Item 13 - OC Grand Jury's Investigative Report, Findings, and Recommendations Regarding Group Homes and the Orange County Animal Care Shelter

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Gimme Shelter and a Pound of Advice were directed toward arranging for alternative outside counsel at the recommendation and with the support of the Superior Court. After losing approximately six weeks, the Grand Jury was able to engage alternative outside counsel in early February of 2023. As of the publication of this report, the Grand Jury was not able to confirm the logic, reasoning, or basis of the County Counsel's opinion, or even whether in fact the County Counsel advised against the continuance of the TNR program. Moreover, the Grand Jury cannot confirm whether, or who, or at what level of authority, within the County government the decision to end TNR emanated. As a consequence, the Grand Jury cannot verify that any such decision was ever actually made, or communicated at any level of authority, by anyone within Orange County's governing hierarchy and, more importantly, why any such decision was made. The only fact the Grand Jury can confirm with any confidence is that the TNR program was terminated in or about early 2020. CONCLUSION OCAC has been a source of public concern since the 1990s, with five previous Orange County .Grand Jury reports and an Orange County Performance Audit detailing troubling conditions at the OCAC shelter. This Grand Jury report shines a light on deficiencies at the shelter still needing resolution. The Grand Jury believes that if the recommendations included in this report are implemented: • Internal and external communications at OCAC will improve. • The reallocation of staffing positions within the organization, increasing the number of Animal Care. Attendant positions and employing an animal behaviorist or trainer, will improve general animal welfare at the shelter. • Improvements in the timely filling of staff vacancies will enhance shelter operations and overall staff morale. • The adoption process will be more public -friendly, leading to more adoptions. • ,The behavioral euthanasia decision process will be standardized, articulated, and documented, leading to consistent behavioral euthanasia outcomes. • -The shelter's Policies and Procedures will be correct and up to date. • _..00AC and Orange County rescue organizations and animal advocates can work -- - toward mending their relations for the welfare of the animals. _... - •==The shelter's TNR program will be re-evaluated, reconsidered and reinstated. - - --- - _ • The shelter's volunteers will be more integrated into the shelter's personnel team and communications. The Grand Jury conducted many interviews with shelter personnel. The Grand Jury is very impressed with their sense of dedication and earnest concern for the welfare o shelter animals. ORANGE COUNTY GRAND JURY 2022 1 2023 PAGE 30 OF 51