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Agenda Item
4 25-0851 Subject: Revisions To The Animal Control Ordinance
From: Office Of The City Administrator
Recommendation: Adopt A Ordinance Amending Oakland Municipal Code 6.04 (Animal Control) To: (1) Reduce The Holding Period For Impounded Animals To 72 Hours; (2) Remove Requirement For Oakland Animal Services To Accept All Surrendered Animals; (3) Allow Finders Of Stray Animals To Temporarily Keep And Care For Found Animals In Lieu Of Delivering To Oakland Animal Services; (4) Require Outdoor Cats And Impounded And At-Large Dogs To Be Spayed Or Neutered; (5) Authorize Oakland Animal Services To Waive Fees Based On Financial Need; And (6) Make Other Minor Amendments Consistent With State Law
I strongly oppose the 2nd clause to remove the requirement for OAS to accept all surrendered animals. I've lived in deep east Oakland for 20+ years (district 6). We have a sea of stray cats, dogs, and sometimes bunnies, chickens, you name it out here. We need a functional animal shelter. The budget has been slashed so deeply that there are now only 4 shelter workers to clean cages where there should be 11. Thus, OAS has adopted a policy the past couple of years, of turning away nearly all cats. We are being told to "put them back where you found them." Tame, adoptable, unowned animals are being returned to our streets and dumped in parks, usually without even spay/neuter. Those of us who care and try to help spend thousands out of our own pockets, getting vet care for sick and injured strays, fixing and feeding ferals, and housing tame strays until we can find placement with private rescues. This is insanity. We are not equipped to act as mini-shelters, and with all the taxes we pay, we should not have to. We need a massive spay-neuter program in the flatlands and we need our shelter sufficiently funded to take in animals in need. We need people from our most impacted neighborhoods to have input on policy. We are tired of picking up the dead bodies and witnessing the horrific suffering of animals abandoned on our streets. Bring back the Community Advisory Board we once had for OAS. I do support the clauses for mandated spay-neuter.and waiving fees.
I'm an Oakland resident in District 4 - I oppose allowing OAS to turn away animals based on capacity or ability to pay a fee. OAS is a last resort for many people, and not allowing access to this service will force many people into worse alternatives. For the safety of our community and our animals, please uphold this mandate so that we can allow safe surrender of animals for all.
I'm an Oakland resident in District 1. I'm writing in opposition to the change on the OAS mandate to take surrendered animals (Major Change #1). This change will result in more animals that could be sent to good homes, instead lost on our streets. Staff should reconsider this change and find alternatives and more strict guidelines for refusing animal surrender. I understand this is a tough budget situation, but please reconsider this adjustment to policy and pass the rest of the changes in the meantime.
I am an Oakland resident in District 4, and our animals are family and provide incredibly important mental health support in these difficult times. Oakland MUST accept owner-surrendered animals, as these animals are dependent on us for their survival and when brought to the shelter, it is because we have exhausted all possibilities to keep them safe. The city needs to serve its community and that includes the safety of our animal companions.
I oppose not accepting all surrenders. This is the only opportunity for safe surrender in Oakland. If safe surrender is denied due to capacity or fee people will be forced to make terrible decisions that place animals and other community members in danger. OSA is chronically under funded, increased funding will help alleviate issues, not refusing surrender.
I strongly oppose the 2nd clause to remove the requirement for OAS to accept all surrendered animals. I've lived in deep east Oakland for 20+ years (district 6). We have a sea of stray cats, dogs, and sometimes bunnies, chickens, you name it out here. We need a functional animal shelter. The budget has been slashed so deeply that there are now only 4 shelter workers to clean cages where there should be 11. Thus, OAS has adopted a policy the past couple of years, of turning away nearly all cats. We are being told to "put them back where you found them." Tame, adoptable, unowned animals are being returned to our streets and dumped in parks, usually without even spay/neuter. Those of us who care and try to help spend thousands out of our own pockets, getting vet care for sick and injured strays, fixing and feeding ferals, and housing tame strays until we can find placement with private rescues. This is insanity. We are not equipped to act as mini-shelters, and with all the taxes we pay, we should not have to. We need a massive spay-neuter program in the flatlands and we need our shelter sufficiently funded to take in animals in need. We need people from our most impacted neighborhoods to have input on policy. We are tired of picking up the dead bodies and witnessing the horrific suffering of animals abandoned on our streets. Bring back the Community Advisory Board we once had for OAS. I do support the clauses for mandated spay-neuter.and waiving fees.
I'm an Oakland resident in District 4 - I oppose allowing OAS to turn away animals based on capacity or ability to pay a fee. OAS is a last resort for many people, and not allowing access to this service will force many people into worse alternatives. For the safety of our community and our animals, please uphold this mandate so that we can allow safe surrender of animals for all.
I'm an Oakland resident in District 1. I'm writing in opposition to the change on the OAS mandate to take surrendered animals (Major Change #1). This change will result in more animals that could be sent to good homes, instead lost on our streets. Staff should reconsider this change and find alternatives and more strict guidelines for refusing animal surrender. I understand this is a tough budget situation, but please reconsider this adjustment to policy and pass the rest of the changes in the meantime.
I am an Oakland resident in District 4, and our animals are family and provide incredibly important mental health support in these difficult times. Oakland MUST accept owner-surrendered animals, as these animals are dependent on us for their survival and when brought to the shelter, it is because we have exhausted all possibilities to keep them safe. The city needs to serve its community and that includes the safety of our animal companions.
I oppose not accepting all surrenders. This is the only opportunity for safe surrender in Oakland. If safe surrender is denied due to capacity or fee people will be forced to make terrible decisions that place animals and other community members in danger. OSA is chronically under funded, increased funding will help alleviate issues, not refusing surrender.