Transcript Animal Services Accomplishments Building the Foundation

Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• 2003 – Dr. Guidry meets with elected officials
and animal services ranked as number one
concern
• Dr. Guidry directs first ever animal summit
• March 30, 2004 - 100 attendees
– HD to discuss plans for improvement
– Community ideas and perspectives on short and
long term improvements
• Drafted a plan of action
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• Early 2004 - Management changes along with
operational changes
– Hours of operation - more customer friendly
– Open shelter to rescues, volunteers, fosters
• Dr. Dana Beckham agrees to be Veterinary
consultant
– Regulatory compliance
– Animal care
• DSHS conducts follow up inspection – March
violations corrected
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• Drafting of new Animal Services Interlocal
Agreement – effective in October 2005
• Animal Services Advisory Committee address
the need for low cost spay/neuter
• HD drafts list of priorities
– Shelter repairs
– Standard Operating Procedures
– Data Management system
– Training and Certification of staff
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• Group of concerned citizens form “Friends of
the Galveston County Animal Shelter”
• August 2004 – first ever “Adopt-a-Thon” held,
23 animals adopted
• Antiquated phone system replaced along with
the addition of computer cabling and the
installation of a computer network
• Animal Services staff attend San Leon Town
Hall meeting to listen to animal services issues
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• 2005 – Health District along with Animal Services
sponsors two 8-hour euthanasia courses for 62
participants
• Floor in kennel sealed as mandated by state audit
• Internal audits satisfactory, recommendations for
future improvements listed
• Galveston County Animal Services Advisory
Committee continues to meet in accordance with
Interlocal Agreement and state mandate
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• City of Texas City and HD sign MOU allowing jail
trustees to work off community time in shelter
• 2005 – 2,000 additional animals processed from
year prior. Adoption rate up 12% and euthanasia
rate down by 8%
• 2 - Additional full time animal care technicians
added to current staff.
• Animal Services along with Friends of the Shelter
participate in candlelight vigil at county shelter in
observance of National Homeless Animals Day
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• First animal shelter data management system
purchased
• Animal Control Officers begin nighttime and weekend
sweeps in response to San Leon/Bacliff residents
concerns.
• Animal Control Officers filing cases within city limits in
municipal courts at request of city partners
• Animal Summit held at Wayne Johnson Community
Center…information on accomplishments
presented…open up to public comment… spay/neuter
programs, disease testing, vaccinations, review fee
schedule some of the topics of discussion
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• 2006 – fifth Animal Control Officer added to
keep up with increased demand
• Shelter Improvements
– New kennel gates
– Suspended ceiling in kennel
– New flooring
– Security cameras
– Replacement of commercial freezer
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• 2006 Animal Statistics – intake increases by 82 animals over
year 2005 (8082), adoption increases to 38.2% while
euthanasia decreases roughly 10% (58% rate)
• Recommendations from Adoption Subcommittee
– $85 fee to include mandatory spay/neuter, rabies vaccination
and microchip
• Purchase of replacement vehicle
• 2007 – Animal Issues Committee formed to draft an
Animals in Disaster Plan – covers evacuation and post
disaster recovery
• 2007 sees another increase by 11% bringing the total intake
to 8,984 animals
• Adoption rate increases and Euthanasia decreases
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• New Animal Services Policy approved by
Board of Health
– Compliance with state requirements
– Mandatory sterilization of all adopted animals
– Unlimited number of animals if all sterilized
– Update to dangerous dog declarations
– Prohibition on new dangerous wild animals in
county
– Streamlined kennel registration
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• Shelter donations increase – PetSmart Grant
obtained for care of seized animals
• 2008 – animal intake demand decreased both
from citizens (17%) and from ACOs (28%).
