS.

I WAS ABLE TO DO THAT BY TAKING OUR CLERICAL STAFF THAT

INPUTS RABIES CERTIFICATES AND CROSS-TRAINING THEM IN

ADOPTIONS AND RECLAIM AND CITATIONS AND MAKING THEM A TEAM

AND THEN HAVE THAT ENTIRE TEAM WORK ON RABIES TAGS WHEN

THINGS ARE SLOW, AND THEN WHENEVER THINGS WERE BUSY, KIND OF

LIKE STOCKERS AT A GROCERY STORE, COME TO THE FRONT AND HELP

CUSTOMERS, SO THAT WAS HOW WE WERE ABLE TO PULL THAT OFF.

THIS YEAR I WAS VERY PROUD.

WE OPENED ON MEMORIAL DAY, AND THAT WEEK OF MEMORIAL DAY,

SINCE THE ANIMALS DON'T ALWAYS GO HOME THE SAME DAY -- IF

YOU LOOK AT THAT WEEK WE HAD 151 DOGS ENTER THE SHELTER THAT

WEEK AND 153 WENT HOME ALIVE.

AND ONE OF THE STRATEGIES WE TOOK DURING THAT WEEK, KNOWING

26

THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A THREE-DAY ADOPTION EVENT,

INCLUDING MEDIA COVERAGE FOR LIVE SHOTS BY FOX NEWS ON

MONDAY MORNING, WE ACTUALLY DECREASED OUR EUTHANASIA TOWARDS

THE END OF THE WEEK SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE ENOUGH ANIMALS ON

HAND FOR ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WE EXPECTED TO COME IN, AND I

HAD ONE VERY RESPECTED VOLUNTEER, TROY, WHO CAME TO ME AND

SAID THAT HE WAS VERY UNHAPPY WITH THAT, BUT WHEN WE GOT TO

THE END OF THE WEEKEND AND ALL OF THE ANIMALS THAT HE HAD

WATCHED FOR SURGERY HAD GONE HOME, HE WAS ACTUALLY PLEASED

WITH HOW THAT WEEK TURNED OUT.

NOT SOMETHING I WOULD NORMALLY DO UNLESS THERE WAS A REASON

TO ANTICIPATE SUCH A BIG EVENT LIKE THAT.

SO OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, LIVE OUTCOMES HAVE INCREASED

BY 2,000 ANIMALS COMPARED TO THE 12 MONTHS PRIOR TO MY

ARRIVAL.

THAT'S ABOUT SIX MORE ANIMALS PER DAY LEAVING ALIVE, AND

THAT'S A LOT OF EFFORT, AND A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR RESCUE

AND SHELTER PARTNERS AS WELL AS THE STAFF AND THE

VOLUNTEERS, WHICH I DID NOT PUT THERE.

OTHER NOTABLE EVENTS, WE DID TWO RABIES VACCINE CLINICS WITH

HSTB AND ALSO A PIT BULL DAY CELEBRATION WITH HILLSBOROUGH

ANIMAL HEALTH FOUNDATION.

I'M -- I'M PROUD OF THAT 2,000 NUMBER BECAUSE -- THAT WE

INCREASED IN ADOPTIONS BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF

DISCUSSION ABOUT HITTING NUMBERS, BUT I WANT TO CIRCLE BACK

AND TELL YOU THAT EACH OF THOSE 2,000 ANIMALS WERE LIVES AND

THEY WERE ANIMALS THAT LOOKED LIKE YOUR ANIMALS AT HOME, SO

I CAN'T PUT ALL OF THEIR PICTURES HERE AND ALL OF THEIR

27

STORIES HERE, BUT 2,000 ANIMALS LIKE YOURS AT HOME WENT HOME

AND FOUND A LOVING HOME, AND THAT IS WHY I HAVE THESE

NUMBERS HERE, BUT THIS IS NOT A NUMBERS GAME.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE BIG CASES THIS YEAR FROM

THE FIELD AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND I DO NOT TAKE

CREDIT FOR THESE.

I'VE BEEN FOCUSING PRIMARILY ON THE SHELTER SIDE.

SOME ARE BIG CASES.

THE SEFFNER BEACH DOG FIGHTING RING WHERE THAT DEFENDANT

STATED THAT -- TOLD INVESTIGATORS, YOU'RE WALKING ON 20

YEARS OF DEAD DOGS AND BONES.

TO THE LEFT THERE YOU'LL SEE RUDY, WHO WAS ONE OF THOSE

DOGS.

YOU CAN SEE HIM ON HIS CHAIN THERE.

HE WAS SAVED FROM THAT OPERATION AND ACTUALLY LIVED UNDER

MICHELE PEREZ, WHO YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE

THERE -- LIVED UNDER HER DESK FOR MONTHS BECAUSE HE HAD A

KIDNEY PROBLEM AND THE VETERINARIANS WERE ABLE TO TREAT HIM,

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT'S HIS NEW HOME THERE, AND HE

APPEARS TO BE LIVING BETTER THAN MOST OF US, SO A VERY HAPPY

STORY THERE.

PLANT CITY FIGHTING RING, THE ONES WE CALL THE PLANT CITY

26, 26 DOGS CONFISCATED FROM THIS ONE PARTICULAR HOME.

YOU'LL SEE THIS VIDEO HERE OF PAM WITH A SMILING DOG, VERY

HAPPY DOG.

OF INTEREST HERE IS THAT THIS -- THIS PHOTO ACTUALLY WENT

OFFICIALLY VIRAL ON YAHOO AND WAS DECLARED A VIRAL PHOTO, SO

I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.

28

ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT -- SO 15 OF THE DOGS FROM THAT

OPERATION WERE TESTED FOR AGGRESSION AND FOUND TO BE

AGGRESSIVE, AND SO EUTHANIZED, BUT 11 OF THEM WERE FOUND TO

BE VERY FRIENDLY, BOTH WITH PEOPLE AND OTHER ANIMALS, AND SO

WE INITIALLY PUT THEM INTO OUR KENNEL SYSTEM FOR TEN DAYS TO

GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ADOPTED, BUT, OF COURSE,

WITHOUT ANY NOTES, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THEM FROM THE PIT BULL

RIGHT NEXT TO THEM, AND SO IN TEN DAYS THERE WERE NO

INTERESTED PEOPLE IN TAKING THEM, AND SO THE STAFF WAS

CONSIDERING SIGNING OFF, BUT WE CALLED A TEAM MEETING AND WE

PUT TOGETHER A MARKETING PLAN FOR THESE GUYS, CALLED THEM

THE PLANT CITY -- THE PC-26, REACHED OUT TO THE MEDIA, AND

RESCUES AND ADOPTERS TOOK A GREAT INTEREST IN THE STORY OF

THESE ANIMALS, AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT TEN HAVE GONE TO

HOMES, INCLUDING ONE IN NEBRASKA, AND ONE IS IN OUR ADOPT

PROGRAM BEING TRAINED NOW.

AND THE LAST OF THE DOGS THAT WENT HOME WENT HOME AFTER

MEMORIAL DAY, AFTER A LOT OF COVERAGE OF THE SHELTER AND THE

ANIMALS THERE WHERE THEY ACTUALLY HIGHLIGHTED ANIMALS THAT

HAD COME IN THROUGH CRUELTY.

AND, OF COURSE, ONE OF THE MOST ASTONISHING CASES THIS YEAR

WAS PHOEBE, WHO WAS BURIED ALIVE AND SHOT TWICE IN THE HEAD.

SHE ALSO RECOVERED IN ANIMAL SERVICES UNDER EMPLOYEES' DESKS

AND IN OUR VET SERVICES AREA, AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE FIRST

PHOTO HOW SHE WAS FOUND, A VERY SAD AND DISTURBING CASE, AND

ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE YOU CAN SEE HER NEW HOME AND HOW

SHE'S LIVING NOW, AND, IN FACT, YOU CAN -- YOU CAN'T EVEN

TELL THAT SHE HAS GONE THROUGH THIS.

29

ANOTHER THING THAT WE HAVE DONE THIS YEAR, WE HAD A BUDGET

SURPLUS AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR '12, AND SO WE WERE ABLE

TO DEPLOY IPADS INTO ALL THE VEHICLES.

THIS ALLOWS US TO DO A LOT OF GREAT THINGS TO SERVE THE

PUBLIC BETTER, ONE OF WHICH -- AND YOU'LL SEE A PHOTO HERE

OF IT IN ONE OF THE VEHICLES.

IT'S IN A NICE OTTER BOX LIKE THIS, PRETTY SELF-

INDESTRUCTIBLE, AND THE STAFF CAN USE IT THERE WITHOUT IT

GETTING IN THE WAY.

ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS IT ALLOWS STAFF TO DO IS DISPATCH

THEMSELVES.

YOU CAN SEE HERE THIS SCREEN, THESE ARE CALLS THAT NEED TO

BE ASSIGNED, AND EACH OF THESE BOXES REPRESENTS OFFICERS AND

THESE -- AND THE CALLS THAT THOSE OFFICERS HAVE, AND SO NOT

ONLY CAN THE OFFICER GRAB THEIR OWN -- LET ME SEE HERE.

NOT ONLY CAN THE OFFICERS GRAB THEIR OWN CALLS, WHICH

REQUIRES LESS WORK ON BEHALF OF DISPATCH, BUT THEY CAN ALSO

LOOK AROUND AT THEIR COLLEAGUES AND FIND OUT WHAT CALLS

THEIR COLLEAGUES HAVE AND IF THEY CAN HELP THEM.

ANOTHER COOL THING ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF HELPING EACH OTHER

OUT, THIS IS A MAP -- THEY HAVE AN APP ON THEIR IPAD CALLED,

FIND MY FRIENDS, AND THIS IS A MAP OF ALL THE OFFICERS OUT

AT THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT WITH A TAG OVER THEM INDICATING

WHO THEY ARE, AND SO IF SOMEBODY'S ABOUT TO GO ON A CALL

THAT MAYBE THEY FEEL THEY NEED BACKUP ON, THEY CAN KIND OF

LOOK AROUND AND SEE WHO'S NEARBY AND CALL IN BACKUP.

ALSO, SOMEBODY CAN LOOK IN THEIR BOX AND SEE THAT THERE'S A

CALL IN THAT PERSON'S BOX AND THAT THEY ARE ON THE EASTERN

30

BOUNDARY OF THEIR ZONE AND THE CALL'S ON THE WESTERN

BOUNDARY OF THAT OTHER OFFICER'S ZONE, AND THEY CAN SCOOT

OVER THERE AND HELP THEM OUT WITH THEIR CALL LOAD, AND SO IN

THIS WAY WE'RE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE CALLS MORE EVENLY AND HAVE

FASTER RESPONSE TIMES.

THE OTHER SUPER COOL THING THAT THEY HAVE ON THEIR OWN

STARTED TO USE -- EACH OF THE SUPERVISORS HAS ONE OF THESE

IN THEIR OFFICE, THEY'RE NOT JUST WIFI BUT ALSO 4G, SO THEY

WORK OUT IN THE FIELD, AND WHEN THEY HAVE A SITUATION THAT

THEY NEED ADVICE ON, THEY CAN DO FACE TIME WITH THEIR

SUPERVISOR OR EVEN ANOTHER MORE EXPERIENCED COLLEAGUE, AND

THEY CAN HOLD THE IPAD UP AT THE SITUATION AND SHOW THE

SUPERVISOR WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE FIELD, THE CONDITION OF

THE ANIMAL TO GET HELP, FOR EXAMPLE, DETERMINING WHETHER THE

ANIMAL SHOULD BE CONFISCATED OR NOT.

THE OTHER COOL THING THAT I FOUND OUT THEY WERE DOING IS

BASICALLY USING FACE TIME AS A WAY TO PROVIDE SPANISH

TRANSLATION TO PEOPLE OUT IN THE FIELD SO THEY CAN FACE TIME

OVER TO EACH -- THERE'S ONE OFFICER EACH DAY WHO SPEAKS

SPANISH, AND THEY CAN HAND THE IPAD TO THE CITIZEN AND ALLOW

THEM TO TALK DIRECTLY WITH AN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER IN

SPANISH, AND, IN FACT -- AND ALSO SHOW THAT OFFICER WHAT'S

GOING ON, SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE A SPANISH TRANSLATOR IN YOUR

POCKET THERE WHO ALSO KNOWS ANIMAL CONTROL.

SO THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT TOOL FOR US, SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO

HAVE THOSE.

SO NOW I WILL GO INTO SOME OF THE CHALLENGES.

ONE CHALLENGE THAT WE'VE HAD THIS YEAR, AND THESE STATS I'M

31

GIVING YOU ARE LOOKING BACK ONE YEAR FROM TODAY AS OPPOSED

TO THE FISCAL YEAR, SO BASICALLY SINCE THE TIME THAT I'VE

BEEN HERE.

SO SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, PRIOR TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR, INTAKE

IS UP BY ALMOST 1100 ANIMALS.

ONLY 360 OF THAT ARE DOGS, WHICH MEANS CATS MAKE UP THE BULK

OF THAT INCREASE IN INTAKE.

ANOTHER NOTEWORTHY ASPECT OF THAT INTAKE IS THAT BASICALLY

KITTENS AND YOUNG CATS ACCOUNT FOR 375, SO HALF OF THE CATS

THAT CAME IN, WHICH INDICATES TO ME THAT A LOT OF WHAT'S

DRIVING OUR INCREASE IN INTAKE ARE KITTENS BEING BORN THIS

YEAR, NOT NECESSARILY A KITTEN THAT WAS BORN THREE YEARS AGO

AND NOW THREE YEARS LATER HAS FOUND ITS WAY INTO THE

SHELTERING SYSTEM.

THESE ARE KITTENS THAT ARE BEING BORN RIGHT NOW.

THE SOLUTION TO THIS IS THAT WE NEED TO REDUCE THE

ADMINISTRATIVE AND TRAVEL BURDEN ASSOCIATED WITH VOUCHERS.

WE NEED TO FIND A WAY THAT THEY CAN GET THE SERVICES ON THE

SPOT AND THEY CAN GET THE SERVICES CLOSE TO THEM.

SHORT-TERM EFFORTS AT THIS INCLUDE MY WORK TO GET SPAY DAYS

AT LOCAL CLINICS.

WE'RE MAKING SOME PROGRESS ON THAT BUT NOT -- HAVE NOT

LAUNCHED IT YET.

THAT WOULD BASICALLY BE AN EVENT -- A REGULAR EVENT WHERE

THE PUBLIC COULD COME IN AND ONE OF OUR OFFICERS WOULD

APPROVE THE VOUCHER ON THE SPOT, SO THEY'D BRING THE ANIMAL

IN, THEY WOULD GO RIGHT TO SURGERY, THE OFFICERS WOULD

APPROVE THE VOUCHER RIGHT THERE, SO BASICALLY ALL THIS

32

PERSON HAD TO DO IS KNOW THAT THIS REGULARLY OCCURRING EVENT

HAPPENS AND GET THEIR ANIMAL THERE.

THERE'S NO MAILING IN PAPERWORK, THERE'S NO GETTING A

VOUCHER BACK, THERE'S NO CALLING FOR AN APPOINTMENT, THEY

JUST SHOW UP.

SO TRYING TO GET THOSE OFF THE GROUND.

WE HAVE STARTED ASKING OFFICERS TO ISSUE VOUCHERS IN THE

FIELD, SO WHEN THEY GIVE A TAG AND VACCINATION VIOLATION, WE

WORK -- MOST OF OUR INTAKE AREAS ARE FROM VERY POOR PARTS OF

THE CITY, SO WE ALSO ASK THEM IF THEY QUALIFY FOR THE

PROGRAM.

IF THEY DO, WE WILL TAKE ALL THE VOUCHER INFORMATION FROM

THEM ON THE SPOT SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO MAIL THAT INTO US OR

COME TO US, AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO THE OFFICE, PROCESS

THE PAPERWORK, AND MAIL IT OUT TO THEM, SO IN THAT WAY WE

CUT DOWN ON AT LEAST ONE ASPECT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN

ASSOCIATED WITH OUR VOUCHER PROGRAM.

WE'VE CREATED SOME REMOTE SIGN-UP LOCATIONS, SO OTHER

LOCATIONS IN THE OTHER PART OF THE CITY THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN

GO AND MEET ONE OF OUR OFFICERS OR CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF TO

GET THE VOUCHER ISSUED TO THEM.

ALSO OFFERED VOUCHERS AT OTHER COUNTY EVENTS.

IN THE LONG-TERM, I'LL BE BRINGING BACK RECOMMENDATIONS TO

THE BOCC ABOUT HOW TO REVAMP THAT PROGRAM TO GET THE

VOUCHERS BACK UP TO WHERE THEY WERE.

WE WERE 2500 UNDER THE 7500 WE'VE BEEN ALLOTTED IN FISCAL

YEAR '12, AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO COME OUT CLOSE TO

THAT ALSO IN FISCAL YEAR '13.

33

I WILL -- I CAN TELL YOU I'LL BE BRINGING BACK DATA.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOUND IS THE NUMBER OF SURGERIES DONE

HAS ALSO BEEN A FUNCTION OF THERE'S FEWER ANIMALS ON EACH

VOUCHER AND FEWER CATS ON EACH VOUCHER THAT ARE BEING DONE,

AND I THINK THAT IS CORRELATED WITH THE MARKED INCREASE THAT

WE'RE SEEING IN CATS.

AND I'LL BRING THAT DATA BACK TO YOU NEXT ANIMAL ADVISORY

COMMITTEE MEETING SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS THAT MORE.

OBVIOUSLY, AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, THERE'S A MAJOR

CHALLENGE WITH MEDICAL WORK-UPS, NEEDING TO PROVIDE MEDICAL

WORK-UPS FOR ADOPTION AND RESCUE A FASTER TO REDUCE THE

LENGTH OF STAY.

SOLUTIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTING IN THE NEAR-TERM, WE

HAVE RELIEF VETERINARIAN CONTRACTS, MUCH LIKE PRIVATE

CLINICS DO, WHEN THE DOCTOR IS OUT, THEY CAN CALL IN A

DOCTOR, AND WE HAVE THREE OR FOUR DOCTORS THAT COME IN AND

PROVIDE THAT.

AND WE'VE JUST RECENTLY -- WITH THE NEED FOR MORE VET TECHS,

CREATING THOSE CONTRACTS FOR VET TECHS, WHICH ISN'T

SOMETHING THAT TRADITIONALLY EXISTS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO KIND

OF PIONEER THAT IDEA OF VET TECHS BEING ABLE TO COME IN AND

BASICALLY MOONLIGHT FOR A DAY TO HELP US OUT.

THE OTHER THING WE'VE DONE IS SOME TEMPORARY OUTSOURCING OF

SURGERIES.

WE'VE PUT OUT A BID FOR SURGERIES TO BE DONE BY OUTSIDE

CLINICS.

WE PUT IT OUT TO HUMANE SOCIETY, ANIMAL COALITION OF TAMPA,

AND THROUGH HCVMS, AND THEY SUBMITTED BIDS BACK IN -- HUMANE

34

SOCIETY -- OR ANIMAL COALITION AND HUMANE SOCIETY SUBMITTED

BIDS BACK, AND HUMANE SOCIETY WAS LOWEST, SO WE ANTICIPATE

SENDING 100 TO 200 SURGERIES OVER THERE DURING THIS

TRANSITION PERIOD -- DURING THIS TRANSITION PERIOD TO HELP

US GET CAUGHT UP.

IN THE LONG-TERM WE HAVE ADDITIONAL STAFF ASSOCIATED WITH

THE LIVE OUTCOME PLANNED AND A PHYSICAL EXPANSION OF

VETERINARY SERVICES AREA PLANNED AS WELL.

ON THE OPERATIONAL SIDE, WE HAVE CHALLENGES.

WE NEED TO WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER, AND WE ALSO NEED TO

WORK AS A TEAM, SO A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES I COULD GIVE YOU

THERE IN WORKING SMARTER, A COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER WAS

TALKING WITH ME TODAY WHEN WE WERE IN THE LUNCHROOM AND

TELLING ME THAT SHE WAS FRUSTRATED BECAUSE SHE WAS DEALING

WITH AN ANGRY CITIZEN WHO HAD WAITED -- WAS WAITING NOW A

WEEK TO GET AN ANIMAL THAT WAS OWNER SURRENDERED AND ALREADY

STERILIZED, SO THAT ANIMAL ONLY NEEDED -- THAT ANIMAL ONLY

NEEDED RABIES, YOU KNOW -- MICROCHIPPED, RABIES VACCINATION,

AND HEARTWORM TEST, WHICH COULD ALL BE DONE, YOU KNOW, IN A

MATTER OF MINUTES, AND SO -- BUT WE, IN THIS CASE, HAD PUT

THE ANIMAL ON A WORK-UP LIST BEHIND ALL THE OTHER ANIMALS

THAT NEEDED SURGERY, AND THE WAY TO WORK SMARTER IN THIS

IS -- EVEN IF WE WERE SUPER BUSY IS TO TELL THIS PERSON,

LOOK, COME BACK IN AN HOUR OR WE'LL DO IT RIGHT NOW, BUT IF

WE CAN'T DO IT RIGHT NOW, COME BACK IN TWO HOURS AND TO

REARRANGE OUR PRIORITIES OR HAVE SOMEBODY STAY OVERTIME

BECAUSE WHAT WE DID -- AND SEND THE ANIMAL HOME WITH THEM

THAT DAY BECAUSE WHAT WE DID INSTEAD WAS WE CARED -- WE

35

CARED FOR, CLEANED, AND PROBABLY IN THE END MEDICATED

BECAUSE IT GOT SICK THIS ANIMAL FOR SEVEN DAYS, SO NOT

TAKING THAT -- NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY

RIGHT THEN COST US SEVEN DAYS OF CARE AND POTENTIALLY A SICK

ANIMAL, AND SO WE NEED TO REALLY WORK SMARTER.

