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Orozco, Norma From: Michael Mavrovouniotis < Sent: Friday, June 16, 2023 12:30 PM To: eComment Subject: OC Animal Care - Grand Jury report This is general public comment for the next city council meeting. The Grand Jury Report issued a HIGHLY CRITICAL report on OC Animal Care. You can find it on the Grand Jury website, here: https://www.ocgrandjury.org/pdfs/2022_2023_GJreport/Gimme_Shelter_and_a_Pound_of Advice.pdf * Write to your County Supervisor,your Mayor, and your City Council. Ask them to read the Grand Jury report, put an end to this scandal, and get OC Animal Care back on the right track. * If you'd like any reports emailed to you, please contact gmoses4819@gmail.com * Other reports on OC Animal Care: http://ocshelter.com * Another useful information site: https://opentheocshelter.com/ This is the SUMMARY taken word-for-word from the report: Orange County Animal Care has been a source of public concern since the 1990s,with no less than five previous Orange County Grand Jury reports detailing troubling conditions.The previous reports cited excessive euthanasia rates, poor leadership, inadequate numbers of animal care attendants, a lack of cooperation between staff departments, the exclusion of kennel staff from euthanasia decisions,the lack of proper assessment of animals chosen for euthanasia, and low morale negatively impacting operation of the shelter. Recent public outcry citing conditions at the shelter, recent litigation, and publicly circulated petitions calling for changes at the shelter suggest the previously expressed concerns remain. In addition to these publicly voiced concerns,the current Orange County Grand Jury received direct complaints requesting an inquiry.The Grand Jury determined a renewed investigation was warranted.The investigation focused on three major areas of concern:the management of the shelter,the welfare of animals under shelter care, and the communication and engagement with the public and the animal rescue community. A particular concern of the Grand Jury was the shelter's termination of its Trap, Neuter, and Return (TNR) program for community cats. In early 2020, the shelter decided to stop its TNR program.The Grand Jury's investigation determined that termination of the TNR program had detrimental consequences for the welfare of the animals under the shelter's care. The elimination of the TNR program also has contributed to substantial public dissatisfaction and alienation that undermines the public's and the rescue community's relations with shelter leadership. During the Grand Jury's investigation, it was reported by the shelter's senior management that the termination of the TNR program resulted from an opinion rendered by the County's legal counsel. Understanding the reason leading to the decision to terminate the TNR program would be important for considering whether the program can and/or should be reinstated.Toward that end, the Grand Jury endeavored to obtain a copy of the opinion of the County's legal counsel by directing a written request to the Chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. While the Grand Jury recognizes that 1