Open up The OC Shelter

08/31/2024

https://jsmcah.org/index.php/jasv/article/view/85

In the 2020–2022 pandemic period, the Orange County (California) animal shelter used an appointment-based adoption system in which visitors did not have access to the kennels. In a 2023 pilot program, visitors were allowed to view some large dogs in their kennels for a limited portion of the shelt...

08/21/2024

https://www.ocregister.com/2024/08/20/amid-changing-needs-oc-animal-care-is-working-to-develop-a-new-strategic-plan/

The deadline to respond to the county’s RFP is Sep. 2.

08/20/2024

Thank you

08/20/2024

https://www.aol.com/news/cat-killing-sheriffs-deputies-back-004231508.html

Kern County sheriff's deputies in tactical gear intentionally shot a cat that had wandered onto their shooting range. They've been disciplined.

08/16/2024

OC Animal Care Volunteers Still Can’t Walk Dogs Offsite After Tustin Hangar Fire
https://voiceofoc.org/2024/08/oc-animal-care-volunteers-still-cant-walk-dogs-offsite-after-tustin-hangar-fire/
Excerpts:
It’s been nine months since volunteers have been able to walk dogs offsite at OC Animal Care in Tustin.
Volunteers still aren’t able to take dogs on walks outside the shelter’s grounds, based on direction from shelter staff.
Barbara Salamoff, who’s been volunteering at the shelter for over a year, said they used to be able to walk dogs down the street to nearby parks.
She said the biggest difference is getting the dogs away from the sound of constant barking.
“We can put them in the yard that’s right behind their building, but there’s so much barking going on that the ones that are stressed out and nervous, you can definitely tell that they stay at that level of stress,” Salamoff said.
“When you take them off the campus facility and you allow them to smell other areas, they know that they’re no longer in the shelter, and you can really see them calm down,” she said. “It’s also beneficial being offsite and away from the shelter noise environment to work on training and enrichment.”
A letter sent to shelter staff from a group of volunteers also questions why they haven’t returned to pre-fire routes based on county health feedback.
Volunteers say there’s a clear difference between the constant sound of barking at the shelter and the quiet nearby streets.
Pratt confirmed the decision to keep dog walks on-site was based on evaluation by shelter staff, not on advice from county health officials.
[Comment:
For months, Monica Schmidt insisted that she was following guidance from county health officials. We now know she was lying.]

https://voiceofoc.org/2024/08/oc-animal-care-volunteers-still-cant-walk-dogs-offsite-after-tustin-hangar-fire/

Volunteers have only been able to walk dogs on site, including the employee parking lot, since the Tustin hangar fire in November.

07/23/2024

https://voiceofoc.org/2024/07/boyer-kennel-staff-at-oc-animal-care-are-stretched-to-the-breaking-point/

Animal Care Attendants at the OC shelter are compassionate and hard-working. But the county has reduced the number of attendants, making it impossible for them to provide adequate animal care.

07/20/2024

Great article -

07/20/2024

Sharing In case you haven't seen this article published this year by the Orange County Register

Here is one of many good excerpt

"Over an eight-year span, cat euthanasia at Louisville Metro Animal Services plunged by 94.1% — and feline admissions dropped by 42.8% — according to a study published in the journal Animals. A total of 24,697 cats were trapped, sterilized, vaccinated and returned to their turf.
Signing on to the movement, OC Animal Care launched a pilot program back in 2013. Over just a few years, the cat euthanasia rate dove from 74% of live impounds to 49.5%, according to county data."

Featured 📸: Urban Panthers Rescue
https://www.ocregister.com/2024/03/01/fewer-fixes-mean-more-dead-cats-in-orange-county/?share=eteddm000nucioctnett

I think the lawyer representing the "rescue groups" suing San Diego Humane Society of their release of strays, Bryan Pease could use a good read about what happens with a shelter decides to stop their RTF program AND the TNR program.

Columnist Teri Sforza writes that Orange County stopped fixing street cats years ago after legal threats some say were grossly misinterpreted.

07/06/2024

https://patch.com/california/orange-county/oc-animal-care-cutting-back-dog-feeding-nodx

One of your neighbors posted in Neighbor News. Click through to read what they have to say. (The views expressed in this post are the author’s own.)

06/29/2024

https://foothillssentry.com/letters/f/letters-to-the-editor-helter-skelter-shelter

Dear Editor:

06/09/2024

05/26/2024

“Cancer is increasingly common in dogs and disturbingly, canine cancers are occurring at younger ages,” much like the increase in childhood cancers, explains Dr. Barbara Hodges, program director of advocacy and outreach for the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association. LINK TO SOURCE ARTICLE:

What we know about lawn chemicals and cancer in dogs

05/20/2024

Action Item - URGENT - For those of you who have been supporting local rescues’ efforts to get Trap, Neuter, and Return of feral cats reinstated, there is a Senate Bill that Janet Nguyen has brought to the state legislature. It is supported by a bipartisan coalition of OC legislators. It clarifies state law that TNR is not abandonment. PETA and Judie Mancuso of Social Compassion in Legislation are opposing it because it doesn’t go far enough. What they want won’t pass. They are having people call to oppose this bill. We need people to call to support it. Please

Call Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Anna Caballero today at 916-651-4014 and ask her to SUPPORT SB 1459!

