General (2)
Public Comment
From:Brette Miller <brettesummermiller@gmail.com>
Sent:Friday, November
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Subject:\[EXTERNAL\] Fwd: Help….PLEASE!!!
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---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Brette Miller <
Date: Fri, Nov 4, 2022 at 9:42 PM
Subject: Re: Help….PLEASE!!!
To: Bernard, Andi <Andi.Bernard@occr.ocgov.com>
CC: <Al.Jabbar@ocgov.com>, <Andrea.Dima@ocgov.com>, Atkinson, Cymantha (OCCR)
<Cymantha.Atkinson@occr.ocgov.com>, Bartlett, Lisa <Lisa.Bartlett@ocgov.com>, Chaffee, Doug
<Doug.Chaffee@ocgov.com>, <Chris.Wangsaporn@ocgov.com>, Do, Andrew <Andrew.Do@ocgov.com>, Foley, Katrina
<Katrina.Foley@ocgov.com>, <Fourth.District@ocgov.com>, <Jannelle.Welker@ocgov.com>,
<Jessica.Guerrero@ocgov.com>, Kim, Frank (HOA) <Frank.Kim@ocgov.com>, <LaShe.Rodriguez@ocgov.com>,
<Paulette.Chaffee@ocgov.com>, Schmidt, Monica <Monica.Schmidt@occr.ocgov.com>, <TimWhitacre@ocgov.com>,
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Wagner, Donald <Donald.Wagner@ocgov.com>, Wright, Dylan <Dylan.Wright@occr.ocgov.com>,
<itzel.parra@ocgov.com>, <jack.du2@ocgov.com>, <jeff.hentzen@ocgov.com>
Hi Andi,
You say that the shelter is open, but it is NOT open for the public and rescues to adopt & rescue AT WILL
during business hours. This is the problem that it seems you are missing, or choosing to ignore. Being open for
license renewals, redemption & intake does not address the problem with adoptions and rescues being turned
away because they need an appointment. I explained this in my email to you. I’ll try it again though, and write
very slowly so maybe you can comprehend.
Making an appointment in one of your time slots works for your shelter staff, but not for many of the visitors.
Many show up excited to meet animals and/or rescue them and, due to the inconvenience of not being able to
do so at that time that is convenient for THEM, and especially when they took out of THEIR busy schedules to
come there, they do not come back. Say someone comes in at 10am. They have to be somewhere are 12. They
now get told they have to wait for the next appointment say at 11:30am. So, they’re supposed to sit there for
1.5 hours to adopt an animal? Come on.
As I mentioned too, rescues are currently skipping your shelter to rescue from, as your process isn’t working
for them. Have you done rescue? If you have, you would know that some of them rescue multiple dogs and
cats in one day from all over, and each pull from the shelter or travel time in between shelter may take
different lengths of time based on the shelter processes and traffic, so they can’t make an appointment when
coming in for a specific slot.
For an adopter….here is one simple scenario of many circumstances….Say there is a divorced dad bringing his
child in to meet an animal, and we’ll say that dad is on a time crunch because of parental visiting time, and so
they can’t wait for an appointment as they have to bring their child back to their mom’s home. He is therefore
denied that day he shows up to adopt a dog for his family. Your appointment process is ridiculously
inconvenient, and may work for you, but not most people. It does NOT save visitors to your shelter’s time!
What you call a “concierge service” is laughable, as it is NOT what your stupid “Fact Checker” PDF makes it out
to be. You say you model this program based on nearby successful shelter, such as in LA….Are u kidding me?
That’s hilarious, but sad as heck too. They euthanize left and right. Their shelters are the ghetto there. It
doesn’t decrease the stress of animals by not having people walking around giving them love. It doesn’t
reduce bite rates, or fist fights between adopters. The physical fight part is just ridiculous! How can you be so
exaggerating to act like that happens so often? I can’t believe you include that on your FACT sheet. Come
on…That’s just nonsense! It doesn’t help to have your staff push a dog on an adopter. People should have the
right to meet dogs and feel their energy. Dogs and cats have souls, and they bond with certain people too.
