community animal control - g2z community animal...vaccines significantly reduce the chance of dogs...

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Proactive Community

Animal Control

Officer Todd Stosuy

Field Services Manager

Santa Cruz County, California

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Based on

Community Policing Model

Defined as “a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies, which support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques, to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime.” - US Department of Justice

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What is

Community Animal Control?

Same as Community Policing, but with an emphasis on a community’s animal issues

Varies from jurisdiction

to jurisdiction

Community Animal Control

First, identify the problems and problem locations

Then ask “How can these problems be resolved?”

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Three Things We Do In Santa

Cruz

Preventative Patrols

Door to Door Outreach

Shots Fair

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Preventative Patrols

City of Watsonville – 10 areas patrolled for one year

Officers spoke with residents BEFORE there were issues

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Preventative Patrols

Pick targeted areas

Drive through locations slowly, windows down

Preventative Patrols

Stop and speak to people in a friendly manner

Preventative Patrols

Officers acted less law enforcement, and more educational

Officers provided bilingual educational material BEFORE there were issues

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Preventative Patrols

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Preventative Patrols

Impoundment rates fell

Spay/Neuter compliance went up

Community viewed Animal Control as helpful and came to our shelters for education

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Door to Door Campaign

Targeted areas in City of Watsonville

Maps generated by 911 Center

Foot patrol of areas

Door to Door Campaign

Officers dress in polo shirts without badges

No enforcement action unless egregious animal neglect/cruelty found

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Children Specific Items

Junior Law Enforcement Badge Stickers

Tattoos

Toys to play with

their animals

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Door to Door Campaign

Knock on EVERY door in targeted areas

Meet apartment managers beforehand and set up community meeting

Door to Door Campaign

Focus on intact animals, dogs running loose and animal neglect and cruelty

Provide free items (toys, dog houses, etc)

Door to Door Campaign

DO NOT FOCUS ON LICENSING

Work with the community to resolve what is truly important for the ANIMALS

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Door to Door Campaign

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Door to Door Campaign

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Door to Door Campaign

Dogs removed from tethers

TNR colonies started

Dogs and cats provided routine vaccinations and veterinary care

All WITHOUT enforcement action

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Door to Door Campaign

Gave away free dog houses

Provided hundreds of free Kongs and other enrichment toys for backyard dogs

Provided hundreds of free collars, tags, leashes and bowls

All items were donated through media campaigns

Door to Door Campaign

People have begun to view Animal Shelter as community resource

Officers have begun providing community oriented services daily

Volunteer Outreach Team

Work within the community

Door to Door Outreach

Table at events

Assist with spay/neuter transport

Adoption events

Healthy Dog Shots Fair

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Volunteer Outreach Team

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Volunteer Door to Door

Specific training

1.Basic overview of what to expect

2.How to Approach and Talk to People

3.Cats, Cats, Cats

4.Spay and Neuter Conversations

5.Trespassing and Civil Rights

6.Dog Behavior and Training

7.Understanding poverty and cultural differences 25

Volunteer Door to Door

Day One

Middle to low income neighborhood

“Breaking” volunteers in

I did most of the talking (at first)

Volunteers began opening up

It’s all about being HUMAN

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Volunteer Door to Door

Day 2

Homeless Services Center and Soup Kitchen

Mostly dogs (one cat)

Flea preventative

Spay/neuter

Enrichment and food

EYE OPENING 27

Volunteer Door to Door

Day 3

Very poor and underprivileged neighborhood

Mainly Spanish speaking

Reality check

Day had ups and down, but ended positively

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Volunteer Door to Door

Team assignments

Neighborhood assignments

Allows for individuals to be known and trusted within the community

“Lock the block”

Ongoing learning process

Work WITH Animal Control on follow ups and community assistance

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Healthy Dog Shots Fair

Held in lower income area of County

Provides free routine

vaccinations, rabies

shots, microchips,

collars, leashes

and training advice

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Healthy Dog Shots Fair

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"We hope to offer resources to the community that will improve the health and

welfare of our area's pets. Vaccines significantly reduce the chance of dogs

contracting deadly diseases. Microchipping a pet offers pet owners the only truly

permanent method of identifying their pet and linking the animal back to the owner.

Spaying and neutering a pet is healthier for the animal and helps to combat the

pet overpopulation problem." —Melanie Sobel, General Manager

Healthy Shots Dog Fair

Uniformed animal control officer

Police Cadets and CSO’s

Dog trainers

Veterinarians

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Healthy Dog Shots Fair

350 dogs given rabies shots, routine vaccinations and microchipped

Hundreds of leashes, collars, flea medication, food and enrichment toys provided

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Healthy Shots Dog Fair

Free training advice

30 dogs provided low cost spay/neuter

All services and items donated by local veterinarians, pet stores, etc

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Questions?

Officer Todd Stosuy

Field Services Manager

Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter

Asa235@co.santa-cruz.ca.us

www.scanimalshelter.org