WE NEED TO WORK AS A TEAM.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONCERNS ME ABOUT HOW WE WORK NOW IS

THAT WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS ASSIGNED TO DIFFERENT AREAS AND

DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES, SO, FOR EXAMPLE, DEBBIE TAYLOR

IS ASSIGNED -- YOU KNOW, DOES RESCUE.

THE PROBLEM IS IS, YOU KNOW, ALL THE PHONE CALLS GO

SPECIFICALLY TO DEBBIE'S EXTENSION, SPECIFICALLY TO HER E-

MAIL.

IF SHE'S OUT SICK FOR A DAY OR SHE'S ON VACATION, IT MAKES

IT VERY HARD FOR STAFF TO GO IN THERE AND ACCESS THAT

INFORMATION, SO WHAT WE WANT TO GET IT MOVED TO IS, FOR

EXAMPLE, A GENERIC E-MAIL ADDRESS LIKE -- AND WE'VE CREATED

RESCUEPETS@HILLSBOROUGHCOUNTY.ORG, AND ALL THE MAIL CAN GO

IN THERE, AND DEBBIE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK IT, BUT IF, FOR

SOME REASON, SHE'S OVERWHELMED OR SHE'S OUT SICK,

SUPERVISORS CAN JUMP IN AND ALSO KEEP THAT FLOW GOING, SO

KIND OF WORKING IN TEAMS LIKE THAT.

WE'VE CROSS-TRAINED OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF SO THAT THEY

KNOW HOW TO DO BOTH ADOPTIONS AND RECLAIMS AND CITATIONS, SO

TAKING A TEAM APPROACH.

WE ALSO SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN HOLDING WHEN WE'RE INTAKING

ANIMALS.

IT REQUIRES THREE PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME,

36

THE PERSON DOING THE INTAKE, A DATA ENTRY PERSON, AND A VET

TECH OR POTENTIALLY AN OFFICER'S GOT THE ANIMAL, AND THEY

ALL HAVE TO QUEUE IN A LINE WITH THEIR ANIMALS WAITING FOR

EACH OF THOSE THINGS TO HAPPEN, AND SO THAT MEANS THE

OFFICER'S NOT OUT IN THE FIELD, THAT MEANS AN ANIMAL CARE

PERSON NOT SERVING SOMEBODY AT THE WINDOW, AND THEY ALL WAIT

IN LINE; WHEREAS, IF WE HAD INTAKE CAGES WHERE THEY COULD

POP THE ANIMAL INTO THERE, THE DATA ENTRY AND VACCINATION

CAN OCCUR WITHIN THE NEXT 15 MINUTES AND THE PLACEMENT OF

THE ANIMAL INTO THE KENNELS CAN OCCUR IN BETWEEN MEET AND

GREETS AND OTHER SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC, SO BASICALLY HAVING

A HOLDING AREA WOULD ALLOW US TO DECOUPLE SOME OF THESE

THINGS THAT HAVE TO COME TOGETHER ALL AT THE SAME TIME, AND

IN THE PROCESS WE LOSE A LOT OF TIME DOING THAT AND WE WORK

MUCH HARDER THAN WHAT WE NEED TO.

IN THE LONG-TERM SWITCHING SOFTWARE IS GOING TO BE A BIG

HELP TO US.

IT WILL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REMAP OUR WORK FLOWS IN

THE SHELTER AND TO LOOK AT ALL OF OUR BUSINESS PROCESSES.

THAT BEING SAID, IT'S GOING TO TAKE THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS TO

MAP ALL THOSE PROCESSES AND SWITCH OVER TO THE SOFTWARE, SO

THAT'S KIND OF A LONG-TERM SOLUTION.

BUT THE NEW SOFTWARE, BY REENGINEERING THINGS, WE CAN CREATE

WORK FLOWS THAT ARE MORE EFFICIENT, MAKE IT EASIER FOR STAFF

TO ACCESS THE INFORMATION THEY NEED, AND, THEREFORE, GET

MORE WORK DONE WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF EFFORT.

WE'LL ALSO BE IMPLEMENTING A CALL CENTER AND BASICALLY

PUSHING THE EASY CALLS, LIKE WHAT ARE YOUR HOURS OF

37

OPERATION, THINGS LIKE THAT, TO A CENTRALIZED CALL CENTER

FOR THE COUNTY, AND THEN ANYTHING THAT THEY CAN'T ANSWER,

TOO COMPLICATED, WILL THEN GET FORWARDED TO OUR

COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.

ONCE THEY PULL OFF THAT LAYER OF EASY CALLS, OUR CALL VOLUME

WILL GO DOWN, AND THEN I'LL BE ABLE TO STAFF THE

COMMUNICATIONS CENTER 8:00 TO 7:00 SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO

MATCH OUR OPERATING HOURS.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE'RE OPEN

ON THE WEEKENDS, BUT IF YOU CALL US ON THE WEEKEND, YOU GET

AN ANSWERING SERVICE THAT ONLY HANDLES EMERGENCIES, AND

THAT'S BEEN VERY CONFUSING FOR THE PUBLIC.

SO THIS WILL ALSO ALLOW US TO SERVE -- BASICALLY, WE HAVE

TONS OF WORK, AS WE'VE NOTED.

IT ALLOWS US TO OUTSOURCE A VERY EASY PART OF OUR JOB TO

ANOTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENT AND STILL SERVE THE PUBLIC VERY

WELL.

SO THE ONE THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN TALKING ABOUT A LOT TONIGHT,

THE CHALLENGE OF DISEASE MANAGEMENT -- LET ME -- GIVE ME

JUST ONE MINUTE HERE.

SO WITH DISEASE MANAGEMENT, TYPIC -- YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY

AT HCAS AND ONE OF THE ACCEPTED AND USED METHODS OF

CONTROLLING DISEASE IS TO CULL ANIMALS, IS TO EUTHANIZE THEM

IF THEY GET SICK, AND SO THAT IS -- WITH, YOU KNOW, 20-PLUS-

THOUSAND ANIMALS COMING IN, IT'S ONE OF THE PRIMARY MEANS WE

USE TO CONTROL OUTBREAK -- DISEASE OUTBREAK IN THE SHELTER,

AS SEVERAL OF THE SPEAKERS HAVE NOTED.

THE PROBLEM WE'VE RUN INTO IS THAT WHEN YOU INCREASE INTAKE

38

BY A THOUSAND ANIMALS AND YOU INCREASE ADOPTIONS AND RESCUES

BY 2,000, YOU'VE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS ON A STRAY

HOLD OR AN ADOPTION HOLD, AND THAT DOESN'T ALLOW YOU TO

EUTHANIZE THEM, SO WHEN I'M OUT OF SPACE, I CAN'T GO PULL AN

ANIMAL THAT SOMEBODY HAS AN ADOPTION APPLICATION ON AND SAY,

I'M SORRY, I'M FULL, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO EUTHANIZE THIS

ANIMAL THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN.

SO, BASICALLY, 3,000 MORE ANIMALS HAVE HAD TO BE HELD THERE,

AND SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO AS A SHELTER IS LEARN HOW -- HOW

TO -- HOW TO HOUSE THESE ANIMALS IN A WAY THAT THEY DON'T

GET DISEASE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE NEED TO BE

DOING.

WE DON'T AND HAVE NOT FOR YEARS VACCINATED CATS ON INTAKE.

THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

WE NEED TO GET BETTER AT HOW WE ISOLATE ANIMALS.

WE NEED TO GET BETTER AT TEACHING STAFF HOW TO LOOK FOR

SIGNS OF ILLNESS AND BE PROACTIVE AT GETTING THEM INTO

ISOLATION AREAS, AND IT'S A VERY HARD THING TO PRACTICE

WITHOUT BEING IN THAT SITUATION, IT'S A HARD THING TO

PROBLEM SOLVE WITHOUT BEING IN THAT SITUATION, SO IF -- SO,

BASICALLY, WE -- WE HAVE ONE OF OUR MAJOR TOOLS FOR

CONTROLLING DISEASE TAKEN AWAY FROM US, AND SO THE

QUESTION -- NOW WE HAVE TO FIND OTHER TOOLS TO CONTROL

DISEASE, AND THOSE TOOLS ARE NOT AS EASY TO USE AS

EUTHANASIA, AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF LEARNING TO DO.

CRUELTY, OBVIOUSLY, MAKES THIS PROCESS HARDER.

IN PARTICULAR, WITH OUR CAT ISSUES, AS OF RECENTLY, WE GOT

IN 120 CATS FROM HOARDING CASES.

39

40 OF THOSE HAD TO BE HELD FOR A MONTH.

THAT TOOK AWAY -- THREE OF OUR NINE ROOMS WERE USED FOR

HOARDING CASES.

WHEN THAT HAPPENED, TWO OF THE ROOMS THAT WE HAD TO GET RID

OF IS THE ROOM FOR YOUNG MOMS AND BABIES TO KEEP THEM AWAY

FROM DISEASE AND AN ISOLATION ROOM FOR ANY CATS THAT HAD

APPLICATIONS ON THEM BUT GOT SICK BECAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, YOU

CAN'T TAKE THE CAT THAT HAS AN APPLICATION AND EUTHANIZE

THEM, BUT I ALSO CAN'T LEAVE THEM WHERE THEY ARE.

SO IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT HOARDING CASE, I LOST TWO OF

THOSE ROOMS THAT I NEED TO ISOLATE DISEASE, SO WE WERE KIND

OF PUSHED INTO A CORNER.

SO THIS TAKES A GREAT TOLL ON US AND THE STAFF.

SOLUTIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED, WE

ELIMINATED THE MOVE-DOWN SYSTEM IN THE INDOOR KENNELS

UNTIL -- UNTIL SPACE BECAME AN ISSUE.

BASICALLY, WE HAVE INDOOR KENNELS --

>> CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS, I'M SORRY, THE MOVE-DOWN

SYSTEM.

>>IAN HALLETT: YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST ABOUT TO GO

INTO.

SO WHEN YOU HAVE INDOOR KENNELS, THEY'RE VERY INEFFICIENT

AND ALSO PRONE TO DISEASE BECAUSE THE WAY YOU CLEAN THEM IS

YOU LEAVE OPEN A SPACE AT THE END, YOU CLEAN THAT SPACE, YOU

TAKE THIS ANIMAL, YOU STICK IT INTO THAT ONE, YOU CLEAN

THEIR SPACE, YOU TAKE THE NEXT ANIMAL, SO ALL OF THOSE

ANIMALS GET HANDLED EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND THEY ALSO GO INTO

THE CAGE THAT WAS -- THAT WAS INHABITED BY ANOTHER ANIMAL

40

THAT WAS JUST CLEANED AND THEY ALSO TOUCH THE SAME ANIMAL

CARE PERSON.

NOT ONLY IS IT EXTREMELY INEFFICIENT, IT CAN BE DANGEROUS

FOR THE WORKER BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO DO SO MUCH HANDLING AND

ALSO SPREADS A LOT OF DISEASE; WHEREAS, YOUR OUTDOOR KENNELS

HAVE BOTH BETTER AIR FLOW AND ALSO THEY DON'T HAVE TO TOUCH

THE ANIMAL AT ALL TO DO ANY CLEANING AND THAT ANIMAL DOES

NOT HAVE TO LEAVE ITS KENNEL TO DO THAT CLEANING, WHICH

HELPS CONTROL DISEASE.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID IN THERE WAS WE DECIDED TO ONLY

FILL HALF OF THAT KENNEL, AT LEAST WHEN WE HAD THE SPACE,

AND SO WE KIND OF CREATE A DOUBLE-SIDED KENNEL, AND AT LEAST

WHAT WE WOULD DO IS GRAB THE DOG FROM THIS SIDE, WE'D

CLEAN -- ALL OF THESE WILL HAVE BEEN CLEANED FROM YESTERDAY.

WE GRAB THAT DOG AND PUT HIM ON THIS SIDE SO THAT THEY LIVE

IN TWO KENNELS, BUT IT'S THE SAME TWO KENNELS DURING THEIR

WHOLE STAY, SO THAT'S -- FOR EXAMPLE, IT WILL ELIMINATE THE

MOVE-DOWN SYSTEM.

WE CREATED ISOLATION ROOMS FOR THE CATS.

AGAIN, IF A CAT GOT SICK PRIOR TO US CREATING THESE

ISOLATION ROOMS AND HAD AN APPLICATION ON IT, IT STAYED IN

THERE WITH ALL OF THE OTHER CATS.

IF IT DIDN'T HAVE AN APPLICATION, WE EUTHANIZED IT.

BUT, AGAIN, I COME BACK TO THE POINT, MORE OF THEM HAVE

APPLICATIONS ON THEM, SO THAT IS NOT A TOOL AT OUR DISPOSAL.

WE NEED TO DO -- WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS VACCINATION ON INTAKE.

THAT'S GOING TO TAKE MORE VET TECHS, WHICH WE'RE CURRENTLY

WORKING ON.

41

WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO MOVE TO A SYSTEM TO WHERE ANIMAL

CONTROL AND ANIMAL CARE DO THE INTAKE VACCINATIONS AS IS

DONE AT A LOT OF SHELTERS.

ALSO, WE'LL BE CONSULTING WITH UF AND THEIR SHELTER MEDICINE

PROGRAM, HAVING THEM COME VISIT OUR SHELTER AND ALSO TAKING

A LOOK AT THE BE THE WAY HOME PLAN AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK IN

LIGHT OF -- IN LIGHT OF, YOU KNOW, DIFFICULTIES WE'RE

RUNNING INTO AND GIVING US SOME STRATEGIES TO REDUCE

DISEASE.

IN THE MEDIAN-TERM, BASICALLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS EMPLOY

EFFICIENT OPERATIONS AND BEST PRACTICES TO REDUCE THE LENGTH

OF STAY.

IF WE GET THE LENGTH OF STAY DOWN, THE DISEASE WILL TAKE

CARE OF ITSELF.

LENGTH OF STAY IS WHAT'S MAKING THE ANIMALS SICK, BUT LIKE I

SAID, I CAN'T EUTH THEM BECAUSE SOMEBODY WANTS THEM.

WE'RE GOING TO TEACH BETTER DISEASE MANAGEMENT AND

IDENTIFICATION TO LINE STAFF, WE'RE GOING TO WORK AS A TEAM,

AND, OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE STAFFING ACCORDING

TO THE LIVE OUTCOME PLAN.

I'M GOING TO GO BACK JUST A MINUTE.

I'LL LEAVE THIS HERE.

I DID WANT TO ADDRESS A COUPLE THINGS THAT CAME UP DURING

PUBLIC COMMENT, THE ISSUE ABOUT FERAL CATS AT SCHOOLS.

I SPOKE TO ALL OF MY ANIMAL CONTROL SUPERVISORS, PAM PERRY,

LORETTA MAGEE, STEVE WAS ON VACATION AT THE TIME, ASKED THEM

IF WE HAD EVER TRAPPED FOR SCHOOLS BEFORE SINCE WE LOST THE

TRAPPING POSITION IN '09.

42

WE'VE NEVER TRAPPED AT A SCHOOL EVER SINCE '09.

>> WAIT.

I'M SORRY.

ONE POINT OF -- WE WERE TRAPPING AT SCHOOLS PRIOR TO '09,

BUT YOU'RE SAYING SINCE '09 YOU HAVE ESSENTIALLY REFUSED TO

TRAP AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS?

>>IAN HALLETT: THAT'S CORRECT.

>> OKAY.

SO WE CAN TELL THE PARENTS THAT ANIMAL SERVICES IS NOT

TRAPPING CATS.

I JUST NEED CLARIFICATION.

>>IAN HALLETT: YES.

SO -- BUT WHAT I WANTED TO -- AND WHAT I WANTED TO CLEAR UP

IS WHEN THAT QUESTION WAS GIVEN TO ME AND THEY SAID, WELL,

YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO, MY RESPONSE WAS, IN

MANY ANIMAL CONTROL JURISDICTIONS, EVEN ONES THAT HAVE NEVER

HAD A TRAPPING POSITION AND EVEN ONES THAT STILL HAVE A

TRAPPING POSITION, IN MANY OF THOSE JURISDICTIONS IT'S THE

EXPECTATION THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD TRAP THEM THE SAME WAY

THEY WOULD BE EXPECTED TO TRAP RACCOONS, WHICH WE ALSO DO

NOT TRAP, OR TO TRAP RATS.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO HELP THEM WITH THAT; HOWEVER, WE GET MORE

CALLS FOR TRAPPED CATS THAN WE CAN HANDLE, AND I DID CHECK

IN ON THIS BEFORE I MADE THE ANSWER.

I WAS LIKE, HAVE WE EVER MADE AN EXCEPTION ON THIS, AND MY

STAFF TOLD ME NO, AND -- AND SO I HAVE RESPECTED THAT

HISTORY THERE AND RESPECTED THEIR ADVISEMENT ON THAT.

SO THIS IS UNRELATED TO MY TENURE, THIS IS UNRELATED TO THE

43

BE THE WAY HOME PLAN, THIS IS RELATED TO A REDUCTION IN

SERVICES.

DOUBLING UP, DOUBLING UP WAS DONE BEFORE I GOT HERE AS WELL.

WHEN THE SHELTER GOT TOO CROWDED, ANIMALS GOT DOUBLED UP

WITH PARAMETERS.

WE DO NOT PUT LARGE ANIMALS OR BULLY BREEDS TOGETHER, BUT

IT'S -- IT'S NOT A STANDARD PRACTICE, BUT IT IS EMPLOYED.

I WANT TO -- I WANT TO FINISH, AND THEN YOU CAN --

>> JUST ONE -- I'M SORRY.

I THOUGHT I COULD ASK QUESTIONS.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: NOT NOW.

WAIT UNTIL HE'S DONE.

>>IAN HALLETT: I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW IN TERMS OF

AGGRESSION ISSUES THAT I HAVE ASKED STAFF THAT ANY TIME THEY

WISH TO DENY AN APPLICATION BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THE ANIMAL

IS AGGRESSIVE, TO BRING THOSE TO ME.

IN ALL OF THOSE CASES I HAVE CONSULTED WITH THE STAFF

MEMBER, AND I HAVE NEVER OVERTURNED THEIR POSITION.

THE ONLY ONE WHERE THAT WAS -- WHERE THERE WAS ANY GRAY AREA

WAS A 15-POUND DOG THAT WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT DURING A

MANAGEMENT MEETING, AND I WILL SAY THAT THE MANAGEMENT TEAM

WAS SPLIT ON THAT DECISION, AND GIVEN THAT THE ANIMAL WAS A

15-POUND ANIMAL, I WENT AHEAD AND ALLOWED IT TO BE ADOPTED

OUT.

AND INTERESTINGLY, I HEARD FROM THIS PERSON ON MONDAY, AND

THE DOG IS DOING GREAT IN THEIR HOME.

THE LAST ISSUE I WANTED TO ADDRESS IS THE CONCEPT OF

44

WAREHOUSING OR HOARDING.

WAREHOUSING AND HOARDING OCCURS WHEN YOU TAKE A BUNCH OF

ANIMALS AND YOU HAVE NO PLAN FOR THEM, OKAY.

AT ANIMAL CARE WE -- AT ANIMAL SERVICES WE ARE VERY CROWDED

RIGHT NOW, AS WE ARE EVERY SUMMER, BUT ALL OF THOSE ANIMALS

HAVE A PATH ON THEM.

THEY'RE EITHER IN STRAY HOLD OR THEY HAVE AN ADOPTER, SO

THAT IS NOT HOARDING BECAUSE ALL OF THEM HAVE AN INTENDED

OUTCOME.

HOARDING IS WHEN YOU TAKE A BUNCH OF ANIMALS INTO YOUR HOUSE

AND YOU JUST -- YOU HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE YOU WILL HAVE AN

OUTLET FOR THEM.

SO WE ARE STRUGGLING, YOU KNOW, TO KEEP UP WITH OUR SUCCESS,

BUT WE ARE NOT RUNNING A HOARDING OPERATION.

THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER SHELTERS THAT HAVE DECIDED THAT THEY

WERE GOING TO QUIT EUTHANIZING, BUT THEY HAD NO ADOPTERS

THERE.

WE HAVE DONE NOTHING LIKE THAT.

SO WHAT I WANT TO DO IS CLOSE AND SAY THAT THE FUTURE THAT I

SEE IS THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES IS GOING TO

BE A MODEL FOR OPEN ADMISSION SHELTERS.

