Local Issues Presented at December 15 Animal Issues Forum

Local Issues Presented at December 15 Animal Issues Forum
Notes by Adette Quintana

First Speaker - Patricia Fraga City of Austin:

Spay street Program has been expanded. Now covers 10 zip codes. Spay Street partners with Emancipet.

Door hangers and handouts are passed out within these communities. These give citizens information about free services available to their pets (rabies vaccination, microchip, spay/neuter, new collar) as well as instructions on how to get these services. They also explain how spay/neuter benefits pets.

This outreach is done by city staff and Emancipet.

*Volunteers needed to hand out flyers and hang door hangers in these communities

Asha Thune (Emancipet) explained that Emancipet has $30K. This fund covers citizens who's pets are picked up and brought in via door to door visits. These are people who otherwise would NOT reach out and have their pet spayed/neutered, etc

The City fund is $25K. The fund covers citizens who DO reach out via information they have received from flyers, word of mouth,door hangers, etc.

Both the City and Emancipet are under the Spay Street Program and all surgeries are done at Emancipet.

Second Speaker: Kathleen Hamilton- Public Awareness Committee

Gave us an update on the Public Awareness Committee progress

*The first project was to reach 'low hanging fruit'. The committee now has a logo and education materials to hand out. They have been participating in local pet events (we are currently at the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar) handing these out and spreading the word about the help we need from Austin's citizens in order to become a No Kill city.

*A generalized marketing plan has been developed. This will include broader education materials, more events, more Spanish materials, improving the TLAC website (links, Spanish, clearer language, and making the site easier to navigate). This plan will be developed via working with the City.

*The committee is also working on a 24month Pet Event Calendar

*A month of celebration is being planned to celebrate the March 11th anniversary leading up to March 11th, 2011.

Third Speaker - Tara Stermer www.TrainingbyTara.com

Tara has started a mobile community outreach program. This involves going into low income communities and offering free clinics training programs. The purpose of the mobile outreach is to educate and train. Informative and helpful pet information will be handed out at these clinics. Information on proper confinement, spay/neuter, basic agility are all part of this wonderful program. Collars and leashes are also handed out.

Luis Herrera helped out with translating.

The first outreach was a great success. One person was out with their dog when Tara and her crew arrived. Right away kiddos ran into their homes and brought out their dogs.

*Volunteers are needed to help out with this program.

The next mobile outreach is scheduled for January 9th. The location will be announced. Visit www.TrainingByTara.com for more info.