You will be leaving a message with your name and support for passage of this bill.

Thanks

05/20/2024

https://voiceofoc.org/2023/11/yamashiro-oc-animal-care-gave-hundreds-of-rabbits-guinea-pigs-and-birds-to-a-reptile-group-what-happened-to-them/

Why did OC give over 700 small pet mammals and birds to a reptile organization? In a similar San Diego case, the leading theory is that these animals ended up as food for reptiles. The county needs to investigate and document what happened to the OC animals.

05/11/2024

Dear Animal Advocates and Rescue Partners,

1. If you have organized adoption events, fundraisers, or any other social gatherings for this weekend, please feel free to print and share this flyer at your event!

The flyer includes convenient QR codes, allowing your attendees to easily scan and send their letters of support to the Appropriation Committee.

Attached we have a PDF of the flyer for your convenience.

2. One More Announcement:

If you have time, please join this event to show support for AB 2265

What: Legislative Animal Advocacy Day
When: Tuesday May 14th, 2024 10.30 am
Where: 1021 O St, Sacramento, Ca. 95814
Why: To Support the Animal Shelter Transparency Act AB 2265
AB 2265 has two key provisions:
1) Requires Animal Shelters to provide public notification before they euthanize a dog, puppy, kitten or cat.
2) Require local governmental bodies to provide a public notification and hearing before a program that may conflict with law is implemented at an Animal Shelter.

AB 2265 will save shelters MILLIONS of dollars they now spend to euthanize adoptable animals and dispose of their bodies. This simple notification can be easily generated with existing shelter software and implemented easily through existing programs, routines and protocols already in place and required by law.

Public Parking, 1416 10th St, Sacramento, CA 95814 CASH only $3 an hour, max $20.
Public Parking 1125 10th St, Sacramento, CA 95814 not sure price street meter parking around the area as well, says 1 hour plus parking, can use change or CC for up to 8 hours.

05/08/2024

The shelter now has only 16 Animal Care Attendants (ACAs). We’ve been telling OC Animal Care that the Strategic Plan consultants (JVR) recommended 26 Animal Care Attendant positions.

We were wrong.

JVR & the Strategic Plan recommend 26​​ ​staff​ ​members per​ ​day. But on all days other than Wednesday, only half the ACAs are working. In the best case, the shelter needs 52 ACAs, so that 26 are on duty on any given day. Factoring in vacation, sick leave, and vacant positions during turnover, 60 ACA positions would be a more reasonable target to meet HSUS, NACA, and ASV recommendations.

Here’s the full quote from page 11 of the report (copy attached, with the quote highlighted):

Staffing​ ​for​ ​daily​ ​cleaning​ ​and​ ​feeding​ ​based​ ​on​ ​HSUS,​ ​NACA,​ ​ASV recommendations​ ​would​ ​be​ ​133​ ​hours​ ​to​ ​be​ ​completed​ ​in​ ​a​ ​5​ ​hour​ ​block daily​ ​in​ ​the​ ​AM​ ​prior​ ​to​ ​public​ ​viewing.​ ​This​ ​equates​ ​to​ ​26​ ​FTE​ ​staff​ ​members per​ ​day.​ ​Hours​ ​are​ ​based​ ​on​ ​peak​ ​daily​ ​population.​ ​During​ ​low​ ​population, staff​ ​should​ ​be​ ​utilized​ ​to​ ​do​ ​tasks​ ​such​ ​as​ ​deep​ ​cleaning,​ ​inventory management,​ ​animal​ ​enrichment,​ ​and​ ​other​ ​tasks​ ​that​ ​should​ ​be​ ​completed annually​ ​for​ ​OSHA​ ​compliance.

We can quibble about 52 vs 60. Shelter management can plead for a discount from 52.

The bottom line is this: 16 ACAs cannot do the work of 52.

Every time there are filthy kennels, dogs shut in for days, or adopters waiting (and possibly leaving empty handed), our question to the county should be: Do the bureaucrats think that Orange County is some sort of cesspool not deserving of the national standards of care put forward by the experts?

Feel free to let the Board of Supervisors know they should stop disrespecting our county.