WE WANT TO INCREASE THEIR LIVE OUTCOMES IN A FINANCIALLY

FEASIBLE AND RESPONSIBLE WAY THROUGH INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS AND

HELP FROM THE COMMUNITY.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS VERY DIFFERENT.

WE ARE NOT ABOUT TO BLOW THE BUDGET OUT.

OUR BUDGET IS AT A HISTORIC LOW.

IT HASN'T BEEN THIS LOW SINCE AROUND 2004.

45

IN 2008 OUR BUDGET WAS $8.6 MILLION.

WITH THE LIVE OUTCOME PLAN, OUR BUDGET'S GOING TO BE $7.3

MILLION, STILL A MILLION DOLLARS -- A MILLION AND A HALF

DOLLARS SHORT OF WHAT IT WAS IN 2008.

WE'RE NOT BLOWING THE BUDGET OUT OF THE WATER.

THE OTHER IMPORTANT THING IS THAT AUSTIN ENACTED A

MORATORIUM ON EUTHANIZING ANIMALS UNLESS THEY WERE OUT OF

SPACE.

WE'RE NOT DOING THAT.

WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO EUTHANIZE ANIMALS REGARDLESS OF WHAT

THE SPACE SITUATION'S LIKE, BUT WE CAN'T EUTHANIZE THEM IF

THEY HAVE AN ADOPTER WHO WANTS THEM.

AND THE LAST THING IS THAT OUR BOARD NEVER SET A TARGET FOR

ME AND STILL HAS NOT SET A TARGET, AND THE BE THE WAY HOME

PLAN HAS ALSO NOT SET A NUMERIC TARGET, AND I HAVE BEEN

UNDER NO PRESSURE TO PRODUCE NUMBERS OTHER THAN MY CONCERN

FOR THE LIVES OF EACH ONE OF THOSE ANIMALS.

IF YOU LOOK AT AND YOU COMPARE US TO OTHER CITIES, THE BOCC

MANDATE SAID WE WANT TO DO BETTER, WHETHER THAT'S 70, 80, OR

90.

I CAN'T THINK OF A SOFTER STATEMENT ABOUT -- OR MORE CAREFUL

STATEMENT ABOUT WANTING TO DO BETTER.

WHEN I CAME TO THIS TOWN, WHAT DREW ME TO IT WAS THAT THERE

WAS BALANCE HERE, THERE WERE PEOPLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE --

NOT JUST HITTING THE NUMBERS BUT MAINTAINING PUBLIC SAFETY

AND DOING QUALITY ADOPTIONS, AND THAT VERY MUCH ATTRACTED ME

TO TAMPA.

I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE THIS, BUT I'M

46

STILL VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE, I'M HAPPY THAT THE PUBLIC IS

EQUALLY AS CONCERNED ABOUT THE HOUSING OF THE ANIMALS AND

ABOUT CRUELTY IN OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS

NOT HEADED DOWN THE CRAZY TRAIN, WE ARE SIMPLY IN A PERIOD

OF -- WHERE WE'RE STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH OUR SUCCESS,

AND I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH THAT AND OPEN IT UP FOR

QUESTIONS.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: WHAT WE'LL DO FOR QUESTIONS, GUYS, TO

KEEP THIS KIND OF AT A MODERATED PACE, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND

AND I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU, AND THEN ASK YOUR QUESTIONS, AND

WHEN YOU'RE DONE, WE'LL PASS IT ON TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

GRETCHYN, I SAW YOUR HAND FIRST.

>>GRETCHYN MELDE: A FEW THINGS, ACTUALLY, SO -- IS THAT --

CAN I DO MULTIPLE AT ONE TIME OR DO YOU WANT US TO

RESTRICT --

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: YEAH.

I THINK IF WE GET INTO FIVE OR TEN MINUTES, I MIGHT CUT YOU

OFF, BUT, YEAH, GO FOR IT.

>>GRETCHYN MELDE: OKAY.

SO FIRST A COUPLE THINGS THAT, IN GENERAL, CAME UP IN PUBLIC

COMMENT BUT A COUPLE OF THEM THAT I HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH

THAT I WANT TO GET -- I WANT TO ASK YOU IS TO MAKE SURE I'M

UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY WHAT'S GOING ON.

SO THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION THAT YOU HAVEN'T LISTENED TO

YOUR VETS AND THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE ILLNESS.

NOW, AS A RESCUE -- AND I KNOW YOU AND MIKE AND I HAD THIS

CONVERSATION.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I HAD COME UP WITH SOME IDEAS -- MY

47

RESCUE HAD COME UP WITH SOME IDEAS OF HOW TO REDUCE THAT,

PART OF IT WAS PROPHYLACTICALLY, AND IT WASN'T YOU THAT SAID

NO, IT WAS ACTUALLY YOUR VET, CORRECT?

AND YOU WERE ACTUALLY LISTENING TO YOUR VET WHEN WE -- WHEN

SHE DID NOT WANT TO PUT IN SOME OF THESE STOPGAP -- SOME OF

THESE THINGS THAT SHE THOUGHT WOULDN'T BE HELPFUL, BUT WE

SAID, WELL, IF YOU DON'T KNOW, LET'S TRY.

BUT IT WAS NOT COMING FROM YOU, IT WAS ACTUALLY YOU

LISTENING TO HER; IS THAT CORRECT?

>>IAN HALLETT: THAT'S CORRECT.

AND THAT SITUATION IS REFERENCED IN THE LETTER, AND SO WHAT

ACTUALLY HAPPENED IS YOUR VETERINARIAN SUPPORTS PROPHYLACTIC

USE OF ANTIBIOTICS AND DR. ROESE AND DR. FERGUSON AND

DR. ZINGALIE'S EXPERIENCE WAS THAT THAT MEDICATION WAS NOT

WORKING EFFECTIVELY FOR THE BUG THAT WE WERE EXPERIENCING,

AND SO WE DID NOT GO WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF THAT RESCUE.

I ASKED DR. ROESE TO WORK WITH THEIR VETERINARIAN AND TO

DISCUSS WHAT WE IN THE SHELTER HAD BEEN SEEING THAT WAS

WORKING, AND THAT WAS THE PLAN THAT WE WENT FORWARD WITH.

MY ONLY MANDATE WAS THAT -- TO DR. ROESE IS THAT WE NEED TO

REACH OUT TO THIS VETERINARIAN AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT WE ARE

DOING, WHAT IS WORKING AND WHAT IS NOT WORKING, AND SO

THAT'S EXACTLY THE CASE.

>>GRETCHYN MELDE: OKAY.

THE OTHER THING IS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF NOISE -- THERE'S

BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT BE THE WAY HOME AND THAT -- THE

PROBLEM WITH AUSTIN AND THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE HAVING

PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW.

48

I WANT TO BE CLEAR SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, YOU HAVE NOT STARTED

ANY INITIATIVES AS PART OF THE BE THE WAY HOME PROGRAM TO

DATE, HAVE YOU?

>>IAN HALLETT: WE'VE BEEN MAKING SOME FACILITY -- YOU KNOW,

VERY -- I'D HAVE TO LOOK THROUGH IT.

I MEAN, CERTAIN THING WE'RE WORKING ON, BUT --

>>GRETCHYN MELDE: BUT YOU HAVEN'T -- YOU HAVEN'T

INTENTIONALLY --

>>IAN HALLETT: -- NOTHING --

>>GRETCHYN MELDE: -- BEEN NOT EUTHANIZING ANIMALS IN AN

ATTEMPT TO INCREASE THE NUMBERS UNDER THE BE THE WAY HOME

PROGRAM?

>>IAN HALLETT: ABSOLUTELY.

THE ONLY TIME I HAVE EVER TOLD THEM TO HOLD -- TO MINIMIZE

EUTHANASIA WAS THREE DAYS PRIOR TO THE MEMORIAL DAY EVENT,

AND IT WORKED.

>>GRETCHYN MELDE: AND I --

>>IAN HALLETT: THAT IS THE ONLY TIME -- AND MY -- YOU CAN

ASK MY STAFF -- THAT I HAVE EVER ASKED SOMEBODY TO HOLD OFF

ON EUTHANASIA.

>>GRETCHYN MELDE: AND SPECIFICALLY, YOU HAVE NOT ENACTED

ANY OF THE TNR EFFORTS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE UNDER BE THE

WAY HOME TO DATE?

>>IAN HALLETT: THAT IS CORRECT.

>>GRETCHYN MELDE: SO THIS, THEN, MIGHT BE A TIME TO --

MAYBE IT'S TIME TO PUT THAT INTO EFFECT -- IF WE PUT THAT

INTO EFFECT EARLIER RATHER THAN LATER, WOULD THAT HELP

REDUCE THE POPULATION IN THE SHELTER TO HELP YOU REDUCE THE

49

DISEASE RATE IN THERE?

>>IAN HALLETT: WELL, THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT.

IT DOES DRAMATICALLY REDUCE LENGTH OF STAY.

IT GETS IT DOWN TO LESS THAN A DAY AND ALSO CREATES LESS

CROWDING AND LESS WORK FOR ANIMAL CARE AND ALL THE OTHER

THINGS THAT ARE GIVING US TROUBLE, SO IT WOULD REALLY HELP.

IT NEEDS TO BE ROLLED OUT CAREFULLY.

I HAVE PLANS TO VISIT JACKSONVILLE IN JULY.

WE NEED TO DO OUR PROCEDURES AND PROTOCOLS AND ALSO GET OUR

ORDINANCE REWRITTEN.

HONESTLY, RIGHT NOW, THE FREE VET TECH TIME THAT I HAVE,

ONCE WE GET CAUGHT UP ON WORK-UPS, I WANT TO GO TOWARDS

INTAKE VACCINATIONS, SO THAT WAS -- THAT'S WHERE I WOULD PUT

MY EFFORTS AT FIRST.

I IMAGINE THE TNR PROGRAM ROLLING AROUND -- OUT IN THE FALL

WHEN WE CAN DO IT IN A THOUGHTFUL WAY WHEN THE POPULATION IS

LOWER AND KIND OF WORK OUT THE KINKS, LIKE EVERYTHING'S NOT

AS HECTIC SO THAT WHEN THE SUMMER COMES WE'LL BE READY TO

IMPLEMENT IT FULLY.

SO I DON'T THINK WE'LL SEE THE POSITIVE EFFECTS FROM THAT

THIS SUMMER, WHICH IS --

>>GRETCHYN MELDE: RIGHT.

BUT IT'S CLEAR --

>>IAN HALLETT: I WISH WE COULD.

>>GRETCHYN MELDE: BUT IT'S CLEAR THAT THERE'S NO NEGATIVE

IMPACTS FROM IT AS OF YET, THAT'S JUST --

>>IAN HALLETT: THAT'S CORRECT.

>>GRETCHYN MELDE: -- ONE THING I WANTED TO BE MADE CLEAR.

50

THE OTHER THING, YOU HAD BROUGHT UP SOMETHING ABOUT VET

TECHS MOONLIGHTING, AND HAVE YOU ASKED ANY VETERINARIANS TO

HELP YOU AS WELL THAT WOULD VOLUNTEER TO COME IN AND DO

SPAY/NEUTERS OR WHATEVER?

>>IAN HALLETT: WE DID PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL, AND THE FEEDBACK

FROM DR. ROESE WAS THAT IT WAS NOT WORKING WELL.

THE LEARNING CURVE WAS STEEP.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE DO A LOT OF SURGERIES ON TWO-POUND KITTENS,

AND WOULD HE HAD VETERINARIANS WHO CAME TO VOLUNTEER WHO

WEREN'T COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.

WELL, WE MIGHT HAVE TEN OF THOSE IN DAY, SO WE HAD -- SO

THEIR -- THEIR REPORT BACK TO ME, DR. ROESE AND

DR. ZINGALIE, WAS THAT THAT PROGRAM WAS NOT WORKING, WHICH

IS WHEN WE WENT TO THE RELIEF VET PROGRAM AND PAYING THEM

JUST AS A REGULAR VETERINARY CLINIC WOULD.

THE GOING RATE SEEMED TO BE 500 A DAY.

WE CAME UP WITH ABOUT FOUR DOCTORS WHO WERE COMFORTABLE WITH

PEDIATRIC SURGERIES AND HAD, YOU KNOW, HIGH-VOLUME, YOU

KNOW, EXPERIENCE, A LOT OF SURGERY EXPERIENCE WHO COULD COME

IN AND HELP US, SO WE TRIED THE VOLUNTEER ROUTE, DID NOT

WORK, BUT WE CAME UP WITH A GOOD SOLUTION, THE SAME SOLUTION

THAT VET CLINICS USE.

>>GRETCHYN MELDE: YEAH, BECAUSE -- YEAH, THERE'S A COUPLE

VETERINARIANS THAT WE USE, AND THEY'RE A RELIEF VET THAT --

HE ACTUALLY USES OUR VETERINARIAN THAT -- THEY ARE BOTH VERY

GOOD AT SPAY/NEUTER, AND YOU SAID UNDER -- AT TWO POUNDS,

AND THEY'LL ACTUALLY DO THEM UNDER TWO --

>>IAN HALLETT: YEAH.

51

>>GRETCHYN MELDE: -- SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS OTHER --

IF YOU HAD REACHED OUT TO THEM.

I THINK THAT MIGHT BE EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR -- I REALIZE

THAT, YOU KNOW -- THAT THERE'S CHANGES GOING ON RIGHT NOW

AND THAT WHEN YOU DO THINGS THAT ARE REVOLUTIONARY AS

OPPOSED TO EVOLUTIONARY IT UPSETS THE BALANCE OF THINGS AND

IT CAN UPSET THE WAY PEOPLE FUNCTION AS A TEAM, AND I WOULD

SAY THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST THING I'VE NOTICED FROM THE

RESCUE END IS IT SEEMS TO BE DISJOINTED AND, YOU KNOW --

>>IAN HALLETT: YEAH.

AND I WANT TO BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT.

IT IS DISJOINTED RIGHT NOW.

THERE ARE MISTAKES BEING MADE BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF

CHANGES THAT ARE OCCURRING IN RESPONSE TO A VERY RAPIDLY

CHANGING, YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENT.

WITH ALL THE NEW FOOT TRAFFIC AND ADOPTIONS BEING UP, WE'VE

HAD TO ADJUST VERY QUICKLY.

OTHER CHANGES THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED, WE'RE SENDING ANIMALS

HOME WITH PAIN MEDS AFTER SURGERY FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER,

AND THAT SEEMS REALLY SIMPLE UNTIL YOU THINK ABOUT DOING

THAT 9,000 TIMES A YEAR, AND GETTING THE MEDS UP THERE AND

GETTING THEM LABELED CORRECTLY AND GETTING THEM TO THE

PERSON IS -- CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT, SO THERE ARE -- AND I

REALLY -- I'VE MET WITH STAFF -- WITH ALL STAFF.

AFTER I'VE MET WITH THEM -- I'VE HAD AT LEAST FOUR ALL-STAFF

MEETINGS SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

I TRY NOT TO HOLD THEM TOO OFTEN BECAUSE THEY ALL START ON

DIFFERENT TIMES IN THE DAY, SO I HOLD THREE THROUGHOUT THE

52

DAY TO NOT IMPACT OPERATIONS.

I MET WITH THEM AFTER THE BE THE WAY HOME PLAN, AND MY

MESSAGE TO THEM IS THE MESSAGE -- IS THE SAME MESSAGE TO YOU

AND TO THE COMMUNITY.

IT'S GOING TO BE A BUMPY RIDE FOR 16 MORE MONTHS, BASICALLY

UNTIL A YEAR FROM THIS FALL, BECAUSE NEW SOFTWARE GOING IN,

NEW -- NEW, YOU KNOW -- NEW PROCESSES IN PLACE, ALL OF THESE

THINGS, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER ROUGH

KITTEN SEASON BECAUSE -- WE'RE GOING TO ATTACK THAT ALL NEW

NEXT SEASON, AND THEN WHEN THE FALL ROLLS AROUND WE'LL BE

SEASONED, WE'LL HAVE WORKED OUT ALL THE BUGS, AND IT'S GOING

TO MOVE ON SMOOTHLY FROM THERE.

SO THAT SOUNDS LIKE KIND OF A -- YOU KNOW, A BLEAK PICTURE,

BUT FOR ME, IF I FELT LIKE THE SHELTER WAS GOING TO BE LIKE

IT IS TODAY WITH NO END IN SIGHT, THAT WOULD BE -- I WOULD

GIVE UP, AND IF I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO GET BETTER IN ONE

MONTH, WELL, I'D GIVE UP ONE MONTH FROM NOW BECAUSE IT'S NOT

GOING TO HAPPEN, SO I LIKE TO SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

THAT WHEN WE'RE MAKING SUCH STRIDES, IT'S GOING TO BE ROUGH,

AND I'M -- WE'RE LOOKING AT ANOTHER 16 MONTHS OF A LOT OF

CHANGES AND A LOT OF KINKS, SO --

>>GRETCHYN MELDE: BUT I GET BACK TO THE -- YOU SAID ABOUT

THE -- YOU GETTING IN FRONT OF THE KITTEN SEASON, I THINK

THAT'S WHY I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU SOONER RATHER THAN LATER GET

OUT IN FRONT OF THE TNR BECAUSE I THINK GETTING OUT IN FRONT

OF KITTEN SEASON IS REALLY WHAT'S IMPORTANT.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN

A REALLY LONG KITTEN SEASON THIS YEAR.

53

WE'VE GOT PEOPLE STILL CALLING US, I JUST FOUND NEWBORNS

WHOSE EYES AREN'T OPEN.

IT'S LIKE, OKAY, IT'S JUNE, AND THEY'RE STILL HAVING

KITTENS.

>>IAN HALLETT: YEAH.

>>GRETCHYN MELDE: SO, YOU KNOW, GETTING IN FRONT OF THAT

KITTEN SEASON SEEMS TO BE THE WAY TO GET -- AND YOU SAID 375

WERE LITTLE KITTENS, SO --

>>IAN HALLETT: YEAH.

>>GRETCHYN MELDE: THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: THANK YOU, GRETCHYN.

NEXT PERSON.

LET'S SEE, I THINK I SAW JEN FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL DO YOU.

>>JENNIFER FADAL: HI, IAN.

>>IAN HALLETT: HI.

>>JENNIFER FADAL: I GUESS I -- I'M JUST DISAPPOINTED

BECAUSE I'M GETTING CALLS FROM PEOPLE THAT HAVE VOLUNTEERED

FOR YEARS, JUST AS YOU SPOKE -- SPOKE TODAY, THAT HAVE SEEN

CHANGES HAPPENING AND THEY'RE NOT GOOD CHANGES, STAFF MORALE

IS AT AN ALL-TIME LOW, DOGS DON'T EVEN HAVE WATER IN THEIR

BOWLS, AND THE PEN -- THE PENS ARE JUST DIRTY AND FILTHY.

SO I GUESS THOSE TYPES OF FIXES, IS THAT GOING TO REQUIRE

MORE STAFF?

I MEAN, HOW CAN WE GET THESE DOGS WATER AND UNCROWDED AND

CLEAN FOR THEIR STAY?

>>IAN HALLETT: YEAH.

IT IS -- IT IS GOING TO TAKE MORE STAFF.

54

I DO WANT TO SAY THAT WE DID GO THROUGH A VERY TURBULENT

PERIOD THERE.

WE HAD TO LET GO OF TWO EMPLOYEES WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY

MISTAKENLY EUTHED SOME ANIMALS AND THEN DID IT AGAIN, AND I

DON'T TOLERATE THAT, SO WE HAD TO LET GO OF TWO PEOPLE AT

ONCE, AND THEN WE HAD ONE PERSON QUIT SHOWING UP TO WORK,

AND THAT ALL HAPPENED WITHIN THE SPAN OF ONE WEEK, AND SO

THREE OF OUR 19 POSITIONS WERE GONE RIGHT AS KITTEN SEASON

AND HOARDING CASES AND SUMMER STARTED, SO THEY WERE VERY

MUCH STRUGGLING, AND -- AND, YOU KNOW, WE DID THE BEST WE

COULD IN THAT SITUATION, SO IT WAS TOUGH, AND -- BUT WE WILL

BE HIRING MORE STAFF, AND I -- I THINK WE'LL BE ALSO MORE

EFFICIENT WHEN THAT TIME COMES, AND SO I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE

TO HANDLE THIS.

>>JENNIFER FADAL: THE STAFF THAT YOU'RE HIRING, WILL IT BE,

LIKE, PEOPLE TO CLEAN THESE KENNELS, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE

ANY MORE MANAGEMENT-LEVEL FOLKS, IS IT?

>>IAN HALLETT: CORRECT.

CORRECT.

THERE'S NO OTHER MANAGEMENT POSITIONS.

>>JENNIFER FADAL: THAT ARE PLANNED?

>>IAN HALLETT: IN FACT, THE MANAGEMENT POSITIONS HAVEN'T

CHANGED AT ALL.

THE -- THERE -- FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WAS A COMMUNICATIONS

SUPERVISOR.

