R39 Animal Services ordinance amendments

1:54:54Good morning commissioners. Mike Schumate, Director of the General Services, R39.

1:54:59is uh introduction um of an ordinance amendment uh to the code of ordinance chapter 14 section 1427 definitions 1436 disposition of animals Fourteen. Forty two Dangerous Dogs Division to Animal Services Advisory Committee. Section fourteen seventy six, vaccination of dogs, cats, and ferrets against rabies. Section 14100, microchip required, section 14103,

1:55:30impoundment, section 14106. appeal of revocation, suspension or denial of a permit. Section 14108 prohibition. uh on the r retail sale of dogs, cats and rabbits, providing for applicability, providing for repealer, providing for severability. providing for inclusion into the code and providing an effective date. Um so the definition section that's going to be changed. Um we had an adoption-based business model

1:56:00still left in our ordinance. Um We did away with that at the last time the board visited the retail sale of rabbits. And we no longer had any retail pet stores in the county. The one that we had that we grandfathered in, the gentleman passed away, sold his business, um, or ended his business and his wife moved back to Canada. So we no longer needed that section. We just need to take that out of the definitions. We're also removing rescue tag. We

1:56:31no longer use rescue tags. The rescue organizations purchase their own tags for the dogs that they take from the county. Um and we also had uh retail establishment added to the pet store definition.

1:56:44folks that wanted to try to bypass that thinking that they could sell dogs, cats and rabbits in their businesses. Uh but we want to make sure they understood that Pet Store was meant retail store. Um and clearly defined harbor. Uh we've used it in the The um The ordinance quite a few times, but we never clearly defined it and all it really says the harbor is a person that owns, cares for um provides for um animals uh while

1:57:14they're in their care. Um The next section is uh 1436. Uh this said disposal of impounded animals and we're changing the title to disposition. In other words, we're not disposing of them. putting them somewhere else or giving them to somebody else. Did we want to just clarify that a little bit? Um But also um we don't talk about the hold times in uh subparagraph D Um Currently, if uh we find a traceable

1:57:45ID or we know the owner of an abandoned animal. Um We're bound to a ten day hold period. Um we'd like to drop that down to the uh six-day hold period or we go by hours, whether it's two forty hours for the ten days or one forty-four for six days. Uh chances are if we know the owner, we don't have to wait that long to get in contact with them and make arrangements with them to get their animal out of the shelter as quickly as possible. And that's what we want to do is

1:58:15keep the flow of animals moving in and out of the shelter. And so we can we can do that. And if we do contact them and they have truly abandoned the animal and are not coming back for it, then we can get them to sign it over to us and we can adopt it out. So Um Section fourteen forty two dangerous dog section. Yes, sir. So let me just

1:58:36go back to that Mike.

1:58:37Okay.

1:58:37If you if you let's say you have a person like we had a few years back, some lady that She had issues health wise, she couldn't take care of the dog and we had our limits to hold on the pet. Do we have the flex do you have the flexibility to hold on to it longer if you know something

1:58:51Oh yes

1:58:52or you feel something's gonna happen?

1:58:53Yes. And even in those situations where people have abandoned for some reason uh w what we call involuntary abandonment sometimes when people die. And there's no next of kin that can make it down soon. We know who the owners are gonna be. We contact 'em. We can hold on to their dogs as long as we know they're coming for them. Right. So in situations like that where people work things out with us, we're pretty reasonable with that as well. But I just

1:59:18want to make sure you have the flexibility for those situations.

1:59:20Absolutely. Yeah. The Dangerous Dog section. We do require certain requirements for people that retain dangerous dogs in the county, and we want to add to those. The state law on dangerous dogs does give us that flexibility. We want to include two photos so that we can readily identify those animals. We also want to mandate sterilization to prevent breeding of those traits in future animals or the owners training

1:59:50their dogs with those behaviors. So uh that's one stipulation. And along with the sterilization there is exemptions that do apply for medical condition of the animals, things like that. The next uh section we're gonna be changing or asking to be changed. is Division two, which is the Animal Services Advisory Committee, Here we're asking the board to actually sunset the committee. Um I do not think the committee has had A predominant function or role

2:00:21um either in serving the board or serving animal services as they're designed to do uh in a number of years. Uh we actually have Pretty good relationships, I hope, with each of the commissioners. Uh we receive phone calls and we we handle the issues. Uh we advise the board as much as we can. We also have great relationships with all the partners that are on this committee. We work with them almost every day. So um

2:00:51meetings with the committee Number one, it's also a lot of work on us to Try to get them all there. Many times we don't have a quorum. Many times they have nothing for us. We're just downloading information to them, basically telling them how we're doing and things like that. Uh the board does have the option of course if they do sunset to bring it back at any time they would like. So um interesting enough, at the last meeting where we had a quorum, which was February twenty eighth, They reviewed

2:01:22our presentation to the board and they voted 100 percent to to uh push it forward. So with that I'll I'll I'll move to the next item.

