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02-08-2023 (Animal Shelter) Minutes IA/ IN Animal Shelter Advisory Board CITY OF WYLIE Minutes Regular Meeting February 8, 2023— 6:00 pm Wylie Municipal Complex— Council Chambers 300 Country Club Road, Bldg. 100 Wylie, TX 75098 CALL TO ORDER Announce the presence of a Quorum. Dr. Brad Abraham called to order the Animal Shelter Advisory Board meeting at 6:08 pm. Board members present Shelia Patton, Amber Porter, and Jeff Forrester. Susan Cranford is absent. Quorum is present. Staff Liaison Lt. Matt Miller is also present. INVOCATION The invocation was given by Jeff Forrester. CITIZENS COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS Residents may address Council regarding an item that is not listed on the Agenda. Residents must fill out a non-agenda form prior to the meeting in order to speak. Council requests that comments be limited to three (3) minutes. In addition, Council is not allowed to converse, deliberate, or take action on any matter presented during citizen participation. REGULAR AGENDA 1. Consider and act upon an Animal Shelter Advisory Board minutes of December 14, 2022. (ASAB Chair) Minutes February 8,2023 Animal Shelter Advisory Board Page 1 Board Action A motion was made by Jeff Forrester to accept the Animal Shelter Advisory Board minutes of December 14, 2022, as presented. Dr. Brad Abraham seconded to accept the Animal Shelter Advisory Board minutes of December 14, 2022, as presented. A vote was taken, and the motion passed unanimously. 2. Consider and place- on file the 2022 fourth-quarter statistical information for shelter operations. (ASAB Chair) Board Action A motion was made by Amber Porter to accept and place on file the 2022 fourth-quarter statistical information for shelter operations, as presented. Jeff Forrester seconded to accept and place on file the 2022 fourth-quarter statistical information for shelter operations, as presented. A vote was taken, and the motion passed unanimously. 3. Consider and place on file the 2022 statistical information for shelter operations. (ASAB Chair) Board Action A motion was made by Jeff Forrester to accept and place on file the 2022 statistical information for shelter operations, as presented. Amber Porter seconded to accept and place on file the 2022 statistical information for shelter operations, as presented. A vote was taken, and the motion passed unanimously. Jeff Forrester stated that he wants to make clear that these stats are for the entire year of 2022. 4. Consider and place on file the 2022 Trap Neuter Release Feral Cat Program statistical information. (ASAB Chair) Board Action A motion was made by Jeff Forrester to accept and place on file the 2022 Trap Neuter Release Feral Cat Program statistical information, as presented. Amber Porter seconded to accept and place on file the 2022 Trap Neuter Release Feral Cat Program statistical information, as presented. A vote was taken, and the motion passed unanimously. Minutes February 8,2023 Animal Shelter Advisory Board Page 2 Jeff Forrester asked if this is a report of the TNR cats in Wylie. Shelia Patton stated that this report was made to comply with the city ordinance. We had one feral cat that tested positive for FeLV. She is open to suggestions and additions that could be added to the report. Dr. Brad Abraham asked if this was the first time we had collected these numbers. Also, how do these numbers compare to other years? Shelia Patton stated that comparing the numbers to other years is hard because of COVID and our services being closed down. She thinks that after another year of the program being open, we should be able to get a comparison. Jeff Forrester asked if the feral colonies could be added to the report. Also, can we add where those colonies are located and how many feral cats are in that colony? This way, we can know if the colony's growth is being controlled. He also asked if the TNR report could be added to the quarterly report as a subsection. Shelia Patton said she would have to get back to the board about the first question. She likes the idea but would need to see what the program would allow us to do. She then said that we could add the TNR report to the quarterly report, but she feels it would make the quarterly report needlessly confusing. She suggested that we keep the reports separate for another year. Jeff Forrester stated that maybe we could add a supplement to the quarterly report about the TNR report so that we can be fully transparent. This way, we can show the success rate of the TNR program. Shelia Patton responded that the TNR report is a quarterly report, and it will be added to the quarterly report as a separate report. We will need to get with the citizens and rescue groups to work together with them to collect the necessary information for a report on the colonies. Jeff Forrester agreed and stated that this would show transparency. Amber Porter asked if we have looked at how Garland runs their TNR program. They have registered colony managers. Garland also uses a rescue group to assist with the colonies. Shelia Patton stated that she agrees with working with a rescue group. She has tried to get a Friends of Wylie rescue group started before, but there wasn't enough interest. She also stated that we have a good volunteer program that we could also utilize. We need to reach out to rescue groups in the area. WORK SESSION WS1. Discussion to add two additional board members to the Animal Shelter Advisory Board and provide a recommendation to City Council. Shelia Patton stated that if we can get the adjusted ordinance approved by the city council by 2/28/23, we can approve the changes to the bylaws at our next board meeting in April. This way, we can beat the application deadline for the two additional board members on 5/15/23. Jeff Forrester responded that the entire board will rotate out in 2024 simultaneously. How can we structure the ordinance so that all the members don't rotate out at the same time? Amber Porter asked if we need to change the term lengths. Jeff Forrester thinks we should get with the City Manager's Office and the City Secretary's Office to find a way to stagger the terms. Amber Porter stated that her third term is up in 2024. She agrees with staggering the terms, especially the required positions of the board, such as the veterinarian and rescue group member. Minutes February 8,2023 Animal Shelter Advisory Board Page 3 Lt. Matt Miller asked if we could get feedback from the audience. As he understands it, they could change the terms to up to three years. Renae 011ie stated that, yes, you could stagger term lengths. Most boards already do stagger their member's terms. Do all board members rotate off in 