I REASSIGNED THEM TO VETERINARY SERVICES SUPERVISOR SO THAT

THE VETERINARIANS COULD FOCUS ON PRACTICING MEDICINE AND NOT

MANAGING INVENTORY AND PAPERWORK, AND I MOVED THE

55

COMMUNICATIONS STAFF UNDER CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHERE THEY WERE

PRETTY -- WHERE THEY ONLY HAD SIX OR SEVEN REPORTS -- SIX

REPORTS, SO NOW WE HAVE A MUCH MORE BALANCED TREE.

SO THERE WERE NO -- THERE WERE NO ADDITIONS TO THE

MANAGEMENT STAFF MADE.

WE HAVE EXACTLY THE NUMBER OF MANAGEMENT THAT WE HAD

BEFORE --

>>JENNIFER FADAL: OKAY.

BUDGET --

>>IAN HALLETT: -- PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL.

>>JENNIFER FADAL: BUDGET THIS YEAR COMPARED TO LAST YEAR,

DID WE GET MORE MONEY FROM THE COUNTY OR LESS?

>>IAN HALLETT: IN FISCAL YEAR '13?

>>JENNIFER FADAL: MM-HMM.

>>IAN HALLETT: THE SAME AS WE HAD IN FISCAL YEAR '12.

>>JENNIFER FADAL: OKAY.

MY OTHER CONCERN IS THAT WHEN WE -- BEFORE YOU WERE HIRED,

WHEN WE MET WITH MIKE MERRILL, RIGHT AFTER THEY LET DENNIS

GO, HIS EXACT WORDS ALMOST VERBATIM WERE, I'M OPEN TO GIVING

ANIMAL SERVICES MORE MONEY, AND IF I SEE THAT AS A NEED, I

WILL.

GIVEN THE PLAN THAT YOU CAME UP WITH AND THE PROBLEMS THAT

ARE OCCURRING NOW, I SEE THAT AS AN IMMEDIATE NEED.

IS THAT SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT

FISCAL YEAR TO OBTAIN OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT --

>>IAN HALLETT: WELL, THIS IS -- THIS IS THE RESULT OF -- IN

GOVERNMENT WE HAVE A LOT OF STRICT RULES BECAUSE WE'RE USING

TAXPAYER MONEY AND WE HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR ALL OF IT.

56

>>JENNIFER FADAL: I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.

MM-HMM.

>>IAN HALLETT: SO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, MIKE AND

SHARON, HAVE GIVEN ME THE GREEN LIGHT TO GET MORE VET TECHS,

BUT TO -- BUT TO GET THEM AS PERMANENT POSITIONS, EVEN

THOUGH THEY'RE COMING -- BECOMING PERMANENT IN OCTOBER, HAS

TO GO BEFORE THE BOARD, THEN OVER TO CIVIL SERVICE, AND THEN

OUT FOR RECRUITMENT AND THEN HIRING.

YOU GET -- YOU KNOW, YOU GET -- WE'RE TALKING TWO MONTHS

DOWN THE ROAD WHEN I'LL BE GETTING THE POSITIONS PERMANENTLY

ANYWAYS.

THAT'S WHY WE JUST STARTED CREATING THIS MOONLIGHTING

CONTRACT FOR VET TECHS INSTEAD OF JUST VETERINARIANS, SO

THAT WE CAN GET THEM ASAP, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS -- SO

I HAVE THE SUPPORT TO GET THE POSITIONS I NEED, BUT WE HAVE

CERTAIN CONSTRAINTS RELATED TO, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT

THE PUBLIC KNOWS THAT WE'RE USING THE FUNDS APPROPRIATELY,

AND WE'RE BLASTING THROUGH THOSE CONSTRAINTS, BUT WE'RE NOT

LIKE A PRIVATE BUSINESS, YOU KNOW.

IF I WERE A PRIVATE BUSINESS AND I NEEDED HELP RIGHT NOW AND

I HAD MY HEAD VET TECH AND SHE'S LIKE, I KNOW A VET TECH

WHO'S AWESOME AND IS LOOKING FOR WORK RIGHT NOW, I'D BE

LIKE, GREAT, BRING HER BY, HEY, HOW ARE YOU DOING, GREAT

RESUME, COOL, LET'S GET GOING, YOU READY RIGHT NOW?

THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

IN THE GOVERNMENT WE NEED TO PROVE THAT WE HAVE GIVEN

EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE --

>>JENNIFER FADAL: SURE.

57

NO, I KNOW.

>>IAN HALLETT: -- THAT WE HAVEN'T HIRED OUR COUSIN TO COME

IN AND WORK FOR US AT SOME EXORBITANT RATE, SO I HAVE FULL

SUPPORT, FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THEM, BUT THE LOGISTICS OF

IT WE'RE PUSHING THROUGH AND WE'RE DOING WELL, BUT IT'S

NEVER GOING TO BE AS FAST AS THE PRIVATE PRACTICE -- YOU

KNOW, A PRIVATE CORPORATION --

>>JENNIFER FADAL: OKAY.

>>IAN HALLETT: -- OR A NONPROFIT FOR THAT MATTER.

>>JENNIFER FADAL: AS FAR AS -- WE HAD TWO COMMENTS ABOUT

THE CAT PROGRAMS BEING CANCELED OR ELIMINATED FROM TRISHA

AND TRISTIN.

CAN YOU EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT, WHAT --

>>IAN HALLETT: SURE.

>>JENNIFER FADAL: -- WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT?

>>IAN HALLETT: SO AS THE SUMMER STARTED -- SO URGENT CATS

IS A FACEBOOK PAGE KIND OF MODEL AFTER RESCUE ME TAMPA WHERE

THEY -- RESCUE ME TAMPA POSTS PICTURES OF DOGS WHO ARE

GETTING TO THE END OF THEIR STRAY HOLD AND MIGHT BE

EUTHANIZED, SO THIS GROUP DECIDED TO DO THE SAME WITH CATS

AND IT CREATED A VERY BIG RESPONSE FROM A LOT OF CAT LOVERS,

AND SO WE STARTED GETTING A LOT OF ADOPTIONS.

THEN WE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SAID, WELL, I CAN'T ADOPT

BUT I'D LIKE TO FOSTER, SO WE WERE LIKE, OKAY, WE'LL DO

THAT, WE NEED MORE FOSTERS, WE'LL DO THAT, BUT THEN THE

MEDICAL DEMAND ON THE VETERINARIANS TO SEE THEM, YOU KNOW,

FOR FOLLOW-UPS AND STUFF LIKE THAT GOT TOO LARGE, SO I SAID,

OKAY, WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE WON'T -- WE WON'T BE MEDICALLY IN

58

CHARGE OF THESE ANIMALS, WE CAN DO A PROGRAM CALLED ADOPT TO

REHOME WHERE THE PERSON COMES IN AND ADOPTS AND THEN MUCH

LIKE -- JUST LIKE A TRANSITION FAMILY, A PROGRAM THAT'S

EXISTED FOREVER, THEY WILL FIND THE ANIMAL A HOME.

THAT'S HOW THE TRANSITION PROGRAM WORKS.

SO WE STARTED TO DO THAT.

THE PROBLEM WAS IS WE HAD SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE TAKING

TOO MANY, AND WE PUT A HALT TO THAT, TO THAT NUMBER, AND

THEN WHAT WE NOTICED WERE SOME PROXY PEOPLE BEING SENT IN

AND SOME THINGS LIKE THAT, AND WE STARTED TO GET VERY

CONCERNED ABOUT THAT SITUATION, AND SO WE STOPPED THE

PROGRAM FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CATS BECAUSE -- IF I WANTED TO

PUSH NUMBERS, I'D HAVE KEPT THAT PROGRAM GOING, AND I COULD

HAVE GOTTEN CATS OUT LEFT AND RIGHT, THEY WERE FLYING OUT

THE DOOR, BUT DESPITE THE IMPACT IT WOULD HAVE ON MY

NUMBERS, I STOPPED IT BECAUSE I HAD CONCERNS THAT THE CATS

MAY NOT BE GOING INTO A GOOD SITUATION.

SO URGENT CATS TAMPA BAY, I WANT TO BE CLEAR, HAS DRIVEN A

LOT OF GREAT ADOPTIONS TO US, AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THEM

TO THAT, AND WE HAVE A COUPLE EXAMPLES HERE OF GREAT

ADOPTIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THAT, BUT AT THE

SAME TIME, THAT LEVEL OF AWARENESS ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF CATS

IN OUR CARE CAN ALSO MOTIVATE PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE THE

RESOURCES TO TRULY CARE FOR THAT ANIMAL, AND SO WE HAVE TO

BE CAREFUL OF THAT, AND SO THAT IS THE HISTORY OF -- OF HOW

THAT PROGRAM CAME TO BEING AND THEN WENT AWAY.

>>JENNIFER FADAL: OKAY.

I'M GOING TO GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

59

I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I DON'T WANT TO MONOPOLIZE.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU THEN.

I BELIEVE MARY BIRRELL WAS NEXT AND THEN WE'LL DO KATIE AND

THEN JACK.

>>MARY BIRRELL: THANK YOU.

THEY'VE COVERED A LOT BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM, AND THEY DID

A GREAT JOB.

FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATE YOU TOO

ON THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT YOU'VE HAD IN ONE YEAR AND

INCREASING THE LIVE RELEASE RATE BY 2,000 ANIMALS.

THAT IS GREAT.

ONE THING I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT, AND I DIDN'T SEE IT IN

THESE STATS, I MEAN, YOU PROBABLY HAVE THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE,

WHAT IS THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY FOR DOGS AND THEN FOR

CATS?

DO YOU HAVE THOSE NUMBERS?

>>IAN HALLETT: WE HAVEN'T RUN THEM LATELY, BUT I DON'T --

WELL, ACTUALLY, MIKE RAN THEM FOR ME, AND I COULD PULL THEM

UP IN MY E-MAIL HERE.

>>MARY BIRRELL: OKAY.

>>IAN HALLETT: DID WE RUN IT FOR THE YEAR-TO-DATE, MIKE?

NO, THAT WAS A PREVIOUS ONE.

SO ANYWAYS, WE RAN IT EARLIER THIS WEEK.

I FIND AVERAGE LENGTHS OF STAY TO BE A LITTLE BIT DECEIVING

BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE OUR ADOPT PROGRAM, AND SOME OF

THOSE DOGS STAY WITH US FOR SIX MONTHS, AND YOU HAVE YOUR

INVESTIGATION ANIMALS WHO COULD STAY FOR A YEAR.

YOU HAVE YOUR FOSTER, YOU HAVE YOUR TRANSITION HOMES, SO

60

WHAT I WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT IS, LIKE, OKAY, WHAT'S THE

AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY FOR SOMETHING THAT'S NOT A FOSTER,

NOT A TRANSITION --

>>MARY BIRRELL: RIGHT.

>>IAN HALLETT: -- NOT AN ADOPT DOG, NOT AN INVESTIGATION,

NOT A BITE ANIMAL, AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT YET.

AND -- BUT WHAT I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT WE HAVE FOR THE FIRST

TIME, BEGINNING IN MARCH, IS A LIST OF ALL THE ANIMALS IN

OUR CARE AND HOW MANY DAYS THEY'VE BEEN THERE, AND WE'VE

BEEN -- BEGUN GOING THROUGH THAT LIST AND LOOKING AT ANIMALS

THAT HAVE BEEN THERE OVER SEVEN DAYS, AND SO RATHER THAN

MANAGING LENGTH OF STAY ON AN AGGREGATE BASIS, WHICH DOESN'T

ADDRESS INDIVIDUAL ANIMAL NEEDS, WE BEGAN LOOKING THROUGH

THE LENGTH-OF-STAY REPORT TO FIND THOSE ANIMALS THAT HAVE

FALLEN THROUGH THE CRACKS THROUGH SOME TYPE OF PROCEDURAL

ERROR, SO I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER FOR YOU, BUT I ALSO HAVE

NEVER BEEN A HUGE BELIEVER IN THEM BECAUSE OF ALL THE

FACTORS THAT CAN INFLUENCE LENGTHS OF STAY.

>>MARY BIRRELL: RIGHT.

YEAH, AND IF YOU CAN GET IT DOWN TO THE ONES -- YEAH -- FOR

ADOPTION, HOW LONG -- MAYBE ONCE THEY'RE ON THE ADOPTION

FLOOR, WHAT IS THEIR --

>>IAN HALLETT: RIGHT.

AND THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS WE WANT TO KNOW.

>>MARY BIRRELL: OKAY.

AND THEN, I GUESS -- JUST A COMMENT, REALLY.

I GUESS I FOUND IT ALARMING THAT THE CATS ARE NOT VACCINATED

ON INTAKE.

61

FULLY SUPPORT YOU DOING THAT, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT

PUBLIC RECORD.

AND REGARDING ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT WAS MADE DURING

PUBLIC COMMENT, THERE WAS ONE COMMENT SAYING THAT WE SEND --

YOU WERE SENDING OUT UNSTERILIZED ANIMALS TO THE GENERAL

PUBLIC, NOT, YOU KNOW, TO RESCUES, AND I JUST WANTED YOU TO

COMMENT ON THAT.

>>IAN HALLETT: WELL, PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL, STAFF PLACED IT

AS FAR BACK AS SIX YEARS AGO -- MAYBE -- DENNIS AND BILL ARE

HERE, MAYBE THEY CAN SAY, BUT FAR PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL HERE

THEY HAD A -- WHAT THEY CALL A FOSTER-TO-ADOPT PROGRAM,

WHICH IS WHERE AN ANIMAL THAT'S NOT EIGHT WEEKS OF AGE WHERE

THEY CAN BE SURGERIZED AND ADOPTED OUT CAN GO HOME WITH THE

ADOPTER AND THEN COME BACK TO THE SHELTER FOR SURGERY, AND

IN FISCAL YEAR -- A YEAR PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL, THERE WERE

APPROXIMATELY 60 OF THOSE.

WELL, AS FOOT TRAFFIC GREW IN THE SHELTER, SO DID THE NUMBER

OF THE ANIMALS THAT FELL INTO THAT CATEGORY, ESPECIALLY

AFTER WE LOST OUR MOMS AND BABIES ROOM TO A HOARDING CASE,

THEN THEY WERE OUT ALL IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC, SO THAT NUMBER

WENT UP TO 180.

I SPOKE WITH DEBBIE TAYLOR, WHO BOOKS THOSE SURGERIES.

I SAID, HOW OFTEN DOES SOMEBODY NOT SHOW UP FOR A SURGERY,

AND SHE'S LIKE, NEVER, THEY ALL SHOW UP.

WE BOOK THEIR SURGERIES, THEY SHOW UP.

RIGHT NOW THE PROBLEM WE HAD IS THAT THEY WERE -- THEY ARE

BOOKED UP THROUGH SEPTEMBER RIGHT NOW, THOSE SURGERY SLOTS,

SO ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I CREATED THE -- BID OUT THE

62

CONTRACT THAT HUMANE SOCIETY TOOK IS I PLAN ON TAKING THOSE

ANIMALS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PEOPLE'S HOMES AND GETTING THEM

OUT FOR SURGERY SO THEY NEVER HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE

SHELTER, THEY NEVER HAVE TO ENTER THE SHELTER FOR SURGERY,

SO THAT -- AND THEN ONCE I CAN GET THE FOSTER-TO-ADOPTS OFF

THE INTERNAL SURGERY LIST, I CAN GET MORE OF THE PUBLICS'

ANIMALS IN ON THAT LIST, THE ONES THAT HAVE REGULAR

ADOPTIONS THAT CAN'T LEAVE AHEAD OF TIME.

I CAN GET THEM OUT FASTER AND WE CAN BASICALLY CATCH BACK

UP.

>>MARY BIRRELL: SO JUST TO CLARIFY, THE FOSTER-TO-ADOPT

SITUATION, THOSE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT GO OUT UNSTERILIZED,

BUT THEY'RE ALL UNDER EIGHT WEEKS OF AGE, ALL --

>>IAN HALLETT: YES --

>>MARY BIRRELL: -- 180 CASES?

>>IAN HALLETT: -- THAT'S CORRECT.

I MEAN, THERE ARE MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS FOR ANIMALS BUT NO

PROGRAM --

>>MARY BIRRELL: LIKE MAYBE WEIGHT GAIN?

>>IAN HALLETT: WE HAVE DONE SOME RESCUE ANIMALS.

GRETCHYN CAN SPEAK TO THIS.

WE DO SOME OF THEIR SURGERIES.

THEY BRING THEM BACK FOR SURGERY, BUT WE DO TRACK ALL OF

THOSE, AND I -- AGAIN, I ASKED DEBBIE TAYLOR, DO WE HAVE ANY

PROBLEMS WITH CATS IN THOSE SITUATIONS NOT COMING BACK, AND

SHE SAID, NO.

AND I BELIEVE ALL THOSE ARE UNDERAGE; CORRECT?

>> YES.

63

IF WE PULL -- LIKE WE'LL PULL A MOM AND NURSING KITTENS OR

WE'LL PULL BOTTLE BABIES THAT ARE WAY TOO SMALL, I MEAN,

LESS THAN A POUND.

>>IAN HALLETT: RIGHT.

>> SO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL PULL THEM AND PUT THEM IN FOSTERS

THAT ARE EXPERIENCED WITH THEM, AND THEN WE BRING THEM BACK

TO YOU GUYS.

YOU'LL FIX THEM.

>>IAN HALLETT: YEAH.

>>MARY BIRRELL: I GUESS, THEN -- YEAH, TO ME, THAT SEEMS

LIKE REASONABLE CASES.

I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT OF AGE YET, THEY NEED TO GAIN WEIGHT,

AND AS LONG AS, YEAH, YOU DON'T HAVE ANYONE WHO'S NOT

SHOWING UP, THAT'S NOT -- IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S WORKING OUT

OKAY.

>>IAN HALLETT: AND TO THE CREDIT OF, YOU KNOW, MY

PREDECESSORS, IT'S A GOOD IDEA, YOU KNOW.

WE WEREN'T ABLE TO -- IN MY PREVIOUS SHELTER, WE WEREN'T

ABLE TO DO THAT.

WE HAD TO SEND THEM TO OUR OWN FOSTERS AND THEY HAD TO COME

BACK TO THE SHELTER FOR SURGERY BEFORE WE COULD HAND THEM

OVER TO THE ADOPTER, AND I THINK THIS IS A VERY EFFICIENT

WAY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO BASICALLY SAVE A GROUP OF ANIMALS

THAT ARE VIABLE ON THEIR OWN BUT NOT READY FOR SURGERY YET,

SO -- BUT WHAT HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT THIS YEAR IS THAT

WITH THE INCREASED FOOT TRAFFIC TO THE SHELTER, THE DEMAND

FOR THAT OPTION HAS GROWN REALLY QUICKLY, SO, AGAIN, WE WENT

FROM 60 THE YEAR PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL TO 180, SO IT TRIPLED,

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BUT IT WAS A PROGRAM THAT WAS IN EXISTENCE PRIOR TO MY

ARRIVAL.

>>MARY BIRRELL: THANK YOU.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANKS.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: THANK YOU, MARY.

KATIE, YOU'RE NEXT.

>>KATIE THOMPSON: GOOD EVENING, MR. HALLETT.

OBVIOUSLY, I'VE RECEIVED THESE TWO LETTERS OF RESIGNATION

FROM THESE WOMEN VETERINARIANS WITH CONCERN, AND I HAVE TO

SAY THAT I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE I FELT THAT NOT A

LOT OF WHAT YOU SAID TONIGHT'S ACTUALLY ADDRESSED THE MOST

SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS THAT I READ IN HERE.

AND, AGAIN, AS A WOMAN VETERINARIAN, I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT

I'VE SEEN THE PHRASE "HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT," AND I'VE

SEEN THAT REPEATED THREE TIMES WITHIN BOTH OF THESE LETTERS.

AND I WOULD ASK, ARE THESE THE ONLY LETTERS OF RESIGNATION

THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED FROM VETERINARIANS, AND HAS IT JUST

BEEN SPECIFICALLY WOMEN VETERINARIANS THAT HAVE HAD LETTERS

THAT HAVE SAID IT'S BEEN A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT?

>>IAN HALLETT: IT'S BEEN EXCLUSIVELY WOMEN BECAUSE I'VE

ONLY EVER HAD -- OH, I'VE HAD DR. ZINGALIE, I APOLOGIZE.

YES, SO --

>>KATIE THOMPSON: DID HE RESIGN?

>>IAN HALLETT: NO, HE DID NOT.

I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

>>KATIE THOMPSON: OKAY.

MY QUESTION ALSO WITH THAT WOULD BE YOU HAD STATED THAT

65

THERE WAS ONE DOG THAT WAS 15 POUNDS THAT THERE WAS SOMEWHAT

OF A QUESTION ABOUT BEHAVIOR AND THAT YOU'VE NEVER STEPPED

IN, AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN I READ THESE LETTERS FROM -- AND

THESE ARE -- LET ME JUST STATE FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD, THESE

ARE SHELTER VETERINARIANS THAT ARE HELD IN THE VETERINARY

COMMUNITY WITH ENORMOUS ESTEEM.

THESE ARE PROFESSIONAL WOMEN THAT ARE EXPERTS IN WHAT THEY

DO.