2:01:33Mr. Chairman Mariano. Yes sir. And that's that's a great sign that we're doing a good job. They're getting the trust of the community to say say that. Absolutely. And I want to say yesterday I was I was tied up in the morning um and a phone call came in And You told the people you didn't overpromise, you said we'll try to get out there in a day or two. Uh you guys were out there an hour and a half and the people were just amazed, thrilled and happy. Yeah. So

2:01:56it it's great when it works out that way. Sometimes it does take us a day or two. But yeah, we get there. Hopefully we get it done though. So uh 1476 vaccination of dogs, cats, ferrets against rabies required. State law and county ordinance requires veterinarians to provide us the rabies certificate, because that's what we use to actually put the rabies license. to make sure everyone has a rabies license or vac or county license for their pets and also to make sure that uh

2:02:27those animals are vaccinated against rabies for the safety of those around them. Um we're actually adding that when they give those to us, they need to do it by the tenth of the month. after they've uh You know. Completed the rabies vaccination. We need to get those into our system a little quicker. Uh we're pretty good about it. And we want to make sure that the officers in the field have that information in our system so that they're not issuing citations that aren't warranted.

2:02:58Um The next section is um 14100 microchip required Currently every dog that leaves our shelter and every dog that's adopted Um uh or sold in the county is required to have a microchip. But uh we also would like to incorporate all strays leaving our shelter, also have a microchip. Uh one of the reasons they're stray and they may not find their way home is the fact they have no identification. We all know that's difficult sometimes keep

2:03:28those uh tags on collars. Uh so a microchip would help us get them home. A lot quicker. Um 14103 impoundment. This is animals brought into the shelter. Um We have the same uh 10 day hold or two uh two hundred forty hour hold. for litters of puppies and kittens. Um we'd like to change that and make them exempt from that. Um I've been in this business a long time. I've

2:03:59never seen a litter of kittens in a box go stray. um or puppies. Uh they typically don't However, if they are with their mom and they come in the shelter, we will hold them for the the full Um two hundred and forty hours if need be. Um we also request um For the sake of some of our citizens really, is to be able to uh have a sterilization option when we return them after a stray hold. So somebody comes

2:04:29into the shelter, their animal's been stray. And uh we'd like the option of being able to waive certain fees in lieu of them having their animals sterilized at the shelter. Uh that way we can get 'em back out there and hopefully They won't have the stray tendencies that they normally do. It'll reduce overpopulation in the county. And actually sterilization is better for their health in the long run. Uh and finally, 14106. Um, if we do uh decide

2:04:59to sunset the uh advisory committee, which I hope we do. Um We need to amend the uh appeals uh process for any kind of revocation, suspension, or denial of a permit. We do issue permits for breeders, pet dealers, and large kennels. And um Tomorrow recall, I don't think we've ever denied one yet, but uh that we do have to have appeal process in place and we'd like to change that from the advisory committee to the dangerous dog hearing

2:05:29board uh to be that uh committee that does that. And then finally 108, section 108. Uh it's the prohibition uh on the retail sale of dogs, cats, or rabbits. Uh we simply want to uh make sure that that retail establishment including a pet store. Uh is placed in there to remove any Uh doubt on people's minds.

2:05:52Okay.

2:05:53So the recommendation would be to accept the proposed amendments to the Pasco County Code of Ordinance, Chapter 14. Direct Board Records to advertise the proposed amendments for public hearing before the Board of Commissioners on May 21st. of this year uh in New Port Richey. Um at one thirty PM or soon after thereafter, as may be heard. I'd be happy to answer any questions.

2:06:18Second.

2:06:19We got a motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Motion passed 4-0. That was easy. Thank you. Bob Barker, be proud. Okay. Now uh we're gonna j take a break for lunch and be back at one thirty for a public hearing.