General (9)
Susana Barrios
From:Michael Mavrovouniotis <michaelmavrovouniotis@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, July 10, 2023 10:
To:Public Comment
Subject:\[EXTERNAL\] Grand Jury on OC Animal Care
Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open
attachments unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message.
I support the Findings and Recommendations of the Grand Jury on OC Animal Care.
The Grand Jury Report on OC Animal Care can be found here:
https://www.ocgrandjury.org/pdfs/2022_2023_GJreport/Gimme_Shelter_and_a_Pound_of_Advice.pdf
Below is the intact text of the Grand Jury's Findings and Recommendations. (I added yellow highlighting to
what I found most interesting… and cyan highlighting to an important cat issue.)
FINDINGS
Management:
F1
Management has limited flexibility utilizing personnel within Orange County
Animal Care across departments due to structured work rules, volunteer work restrictions, and
employees working in departmental silos.
F2
Low staff morale exists within Orange County Animal Care.
F3
Orange County Animal Care staffing is negatively impacted by vacant positions remaining unfilled for
greater than six months due to burdensome hiring processes. This delay in recruitment and
completion of hiring has resulted in qualified candidates declining job offers.
F4
Based upon industry standards and best practices, Orange County Animal Care kennel attendants
are understaffed to meet the needs of animals under care.
F5
Orange County Animal Care’s operating policies and procedures manual is out of date.
F6
The Orange County Animal Care Volunteer program was stopped during COVID-
19 and restarting the program has been slow, resulting in decreased animal socialization and
enrichment.
Animal Welfare
1
F7
Orange County Animal Care’s Behavior Evaluation Committee evaluates dogs for euthanasia without
written guidelines, policies, or procedures, resulting in
inconsistent outcomes over time. Behavior evaluated euthanasia outcomes are dependent on
the experience and personal considerations of the individual committee members and
management rather than written objective standards.
F8
The rate of behavioral euthanasia of dogs has increased significantly over the last 2 years.
F9
Orange County Animal Care does not employ a professional or trained and
certified animal behaviorist to oversee the shelter’s dog enrichment program,
resulting in dogs with declining behavior being placed at greater risk of being euthanized.
F10
While many county and city animal shelters throughout the state have active Trap, Neuter, and
Return programs, Orange County Animal Care stopped its Trap, Neuter, and Return program,
reportedly on the basis of the County
Counsel’s legal opinion that the program violates a California statute related to willful animal
abandonment.
F11
The termination of the Trap, Neuter, and Return program is correlated with an increase in adult cat
euthanasia rate at the shelter.
F12 There have been public concerns and requests expressed over the years for
public programs to include a spay/neuter program by Orange County Animal Care.
Communication / Outreach
F13 The current adoption appointment system restricts public access to the dog
kennels, thereby limiting potential adopters’ access to all available animals.
F14
Orange County Animal Care’s engagement with some animal rescue partners is negatively impacted
due to differences of opinion in appropriate animal care policy.
F15 Internal and community engagement does not adequately communicate the shelter’s mission
and operating strategy.
F16
The information currently on the Orange County Animal Care website for low- cost spay/neuter is not
up to date with regard to referrals and prices for spay/neuter procedures.
Impediments to the Investigation
F17
The OC County Counsel’s office misstated to the Grand Jury the scope of its commitment to serving
and assisting the Grand Jury in its investigations into County governance respecting managing
2
conflicts between the Board of Supervisors, OC departments and agency clients, and the
Grand Jury.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Management:
R1
By October 1, 2023, OC Human Resource Services should review and update recruitment strategies to
significantly increase the timeliness of recruitment of vacant positions and to anticipate vacancies
due to retirement, resignations, transfers. (F3)
R2
By December 31, 2023, Orange County Animal Care, OC Community
Resources, and OC Human Resource Services should review hiring practices to facilitate process
improvements to expedite filling OCAC vacancies. (F3)
R3
By October 1, 2023, OC Community Resources and Orange County Animal
Care should review their current staffing allocations of Animal Care Attendants to reflect NACA
guidelines and to provide appropriate staffing allocations for animal care, feeding and enrichment.
(F3, F4)
R4
By October 1, 2023, OC Community Resources and Orange County Animal Care should review their
current staffing allocations of all positions within the
OCAC and reallocate resources to increase Animal Care Attendants to reflect NACA guidelines to
provide appropriate staffing for animal care, feeding, and enrichment. (F3, F4)
R5
By December 31, 2023, Orange County Animal Care management should
review and update policies, procedures, guidelines, and practices to assure they are accurate and
reflect current operating practices. (F5)
R6
By June 30, 2024, the Board of Supervisors should evaluate the strategic option of creating a Joint
Powers Authority for the County and fourteen contract Cities to take ownership and shared
responsibility for the financial and operating policies and practices of OCAC. (F1 thru F16)
Welfare
R7
By October 1, 2023, Orange County Animal Care management should establish written guidelines,
policies, and procedures as standards for evaluating animal behavior for use by the Behavior
Evaluation Committee. (F5, F7)
R8
By December 31, 2023, in the interests of transparency, Orange County Animal Care management
should add a representative from a rescue organization to serve as a non-voting, at-
large member on the Behavior Evaluation Committee. (F7, F14)
R9
By December 31, 2023, Orange County Animal Care, OC Community Resources, and OC Human
Resource Services should hire an animal behaviorist or certified dog trainers to work with
3
aggressive animals to reduce
the high rate of dogs being euthanized and enhance their adoptability. (F8, F9)
R10
By December 31, 2023, the Orange County Board of Supervisors and Orange County Animal Care
management should request that County Counsel reconsider its opinion about the shelter's former
Trap, Neuter, and Return program, or seek an independent second opinion to County Counsel’s
opinion, to ascertain whether the program can be re-established, or a modified version of the
program can be implemented. (F10, F11)
R11
By July 1, 2024, Orange County Animal Care should implement a low-cost public spay/neuter program.
(F12)
Communication / Outreach
R12
By October 1, 2023, Orange County Animal Care management should hold all- hands staff meetings at
least every quarter. (F1, F2)
R13
By October 1, 2023, Orange County Animal Care, OC Community Resources, and OC Human Resource
Services should conduct annual surveys of staff to
monitor morale and identify opportunities for operational improvement. (F1, F2)
R14
By December 31, 2023, Orange County Animal Care management should open the shelter to the public
for walk throughs to maximize opportunities for the public to adopt animals under the care of the
shelter. (F13)
R15
By October 1, 2023, Orange County Animal Care management should look for new ways to be more
inclusive and engaged with volunteers and the rescue organizations that are necessary for the
shelter’s success. (F14, F15)
R16
By October 1, 2023, Orange County Animal Care should schedule quarterly meetings with community
stakeholders to facilitate transparency and engagement. (F14, F15)
R17
By October 1, 2023, Orange County Animal Care management should update
the information currently on its website for low-cost spay/neuter of feral cats with regard to referrals
and prices for spay/neuter procedures. (F16)
Impediments to the Investigation
R18
Beginning with the 2023/2024 Grand Jury training, and all training thereafter, County Counsel should
provide detailed instruction about the circumstances under which the County Counsel’s office
might recuse itself from assisting with
Grand Jury investigations and the alternatives available to the Grand Jury under such
circumstances. (F17)
4