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Gimme Shelter and a Pound of Advice <br />FINDINGS <br />In accordance with California Penal Code Sections 933 and 933.05, the 2022-2023 <br />Grand Jury requires (or, as noted, requests) Responses from each agency affected by <br />the Findings presented in this section. The Responses are to be submitted to the <br />Presiding Judge of the Superior Court. <br />Based on its investigation titled, "Gimme Shelter and a Pound of Advice, The State of <br />Animal Welfare Overseen by the County of Orange," the 2022-2023 Grand Jury has <br />arrived at seventeen Findings, as follows: <br />Management: <br />F1 Management has limited flexibility utilizing personnel within Orange County <br />Animal Care across departments due to structured work rules, volunteer work <br />restrictions, and employees working in departmental silos. <br />F2 Low staff morale exists within Orange County Animal Care. <br />F3 Orange County Animal Care staffing is negatively impacted by vacant positions <br />remaining unfilled for greater than six months due to burdensome hiring <br />processes. This delay in recruitment and completion of hiring has resulted in <br />qualified candidates declining job offers. <br />F4 Based upon industry standards and best practices, Orange County Animal Care <br />kennel attendants are understaffed to meet the needs of animals under care. <br />F5 Orange County Animal Care's operating policies and procedures manual is out <br />of date. <br />F6 The Orange County Animal Care Volunteer program was stopped during <br />COVID-19 and restarting the program has been slow, resulting in decreased <br />animal socialization and enrichment. <br />Animal Welfare <br />F7 Orange County Animal Care's Behavior Evaluation Committee evaluates dogs <br />for euthanasia without written guidelines, policies, or procedures, resulting in <br />=--inconsostent outcomes over time. Behavior evaluated euthanasia outcomes are <br />dependent on the experience and personal considerations of the individual <br />-committee members and management rather than written objective standards. <br />- F8-- -- The rate of behavioral euthanasia of dogs has increased significantly over the <br />last 2 years. <br />ORANGE COUNTY GRAND JURY 2022 1 2023 . PAGE 31 OF 51 <br />