Visit OpenTheOCShelter.com where you can Email elected officials and Sign a Petition. (Questions? Email [email protected])

05/01/2024

The shelter is advertising for Animal Care Attendant positions. Right now, the shelter only has 16. The way scheduling works, only half of them are on duty on any given day. That’s 8. And if some are on vacation or sick, it’s downhill from there.

The 2018 Strategic Plan recommended 26 positions. That’s 10 more positions than the shelter has now.

Please let people know about these job openings!
Here is the link on GovernmentJobs:
https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/oc/jobs/4486450/animal-care-attendant
and on Indeed:
https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=animal+care+attendant&l=Tustin,+CA&radius=5&vjk=771026520581442f

And, if you have a few minutes, drop a note to the Board of Supervisors, telling them:
We expect the shelter to staff up to 26 Animal Care Attendant positions, just like the nationally recognized experts prescribed in the Strategic Plan.
Email addresses are on https://opentheocshelter.com/take-action

You also might include a copy of the Strategic Plan.

Thanks!

Let the people walk through the kennels. All animals deserve to be seen

04/23/2024

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=853884726753597&id=100063962310104&mibextid=cr9u03

YES!! My package of animal shelter bills unanimously passed its first hurdle — Business & Professions Committee. Thank you to my legislative colleagues and Dr. Hurley for your help. # SD36

04/20/2024

Sharing “There is hope on the horizon! (for a change)
Senator Janet Nguyen has introduced two bills concerning animal welfare, but one of them could be CRUCIAL for the future of TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) not only in Orange County but across the entire state—and it might even influence other states as well.
As many of you know, OC Animal Care has refused to implement TNR, citing advice from county lawyers who supposedly claimed it violated California Penal Code 597s, equating it to animal abandonment. This stance is also why certain individuals are suing the San Diego Humane Society over their RTF/TNR programs. Unlike OCAC, the San Diego Humane Society did not back down when faced with a cease and desist letter from these individuals, which demanded they stop RTF (and by extension, TNR).
For years, many of us have been saying that we cannot simply adopt our way out of this overpopulation crisis, nor can we rely solely on the efforts of a few amazing individuals to do TNR when time and resources allow. What is needed are high-volume TNR programs, alongside genuine low-cost/no-cost spay and neuter options. Legislative change marks a step in the right direction. When laws and regulations fully support our cause, they not only have the potential to be enforceable but also make our arguments much stronger.
Senator Nguyen's Bill SB 1459, however, presents a game-changer by a) establishing standard reporting requirements for animal shelters in counties with populations greater than 400,000, and b) clarifying that managing community cats through TNR programs does not constitute animal abandonment as defined in the Penal Code.
If this bill passes, OCAC will have NO EXCUSE for not participating in TNR, and it would essentially render the argument that TNR is illegal moot. While I may not align with all of Senator Nguyen's policies, she absolutely deserves our credit and support for this particular bill. It’s important to remember, however, that these bills might not pass, or they could be modified to be less impactful.
Personally, I’ll be asking my State Senator and Assembly member to support both bills. It’s also worth showing our gratitude to Janet Nguyen and all the co-sponsors on social media. The co-authors include: Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) and Assembly members Assemblymember Diane Dixon (R-Newport Beach), Assemblywoman Laurie Davies (R-Laguna Niguel), Assemblyman Heath Flora (R-Ripon), Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez (R-Rancho Santa Margarita), and Sharon Quirk-Silva(D-Fullerton).

Also, please subscribe to Michael's M. newsletter to stay updated on all of the news involving OCAC

Visit OpenTheOCShelter.com where you can Email elected officials and Sign a Petition. (Questions? Email [email protected])

04/20/2024

Thank you Janet Nguyen !! https://www.facebook.com/100002019522774/posts/7357439700999941/?mibextid=cr9u03

Proud to author bipartisan Senate Bills 1478 & 1459 for transparency in shelters. Let's ensure every pet's journey is tracked & accounted for -- let us be their voice. A Monday hearing is crucial. 🐾 🐾

04/16/2024

https://patch.com/california/orange-county/sad-time-orange-county-homeless-pets-nodx

One of your neighbors posted in Neighbor News. Click through to read what they have to say. (The views expressed in this post are the author’s own.)

04/16/2024

https://voiceofoc.org/2024/04/boyer-a-deteriorating-animal-shelter-and-millions-in-suspicious-contracts/

Is there a problem in county management? We praise and blame County Supervisors. We ignore the top managers in county bureaucracy. One agency, OCCR, is wasting taxpayer dollars and abetting the grim disarray of the animal shelter. What’s hiding behind their disinformation?

04/11/2024

The man shown below is wanted for animal abuse stemming from an incident that occurred on the morning of Sunday, April 7, 2024, near Brookhurst St. and the I-5. If you recognize this man or have any information regarding his whereabouts, contact the Anaheim Police Department at 714-765-1900 or Orange County Crime Stoppers.