South Bend Animal Care and Control 2016 Annual Report

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Filed in Clerk's Office MAR n 12017 ANIMAL CONTROL COMMISSION ANNUAL p EEMAH FOWLER ERK,SOUTH BEND,IN CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA TO: SOUTH BEND COMMON COUNCIL and MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG The City of South Bend's Animal Control Commission, consisting of Dr. Betsy Culp, Ernest Galos, Rebecca Kaiser and Barbara Leavell, issues it annual report to the South Bend Common Council and Mayor Pete Buttigieg pursuant to Section 5-97(4) of the City of South Bend's Animal Control Ordinance. Commission member Emily Sexton resigned from her position and the Commission has operated for several months without a full complement of members. The absence of one of the Commission members resulted in the lack of a quorum for the December, 2016 meeting requiring the rescheduling of that hearing to comply with the Animal Control Ordinance. As outlined in the Animal Control Ordinance, the Animal Control Commission met monthly receiving reports from the Shelter Manager and interim manager about the shelter's operation and its proposed activities. The Animal Control Commission had set its monthly meetings for the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. but has recently changed the meeting time to the first Thursday of each month to accommodate Commission member Dr. Betsy Culp's work schedule. Dr. Culp's status as the Animal Control Commission's only veterinarian makes her attendance at meetings vitally important and benefits the Commission. Secretary Emily Sexton had maintained the minutes of the meetings, a task Commission presiding chair Ernest P. Galos has undertaken until the Commission returns to full strength. In addition to the reports of the Shelter Manager or his subordinates, the Animal Control Commission, as in prior years, discussed throughout the year various issues regarding animal welfare in the community. Those primarily concerned outreach efforts publicizing the shelter and the services it provides to the community and fundraising projects designed to aid the shelter. :.The most significant activity of the Animal Control Commission has been the hearing process after the Commission is notified of a potentially dangerous animal or habitual animal offender by the Shelter Manager. The Animal Control Commission, however, has held only two (2) hearings since the last annual report. The last hearing was held on February 7, 2017 and involved a determination of a vicious animal in the case of a dog causing the death of another dog. The case was presented by affidavits on both sides and an agreement by all sides that euthanasia of the animal was not sought. The Commission found a violation of the Ordinance and accepted the parties' stipulation and imposed the appropriate restrictions on the animal. The other case heard by the Commission caused some controversy and consternation on all sides. The case involved an habitual animal offender. The owner of the animal did not appear at the hearing and the Commission determined that there was appropriate notice served on the owner. South Bend Animal Care and Control provided testimony and evidence of multiple violations of the ordinance and neglect of the animal over a significant period of time. The Commission found the owner to be an habitual animal offender, ordered seizure of the animal and banned the owner from 999999/1131839-1