THEY'VE CONTRIBUTED, YOU KNOW -- TOGETHER THEY HAVE OVER 20

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN SHELTER MEDICINE.

MY QUESTION WOULD BE, FIRST OF ALL, WHY WOULD WE BE GO -- I

GUESS IT'S A RHETORICAL QUESTION.

IF WE'RE GOING TO GO TO UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA TO GET

INFORMATION AND ADVICE -- YOU KNOW, DR. FERGUSON WROTE A

SIX-PAGE WITH MEDICAL REFERENCES AND AN APPENDIX ON ADVICE

ON HOW TO HANDLE THE MYCOPLASMA OUTBREAK THAT'S OCCURRING AT

ANIMAL SERVICES, AND SHE'S AN EXPERT IN YOUR SHELTER AND

SHE'S A TREMENDOUS VETERINARIAN, AND I -- YOU KNOW,

HONESTLY, SHE PROBABLY COULD GO TO UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA AND

GIVE A LECTURE ON SHELTER MEDICINE QUITE EASILY, AND SHE'S

AN ASSET THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE OR THAT YOU USED TO HAVE.

SAME WITH DR. IZZY HERE.

YOU KNOW, I'M -- MYCOPLASMA -- YOU DO REALIZE YOU CAN'T

VACCINATE FOR MYCOPLASMA?

SO IT'S NOT GOING TO DO ANY GOOD TO VACCINATE THESE KIDS

WHEN THEY COME THROUGH THE DOOR BECAUSE YOU CAN'T VACCINATE

THEM FOR MYCOPLASMA.

YOU CAN HIT THEM WITH A VACCINE FOR BORDETELLA, YOU KNOW,

66

WITH SOMETHING ELSE.

THE OTHER PROBLEM IS IF THOSE ANIMALS HAVE ALREADY BEEN

EXPOSED AND THEY'RE ASYMPTOMATIC AND YOU BRING THEM INTO THE

SHELTER AND YOU HIT THEM WITH A VACCINE, IT'S NOT GOING TO

MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.

THE OTHER CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS YOU DID -- LIKE YOU SAID,

YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS ONLY ONE DOG, 15 POUNDS, NO BIG

DEAL, WE CHECKED ON IT, EVERYTHING IS FINE, AND I'VE READ

SEVERAL STATEMENTS IN HERE -- THIS IS FROM THE LETTER FROM

DR. ROESE, PUMPING OF ANIMALS OUT THE DOOR MANAGEMENT STYLE

HAS LED TO ADOPTION OF ANIMALS WITH OBVIOUS AGGRESSIVE

BEHAVIOR AND BITE HISTORY.

THERE'S ANOTHER STATEMENT HERE: ONE OF THE OTHER PRIMARY

ISSUES I'VE OBSERVED DURING MY STAY IS THE INABILITY TO NOT

ADOPT OUT AGGRESSIVE DOGS, PLURAL, DESPITE MY PROFESSIONAL

OPINION, WHICH HAS BEEN VOICED FREQUENTLY, THAT THIS

BEHAVIOR IS A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE AND

PARTICULARLY WITH REGARDS TO CHILDREN.

I HAVE VOICED MY CONCERNS OVER APPROXIMATELY TEN LARGE

PUREBRED DOGS.

I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THESE ANIMALS WERE PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS

AND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED OUT.

SOME OF THESE DOGS HAVE BEEN EUTHANIZED POST-ADOPTION DUE TO

BEHAVIOR.

SIMPLY HAVING AN ADOPTER SIGN A WAIVER OF RELEASE OF HCAS OF

LIABILITY CAN BE CHALLENGED IN A COURT OF LAW.

SHE STATES, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC

THAT BEHAVIOR IS A SUBSET OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AS WELL AS

67

A BOARDED SPECIALTY, AND I WOULD LIKE OUR VETERINARY VOICES

TO BE HEARD AND NOT DISMISSED REGARDING MULTIPLE CASES OF

UNMANAGEABLE K-9 AND FELINE AGGRESSION WITH BEHAVIORAL

ISSUES OBSERVED BY MULTIPLE SHELTER STAFFERS.

SHE ALSO GOES ON TO SAY, PERSONALLY I'M A VERY PROACTIVE

PERSON, BUT I'VE EXPERIENCED HOW EASY IT IS TO GIVE UP ON

YOUR VIEWS IN THAT FACILITY DUE TO A LACK OF RESPONSE OR

LACK OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT YOUR IDEAS ARE BEING TAKEN INTO

ACCOUNT.

SO I GUESS I WOULD SAY IF WE'VE ONLY GOT ONE DOG THAT

WEIGHED 15 POUNDS THAT A VETERINARIAN EXPRESSED A CONCERN

ABOUT BEHAVIOR AND THEN I'M READING THESE LETTERS THAT WERE

WRITTEN BY PROFESSIONALS THAT WERE VERY PROFESSIONALLY

WRITTEN, ARE WE STILL SAYING THAT WE'VE ONLY TOLD -- THERE'S

ONLY BEEN ONE CASE OF ONE DOG THAT WE OVERRID A

VETERINARIAN'S DECISION, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU I'VE

PERSONALLY EUTHANIZED DOGS FOR BEHAVIOR THAT HAVE COME FROM

ANIMAL SERVICES.

I HAD A DOG THAT PRESENTED TO ME THAT HAD BEEN ADOPTED, AND

IT WAS ALREADY GROWLING DURING THE EXAM AND I WAS VERY

NERVOUS, AND WITHIN ABOUT SIX MONTHS THAT DOG WEIGHED 120

POUNDS AND IT TOOK ME 25 TABLETS OF ACEPROMAZINE HORSE

TRANQUILIZER TO SEDATE IT ENOUGH TO EUTHANIZE IT.

IT HAD BITTEN EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY, AND THEY WERE

ABSOLUTELY TERRORIZED AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO ADOPT ANOTHER

DOG AGAIN.

AND THIS ISN'T AN ISOLATED ISSUE, SO I'M ASKING FOR A LITTLE

BIT OF AN EXPLANATION TO THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN YOUR ANSWER

68

AND WHAT I'M SEEING THAT THESE PROFESSIONAL WOMEN HAVE

PRESENTED ON THAT ISSUE.

>>IAN HALLETT: YEAH.

A COUPLE QUESTIONS OR ONE QUESTION.

THAT DOG THAT WAS SIX MONTHS LATER WAS EUTHANIZED, DID IT

HAVE A BITE HISTORY AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES?

>>KATIE THOMPSON: WELL, THAT WOULD BE MY QUESTION.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT DOES NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I'D REALLY LIKE TO KNOW --

>>IAN HALLETT: I CAN'T SPEAK -- I CAN'T SPEAK TO AN ANIMAL

THAT LEFT WITH NO BITE HISTORY OR NO AGGRESSION SHOWN INSIDE

THE SHELTER THAT SUBSEQUENTLY SHOWS AGGRESSION OUTSIDE OF

THE SHELTER.

>>KATIE THOMPSON: WELL, THEN, LET'S LAY THAT ASIDE AND

LET'S LOOK AT -- BACK AT WHAT YOUR OWN VETERINARIANS WHO

RECENTLY RESIGNED BECAUSE THEY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE STATED TO

YOU AND OTHER MEMBERS WHO ARE AT THE SHELTER THAT THEY FEEL

IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL OPINION THAT THIS PARTICULAR DOG --

AND SHE TOOK GREAT PAINS TO SAY IT IS NOT MANY DOGS -- THAT

IT IS A RISK TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND THAT THESE DOGS RETURNED

AND WERE EUTHANIZED.

I THINK WE NEED TO INVESTIGATE THAT.

I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED THERE.

THAT'S -- THAT'S A BIG CONCERN.

THE PROBLEM IS IF YOU WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO DOWN TO

ANIMAL SERVICES AND ADOPT A DOG BUT THEN WE HAVE

VETERINARIANS THAT ARE STATING THEY'RE RESIGNING BECAUSE OF

69

A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT AND BECAUSE THEIR CONCERNS ARE

NOT BEING TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AND A VETERINARY PROFESSIONAL

TELLS YOU THAT THEY THINK THIS DOG, BASED ON THEIR

EXPERTISE, IS A RISK -- ACCORDING TO THIS, THOSE DOGS HAVE

BEEN ADOPTED OUT.

NOW, I'M NOT SAYING THAT IS CORRECT, I'M SAYING THAT I --

REPRESENTING COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE

SOME SORT OF INVESTIGATION INTO THAT.

MY OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE THERE'S ALSO A STATEMENT HERE

ABOUT THE REQUEST OF USE OF ANTIBIOTICS IN AN UNETHICAL

FASHION.

I KNOW THAT I MYSELF AND MULTIPLE VETERINARIANS I'VE SPOKEN

TO HAVE RECEIVED ENORMOUS PRESSURE FROM RESCUE GROUPS,

PARTICULARLY CAT GROUPS, THAT WANT US TO GIVE THEM

PROPHYLACTIC ANTIBIOTICS AND THEY WANT US TO JUST TELL THEM

HOW TO GO AHEAD AND PRESCRIBE THAT.

WE OBVIOUSLY CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S CONSIDERED

MALPRACTICE TO GIVE ANTIBIOTICS TO A LAYPERSON SO THEY CAN

JUST ADMINISTER THEM TO ANY ANIMALS THAT CROSS THEIR PATH.

I'D BE VERY INTERESTED IN HEARING YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT

PARTICULAR STATEMENT.

>>IAN HALLETT: OKAY.

TO THAT PARTICULAR STATEMENT, THE ONE GRETCHYN AND I

MENTIONED EARLIER, THEY WERE AGAINST PROPHYLACTIC USE

OF ANTIBIOTICS.

>>KATIE THOMPSON: DEFINE -- AND I'M SORRY, IAN --

>>IAN HALLETT: AND SO -- AND SO WE --

>>KATIE THOMPSON: -- I JUST WANT CLARITY.

70

PLEASE DEFINE WHAT YOU WOULD CALL PROPHYLACTIC ANTIBIOTIC

THERAPY.

>>IAN HALLETT: THEY SAID PROPHYLACTIC IS PRIOR TO THE

EXHIBITION OF SYMPTOMS, SO BASICALLY PRIOR TO THERE BEING

ANY THOUGHTS OF THERE BEING AN INFECTION --

>>KATIE THOMPSON: SO THE VETERINARIANS --

>>IAN HALLETT: -- AS A PREVENTIVE -- IN A PREVENTATIVE

MANNER.

>>KATIE THOMPSON: -- WERE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT?

SO THE VETERINARIANS SAID THEY WERE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT

PRACTICE?

>>IAN HALLETT: THEY DID, AND SO WE DID NOT DO IT.

THIS IS THE PART THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND HERE.

WE DID NOT DO IT, SO IF I WAS OVERRULING THEM, I CLEARLY

WOULD HAVE TOLD THEM TO DO IT AND WE WOULD HAVE DONE IT, BUT

THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY -- I DON'T

UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE CLAIMING THAT THEY WERE PRESSURED TO

DO IT.

>>KATIE THOMPSON: SURE.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT EITHER.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: DR. THOMPSON, CAN YOU MAKE YOUR FINAL

COMMENTS, PLEASE.

>>KATIE THOMPSON: YES, SIR.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: THANK YOU.

>>KATIE THOMPSON: I'LL WRAP IT UP.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WOULD DO THAT EITHER.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU HAVE TWO WOMEN VETERINARIANS THAT

ARE STATING MULTIPLE TIMES THEY'RE WORKING IN A HOSTILE WORK

71

ENVIRONMENT.

OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S AN ENORMOUS CONCERN.

I THINK THAT -- I APPRECIATE YOU TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT THIS

EVENING.

I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO, OBVIOUSLY, AN INVESTIGATION INTO

THAT TO GET SOME CLARITY SO THAT WE CAN BOTH FOR YOU AND FOR

THE ANIMAL SERVICES DEFINE EXACTLY WHAT'S OCCURRED HERE.

>>IAN HALLETT: I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE TWO NEW

VETERINARIANS HIRED ARE FEMALES, SO THERE'S NO BIAS THERE.

>>KATIE THOMPSON: OH, SURE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS.

RIGHT NOW I'M JUST TRYING TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION AS I

CAN AND -- SO WE CAN SORT THIS OUT.

>>IAN HALLETT: I DID WANT TO ADDRESS THE AGGRESSION ISSUE.

DR. FERGUSON AND I DID DISAGREE SIGNIFICANTLY ON THE

AGGRESSION ISSUE.

DR. FERGUSON FELT THAT ANY ANIMAL THAT TRIED TO BITE A VET

TECH SHOULD NOT BE RELEASED FOR ADOPTION.

HAVING WORKED AS A VET TECH FOR SIX YEARS, WE WOULD HAVE

EUTHANIZED A LOT OF PEOPLE'S ANIMALS IF WE HELD THAT

STANDARD UP, AND I DISAGREED WITH HER ON THAT.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO THAT, I HAVE -- IF WE WANT TO TALK

ABOUT EXPERIENCE, I HAVE HIGH -- I HAVE SAT ON BEHAVIORIST

INTERVIEW PANELS.

I SAT ON ONE WITH THREE APPLICANTS, ONE OF WHOM HAS A

MASTER'S DEGREE IN BEHAVIOR, AND ACTUALLY GOT FOUR

DEFINITIONS OF "AGGRESSION."

ONE PERSON WENT BACK AND CHANGED IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE

INTERVIEW.

72

THERE IS A GREAT DIVERSITY OF OPINION ON AGGRESSION, AND, IN

FACT, DR. FERGUSON RECOMMENDS THAT WE USE THE ASILOMAR

ACCORDS, WHICH I AM ALSO FAMILIAR WITH USING, AND SO, FOR

EXAMPLE, A REHABILITATABLE ANIMAL, WHICH IS ONE THAT WOULD

BE FINE TO RELEASE, IT SAYS, ANIMALS THAT ARE FREE FROM

AGGRESSION TOWARDS HUMANS BUT MAY SHOW A LIMITED DEGREE OF

AGGRESSION TO OTHER ANIMALS.

WHAT IS LIMITED?

>>KATIE THOMPSON: SO --

>>IAN HALLETT: IS LIMITED LUNGING, IS LIMITED BARKING?

SO THIS DOESN'T -- EVEN ASILOMAR ACCORDS CAN'T CLEAR UP THIS

LETTER.

THERE IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A DIVERSITY OF OPINION.

AND WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY IS WE ADOPTED OUT BITE DOGS LONG

BEFORE I ARRIVED AT HCAS, AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CALL

SOMEBODY UP, YOU CAN SPEAK WITH PAM PERRY OF INVESTIGATIONS.

WE TAKE EACH BITE CASE AS AN INDIVIDUAL CASE JUST AS WE

WOULD WITH YOUR -- JUST AS WE WOULD WITH YOUR OWN ANIMALS.

IF YOU HAVE A 15-POUND DOG THAT BIT A CHILD, PERHAPS WE CAN

PUT IT IN A HOUSE WHERE THERE ARE GOING TO BE NO CHILDREN.

THAT'S WHAT FALLS UNDER MANAGEABLE, WHICH IS -- WHICH IS A

PART OF ASILOMAR ACCORDS, SO BITE ANIMALS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED

OUT FAR BEFORE MY TENURE HERE.

>>KATIE THOMPSON: SO YOU WOULD STATE FOR THE RECORD THAT

YOU FEEL THAT YOUR LEVEL OF EXPERTISE IS THE EQUIVALENT OF

DR. FERGUSON'S WHEN IT COMES TO ASSESSING PUBLIC HEALTH RISK

WHEN IT COMES TO AGGRESSIVE DOG BITE BEHAVIOR?

THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY.

73

>>IAN HALLETT: I'D SAY THAT I HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE

ASSESSING BEHAVIOR IN A SHELTER ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS VERY

DIFFERENT --

>>KATIE THOMPSON: THAN A VETERINARIAN DOES?

>>IAN HALLETT: THAT'S CORRECT.

>>KATIE THOMPSON: OKAY.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: THANK YOU, DR. THOMPSON.

JACK NEXT.

WHO'S -- ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT?

I KNOW -- OKAY.

ADRIANA WILL BE NEXT, THEN TIM.

WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU, JEN.

YOU'LL GO AT THE END.

JACK, PLEASE.

>>JACK TALMAN: THANK YOU, IAN.

AGAIN, I DO WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR --

WE DID HAVE A LIVE RELEASE RATE OF 2,000 MORE ANIMALS THAN

WE DID IN THE PRIOR YEAR.

I DO HAVE SOME DEEP CONCERN.

MANY -- MOST OF THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS TONIGHT I KNOW AND I

KNOW WELL, AND I RESPECT THEIR OPINION, AND WHAT THEY'VE

SAID TROUBLES ME.

IS THERE -- I THINK THE FIRST THING THAT NEEDS TO BE

ADDRESSED IS YOU'VE GOT SOME PEOPLE WHO SPOKE TONIGHT WHO

HAVE BEEN OUT THERE SINCE THE VOLUNTEER STARTED, SO I PUT A

LOT OF WEIGHT ON THEIR CONCERNS, AND WE NEED TO HAVE AN

AVENUE WHERE THEY CAN VOICE THOSE CONCERNS.

74

DO YOU HAVE A SUGGESTION THERE WHEN -- WHERE THEY CAN DO

THAT WITHOUT HAVING TO -- YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY CAN GET THOSE

ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY?

>>IAN HALLETT: YEAH.

I JUST HELD TWO DIFFERENT MEETINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS TO SPEAK WITH THE VOLUNTEERS AND TO

HEAR THEIR CONCERNS, AND I'VE SPOKEN WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE.

I HAVE AN OPEN-DOOR POLICY, AND I HAVE A LOT OF THEM

STOPPING BY MY OFFICE, SOME ONCE A WEEK THEY STOP BY.

SO IT'S HARD -- IT'S HARD TO ADDRESS IF I'M NOT AWARE OF

THEM, AND I KNOW SUE AND I PASS EACH OTHER FREQUENTLY AND

EXCHANGE HELLOS AND DISCUSS CERTAIN MATTERS, YOU KNOW,

DISCUSS SMALL THINGS IN THE SHELTER, SO I -- SO I WANT TO

KNOW THOSE THINGS, AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY CAN MANAGE

BETTER, AND SO IF THERE'S A WAY THAT I CAN HELP FACILITATE

THAT PROCESS, I AM OPEN TO HEARING THAT.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS.

INSTEAD OF HEARING ABOUT THEM AT, YOU KNOW, A MEETING, I

LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT THEM IN MY OPERATIONS.

AND SO -- AND CLEARLY, I MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING THAT MADE

HER FEEL LIKE SHE COULDN'T DO THAT, BUT I DO KNOW THERE'S A

LOT OF VOLUNTEERS WHO STOP BY REGULARLY TO -- TO, YOU KNOW,

TALK WITH ME AND EXPRESS CONCERNS, AND WE TALK THROUGH

THOSE, SO I DON'T THINK -- SO I KNOW THAT OPTION EXISTS,

SO -- BUT IF A LARGE GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS FEEL LIKE THAT THEY

DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT'S AN OPTION FOR THEM, THEN THERE'S A

PROBLEM.

>>JACK TALMAN: OKAY.

75

WELL, I -- I AGREE WITH YOU.

I THINK THERE DOES NEED TO BE AN OPEN-DOOR POLICY, AND, OF

COURSE, I'M THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT WHEN I VOLUNTEERED OUT

THERE AND SAW SOMETHING THAT I THINK NEEDED TO BE DISCUSSED,

I'D BE RIGHT IN THERE DISCUSSING IT.

SO I WOULD HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE THAT THEY CAN TAKE

ADVANTAGE OF YOUR OPEN-DOOR POLICY AND ALSO GET SOME TYPE OF

FEEDBACK AS TO WHAT THEIR -- YOU KNOW, WHAT THEIR -- HOW

THEIR CONCERN WAS RESOLVED.

>>IAN HALLETT: MM-HMM.

>>JACK TALMAN: BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THOSE PEOPLE AREN'T BEING

PAID BY THE COUNTY, THEY'RE DOING IT FOR THEIR LOVE OF

ANIMALS, AND I PUT A LOT OF WEIGHT ON WHAT -- YOU KNOW, WHAT

THEY'RE SEEING, SO I THINK IF WE GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY

TO -- FOR THEM TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND VOICE THEIR CONCERNS

IS VERY IMPORTANT.

>>IAN HALLETT: I DID WANT TO NOTE THAT I HOLD THOSE

VOLUNTEER MEETINGS ON TWO DIFFERENT DAYS, BOTH A WEEKNIGHT

AND A WEEKEND IN THE MORNING, BECAUSE I KNOW EVERYBODY'S

SCHEDULE IS DIFFERENT, SO ...

>>JACK TALMAN: WELL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, THOUGH, IF YOU

PASS SOMEBODY IN THE HALL AND THEY'VE GOT A CONCERN OR, YOU

KNOW, IF THEY CAN JUST HAVE SOMEBODY BUZZ YOU AND SEE IF

YOU'RE BUSY, IF THEY CAN COME IN IMMEDIATELY AND VOICE THAT

CONCERN BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT GETS LOST WHEN YOU'VE GOT 40

VOLUNTEERS IN THERE, AND SO I RESPECT THESE PEOPLE'S

OPINION.

