City officials updated the Animal Advisory Commission last week on the strategic plan for the Animal Services Office as the city works to improve the relationship between the Austin Animal Center and key stakeholders, including the commission.
Assistant City Manager Stephanie Hayden-Howard said officials held a planning meeting on June 25 that was attended by city staff and Animal Advisory commissioners Lotta Smagula and Ann Linder, plus Larry Schooler, a third-party facilitator. Schooler is in the process of interviewing partners and stakeholders, including the planning team, leaders from Austin Pets Alive! and former Animal Services officers, among others.
Commissioner Whitney Holt, who works for Travis County as a planner, is joining the planning team in her Travis County capacity. Hayden-Howard and Chief Animal Services Officer Don Bland are also part of the planning group. She said the planning group will look at the recommendations from the working group and other assessments.
“It’s a tall order for that group so that’s why I’m thanking everyone in advance,” Hayden-Howard said.
The strategic plan is designed with four phases with the goal of completion by the end of the year. The first phase, focusing on assessment, will run from June to August and gather both city and public input. The second phase will run from August to October and will consist of development workshops held by the working group as well as feedback from stakeholders.
The third phase will run from October to December as officials work to finalize the plan and receive support from the animal commission and City Council, before the final phase of implementation.
The working group is composed of the members of the planning group, along with Pat Valls-Trelles, an animal welfare advocate, and local animal organizations including Austin Pets Alive! and the Austin Humane Society.
An audit released in September of last year said the city has not taken action to improve the relationship between the Austin Animal Center and the animal commission, which became more strained after the commission passed a vote of no confidence in AAC’s leadership in June 2022.
“AAC management said they felt attacked by Commissioners and community members at Animal Advisory Commission meetings and did not feel supported by City leadership,” the audit said.
The Animal Services Office released a survey on Wednesday that will be open through Aug. 14 to seek public input on animal services in Austin to help shape the strategic plan.
“The goal is that we want people to freely participate, be able to kind of get off what you need to get off, say what you need to say, and let’s move on and let’s get the work done,” Hayden-Howard said.
Hayden-Howard said she will continue to update the commission at their monthly meetings on the progress of the strategic plan.
Photo made available through a Creative Commons license.
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Animal Advisory Commission: The Animal Advisory Commission advises the Austin City Council and the Travis County Commissioners Court on Texas Health and Safety Code compliance regarding animal shelters and on animal welfare policies.
Animal Services: This is the city department tasked with running the city's animal shelter, providing care to more than 20,000 animals a year, and maintaining Austin's no-kill status.