They’re not a car you can push on someone based on their features. They also enjoy getting love from people
walking through, even if they don’t get picked. Think about the animals…not what makes it easiest for you.
The return rate stats are nonsense. There have been less people visiting your shelter, and more animals
getting killed, so of course your return rates are less. Get your facts straight.
Have you ever talked to the volunteers and rescuers there? Like without being a pompous jerk to them, and
actually letting them speak their feelings about the appointment only adoption process? Have you actually
LISTENED AND CARED about what they are telling you? From all that I read and discuss with them, they are
so heartbroken by how you respond to them.
Why only let an adopter visit one pet per appointment too (which is the situation in most cases)? Why not let
them meet numerous pets, and let THEM decide which one they want to adopt? Do you not think they are
capable of making an informed decision? I would be completely turned off if someone controlled the whole
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process of bringing an animal buddy into my home, and YES, I have adopted from the shelter prior to your
“appointment only”
pocess. Seems like common sense.
You say this appointment process to helps so people don’t adopt on impulse or appearance of an animal, yet
when they schedule their appointment, they have to choose that dog to meet based on their intake photo. This
is hypocritical! You are advocating for adopting
on impulse! Add in the fact that the animal’s photo is taken when they are terrified and mangy most times, so
many are being overlooked because they need to be bathed, and are not showing the true potential of their
personality. Give them a chance to shine in person. Maybe that adopter sees something in that animal’s eyes
that u don’t. And you’re supposed to be the director there? If you don’t see this, you clearly have no soul, and
must be in the wrong position. That would explain why animals are dying in such big numbers now…and
animals that rescuers are sharing are so sweet and healthy and don’t deserve to die.
There are amazing volunteers there, but what you call so-called experts at the shelter label dogs aggressive
and antisocial so many times, and allow them to be killed, so spare me your excuse that everyone there knows
what they are doing. Some of those super sweet volunteers and employees are forced to make decisions and
notes on animals based on YOUR heartless orders. You are killing healthy, loving animals daily due to space
concerns…not bcuz they are aggressive!! You say you partner with rescues, but if actually sat down and
listened to them, they disagree that you are working with them. Take some time and read on social media
what your so-called partners feel about the way you are treating them, and killing super adoptable dogs and
cats. Your survival rate has plummeted, not increased, since you made the shelter appointment only. You’re
straight up lying. Fudging your numbers, eh? You clearly are…..Not good.
Animals should be let out of their kennels EVERY DAY…not every other day. How would you like to be let out
of a cage every other day. Maybe u should go sit in one of those kennels for two days straight. They should be
let out numerous times of day in fact!
Your say your appointment program allows the staff to know the animals and have time to get to know them
and care for them? The goal is to get them adopted or rescued, not analyze their terrifying stay at your shelter,
and then report they have been killed.
You sent me the same email reply twice. You may think you grilled me, but I was taking the time to reply in a
calm fashion, as to be honest, you really pissed me off with your robot-style reply. You make yourself look
very ignorant, heartless, and very out-of-touch on reality. What I am telling you are facts, and I will NOT stop
fighting for these animals. Since you seem to need things repeated to comprehend….or you just ignore
them…….
YOU, & everyone on this list (I added a bunch more influential people who may care more than others), have
the power to save so many more animals in your facility by REOPENING your shelter COMPLETELY. Your
appointment system is NOT WORKING! Your data is so rickety and unjustified, and sadly, if you don’t care
what I am taking the time to share with you, you seriously should be fired. I don’t wish ill will on anybody, but
when someone is in charge of caring for the helpless animals in a shelter, and they don’t show that they care
one bit, they don’t deserve to be in that position. Time to wake up, Andi.
Feel free to reply all again. I would love to hear the thoughts from other people on this list besides just you.
-Brette-
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On Mon, Oct 24, 2022 at 6:35 PM Bernard, Andi <Andi.Bernard@occr.ocgov.com> wrote:
Greetings Ms. Miller,
Thank you for connecting with us. OC Animal Care has received and read your email.
