But the city disagreed with some of the jury’s findings
ANTIOCH — Animal welfare advocates are predicting that having a manager at Antioch’s animal shelter will sustain the progress reflected in the city’s response to a recent grand jury report.
Council members on Tuesday approved a letter commenting on the 2016-17 Contra Costa County Grand Jury’s investigation into shelter operations and the subsequent summary this government watchdog group presented in June of its findings and recommendations.
The city agreed with most of the 13 conclusions that jurors came to after interviewing city officials, shelter workers and rescue groups as well as doing other research into the facility’s conditions and practices.
The report noted the improvements Antioch Animal Services has made since it agreed last fall to accept help from Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation, a Walnut Creek nonprofit with a reputation for excellence in shelter management.
“I’m very confident that the course that has been charted … is going to get Antioch the shelter it deserves,” said Antioch resident Jeffrey Klingler, who commended the council for embracing change.
In particular, he praised the city for recently creating a manager’s position for the shelter; one of the grand jury’s findings was that the shelter needed someone in this role.
“I think that’s an extremely important (role) to get Animal Services moving forward, and hopefully bring in outside talent … that will have us leaving in the rear view mirror the issues that got us here in the first place,” he said.
In two instances, however, the city took issue with the report, which asserted that the shelter lacked a rescue and volunteer coordinator and didn’t have written policies and procedures governing animal care.
Although there is no paid coordinator’s position, two volunteers perform that role, the city noted in its response. In addition, ARF has helped the shelter come up with written protocols that are considered industry best practices.
As for the grand jury’s recommendations that the shelter stay open one evening a week and hire a volunteer/rescue coordinator, the city indicated that lack of money is preventing it from adopting them immediately.
In several instances, it rejected the grand jury’s advice.
Instead of posting shelter residents’ photos on Antioch Animal Services’ website, the city uses Pet Finder and Shelter Me, two other online directories.
Accepting animals from throughout East County is impossible for the already full shelter, even if county shelter workers subsequently picked up those cats and dogs that didn’t originate in Antioch, the city responded.
And Antioch Police Chief Tammany Brooks, whose department oversees the shelter, nixed the suggestion that a group of residents monitor shelter conditions and serve as advisers.
“There are a number of people in our community involved in animal welfare who are passionate about what they do. However, I would offer that none of them (is) truly expert in shelter operations or shelter medicine,” he said.
Brooks also noted that neither the county, Hayward or Oakland has a community advisory group for its animal shelter.
August 23, 2017
East Bay Times
By Rowena Coetsee
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