Adoption rate decreased by 6.1 % (34.8%)
while euthanasia rates increased by 7.4%
(57.4%)
• Little storm known as Hurricane Ike hits Texas
Coast
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• Ike Response
– Animal Services activates Animal Disaster Plan
– Best Friends Animal Society, HSUS, PetSmart
arrive with supplies and volunteers
– Texas State Animal Resource Team arrives with
veterinarians
– Temporary shelters constructed
– Animals are rescued and sheltered
– Staff reunites 75 animals with their owners
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• Animal Shelter Stats: Hurricane Ike
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614 animals sheltered
272 transported by HSUS to Florida
87 to Dallas
45 to Nashville
25 to Richmond Hills
• Volunteer hours – 3600
• Donations
– $75,000 worth supplies from PetSmart
– $15,000 HSUS
– $2,000 Shelter Buddies to replace lost vacciantions
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• 2008 Additional Accomplishments
– Voters approve bonds for construction of new shelter
– Veterinary Technician position funded
– Vaccinations to be administered to all incoming
animals
– Contract executed with Carolina Biologicals for
purchase of cat cadavers
– Standard Operating Procedure improvements
including an isolation procedure due to distemper
outbreak
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• 2009 Very Exciting Year
– Planning and design work of new Animal Resource
Center begins…Architect introduced
– New source of funding
• Boot Kikkers Bingo Fund
• Used for the health and welfare of our shelter animals
– May 30, 2009 – Animal Summit
• Animal Resource Center plans introduced
• Discussion on future operations at new resource center
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• Staff reviews and selects Shelter Pro Animal
Data Management Software
– Tracks animals and people
– Better reports for our cities
– Financial monitoring
– Uploads to PetFinder
• March 2010 construction begins, estimated
completion date May 2011
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• Discussions begin on increases to operational
expenses realized at new Animal Resource
Center
– Staffing (requested 5 FTEs, received 2.5 FTEs)
– Utility cost increases
– Supplies and material
• HD Staff address these increased expenditures
with County Commissioner Court
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• Senior for Senior reduced adoption fee
($20.00) program approved by Board
• Animal Services Manager informs the Board of
Health of the various programs, duties, needs,
issues and goals of the Animal Services
Division
• ACOs providing city enforcement “sweeps” in
each member city and the county
• Shelter hit by lightning – loss of equipment
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• Animal Services participates in off-site
adoption event at Hearthstone Assisted Living
Center
• Construction continues at ARC, generator
from 1207 Oak Street Site will be relocated to
ARC
• 2011 - HD establishes an animal services
agreement with the Humane Society of the
United States to provide support in disasters
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• Members of Animal Services Advisory
Committee express concerns about “Backyard
Breeding”
• May 17th Commissioners Court Workshop on
animal resource center operational expenses
• May 31st training begins on new software –
Shelter Pro
• Jethro – Animal Resource Center mascot
attends several outreach functions
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• Animal Alliance donates $16,000 to increase
height of panels in stray kennels
• Work begins on new draft of the Animal
Services Interlocal Agreement
• Developed Striving to Treat Animals with
Respect or STARS Volunteer program to
support the animal resource center
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• November 28, 2011 – Grand Opening of
Galveston County Animal Resource Center
• Additional staffing
– Animal Care Technician Team Leader
– Animal Care Technician
– Part Time Clerk/Dispatcher
• January 2012 – Whiskerville Seizure
• Board approves special Whiskerville adoption
rate of $10
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• Animal Services Interlocal Agreement
completed
– Scope of Services
– Use of Census Data
– Clarification to funding formula
– Creation of surplus funds
– Appointment of Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary for
Animal Services Advisory Committee
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• Animal Intake and Quarantine Facility renovations
completed
• Quarantine Facility modifications – in compliance
with state mandates
• Animal Services Advisory Committee meets and
discusses allocation of surplus fund for FY 2013 –
crematorium into compliance
• Introduction of Animal Services Business
Manager
• New business model discussed
Animal Services Accomplishments
Building the Foundation
• Future accomplishments
– On line pet registration with on-line payments
– Pet crematorium
– Review of redemption procedures
– Replacement of vehicles
– Lap tops in ACO vehicles (donated)
– Volunteer recruitment
Animal Services
Areas for Improvement and Recommendations
Improvement Area
• Management Practices
– Active leadership
– Clear expectations/roles
– Management of personnel issues
• New hire and terminated employee procedures
• Proper handling of personnel issues (e.g. corrective action,
confidentiality)
– Timely and appropriate communication
– Understanding how decisions are made
Animal Services
Areas for Improvement and Recommendations
Recommendation
• Management Practices
– Provide adequate training to new manager
– Ensure expectations are clear and documented
– Schedule regular meetings or accessible means for
communication with Director and/or Executives to
ensure issues/concerns are addressed
– Work through the organization’s structure when
addressing concerns (e.g. board, advisory
committee, GCHD management)
Animal Services
Areas for Improvement and Recommendations
Improvement Area
• Controls/Accountability
– Consistent and accurate data input into ShelterPro System
• Accurate reporting and database
• Financial controls as related to money intake for charges
– Consistent and accurate documentation
• Written SOPs
• Controlled substances log
• Volunteers, rescue groups, fosters
– Tracking of Governmental Property
• Documentation of damaged property
• Chain of custody for assets
– Timely and effective ordering of inventory (supplies)
• Budget awareness
Animal Services
Areas for Improvement and Recommendations
Recommendation
• Controls/Accountability
– Written procedures
– Train staff
– Perform quality assurance checks/audits
• Business Manager
• Compliance Auditor
Animal Services
Areas for Improvement and Recommendations
Improvement Area
• Staffing
– Time management
– Approval of non-scheduled hours/following Comp Time Accrual
Limits
Recommendation
• Ensure staff is aware of time expectations in job duties,
monitor break times
• Provide proper staffing and ensure staff is following
procedures regarding non scheduled work hours
• Proper approval of work hours
Animal Services
Areas for Improvement and Recommendations
Improvement Area
• Customer Service
– Accessibility to make payments online
– Welcoming environment (for customers and staff)
Recommendations
• Implement online payment process
• Train staff on customer service (e.g. how to
greet customers, deal with conflicts)
Animal Services
Areas for Improvement and Recommendations
Improvement Area
• Marketing/Increase Awareness of ARC
– Educate community (cities, private vets, volunteers, rescue groups,
fosters)
– Awareness of animals available for adoption
– Website and social media
Recommendations
• Provide information to the community on regulations (e.g. pet
registration)
• Redesign ARC website (ARCpets.org) and utilize social media
• Promote adoptions through media sources and community
channels