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Gimme Shelter and a Pound of Advice <br />REASON FOR STUDY <br />In 2022, the Grand Jury received 14 complaints about the Orange County Animal Care <br />(OCAC) shelter. Many of those complaints were the same complaints addressed in five <br />previous Grand Jury reports, including: <br />• the shelter's unresponsiveness to community needs, <br />• restricted public access to the shelter's kennels, <br />• restricted opportunities to walk through the kennels and engage with adoptable <br />animals, and <br />• concerns related to inadequate staffing and volunteer levels. <br />Complainants also expressed concerns about animal surrenders, a perceived increase in <br />homeless cats with less spay/neuter availability, and the shelter's increased euthanasia <br />rates. <br />About the same time the Grand Jury was receiving public complaints about the shelter, a <br />petition with thousands of signatures was delivered to the Orange County Board of <br />Supervisors. The petition addressed the same concerns as the complaints received by <br />the Grand Jury and demanded change in the shelter's appointment -only system and <br />reinstatement of the shelter's TNR program. <br />The Grand Jury also learned about a lawsuit filed by Elizabeth Hueg, Safe Rescue Team <br />(a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation), and Cats In Need Of Human Care (another <br />California 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation) seeking an injunction from the Orange County <br />Superior Court for the assignment of a shelter monitor to oversee shelter operations. <br />The 2022-2023 Grand Jury revisited OCAC because public discussion pointed to new <br />and allegedly ongoing and unresolved concerns about shelter operations. The Grand <br />Jury focused on current practices at OCAC to determine how well the needs of the <br />animals, staff, and public are being met. <br />METHOD OF STUDY <br />The Orange County Grand Jury's objective is to provide an accurate portrayal of OCAC's <br />current operations, culture, inner workings, and challenges. The Grand Jury investigation <br />relied on interviews, public and shelter documents, surveys, site visits, and news <br />accounts about the shelter. The information supporting the facts, findings, and <br />recommendations in this report is corroborated, validated, and verified through multiple <br />sources. <br />Interviews <br />The interviews conducted by the Grand Jury focused on an in-depth review of OCAC <br />management, staffing, operating structure, animal care procedures, communications, <br />animal care statistics, operating plan, organization structure, morale, the volunteer <br />ORANGE COUNTY GRAND JURY 2022 1 2023 PAGE 8 OF 51 <br />