>>IAN HALLETT: I DO TOO.

76

>>JACK TALMAN: SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE WE GOT PARALYSIS BY

ANALYSIS OUT THERE.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE COMMUNITIES JUST -- WHO HAVE

GONE -- YOU KNOW, WHO HAVE GONE TO TRY TO DO A NO-KILL HAVE

JUST DONE IT, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT TASK FORCES, WITHOUT

MEETINGS, WITHOUT -- WITHOUT A WHOLE LOT OF -- YOU KNOW,

THEY JUST HAVE THE DESIRE AND THEY JUST GO OUT THERE AND DO

IT.

ONE -- THE MOST -- TWO OF OUR EXPERTS, JULIE LEVY AND PETER

MARSH, BOTH TOLD -- YOU KNOW, BOTH EXPLAINED VERY CLEARLY

THAT A TARGETED SPAY AND NEUTER VOUCHER PROGRAM IS THE

FOUNDATION FOR LOWERING IMPOUNDS.

WE DON'T NEED TO REVAMP THAT PROGRAM.

THAT TROUBLES ME TERRIBLY THAT YOU FEEL THAT WE NEED IT

REVAMPED.

I'VE TOLD YOU SEVERAL TIMES -- AND I -- AND I DON'T KNOW WHY

WE CAN'T GET THIS DONE -- WELL, I'VE KIND OF GOT A

SUSPICION, BUT THERE'S -- OUR -- OUR REDEMPTION RATE ON

VOUCHERS IS RIGHT NOW ABOUT 40% -- OR 50%.

IN '10 IT WAS 60%, AND I'VE TOLD IAN SEVERAL TIMES THAT

THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE TO INCREASE THAT AND

GET THAT 10% PRETTY QUICKLY.

ONE IS TO INCREASE THE REDEMPTION -- INCREASE THE REDEMPTION

PERIOD FROM 30 DAYS TO 60 DAYS, AND THE OTHER IS FOR

VOLUNTEERS OR STAFF TO CALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE VOUCHERS

AND REMIND THEM THAT THEY'VE GOT "X" NUMBER OF DAYS OR WEEKS

TO REDEEM THEIR VOUCHER AND SEE IF THEY CAN ASSIST THEM.

IT WILL BUMP THAT REDEMPTION RATE UP 10%, WHICH IS ABOUT 80

77

ANIMALS A MONTH IF YOU'RE -- IF YOU'RE SENDING -- YOU KNOW,

IF YOU'RE SENDING OUT -- OR IT'S -- YEAH, 80 ANIMALS A MONTH

IF YOU'RE ISSUING OVER 800.

WHY CAN'T WE GET THAT DONE?

>>IAN HALLETT: THE ANSWER TO THE 30 DAYS VERSUS 60 DAYS IS

THAT THE -- THE OUTSTANDING FISCAL OBLIGATION OF HAVING --

THE VETERINARIANS HAVE 90 DAYS TO SUBMIT, WE HAVE 30 DAYS TO

PAY.

THAT'S ALREADY 120 DAYS.

MOVING IT TO 60 IS 150 DAYS.

IT MEANS THAT THE VOUCHER COULD POTENTIALLY LAND ON THE

BOOKS A HALF A YEAR AFTER IT WAS ISSUED, AND THAT'S A --

THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM.

>>JACK TALMAN: ISN'T OUR OBJECTIVE HERE TO REDUCE IMPOUNDS?

>>IAN HALLETT: THAT'S CORRECT, BUT I HAVE TO WORK WITHIN

FISCAL CONSTRAINTS.

>>JACK TALMAN: WELL, WE USED TO HAVE 90 DAYS.

WHAT --

>>IAN HALLETT: IF I REMEMBER, THERE WAS A PERIOD THERE

WHERE THE FUND RAN OUT OF MONEY AND SOME VETERINARIANS

DIDN'T GET REIMBURSED FOR THEIR SURGERIES BECAUSE THERE WAS

NO MONEY IN THE FUND.

>>JACK TALMAN: I DON'T KNOW.

I'M TALKING ABOUT TODAY.

>>IAN HALLETT: I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I'M TRYING TO EXPLAIN

WHERE THOSE DATES CAME FROM.

>>JACK TALMAN: SO THERE'S NOTHING THAT -- DOWNTOWN THAT

STAFF CAN DO IN MR. MERRILL'S OFFICE THAT CAN SAVE 80

78

ANIMALS A MONTH BECAUSE OF THE TIME CONSTRAINTS ON WHEN THEY

PAY VETERINARIANS, SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO KILL THOSE 80

ANIMALS?

>>IAN HALLETT: THE CURRENT RESOLUTION SPELLS OUT HOW MANY

DAYS THE VETERINARIANS HAVE BUT IT DOESN'T SPELL OUT HOW

MANY DAYS THE VOUCHER IS GOOD FOR, SO WHEN WE RAN INTO THIS

FISCAL CONSTRAINT, THE ONLY AREA THAT COULD GIVE WAS THE

VOUCHER EXPIRATION DATE, WHICH, AGAIN, IS WHY I'M SAYING

THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER CHANGES TO THE VOUCHER PROGRAM.

>>JACK TALMAN: WELL, WE DIDN'T HAVE TO -- I'M MISSING

SOMETHING HERE.

WHEN IT WAS 90 DAYS, IS IT DIFFERENT THAN IT IS NOW?

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: JACK, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT CAN

YOU MAKE YOUR CLOSING --

>>JACK TALMAN: OKAY.

>>MIKE HAWORTH: -- COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?

>>IAN HALLETT: ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS WE RAN OUT OF MONEY AND

VETERINARIANS DIDN'T GET PAID FOR THOSE SURGERIES BECAUSE OF

THE LAG BETWEEN WHAT WAS OUT THERE AS A LIABILITY AND WHAT

WAS -- WHAT MONEY WAS IN THE BANK, SO --

>>JACK TALMAN: OKAY.

WHAT ABOUT CALLING VOUCHER RECIPIENTS, CAN WE DO THAT?

NOW, I KNOW I'VE ASKED YOU ABOUT THAT, SO I DON'T WANT YOU

TO REPEAT THE SAME THING.

WHAT IF A -- WHAT IF A RESCUE PROVIDED CELL PHONES TO ANIMAL

SERVICES SO THAT VOLUNTEERS COULD CALL VOUCHER RECIPIENTS,

WOULD THAT WORK?

>>IAN HALLETT: WE WOULD.

79

WE'D LIKE HELP WITH THE VOLUNTEERS AS WELL.

THE QUESTION PUT BEFORE ME BEFORE WAS CAN THE COUNTY ISSUE

CELL PHONES FOR THAT PURPOSE, AND THE ANSWER IS NO BECAUSE

WE CAN'T ISSUE CELL PHONES TO -- FOR A VOLUNTEER TO TAKE

HOME AND KEEP, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR PREMISES OR ON THEM WHEN

THEY'RE NOT ACTIVELY USING IT TO MAKE CALLS, SO --

>>JACK TALMAN: I UNDERSTAND THAT --

>>IAN HALLETT: THAT CAN BE [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK]

>>JACK TALMAN: -- BUT CAN WE FURNISH THEM PHONES?

>>IAN HALLETT: YES.

>>JACK TALMAN: OKAY.

I MEAN, THAT'S PRETTY EASY.

>>IAN HALLETT: I'M ALSO -- I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH I.T. TO

FIND OUT -- BECAUSE THE QUESTION THAT YOU HAD WAS PEOPLE ARE

MORE RESPONSIVE IF THE VOICE -- OR THE I.D. -- THE CALLER

I.D. STATES HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

ANIMAL SERVICES, AND I'M WORKING TO FIND OUT WHETHER PHONES

CAN BE PROGRAMMED WITH THAT CALLER I.D. INTO THEM SO THAT

VOLUNTEERS CAN MAKE THE CALLS WITHOUT --

>>JACK TALMAN: WHY DON'T YOU JUST TABLE THAT BECAUSE I'LL

GET YOU THREE PHONES.

LET'S START SAVING THESE ANIMALS NOW.

THANKS, IAN.

I APPRECIATE IT.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: NEXT ON THE LIST, DR. ODACHOWSKI.

>>ADRIANA ODACHOWSKI: HI, IAN, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

>>IAN HALLETT: GOOD.

>>ADRIANA ODACHOWSKI: ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS THAT HAD BEEN

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A CONSTANT CONCERN HERE TONIGHT THAT I OBSERVED WAS, QUOTE,

UNQUOTE, SECRECY, LACK OF COMMUNICATION, FRUSTRATION FROM

THE STAFF, FRUSTRATION FROM THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN

COOPERATING WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR SO LONG.

I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU MAYBE MORE OF A COMPROMISE.

CAN WE INCLUDE IN YOUR MONTHLY INFORMATION THAT YOU BRING TO

US ANY PROGRESSES FROM NOW ON MADE OR ATTEMPTS MADE TO

INCREASE THE COMMUNICATION PLANS TO HELP, YOU KNOW, CREATE

THOSE AVENUES OF COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR STAFF WRITTEN IN,

YOU KNOW, JUST A PLAN TO IMPROVE, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY THE

HUMAN RESOURCES STANDPOINT?

>>IAN HALLETT: YEAH.

I DID -- IF I CAN SAY THAT, I THINK ONE MISTAKE THAT I MADE

WAS -- DR. ROESE WAS ON LEAVE WHILE I -- IN THE PAST YEAR

FOR ABOUT FIVE TO SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR.

DURING THAT TIME WE HAD A RECORD NUMBER OF ADOPTIONS, RECORD

NUMBER OF SURGERIES TO DO, SO I EXEMPTED THE TWO

VETERINARIANS FROM OUR WEEKLY -- MANDATORY WEEKLY MANAGEMENT

MEETING, AND IN RETROSPECT, THAT LEFT THEM FEELING LIKE THEY

HAD NO COMMUNICATION, AND AT THE TIME THERE WAS ALSO NO

MANAGING DIRECTOR OVER THAT AREA UNTIL ABOUT FEBRUARY, AND

ALSO THE VETERINARY SERVICES SUPERVISOR DIDN'T START UNTIL

FEBRUARY, SO IT DID LEAVE THEM IN AN INFORMATION HOLE, AND

SO IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE PULLED ONE OF THEM FROM THE

FLOOR TO -- TO BE AT THE MEETINGS.

I THOUGHT I WAS HELPING THEM.

I HAVE STRUGGLED WITH COMMUNICATION.

I THINK THAT A LOT OF THE DIVISIONS THAT EXIST IN THE

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COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT DIRECTION HCAS SHOULD TAKE, OBVIOUSLY,

ARE ALSO REFLECTED AMONG THE STAFF AND THE VOLUNTEERS, SO

IT'S BEEN A VERY HARD GAP TO BRIDGE.

AS JACK NOTED, THERE ARE SOME COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY HAVE

NOT HAD THESE CONCERNS, AND -- AND SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE

THINGS KIND OF DISHEARTENING FOR ME IS I -- AT THE

SUGGESTION OF JOE TESTA AND ALSO IN THE SPIRIT OF BILL

ARMSTRONG, I REINTRODUCED THE SUGGESTION BOX, YOU KNOW,

COMMENT/CONCERN BOX, AND I HAVEN'T -- IT'S BEEN UP FOR A FEW

MONTHS NOW, AND I HAVEN'T HAD ANYTHING PUT INTO IT.

WHEN I HELD ALL-STAFF MEETINGS, THERE WERE VERY FEW

QUESTIONS, AND PEOPLE, I THINK -- THERE WERE VERY FEW

QUESTIONS, SO THEN I FELT LIKE, WELL, MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE

THEY'RE INTIMIDATED TO ASK THEM, THEY DON'T WANT TO ASK ME

THOSE QUESTIONS, SO I SET UP THE ANONYMOUS BOX IN FRONT

OF -- YOU KNOW, AHEAD OF THOSE -- THAT NEXT MEETING SO THAT

PEOPLE COULD FEEL FREE TO PUT ANONYMOUS SUGGESTIONS IN

THERE.

I GOT NOTHING BACK.

I PUT OUT A PLEA FOR IDEAS FROM STAFF FOR THE BE THE WAY

HOME PLAN.

I HAD ABOUT TWO RESPONSES AND THEY WERE GOOD ONES, BUT THAT

WAS IT AMONG 80 STAFF, AND ALSO PUT OUT THE DRAFT TO THE

STAFF ON BE THE WAY HOME AND GOT ZERO RESPONSES ON THAT, PUT

THE COPIES OF IT IN THE BREAK ROOM, THE DRAFT COPY, FOR THEM

TO SEE.

DID NOT GET ANY RESPONSES FROM THAT.

SO THAT'S NOT TO SAY IT'S NOT MY FAULT AND THAT THEY DON'T

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FEEL THAT THEY CAN SPEAK TO ME, I JUST WANT ON THE RECORD

THAT I AM MAKING ATTEMPTS TO TRY TO CREATE THAT LINE OF

COMMUNICATION, SO ...

>>ADRIANA ODACHOWSKI: THANK YOU.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: IS THAT IT?

>>ADRIANA ODACHOWSKI: [INAUDIBLE]

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: OKAY.

NEXT WILL BE TIM GOLDEN.

>>TIMOTHY GOLDEN: THANK YOU, MIKE.

AND THANK YOU, IAN, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON WHAT YOU HAVE

DONE.

I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE WITH THAT LINE OF -- THAT STATEMENT

THAT YOU -- YOU MADE RECENTLY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SENDING OUT

E-MAILS AND PUTTING DRAFT COPIES ON THE TABLES IN THE BREAK

ROOM AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

YOU KNOW, HOW MANY OF -- HOW MANY OF THE 80 EMPLOYEES DIDN'T

FEEL COMFORTABLE RESPONDING IN THOSE -- TO THOSE -- THE

MANNER OF SORT OF YOU'RE ASKING FOR INPUT MIGHT HAVE FELT

DIFFERENTLY HAD YOU SAT DOWN WITH THEM AND SAID, OKAY, YOU

KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE AS MANY OF THE PEOPLE IN HERE

AS -- AS WE CAN GET, I WANT YOUR INPUT, I NEED YOUR INPUT,

AND -- AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WOULD HAVE GONE DIFFERENTLY,

BUT I -- AND I CERTAINLY HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE AT SOME LEVELS

OF WHAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH.

I STARTED MY VOLUNTEER SERVICE ON A PTA YEARS AGO.

WHEN THE SCHOOL OPENED UP, I WAS THERE.

ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN YEARS LATER THE ADMINISTRATION CHANGED,

THE PRINCIPAL LEFT, AND THERE WAS A SHAKE-UP.

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TYPICALLY THE STAFF WHO -- WHO DIDN'T AGREE WITH THE NEW

ADMINISTRATION'S POLICIES LEFT, MANY OF THEM WITHOUT A

SUGGESTION AS TO WHY.

THE STAFF THAT REMAINED FOR WHATEVER REASON FELT AS THOUGH

THEY WEREN'T IN A POSITION TO STATE THEIR FEELINGS BECAUSE

THEY MAY HAVE BEEN IN OPPOSITION TO THE NEW ADMINISTRATION

AND MAY HAVE PUT THEIR JOBS AT RISK.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE MOST TELLING AREA OF CONCERN AND

INPUT WAS IN THE VOLUNTEERS, YOU KNOW, THE -- THERE WAS A

CERTAIN CORE GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS WHO WERE THERE, THEY STAYED

THERE, THEY JUST DID THEIR JOBS, WHETHER IT WAS SHELVING

LIBRARY BOOKS OR WHATEVER.

SOME OF THE VOLUNTEERS FELT VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE WAY

THINGS WERE GOING AND LEFT EN MASSE, WHICH BROUGHT IN A NEW

GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS WHO HAD NO EXPERIENCE WITH THE PRIOR

ADMINISTRATION, BUT IT LED TO CONFLICT BETWEEN THOSE TWO

GROUPS THAT WOUND UP, YOU KNOW, BEING EVIDENT IN THE

VOLUNTEER GROUPS TO THE POINT WHERE EVENTUALLY THAT FIRST

VOLUNTEER GROUP JUST FELL BY THE WAYSIDE.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT TO A CERTAIN EXTENT THAT'S

HAPPENING AT ANIMAL SERVICES.

SOME OF THE VOLUNTEERS -- MANY OF THE VOLUNTEERS WHO WERE

THERE WHEN THE PROGRAM WAS STARTED BY BILL IN 2007 NO LONGER

FEEL COMFORTABLE, NO LONGER FEEL WANTED, SO I WANT TO KNOW

WHAT YOU'RE -- YOU'RE PLANNING -- WHAT YOU ARE DOING, WHAT

YOU'RE PLANNING ON DOING, NOT JUST WITH STAFF BUT WITH THE

VOLUNTEERS, BETWEEN YOURSELVES AND UPPER-LEVEL MANAGEMENT,

TO BUILD ON A TEAM SPIRIT AND -- AND AVOID THE SORT OF

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ALIENATION AND DISTRUST THAT I READ ABOUT IN THESE -- IN

THESE LETTERS THAT I'M HEARING ABOUT FROM THE VOLUNTEERS?

HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS THAT?

>>IAN HALLETT: I THINK IT'S GOING TO HELP TO HAVE A

COORDINATOR.

WHEN I FIRST STARTED WITH ANIMAL SERVICES, I HELD -- I TOLD

THEM I WAS GOING TO HOLD A MEETING ONCE A MONTH ON THE

WEEKENDS TO COME MEET WITH THEM, AND I -- AND DID, BUT I

NEVER HAD MORE THAN SIX PEOPLE SHOW UP, AND -- AND THERE WAS

SOME FEELING THAT PEOPLE WERE VYING FOR, YOU KNOW, INFLUENCE

WITHIN THOSE CIRCLES, SO THAT DIDN'T WORK.

I HAVE -- OF ALL OF THE VOLUNTEER ORIENTATIONS THAT HAVE

OCCURRED, BOTH UNDER TERRY AND OUR VOLUNTEER -- LED

VOLUNTEER ORIENTATIONS, I ALWAYS SHOW UP TO SPEAK IN PERSON

TO THANK THEM FOR BEING VOLUNTEERS.

EVEN THOUGH THOSE ORIENTATIONS ARE ON SATURDAYS, I ALWAYS

COME UP.

I'VE MISSED ONLY ONE OR TWO.

SO GOING FORWARD, RIGHT NOW I HONESTLY -- I CAME FROM THE

VOLUNTEER RANKS IN AUSTIN AND WAS VERY CLOSE WITH THEM

THROUGH MY TENURE.

I HONESTLY -- I HAVE NEGLECTED THEM.

I'VE BEEN KIND OF CONSUMED WITH TASK FORCE AND -- AND

OPERATIONAL RESOURCE ISSUES, AND SO THEY HAVE BEEN

NEGLECTED, AND -- AND I DO REGRET THAT, AND -- BUT WHEN I

LOOK BACK ON THE HOURS THAT I'VE PUT IN AND THE FIRES THAT

THERE HAVE BEEN, I THINK IN RETROSPECT IT WOULD BE EASIER TO

SAY, WELL, I SHOULD HAVE SPENT IT LIKE THIS, BUT WITH ALL

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THAT WAS HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, WITH A LOT OF KEY VACANCIES OF

PEOPLE WHO HAD LEFT BEFORE I GOT THERE, IT WAS A VERY

DIFFICULT YEAR.

SO I THINK GOING FORWARD, WHEN WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS

RESOURCE ISSUE, THIS VETERINARY SERVICES BOTTLENECK AND

DISEASE ISSUE AND GET A VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR ONBOARD, I SEE

THIS FALL BEING A REVITALIZATION OF IT, BUT I'LL BE HONEST,

ALL OF US RIGHT NOW -- AND I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE IN

SHELTERING -- IN THE SUMMER I'M KIND OF HUNKERED DOWN RIGHT

NOW, AND IT'S NOT A GOOD PLACE TO BE, AND -- BUT IT'S -- YOU

KNOW, IT'S NOT A GOOD PLACE TO BE, BUT I DO SEE US MOVING

PAST THAT THIS -- WHEN WE -- IN THIS FALL WHEN WE GET

THROUGH OUR SOFTWARE CHANGE AND ALL OF THAT.

>>TIMOTHY GOLDEN: OKAY.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO

MAKE AN EFFORT TO -- TO TACKLE THAT -- THAT PERSONAL SIDE OF

WHAT YOUR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS THAT GOES BEYOND THE -- THE

NUTS AND BOLTS OF RUNNING A SHELTER BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,

ESPECIALLY WITH THE VOLUNTEERS BUT ALSO WITH STAFF, YOU

KNOW, THE ATTITUDE YOU HAVE WHEN YOU WALK IN ON THAT DAY

MEANS A LOT, AND -- AND, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER'S AT THE TOP OF

THE LADDER IS -- IS KIND OF RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT, AND IT

SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON IT.

