HomeMy WebLinkAboutAnimal Welfare Minutes 2/29/1996March 3, 1996
TO: Board of Selectmen
RE: February 29, 1996, Animal Welfare
V Members resent: VSusan Talavera
Matt Miller Rita Parvey
96 KAR -1 Li! 9: 40
Committee Megting; _L.0
/Kristine Hunter ✓Geanine Parks
VMike Lattari ✓Adah Brill -Cass
The Animal Welfare Committee met on February 29 at the Town Hall. Six of the seven
members were present to establish a quorum. Now that we have seven members, the
Also attending the meeting were shelter volunteer Tara DeVeau, local middle - school student
Tarin Weinberg and her mother, and Mansfield resident David Cass.
• Two deposits ($415 and $20) were made into the financial account in January. The
spay /neuter account totals $200, the general funds account totals $705.02 and the new
shelter fund account totals $28, 564.03.
• Chairman Miller reported receiving a memo from the Board of Selectmen inviting him to
appear at the Board's March 6 meeting to report on the AWC's activities during the last year.
In preparation for this report, he reviewed the monthly records from the animal shelter for the
last two years and developed a report that shows all of the animal activity at the shelter. This
report was discussed and unanimously approved by the Committee.
• A second report that includes the activity of the AWC since May 1995 was discussed and
amended, and also unanimously approved by the Committee. A list of goals that have been
developed by the AWC will also be included in the chairman's report on March 6.
• Also in preparation for the above presentation, Chairman Miller met with Chief O'Neill to
discuss activity at the animal shelter in the past year. One item was a $1600 electric bill that
was caused by the excessive use of electric heaters because of a lack of heat in the dog
room. They mutually agreed that the heating system in the dog room should be repaired.
• The addition of a cat isolation area at the shelter was also discussed and this issue will be
examined by the AWC in the near future.
• The Committee discussed the fate of a dog that was scheduled to be put to sleep because
of a lack of space at the Mansfield shelter (eight stalls and nine dogs), but was taken in by a
no -kill shelter. The dog was eventually returned to the Mansfield shelter when space opened
up, however, space continues to remain as a problem.
• Mansfield student Tarin Weinberg volunteered to create a dog adoption display as part of
her school report on the Mansfield animal shelter.
• The Committee voted unanimously to support the proposed addition of a part -time Humane
Officer (to serve when Jeff Collins is not in town or otherwise available), with the request that
the AWC review all applicants for the position.
Looking at the above - mentioned report, the Committee was concerned that the number of
dogs being licensed in Mansfield was down while the reported dog population in Town was
increasing — licensed dogs dropped from 86% in 1994 to 83% in 1995. The Committee will
look at ways to publicize dog licensing, including specifying this activity when dogs are being
adopted.
• A motion was passed to support the partial reimbursement (up to $100 maximum) for
individuals donating services and /or talents for the June flea market fund- raiser. The idea is
to prevent any one individual from encountering excessive out-of-pocket expenses.
• A list of sub - committees was discussed and several members volunteered to chair there. It
was generally agreed that the entire AWC should be involved in fund- raising activities.
Because of the lateness into the evening, these sub - committees will be further discussed and
finalized at the next meeting.
We set Thursday, March , 1996, at 7:30 p.m. (Town Hall) as the next Committee meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Matt Miller
Chairman, Animal Welfare Committee
cc: Committee Members
Animal Control Officer, Arthur O'Neill
Animal Humane Officer, Jeff Collins
Town Clerk, Judith F. Scott