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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAnimal Welfare Minutes 6/22/1995June 29, 1995 Board of Selectmen Town of Mansfield VED 1 95 AN 33 AN 9: t)G „'Si itLD Eih_',`.Srl HUSETTS RE: June 22, 1995, Animal Welfare Committee Meeting Present Susan Talavera Geanine Parks Matt Miller Absent Barbara Galizia The Animal Welfare Committee met on Thursday, June 22, 1995, at the Town Hall. A majority of the four members were present to establish a quorum. Shelter volunteers and representatives from Today's Alternative Animal Rescue Association (TAARA) were present at the meeting — Tara Deveau, Connie Deveau and Maurice Brodeur. Our initial discussion was about the resignation of Mary Webster - Baublis and the need to seek out and encourage others to volunteer for the AWC. Mr. Miller reported that he obtained the AWC records from the past chairman, Linda Sohn, on Tuesday evening, June 20. He reported that he had scanned the contents but had not had the opportunity to review the records in depth. He noted that members of the previous AWC had accomplished a great deal in establishing the shelter, developing Town by -laws related to animal care, and raising funds for both animal care and a new shelter. The committee discussed several animal health issues including heart worm, rabies and distemper shots, and the spaying and neutering of animals. Mr. Miller pointed out that a previous AWC decision indicated that all dogs entering the shelter during heart worm season would be tested for heart worm and given heart worm preventative while staying at the shelter. There was some confusion about whether this was being done on a regular basis and Mr. Miller agreed to contact Humane Officer Jeff Collins to discuss this matter and resolve who would pay for the testing and medication. The committee talked about the state law that mandates sterilization of all dogs adopted from the shelter and generally agreed that the existing adoption agreement seemed to be working well. Also included in the discussion was the issue of rabies shots for shelter volunteers. Only three of the 12 current volunteers have been vaccinated. Most medical plans will not pay for the shots which cost about $225. The committee tabled the discussion until a later meeting, but generally feels that all volunteers at the shelter should be vaccinated and should not have to pay for the shots out of their own pockets. Animal destruction was another topic that arose. The volunteers indicated that a recent Mansfield News article misquoted them as saying that the Mansfield shelter took in animals from other towns and indicated that some of the dogs had been at the shelter for long periods of time. As a result, Chief O'Neill ordered the destruction of two dogs that had been at the shelter for a long period of time. One of the dogs was adopted and the remaining dog was to be destroyed the following Monday. Committee members questioned who had the authority to authorize animal destruction at the shelter. A reading of the Town By -laws seems to indicate that the AWC is the body to make that decision — and only in the absence of an "active" animal welfare committee, the Animal Control Officer makes the decision. The committee has been reviewing the wording of the Town By -Laws (Chapter Eight, Section VIII, paragraphs d, a and f) and agrees that length of stay is not the best determining factor when deciding to put a dog down. These are the guidelines that Mr. Collins has been following and he has been using good judgment in making very difficult decisions. The AWC will continue to study this issue and will consult all of the parties involved prior to making any recommendations to change By -laws wording. A motion was made and approved to ask Mr. Miller to contact Chief O'Neill to discuss the following measure: "It has been brought to our attention that you have ordered the destruction of one or more dogs at the shelter, and we would appreciate it if you would put these destruction orders on hold until the AWC has had the opportunity to review this situation. Our understanding is that the Town By -laws, Chapter Eight, Section VIII, paragraph e, clearly vest this authority with the Animal Welfare Committee." Mr. Miller called the Chief on Friday morning, June 23, and was referred to Lt. George Figuerito. Lt. Figuerito was not available to talk with Mr. Miller and they have been trading phone messages. (As of today, June 29, Mr. Miller has not spoken with Lt. Figuerito, but will keep trying to reach him.) Meetings with Chief O'Neill and Mr. Collins are planned to discuss operations, policies and practices, and to obtain the AWC financial account. Regarding fund - raising and plans to build a new shelter, the TAARA representatives were asked if they had reconsidered their previous negative response to the AWC and would like to discuss joint fund - raising further. They presented us with a letter (see attached) in which they formally explain their previous negative response to working with the AWC. Specifically, Mr. Brodeur referred to paragraph five of the letter in which TAARA, with no assurances that a new shelter would be built in Mansfield, is requesting that the Town of Mansfield /Animal Welfare Committee make direct donations to TAARA. The same paragraph further stipulates that this new animal shelter would be owned and administered by TAARA, totally independent from the Town. We generally agreed that two organizations could not actively raise money for the same purpose. And that our combined efforts would probably be the most successful if we are to build a new shelter. The proposal by TAARA raises new questions for the AWC and we have begun the process of developing answers for those questions. Due to the length of the meeting, the committee tabled further discussion of this matter and the development of a formal response to TAARA's request until the next AWC meeting. Finally, we set Thursday, August 10, at 7:30 p.m. (at the Town Hall) as the next Committee meeting. Respectfully submitted, Kq7�,IIZ 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 Today's 11 fternative linimaf r<Zescue Association P.O. Box 66 Mansfield, MA June 21, 1995 Mansfield Animal Welfare Committee Mansfield, MA Matt Miller, Chairman Dear Matt, The intent of this letter is to explain why it will not be possible for joint development of a new animal shelter in the town of Mansfield. As originally proposed in your presentation to our Association on May 12`' 1995, this joint initiative between the Animal Welfare Committee and our Association would entail fundraising, leading to the construction of a new animal shelter facility in Mansfield. Subsequent to the May 12Th meeting, our Association consulted legal counsel on this question prior to taking a formal vote. The vote sided with counsel, who recommended that our non - profit status would be jeopardized were our (non - profit) Association to conduct fund - raisers for the benefit of a civic entity. This is the decision that we communicated at the May 25th Animal Welfare Committee meeting. At that same meeting, the committee requested that we solicit counsel once again, to see if any options or conditions could be found that would allow a new shelter to be created in Mansfield, without any risk of compromise of our non - profit status. On June 101h , we again met with our attorney on this question. Counsel reiterated the warnings about the risks associated with even the appearance of improper use of non - profit status. Citing the Federal Code 501c,3), counsel stated that the cleanest way to move forward was for the Town of Mansfield /Animal Welfare Committee to make direct donations to our Association. Considerations to the Town of Mansfield would be those stipulated contractually and the new animal shelter would be owned and administered by our Association totally independent from the Town. This is our formal response to the Committee's May 251h request. We request that the Committee take the matter under advisement and provide a formal response at the earliest possible opportunity. Respectfully Yours, 0,1 'e- ara Ann DeVeau • President