HOW WOULD YOU -- HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND TO THE QUESTION, ARE

THERE -- YOU KNOW, THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE OUTLINED IN

THESE LETTERS FROM THE VETERINARIANS WHO RESIGNED, I MEAN,

DO YOU FEEL LIKE THEY'RE -- THEY'RE -- THEY'RE RELATED TO

PROBLEMS THAT ARE ACTUALLY THERE OR DO YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S --

86

YOU KNOW, I KIND OF HEARD THAT MAYBE IT'S JUST THEIR

IMPRESSION OF HOW THINGS WERE HANDLED, YOU KNOW.

HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND TO THESE LETTERS?

>>IAN HALLETT: SO THE DISEASE ISSUE, I CONCUR WITH THEM.

I MEAN, THEY'RE CORRECT.

AGAIN, I COME BACK TO THAT HISTORICALLY WE'VE USED

EUTHANASIA TO KEEP DISEASE IN CHECK, BUT WHEN I HAVE A BUNCH

OF ANIMALS -- MORE ANIMALS THAN NORMAL ON STRAY HOLDS AND A

LOT MORE ANIMALS AS ADOPTION HOLDS, IT'S NOT AN OPTION FOR

ME, SO WE'VE ALL BEEN GOING THROUGH A LEARNING CURVE ON HOW

TO OPERATE IN AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE MORE DESERVING ANIMALS GO

HOME.

WITH RESPECT TO AGGRESSION, AGAIN, I -- THERE'S DIFFERING

PERSPECTIVES.

YOU CAN EVEN SEE IN ASILOMAR ON WHAT CONSTITUTES AGGRESSION.

IT'S VAGUE.

AGGRESSION COULD ALSO BE MANAGED THROUGH PROPER PLACEMENT.

WE HAVE PLACED AGGRESSIVE ANIMALS PRIOR TO MY -- OR WHEN I

SAY "AGGRESSIVE" -- I DON'T EVEN LIKE THAT TERM BECAUSE IT

MEANS SOMETHING TO EVERYBODY.

WE HAVE PLACED ANIMALS WHO HAVE BITTEN OTHER PEOPLE OR OTHER

ANIMALS PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL, AND I THINK THAT SPEAKS -- I

THINK THAT'S NOTEWORTHY OF HCAS BECAUSE IT'S VERY EASY TO

JUST SAY IT'S BIT SOMEBODY, OFF WITH THEIR HEAD, YOU KNOW,

AND IT'S NICE AND EASY TO HAVE A BLACK-AND-WHITE RULE LIKE

THAT, AND IT TAKES A LOT OF CHARACTER FROM STAFF TO -- TO

TAKE ANIMALS AS AN INDIVIDUAL CASE.

AND THEN TO -- SPEAKING TO THE PERSONNEL PROBLEMS, AS AN

87

EMPLOYER, THERE'S NOT A LOT I CAN SAY BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE

THIS PERSON'S PERMISSION TO TALK ABOUT THINGS.

I DON'T AGREE WITH THE -- I DON'T AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS

THAT WERE MADE IN THAT LETTER, BUT AS AN EMPLOYER, I'M NOT

AT LIBERTY TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT MY -- MY PERSPECTIVE

OF THAT EMPLOYEE AND OUR RELATIONSHIP.

>>TIMOTHY GOLDEN: OKAY.

SO WITH REGARD TO DISEASE, THE LETTERS ARE CORRECT?

>>IAN HALLETT: YEAH.

>>TIMOTHY GOLDEN: WITH REGARD TO AGGRESSION, IT'S SORT OF A

GRAY AREA IN TERMS OF DEFINITION OF "AGGRESSION," AND IN

TERMS OF PERSONNEL, EXCLUDING THE VOLUNTEERS, YOU'RE NOT AT

LIBERTY TO SPEAK ON IT, AND AS FAR AS THE VOLUNTEERS GO,

IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON?

>>IAN HALLETT: CORRECT.

>>TIMOTHY GOLDEN: BECAUSE MY -- MY COMMISSIONER WAS --

STATED TO ME EXPLICITLY, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE RECENT POLICY

CHANGES THAT ARE CAUSING THESE PROBLEMS TO PRESENT

THEMSELVES, AND I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO BRING HIM AN ANSWER.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: TIM, IF YOU'LL GET IN YOUR CLOSING

COMMENTS, PLEASE.

>>TIMOTHY GOLDEN: THE FIRST PEOPLE GOT TO TALK WAY LONGER

THAN THIS.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: ACTUALLY, WE'RE AT NINE AND A HALF

MINUTES.

I'VE BEEN TIMING EVERYBODY.

THE AVERAGE IS SEVEN AND A HALF.

SORRY.

88

>>TIMOTHY GOLDEN: YOU WAIT --

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: I KNOW.

>>TIMOTHY GOLDEN: -- YOU WAIT UNTIL --

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: I KNOW.

>>TIMOTHY GOLDEN: -- NEXT YEAR WHEN --

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: TIME AWAY.

>> HE RUNS A TIGHT MEETING.

>> [INAUDIBLE] UNDER THE TABLE, SO --

>>TIMOTHY GOLDEN: OKAY.

LET ME GET THE BIG ONE THEN.

JACK MADE A GREAT POINT ABOUT THE VOUCHERS, AND, YOU KNOW,

YOU DELINEATED, OKAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, 150 DAYS, IT'S ALMOST

HALF A YEAR, WE COULD RUN OUT OF FUNDS.

I SEEM TO REMEMBER THE COMMISSIONERS TELLING US IN GENERAL

TERMS WE'D HAVE AS MUCH MONEY FOR VOUCHERS AS WE NEEDED, AT

LEAST WHEN WE WERE ASKING FOR MONEY FOR 7,000, 8,000

VOUCHERS AND WHAT IF WE RUN OUT.

THEY SAID THEY WOULD FIND MORE MONEY SOMEWHERE.

THEY DIDN'T SAY IT WOULD DEPEND ON HOW -- WHAT PART OF THE

YEAR THE -- THE VOUCHERS CAME IN AS TO HOW THEY WOULD GET

PAID.

YOU KNOW, MY CONCERN IS -- AND I'LL SUPPORT JACK ON THIS.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 150 DAYS.

WELL, IT USED TO BE 180 DAYS, IT USED TO BE 90 AND 90, OKAY.

THE 90 DAYS IS STILL ON THE VETERINARIANS, OKAY, BUT TO ME

DOUBLING THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT JOHN Q. PUBLIC HAS TO FIND

A RIDE TO USE THE VOUCHER THAT WE'VE GOT WAY MORE INTO THAN

THE VOUCHER IS WORTH IN TERMS OF GETTING IT INTO THEIR

89

HANDS, GETTING IT USED, GETTING IT TO TAKE CARE OF THE

PROBLEM, I THINK THAT 30 DAYS -- GOING FROM 120 TO 150 WHEN

IT USED TO BE 180, I THINK WE'RE -- WE'RE, YOU KNOW, A

DIME'S HOLDING UP A DOLLAR, AND I -- AND I WOULD STRONGLY

SUGGEST GOING BACK TO THE 60 DAYS, AND MR. MERRILL, WHOEVER

IS IN CHARGE OF -- OF FINANCE, LET THEM KNOW THAT THAT'S

JUST GOING TO BE THE WAY IT IS.

WE -- WE CAN'T PROMISE THAT THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON -- ON

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE WHO HAVE A NEED FOR A SERVICE WE'RE ASKING

THEM TO DO, NOT MANDATING, WE'RE JUST ASKING THEM TO DO THE

RIGHT THING AND WE'RE HELPING THEM DO IT, BUT TO TELL THEM

THEY ONLY HAVE 30 DAYS TO DO IT WHEN SOME OF THEM MAY HAVE

TROUBLE COMING UP WITH THE $10 COPAYMENT IN 30 DAYS LET

ALONE A RIDE OR WHATEVER, I THINK THAT'S A PRIORITY, I THINK

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD GO TO THE -- THE BOCC IF IT

TAKES THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WILL GET PAID BUT

THAT THEY HAVE TIME TO DO IT.

THANK YOU, MIKE.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: THANK YOU, TIM.

LISA, YOU HAVEN'T SPOKEN YET.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS?

>>LISA WALKER: YEAH, SOMETHING VERY QUICK.

>> KEEP IT UNDER TEN MINUTES.

>>LISA WALKER: I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO START THIS.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>>LISA WALKER: I THINK WE'VE GOT A MESS.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY.

WE'VE GOT A MESS.

90

THERE WAS A -- A GREAT FOUNDATION.

I MEAN, THIS SHELTER WAS THE BEST IN THE STATE AND PROBABLY

BETTER IN A LOT OF OTHER AREAS.

THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME PHILOSOPHICAL DIFFERENCES WITH THE

PREVIOUS LEADERSHIP THAT I MAY HAVE SHARED, BUT A LOT OF

GREAT THINGS WAS HAPPENING AT THE SHELTER, AND

UNFORTUNATELY, IAN -- AND I THINK YOU'RE A NICE PERSON, BUT,

UNFORTUNATELY, IN 53 WEEKS IT'S FALLEN APART.

IT HAS JUST ABSOLUTELY FALLEN APART.

PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT HAVE BEEN DOWN THERE EVERY SUNDAY,

EVERY WEDNESDAY DOING THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO DO,

THEY'D RATHER TAKE A SHARP STICK IN THE EYE THAN GO BACK

RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S A SHAME.

I THINK WE NEED TO GET BACK TO THE ANIMALS AND QUIT WORRYING

ABOUT AGENDAS AND QUIT WORRYING ABOUT NUMBERS AND JUST GET

BACK TO THE BASICS HERE AND START -- START DOING THE THINGS

THAT WE NEED TO BE DOING.

I'M PROBABLY GOING TO GET THROWN OFF THIS BOARD BY MY

COMMISSIONER TONIGHT, BUT I'M ALSO GOING TO SAY THIS.

I HOLD THE COMMISSIONERS AND MIKE MERRILL RESPONSIBLE FOR A

LOT OF THIS.

I THINK THAT THERE WAS A CLEAR AGENDA THAT WAS SLID IN LAST

YEAR, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT AT MEETINGS.

IT WAS NEVER FULLY ADDRESSED.

THEY WANTED TO SWEEP IT UNDER THE RUG.

YOU'VE GOT CAUGHTEN IN THE MIDDLE OF IT, AND THE ANIMALS

HAVE SUFFERED --

>> [INAUDIBLE]

91

>>LISA WALKER: -- AND EVERYBODY UP HERE IS DONATING THEIR

TIME AND THEIR EXPERTISE FOR NOTHING.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>>LISA WALKER: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, AND IT'S NOT RIGHT.

IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT.

AND TO FURTHERMORE SAY, I DON'T CARE IF I'M SITTING BEHIND

THIS TABLE, THIS CABINET, OR IF I'M SITTING OUT THERE IN

THAT AUDIENCE, I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE UP ON OUR ANIMALS, I'M

NOT GOING TO GIVE UP ON WHAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO WITH

OUR ANIMALS.

I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY WANT TO BE A PART OF THE POSITIVE

THINGS THAT HAPPENS AT ANIMAL SERVICES, BUT, IAN, RIGHT NOW

NOTHING POSITIVE'S HAPPENING.

[APPLAUSE]

I'M DONE.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: WOW.

JEN, YOU HAD A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS, AND THEN I'LL TAKE A

SHOT AT THIS.

>>JENNIFER FADAL: SURE.

LISA DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB PRETTY MUCH SUMMING UP WHAT I

MAY HAVE SAID.

I JUST HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION ABOUT PUBLIC RELATIONS AND

MARTI RYAN.

IS MARTI STILL THE PUBLIC RELATIONS PERSON FOR ANIMAL

SERVICES?

>>IAN HALLETT: SHE SERVES ON A TEAM THAT SERVES ALL OF THE

COUNTY, SO SHE ALSO DOES OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.

>>JENNIFER FADAL: SO THERE'S NOT A DEDICATED PR OR

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MARKETING PERSON FOR ANIMAL SERVICES?

>>IAN HALLETT: CORRECT.

IT'S THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM SERVICING US.

>> WHO MADE THAT DECISION?

>>IAN HALLETT: I MADE THAT DECISION.

>> IT WAS A POOR ONE.

>>JENNIFER FADAL: YEAH, CAN WE GET MAYBE SOME EXPLANATION

AS TO WHY YOU THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD DECISION?

>>IAN HALLETT: SURE.

THE TEAM -- SO A WHILE BACK THEY CONSOLIDATED ALL OF THE,

YOU KNOW, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICERS DOWNTOWN AND ANIMAL

SERVICES KEPT THEIRS.

IN THE PROCESS OF -- OF WORKING ON PROJECTS -- IN THE

PROCESS OF WORKING ON PROJECTS, I WAS INVOLVED WITH

DOWNTOWN, AND I GOT IDEAS FROM PEOPLE WHO HAD A VARIETY OF

EXPERIENCES, INCLUDING PRIVATE MARKETING, SOCIAL MEDIA,

THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES, AND SO -- YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, A

SMALL EXAMPLE, WHEN I WANTED TO -- WHEN I NEEDED TO CHANGE

THE HOURS ON THE FRONT DOOR, YOU KNOW, MARTI AND I WERE

LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE JUST NEED TO SCRAPE THEM OFF WITH A

RAZOR BLADE AND GET SOME MORE FROM HOME DEPOT AND PUT THEM

ON THERE, AND AS WE WERE TRYING TO WORK ON THE SIGNAGE

AROUND THERE, MARKETING CAME THERE THROUGH AND SAID, WHY

DON'T WE DO IMPRINTS ON YOUR WINDOWS, YOU KNOW, LIKE THEY DO

ON BUSES AND MAKE IT ALL THE MORE APPEALING, SO WHAT I

STARTED TO SEE WAS THAT IN THAT TEAM APPROACH THAT THERE WAS

A LOT TO BE GAINED, YOU KNOW, FROM THAT ENTIRE TEAM AND

THEIR EXPERTISE.

93

>>JENNIFER FADAL: WELL, THE UNFORTUNATE THING IS OUT OF ALL

THE DEPARTMENTS IN THE COUNTY, ANIMAL SERVICES NEEDS PR THE

MOST IF YOU WANT TO GET THESE ANIMALS OUT OF THERE AND IN A

WELL, HEALTHY, IN A TIMELY FASHION, SO THAT'S THE FIRST

CHANGE I WOULD MAKE IS GETTING A MARTI OR SOMEONE BACK IN

THE BUILDING DOING PR EVERY SINGLE DAY, SOMEBODY THAT CAN

GET -- CALL ALL THE NEWS STATIONS AND BRING THE ANIMAL ON TV

LIKE SHE DOES OR DID SO OFTEN.

SO THAT WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTING WHEN I FOUND OUT, SO -- I

DON'T KNOW, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE THAT AS A POSSIBLE

CHANGE GOING FORWARD.

AND THE LAST THING I'D LIKE TO SAY IS THAT I KNOW YOU'RE

VERY FOCUSED ON SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE, AND ALL OF THAT, I'M

SURE, IS GOING TO MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE, BUT PLEASE DON'T

LOSE SIGHT OF WHAT HUMAN EXPERIENCE AND WHAT PEOPLE THAT

HAVE INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY CAN DO FOR YOU AND HOW THEY CAN

HELP AND HOW THEY CAN MAKE ANIMAL SERVICES BETTER THAN IT

WAS BEFORE BECAUSE IT WAS ALREADY OUTSTANDING, BUT BETTER

THAN IT WAS BEFORE, BECAUSE I THINK SO MANY TIMES AS AN

ORGANIZATION WE GET CAUGHT UP IN WHAT TECHNICAL --

TECHNOLOGY CAN DO FOR US AND HOW THAT CAN MAKE THINGS FASTER

AND BETTER AND SMARTER, BUT WE'RE LOSING THE WHOLE HUMAN

EXPERIENCE, AND YOU'VE GOT SUCH GREAT FOLKS THAT IF YOU

OPENED YOUR DOOR MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE AND TOOK SOME MORE

TIME AND SAID, HEY, WHAT COULD I LEARN FROM YOU, I THINK

THAT WOULD -- THAT PROBABLY WOULD TAKE YOU A LITTLE BIT

FURTHER.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE ALREADY DONE THAT, BUT MAYBE A LITTLE

94

BIT FURTHER, BUT THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: THANK YOU, JEN.

KATIE, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU 15 SECONDS.

>>KATIE THOMPSON: I'M JUST GOING TO GO -- AND HE MEANS IT

TOO.

I'M GOING TO KIND OF GO ALONG WITH WHAT SHE SAID.

I KNOW THAT YOU FEEL THAT YOUR EXPERIENCE IS EQUIVALENT AND

YOU'VE SAID THAT, AND I WOULD VERY GENTLY, PROFESSIONALLY

SUGGEST THAT ACTUALLY IT'S REALLY NOT IN SOME AREAS.

I AM NOT AN I.T. PERSON, I'M A COMPLETE IDIOT WHEN IT COMES

TO A COMPUTER, SO I HAVE HIRED PEOPLE TO HELP ME WITH

COMPUTERS.

YOUR VETERINARIANS ARE PROVIDING YOU WITH UNIQUE MEDICAL

EXPERIENCE THAT YOU REALLY DO NEED TO BE LISTENING TO.

THEY WENT TO SCHOOL FOR EIGHT YEARS, SOMETIMES UP TO 12

YEARS FOR A REASON, AND THEY'RE GIVING YOU -- MIKE, GIVE ME

JUST A SECOND -- THEY'RE GIVING YOU -- THEY'RE GIVING YOU

GOOD INFORMATION, AND AS SHE SAID, I THINK IT WOULD REALLY

HELP MORALE AND I THINK IT WOULD REALLY HELP YOU IF YOU WERE

A LITTLE BIT MORE OPEN TO ACCEPTING THAT PERHAPS SOMETIMES

PEOPLE MAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPERIENCE THAN YOU AND

THE SUGGESTIONS THAT THEY'RE MAKING YOU MAY DISAGREE WITH,

BUT IT MAY BE -- MIGHT BE A BETTER IDEA.

THAT'S ALL.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: THANK YOU, DR. THOMPSON.

TIM, I'M GOING TO GIVE UP THE GAVEL TO YOU.

YOU CAN GET YOUR TIMER READY TO GET STARTED.

I'M GOING TO TAKE A SHOT AT THIS.

95

I WILL TRY TO BE UNDER TEN MINUTES, PROBABLY HOPEFULLY

SIGNIFICANTLY.

IAN, YOU'VE BEEN ON THE JOB FOR 53 WEEKS.

I THINK LISA MADE SOME VERY BLUNT BUT UNFORTUNATELY VERY

PAINFULLY TRUE COMMENTS.

WHEN I READ THROUGH THE TWO LETTERS FROM THE VETERINARIANS

AS WELL AS LISTENING TO THE VOLUNTEERS, IT SEEMS VERY CLEAR

TO ME THAT THERE'S A DISCONNECT BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR PEOPLE.

I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH JEN WHEN SHE SAYS YOUR ORGANIZATION

IS NOT DRIVEN ON CAGES, IT'S NOT DRIVEN ON MECHANISMS, IT'S

DRIVEN ON YOUR PEOPLE.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE DISCONNECT HAS OCCURRED, BUT I FULLY

BACK HER THOUGHTS ON THAT IN THAT YOU HAVE LOST SOME GREAT

INSTITUTIONALIZED KNOWLEDGE, YOU LOST 13 YEARS WITH

DR. ROESE, AND DR. FERGUSON WAS ONLY IN THERE FOR FIVE

MONTHS, SHE WAS PART OF THE NEW SYSTEM, SO TO HAVE TWO

LETTERS AS THIS COME OUT FROM PROFESSIONALS WHO WERE NOT

TERMINATED BUT RESIGNED AND MOVED ON, I JUST FIND IT VERY

DISTURBING.

THE VOLUNTEER GROUP OUT THERE OBVIOUSLY HAS MADE SOME

STATEMENTS TONIGHT.

IT SEEMS LIKE THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING DONE TO ADDRESS

THAT.

I AGREE WITH JACK'S IDEA OF GETTING SOME PEOPLE IN THERE.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE SOME OTHER COMMENTS ON SOME THINGS THAT YOU

SAID, AND THEN I'D ALSO LIKE TO MAKE SOME SUGGESTIONS ON

SOME THINGS THAT MAYBE WE CAN DO TO CHANGE IT BECAUSE WHAT

I'VE COME TO EXPERIENCE IN GOVERNMENT IS PEOPLE SAY THINGS

96

AND THEN THEY DON'T COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS, AND I'D LIKE TO

OFFER YOU SOME SOLUTIONS.

ONE THING, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THE PEOPLE ISSUE, IN

DR. ROESE'S LETTER, SHE MADE A COMMENT THAT THERE WAS NO

REASON TO TRY TO BUILD UP A TEAM FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS AND

THAT HE COULD NOT TRUST ANY EMPLOYEES THAT HE DID NOT HIRE,

DID YOU MAKE THAT COMMENT OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT?

>>IAN HALLETT: I DID NOT.

AGAIN, I DISAGREE WITH THE FACTS THAT ARE IN THERE.

I SAID THAT THE FIRST TWO YEARS IS GOING TO BE REALLY

DIFFICULT AND IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO BUILD A TEAM DURING

THE FIRST TWO YEARS, AND SO, NO, THAT IS NOT ACCURATE.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: OKAY.