2024? Lt. Matt Miller responded that all board members rotate off in 2024. Renae 011ie suggests that all seven members should be staggered. Shelia Patton stated that because we are changing the number of board members, now is a good time to discuss these changes. Lt. Matt Miller asked if the ordinance has to change or just the bylaws. Shelia Patton responded that the ordinance has to change as well. Renae 011ie asked if it is written in the ordinance or the bylaws. Shelia Patton responded that it is written in the ordinance. Renae 011ie asked if it states two years in the ordinance. Jeff Forrester responded that the ordinance states the term limit and number of consecutive terms but doesn't stagger the terms. Renae 011ie asked if the ordinance says two two-year terms. Jeff Forrester responded that it says three two-year terms. Renae 011ie stated that the ordinance should say something about "regardless of 2-3 year terms". You will need to add that to the ordinance if it's not there. Jeff Forrester responded that the ordinance states, "no board member shall serve for more than three consecutive terms or six consecutive years (whichever is less)" is that the correct wording? Renae 011ie said she could get us a copy of the ordinances of the other boards for us to review. Shelia Patton responded that she is confused about the board members appointed by the city council for two years, then three consecutive terms or six consecutive years. Renae 011ie asked where she was reading that from. Shelia Patton responded that she was reading it from our current ordinance. Would that need to be changed? Renae 011ie responded that it would depend on what we want the term lengths to be. If we want to stagger them for 2 - 3 years, then yes, the ordinance needs to be changed. If we go with 1 - 2 years, the current ordinance may work. Jeff Forrester stated that he thinks the board members should be staggered the same as the city council. Renae 011ie responded that it would ensure that the whole board wouldn't fall off simultaneously. Jeff Forrester suggested that the required members be staggered as well. Shelia Patton stated that the council member is a required position, as well as the rescue group member and veterinarian. Amber Porter said we could also resolve this issue by finding another veterinarian because Dr. Brad Abraham is a holdover. Lt. Matt Miller said he appreciates Dr. Abraham for being on the board. Jeff Forrester stated that we need to change the ordinance's verbiage and bylaws so there isn't any conflict between them. Shelia Patton said we would get with city staff to fix the ordinance. WS2. Discuss the addition to the City of Wylie, Code of Ordinances Chapter 18 Animals, prohibiting the sale of dogs and cats by retail pet stores and from public places. Minutes February 8,2023 Animal Shelter Advisory Board Page 4 Shelia Patton stated that this was brought to us to be placed on the agenda. There have been a few changes to the proposed ordinances since it was submitted to the board. The city attorney added some addendums. These ordinances are to prevent retail pet stores from selling animals and not adopting them out. She has met with the pet stores in Wylie, and they already follow these ordinances, so it will not affect them. They also support this ordinance because they already practice it at their stores. We do not currently have an issue with this in our city, but we want to be proactive. There is a bill going through State Legislature similar to the ordinances, but our ordinances only allow exceptions for Animal Services, Animal Adoption Agencies, and Animal Welfare Organizations. It is a common ordinance for larger cities in Texas. She also asked if any stores were moving to Wylie and was told no. This ordinance isn't about preventing a pet store from moving to our city. It is about promoting responsible pet adoptions. Lt. Matt Miller stated that the city attorney has experience with these types of cases, so he has recommended the changes based on his experience working these types of cases. He also stated that he has seen animals being sold on the roadside or parking lot in 100-degree temperatures, and the property owner doesn't feel comfortable asking them to leave, which happens a lot. This ordinance gives officers the ability to remove them from the property. Shelia Patton stated it allows us to stop the sale of animals, and it promotes what the pet retail stores stand for. They can still adopt out animals from rescue groups or Animal Services. The ordinance is to prevent the rehoming of sick, underage, unvaccinated, and unsterilized animals. It also allows us to educate the owners about other options for rehoming or caring for their pets. Jeff Forrester asked if the proposed ordinance addresses the operation of puppy mills within the city limits. Also, how does this affect responsible home breeders? Per the ordinance, they can sell their animals if the breeder doesn't try to sell the animal on the roadside or in a parking lot. Shelia Patton responded that we do not currently have registered breeders in Wylie. If you look at the amended ordinance Prohibiting The Sale of Dogs and Cats by Retail Pet Stores section (b). It states that it is a defense of prosecution under this section if an individual sells, exchanges, barters, gives away, or transfers, or offers or advertises for sale, exchange, barter, give away, or transfer only dogs or cats bred by that individual. Lt. Matt Miller stated that public places are listed as any property generally accessible by the public that does not have a valid certificate of occupancy allowing the sale of animals on the property, regardless of whether such access was authorized and any public property. We are not trying to infringe upon someone's business in their residence. Shelia Patton stated this ordinance is to stop unhealthy animals from being sold in pet stores or on public property. It is 100 percent not to affect our current businesses or our breeders. Amber Porter stated this ordinance is important because other cities have it, and it will prevent puppy mills from moving to Wylie. Shelia Patton responded that she agreed with that. Lt. Matt Miller asked if it is agreed to push forward with the ordinances. Amber Porter responded that she agreed. Jeff Forrester stated that he agreed. Dr. Brad Abraham stated that he agreed. ADJOURNMENT Minutes February 8,2023 Animal Shelter Advisory Board Page 5 Motion was made by Dr. Brad Abraham and seconded by Jeff Forrester to adjourn the meeting. With no further business before the board, the board's consensus was to adjourn at 7:02 pm. ASAB Chair ATTEST: 1 � ( PCLIOLL-- Shelia Patton, ASAB member 3 Minutes February 8,2023 Animal Shelter Advisory Board Page 6