Please know that OC Animal Care’s doors are open. In fact we are open seven days a week for redemptions, license
renewal, intake, and adoption appointments. OCAC’s Adoption-by-Appointment model provides many benefits to both
the animals and the potential adopters. It is monitored by a strong team focusing on public safety and animal welfare
and is guided by metrics demonstrating how it serves our staff, our community and the animals in our care. Adopting a
forever friend should not be left to impulse or appearance, and our staff is well-versed in counseling adopters to make
the best choice for their lifestyle. In addition, this one-on-one experience reduces the stress on the animals, minimizes
wait times, and protects the safety of our adopters, volunteers and staff.
We agree that potential adopters should meet and make a connection. With over 400 appointments available per
week, we hope that you will make an appointment to come visit and adopt a new family pet. While scheduled
appointments are available for the convenience of potential adopters, the public is welcome to visit the shelter and
sign up for a walk-in appointment.
I would also like to refer you to OCAC’s website which contains a Fact Checker that addresses many questions and
comments. Additionally, more information about OCAC’s services can be found at www.ocpetinfo.com.
OCAC has a challenging mission, and I am proud of the work our staff does on a daily basis to serve the sick, injured,
lost and aggressive animals that come to our shelter.
Warm regards,
Andi Bernard
Director, OC Animal Care
Office: 714-796-6414
1630 Victory Road, Tustin, CA 92782
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From: Brette Miller <
Sent: Monday, October 24, 2022 11:19 AM
To: Bernard, Andi <Andi.Bernard@occr.ocgov.com>; Do, Andrew <Andrew.Do@ocgov.com>; Atkinson, Cymantha
(OCCR) <Cymantha.Atkinson@occr.ocgov.com>; Wagner, Donald <Donald.Wagner@ocgov.com>; Chaffee, Doug
<Doug.Chaffee@ocgov.com>; Wright, Dylan <Dylan.Wright@occr.ocgov.com>; Kim, Frank (HOA)
<Frank.Kim@ocgov.com>; Foley, Katrina <katrina.foley@ocgov.com>; Bartlett, Lisa <Lisa.Bartlett@ocgov.com>;
Schmidt, Monica <monica.schmidt@occr.ocgov.com>
Subject: Help….PLEASE!!!
Attention: This email originated from outside the County of Orange. Use caution when opening attachments or links.
I am writing to ask you to PLEASE open back up the OC Animal Care facility to the public! It makes absolutely
NO sense that it is closed, and only accessible by making appointments! Allowing potential adopters and
rescues to visit dogs in person at will is crucial to their survival, and they are just as worthy of being saved as
any other being on this planet….if not more! They are pure, loving creatures, and are terrified there, and by
not opening up the shelter, they are being euthanized for NO reason, all because the shelters are so
overcrowded. Just last week, 6 completely healthy, loving dogs were euthanized solely because space was
needed at the shelter. This is heartbreaking!!! They are innocent beings, and deserve us to be their voice.
The Orange County Animal Care facility is still closed to the public so that potential adopters cannot walk
through the kennel buildings to look at the cats and dogs available for adoption. Someone wanting to adopt a
pet needs to make an appointment for that particular pet at an agreeable date/time. And lots of potential
adopters are being turned away because they do not have appointments, and these people never come back
due to this inconvenience, and the shelter not having appointments that work with their schedules.
Additionally, many rescue groups have moved on to more accommodating shelters.
This is NOT RIGHT, and you have the power to do the right thing right now by OPENING UP THE SHELTER
TO THE PUBLIC! Please stop the killing, and give these animals a chance at a loving, safe life! People should
be able to walk through the shelter with a mask on like any other business….the grocery store, the bank, the
doctor’s office, ETC.! These animal’s lives are counting on you! There are so many people out there that want
to adopt and rescue them. PLEASE OPEN BACK UP THE OC ANIMAL CARE FACILITY!!! Thank you for your
time.
Sincerely,
Brette Miller
(Resident of OC, CA for 44 years)
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