THANK YOU.

MOVING ON, AS FAR AS THE DISEASE ISSUES ARE CONCERNED, THERE

WERE SOME COMMENTS THAT YOU MADE EARLIER.

YOU SAID, WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO HOUSE ANIMALS AT ANIMAL

SERVICES.

I'M REALLY CONFUSED BY THAT STATEMENT BECAUSE PRIOR, YOU

KNOW, TO THE LAST TWO YEARS, YOU MADE SOME COMMENTS THAT,

HEY, WE HAVE SOME INTAKE PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SOME

ANIMALS COMING IN FROM SEIZURES, MAYBE THOSE ANIMALS ARE

TAKING UP CAGE SPACE.

I KNOW IN THE PAST THERE WAS ONE SEIZURE WHERE THEY HAD

SEVERAL HUNDRED ANIMALS THAT TOOK UP ONE ENTIRE BUILDING,

AND SO THIS IS NOT A NEW PHENOMENON, IT'S NOT SOMETHING --

I JUST -- I GET WRAPPED UP IN THE SEIZURE THING, AND THE

PUBLIC SAFETY THING TO ME ARE THE SAME EVENT, AND I'M VERY

97

CONCERNED ABOUT IT WHEN YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, IF AN ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL CALLS YOU UP AND SAYS, WE'RE REALLY HAVING PROBLEMS

WITH THE CATS AND YOU TELL THEM, I CAN'T HELP YOU BECAUSE IN

2009 WE STOPPED HELPING SCHOOLS, I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT --

HOW THAT REALLY GIVES ACROSS A TAKE OF -- YOU KNOW, I

BELIEVE THERE'S THIS PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECT TO THIS, AND I'M

NOT QUITE SURE YOUR TAKE ON THAT.

YOU'RE THE DIRECTOR.

YOU CAN CHANGE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE 2009.

YOU CAN CHANGE LOTS OF THINGS.

YOU HAVE THAT POWER, I BELIEVE.

AND AFTER 53 WEEKS, I THINK THE HONEYMOON PERIOD MAYBE IS

COMING TO AN END.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I HEAR YOU SAY THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TWO

YEARS OR 16 MONTHS ADDITIONAL TO GET TO THE PROMISED LAND,

AT THE RATE WE'RE GOING, I DON'T KNOW WE'LL MAKE 16 MONTHS.

I'M, YOU KNOW, JUST VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT.

WITH THE DISEASE ISSUES, AGAIN, YOU HAVE SHELTER MEDICINE

GUIDELINES THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY THE UNIVERSITY OF

FLORIDA, BY A LOT OF THE UNIVERSITIES, THEY'RE OUT THERE.

THIS -- I'VE BEEN GETTING REPORTS AND I'VE HAD PICTURES OF

FOUR ANIMALS IN A CAGE.

THESE ANIMALS ALL CAME IN AT DIFFERENT TIMES, THEY WERE NOT

A SEIZURE, AND AS FAR AS HANDLING DISEASE, YOU KNOW, GIVING

A VACCINE WHEN AN ANIMAL COMES IN THE DOOR -- HOW LONG DO

YOU THINK IT TAKES BEFORE YOU GIVE A VACCINE AND THEY

ACTUALLY GET PROTECTED FROM THE DISEASE?

DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF THAT?

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>>IAN HALLETT: THEY RANGE, BUT I KNOW THEY -- LIKE, 24

HOURS IS, LIKE, THE EARLIEST ON SOME OF THE VACCINES AND

SOME TAKE SEVERAL DAYS --

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: ALMOST IMPOSSIBLY EARLY.

IT'S WEEKS -- YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT TAKE WEEKS, AND THE PROBLEM

WITH GIVING A VACCINE, ALTHOUGH THE INTENT IS VERY GOOD,

THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A DIP IN VACCINE PROTECTION BECAUSE THEIR

BODY IS CURRENTLY DEALING WITH THE VACCINE, SO THEY'RE

ACTUALLY MORE AT RISK.

IF YOU WERE TO VACCINATE THEM WITH AN INTRANASAL BORDETELLA,

THEN YOU PUT THAT ANIMAL INTO THE SHELTER, THAT ANIMAL CAN

NOW SPREAD THAT ATTENUATED FORM OF BORDETELLA SO THAT ALL

THE ANIMALS AROUND IT HAVE IT, SO WHEN I HEAR COMMENTS THAT

WE'RE --

>>IAN HALLETT: THAT'S A PART OF THE SHELTERING GUIDELINES

IS TO VACCINATE ON INTAKE.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: IT COULD BE, BUT MY CONCERNS ARE THERE'S

PROBABLY SOME THINGS IN THERE WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR NEW

VETERINARIANS COME IN AND WHEN YOU CONSULT WITH UF, THAT YOU

MIGHT WANT TO LOOK INTO THIS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT AN

EXPERT IN SHELTER MEDICINE.

I'D LIKE TO THINK I'M AN EXPERT IN VETERINARY MEDICINE,

WHICH SOMEHOW APPLIES TO THIS, BUT IT JUST VERY MUCH

CONCERNS ME.

THE VOLUNTEERS WENT ON ABOUT A COLLAPSE IN PROGRAMS, A LOT

OF DIFFERENT THINGS WHERE THE VOLUNTEER GROUPS WERE -- IT

DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THEY'RE BEING HEARD, SOUNDS LIKE SOME OF

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THE RESCUE GROUPS ARE HAVING SOME PROGRAMS SHUT DOWN.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS ADOPTING KITTENS OUT, HEY, THEY'RE TOO

YOUNG, THEY'RE TOO SICK TO BE STERILIZED, WE'LL LET THEM GO.

ARE YOU SURE YOU HAVE 100% COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE ANIMALS

COMING BACK?

I KNOW IN THE PAST IS THERE -- THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE A

DEPOSIT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON THOSE ANIMALS SO THAT THEY

COME BACK IN.

ARE YOU TAKING A DEPOSIT?

>>IAN HALLETT: THE WAY THE SYSTEM WAS CREATED IS THEY'RE

STILL ACTUALLY OWNED BY THE SHELTER, SO -- MUCH LIKE A

TRANSITION ANIMAL, SO IT'S LIVING IN THE HOME, AND -- BUT

IT'S STILL UNDER -- TECHNICALLY UNDER HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

ANIMAL SERVICES' POSSESSION.

THAT'S HOW THE TRANSITION PROGRAM WORKS AND THAT'S HOW THIS

PROGRAM WORKED PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: AND YOU'RE SURE THERE'S 100% COMPLIANCE

IN THOSE ANIMALS COMING BACK IN?

>>IAN HALLETT: I CAN ASK TO HAVE REPORTS RUN ON THAT,

AND -- BUT IN THIS AMOUNT OF TIME WHEN THE QUESTION CAME UP,

YOU KNOW, MY FIRST -- MY FIRST RESPONSE WAS TO REACH OUT TO

THAT MEMBER OF THE STAFF WHO'S BEEN A TRUSTED MEMBER OF THE

STAFF FOR MANY YEARS.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: HOW DOES THIS NOT COME IN CONFLICT

WITH -- THERE'S A FLORIDA STATUTE, 823.15, THAT SAYS THAT

SHELTER ANIMAL AGENCY -- ANIMAL CONTROL AGENCIES SHALL

REQUIRE SUFFICIENT DEPOSIT FROM THE ADOPTER OR PURCHASER.

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HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO GET AROUND THAT STATUTE BY NOT TAKING A

DEPOSIT ON THESE ANIMALS THAT LEAVE THE SHELTER?

>>IAN HALLETT: AGAIN, BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL TECHNICALLY

UNDER THE POSSESSION OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES.

HONESTLY, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE SHELTER I CAME FROM, WE

DIDN'T ALLOW THAT.

IT HAD TO BE WITHIN OUR OWN FOSTER VOLUNTEERS.

WHEN I ARRIVED HERE, THAT OCCURRED TO ME AND THE STAFF,

WE'RE LIKE, THIS IS HOW WE DO IT, AND HONESTLY, THERE ARE A

LOT OF THINGS THAT WE STILL DO AT HCAS THAT I'VE DONE

STRICTLY BECAUSE STAFF ARE LIKE, WE DO THIS AND IT WORKS,

SO -- AND THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: OKAY.

I WANT TO MAKE THE -- THE PROMISED COMMENTS BEFORE TIM CUTS

ME OFF HERE AS FAR AS THINGS THAT I THINK MIGHT DO TO MAKE

IT BETTER.

BOTH OF THE -- THANK YOU, KATIE.

BOTH OF THE VETERINARIANS CALL FOR AN OUTSIDE REVIEW BY

SHELTER MEDICINE VETS OR BY, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY TO COME IN

AND HAVE A LOOK AT THIS DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE UPPER-LEVEL

MANAGEMENT AND WHAT'S GOING ON WHERE THE BOOTS ARE IN THE

MUD.

I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THAT.

I DO THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE OUR COMMITTEE.

I ACTUALLY ASK YOU NOT TO MAKE IT OUR COMMITTEE --

>> PLEASE.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: -- AND GET SOMEBODY ELSE.

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>> IT NEEDS TO BE AN OUTSIDE --

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: THE OTHER THING IS WHEN I WAS IN VET

SCHOOL WE USED TO DO SOMETHING CALLED MORTALITY AND

MORBIDITY ROUNDS, AND WHAT THAT WAS IS IF AN ANIMAL DIED FOR

WHATEVER REASON, THERE WOULD BE DISCUSSION ABOUT IT, THERE

WOULD BE REPORTS.

I KNOW WHEN I WENT THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE REPORTS, THERE'S,

YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS TO ANIMALS AND THEN THERE'S THE

NEFARIOUS TOPIC OF "OTHER."

SO IF ANIMALS COME INTO THE SHELTER AND THEY DIE BECAUSE OF

PARVO VIRUS OR THEY DIE BECAUSE OF UPPER RESPIRATORY OR THEY

DIE BECAUSE THEY GOT ACROSS THE STREET AND GOT RUN OVER OR

WHATEVER, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN GET A REPORT FROM THAT,

AND ACTUALLY, SPECIFICALLY, I'D LIKE TO ASK IT COME FROM ONE

OF THE VETERINARIANS, BECAUSE I THINK THE PEOPLE THAT WOULD

BE ABLE TO BEST PRESENT THAT INFORMATION WOULD BE THE ONES

THAT ARE -- SHOULD BE THE ONES MONITORING IT, WHICH WOULD BE

THE VETS.

DO YOU HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ON THAT?

>>IAN HALLETT: YES.

WE -- WHEN WE'RE BACK TO FULL STAFFING WITH THE VETS, WE'LL

HAVE DAILY ROUNDS ON ALL OF THE ANIMALS, INCLUDING ANY

INVESTIGATION OF ANY OF THE ONES THAT HAVE PASSED AWAY.

MIKE CAN PULL THE CASES FOR YOU OF THOSE.

WE DO TRACK THOSE.

THEY'RE "DIED IN KENNEL" AND THEY'RE OUTCOMED AS SUCH, SO WE

HAVE RECORD OF ALL THOSE AS WELL.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: but IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD

102

GENERATE AS PART OF THE REPORT THAT YOU GIVE OUT EACH MONTH

TO US?

>>IAN HALLETT: THEY'RE CURRENTLY UNDER "OTHER," LUMPED

TOGETHER WITH MISSING AND -- WHAT ELSE IS THE OTHER ONE? --

DOA.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: BECAUSE MY INTENT WITH IT IS --

>>IAN HALLETT: WE CAN PART THOSE --

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: IF YOU GET --

>>IAN HALLETT: -- OUT FOR YOU.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: -- IF YOU GET THE DISEASE PROCESS UNDER

CONTROL OR YOU GET, YOU KNOW, THE SYSTEM WHERE IT'S AT THAT

PLACE YOU SAY IT'S GOING TO BE IN 16 MONTHS, IT SEEMS LIKE

THOSE NUMBERS WOULD GO AWAY OR GO DOWN OR DISAPPEAR OR DO

SOMETHING AND WE'D BE ABLE TO TRACK PROGRESS ON THE CONTROL

OF DISEASE.

THAT'S MY INTENT.

>>IAN HALLETT: SURE.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: I'M DONE.

DID I MAKE IT, TIM?

>>TIMOTHY GOLDEN: YES, YOU'RE UNDER NINE MINUTES, WHICH

MEANS YOU CAN GIVE ME ANOTHER MINUTE AND FIVE SECONDS.

RIGHT?

I'LL GIVE YOU THE --

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: DO WE -- BEFORE WE GET INVOLVED WITH

EXTRA TIME FOR EVERYBODY, ARE THERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT

WANT TO MAKE ANY BRIEF CLOSING COMMENTS?

NO.

SORRY, NOT FROM THE AUDIENCE.

103

JACK DOES AND TIM DOES.

CAN I GIVE YOU GUYS EACH A MINUTE TO MAKE CLOSING COMMENTS?

DOES ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO MAKE ANY CLOSING COMMENTS?

OKAY.

TIM.

>>TIMOTHY GOLDEN: I THINK IT'S -- IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT,

IAN, THAT -- YOU KNOW, THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF LEADERSHIP.

THERE'S LEADERSHIP FROM THE TOP DOWN AND THERE'S LEADERSHIP

FROM THE BOTTOM UP, AND I'VE BEEN ON A NUMBER OF

ORGANIZATIONS, AND I'VE ALWAYS FOUND THAT THINGS WORK

BETTER, WORK SMOOTHER WHEN -- WHEN THE GUYS DOWN THERE AT

THE BOTTOM WHERE THE -- YOU KNOW, WHERE THE MUD -- THE MUD

HITS THE BOOTS, AS MIKE WOULD SAY, IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

WHERE, YOU KNOW -- I MEAN, THE GUY AT THE TOP MAY HAVE THE

MOST AT RISK, BUT HE DOESN'T NECESSARILY -- HE OR SHE

DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.

THAT COMES FROM THE BOTTOM UP, AND WHEN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE

DOWN THERE ON THE GROUND DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE GIVING THEIR

INPUT OR HAVING THEIR INPUT HEARD, IT'S -- IT CAN BE A HUGE

PROBLEM.

THE SECOND THING IS, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE, YOU KNOW,

FROM SOMEBODY COMING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE THAT PUTTING MARTI

RYAN INTO A POOL MIGHT MAKE YOUR -- IT MIGHT MEAN THAT YOU

HAVE MORE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO ANIMAL SERVICES IN TERMS OF

COMMUNICATIONS; HOWEVER, KNOWING THIS PARTICULAR CASE AND

HAVING BEEN WITH HER FOR SO LONG, I CAN TELL YOU THAT MARTI

WAS MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE AND ABSOLUTELY EFFECTIVE WHEN SHE

WAS DEDICATED TO ANIMAL SERVICES BECAUSE WHEN SHE CALLED A

104

NEWSPAPER, WHEN SHE CALLED A TELEVISION STATION, SHE KNEW

WHO THEY WERE GETTING AND SHE WAS -- SHE MAY BE A ONE TRICK

PONY, BUT SHE WAS GOOD AT IT.

I'D LIKE YOU TO RETHINK THAT DECISION.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: JACK.

>>JACK TALMAN: TIM PRETTY MUCH COVERED THAT FOR ME.

>>TIMOTHY GOLDEN: SORRY, JACK.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: IS THAT THE CONCLUSION OF YOUR REPORT,

IAN?

>>IAN HALLETT: YES, SIR.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: ALL RIGHT.

GREAT.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO REPORT FROM CHAIR.

I DID ADD AN ADDITIONAL PIECE OF PAPER.

IT'S THE FY 14 RECOMMENDED BUDGET.

THERE'S A LINK ON THE TOP TO A PDF FILE THAT'S ABOUT, I

DON'T KNOW, 500 PAGES LONG.

I WASN'T GOING TO PRINT THAT OUT FOR YOU, BUT IT TRIED TO

EXTRACT FROM IT SOME OF THE CHANGES COMING FROM ANIMAL

SERVICES AS FAR AS THE ADDITIONAL MONIES THAT THEY WOULD BE

GETTING.

ONE THING THAT KIND OF GAVE US SOME CONCERN -- AND IAN, I'M

SO SORRY YOU JUST SAT DOWN, BUT WAS -- SHIFT PAY AND

OVERTIME PAY ARE REDUCED $84,000 BY NOT HAVING AS MANY

OFFICERS ON DUTY AND LIMITING THE SCOPE OF CALLS FOR

RESPONSE.

CAN YOU MAKE A COMMENT ON THAT.

105

>>IAN HALLETT: MIKE, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THIS ONE FOR ME.

I GET THE GIST OF IT, BUT IF YOU WANT MORE IN-DEPTH

QUESTIONS, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CALL MIKE UP HERE.

>>MICHAEL HONER: SO BASED ON MY RECOLLECTION, WHAT WE DID

IS SOMETIME BACK YOU MAY REMEMBER WE HAD CEASED OUR AFTER-

HOURS OPERATIONS.

IT'S KIND OF A INTERIM THING OR ACTUALLY JUST TO KIND OF

PULL BACK ON THAT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE

FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM, LIKE, SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THINGS LIKE

THAT.

WE DID REINSTITUTE ONE OFFICER AFTER HOURS.

WE KIND OF CHANGED THE WAY THEY WERE RESPONDING TO THOSE

CALLS, BUT A LARGE CHUNK OF THAT OVERTIME AND SHIFT PAY WAS

TO PAY FOR THOSE TWO OFFICERS, SO WE KIND OF DID THAT IN

THE -- IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERYTHING, SO THIS PULL-BACK WAS

JUST BASICALLY TO COMPENSATE FOR THAT ONE PERSON THAT WAS

NOW WORKING NIGHTS AND THE LOSS OF THE OTHER ONE.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: SO IT'S NOT REALLY A DECREASE IN THE

OFFICER COVERAGE, THE ACO COVERAGE?

>>MICHAEL HONER: THERE'S NO CHANGE IN THE SCOPE.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: WE'RE NOT STRETCHING THEM THINNER OR

ANYTHING LIKE THAT?

>>MICHAEL HONER: NO.

THERE'S NO CHANGE OF THE SCOPE OF OPERATIONS, THIS BASICALLY

JUST WAS MONEY THAT WAS SITTING THERE THAT WE DIDN'T

ANTICIPATE WAS GOING TO BE UTILIZED, AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT

WHAT WE HAD SPENT IN THE YEAR TO THAT POINT WHEN WE WERE

WORKING THOSE BUDGET NUMBERS, THAT'S HOW WE KIND OF WERE

106

ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WERE GOING TO BE SPENDING FOR

THAT YEAR, SO ...

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: OKAY.

THANK YOU.

AS FAR AS THE REST OF MY -- THANK YOU SO MUCH, IAN.

I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE.

I'M NOT GOING TO KEEP YOU UP THERE.

THE OTHER THINGS I JUST WANTED TO SAY IS I REALLY WANT TO

SAY, ONE, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME DR. ADRIANA ODACHOWSKI.

SHE WILL BE THE NEW VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION'S

REPRESENTATIVE.

DR. THOMPSON HAS JUST SHIFTED INTO COMMISSIONER

HIGGINBOTHAM'S SPOT, AND DR. KIM TYSON, WHO SPENT THE LAST

YEAR AND SOME CHANGE WITH US GOING THROUGH A LOT OF

DIFFERENT THINGS, WE APPRECIATE HER SERVICE, AND SO WE'LL

HAVE A -- A NEW DOCTOR WITH US, AND I JUST WANTED TO WELCOME

HER AND THANK KIM TYSON FOR HER SERVICE.

HAVING SAID ALL THAT, I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN A VERY LONG YEAR

ALREADY.

AFTER THE TETHERING TWO YEARS AGO, I THOUGHT, GOSH, IT CAN'T

GO ANYWHERE BUT, YOU KNOW, GET BETTER, AND SO HAVING SAID

ALL THAT, I DO THINK THAT EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE A LOT OF

CONCERNS BROUGHT OUT TONIGHT, HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE SOME

GOOD THAT WILL COME OUT OF THIS FOR ANIMAL SERVICES, FOR THE

HARDWORKING VOLUNTEERS, FOR THE HARDWORKING STAFF OUT THERE,

AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE ANIMALS, AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK

YOU GUYS' PATIENCE.

I'M SORRY I KEPT YOU HERE SO LATE.

107

I THINK THIS WAS IMPORTANT TO SPEND THE TIME.

AND THAT'S THE END OF MY REPORT FOR CHAIR.

AS FAR AS NEW BUSINESS AND SHELTER CONCERNS, I FEEL PRETTY

THOROUGHLY THAT WE COVERED THAT WITH THE REPORT FROM ANIMAL

SERVICES.

ANY DISSENSION ON THAT?

SO WE'LL STRIKE THAT ITEM AND WE'LL MOVE INTO ADJOURNMENT IF

ANYONE --

>> MOVE TO ADJOURN.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: MOVE TO ADJOURN.

>> SECOND.

>>MICHAEL HAWORTH: DO WE SECOND IT?

SECONDED.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

[CHORUS OF AYES]

ALL THOSE OPPOSED.

THANK YOU.

108