OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Minneapolis Animal Care Services Board Meeting - January 29, 2026

Other Meetings (A-H) — Thursday, January 29, 2026
BodyIndianapolis, Indiana
SessionOther Meetings (A-H)
DateThursday, January 29, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 15:53

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Okay, we'll go ahead and get started.

0:02

I'll call for Minneapolis Animal Care Services.

0:06

The time is 8 34 AM, January 29th, 2026.

0:11

We can start with introductions.

0:19

I'm Danielle City County Council appointee.

0:25

Commander Honey Hinkle.

0:27

Director Bailey Renchief Board Council.

0:30

And James Finlaysman, CFO and acting as interim board secretary.

0:39

First up, we will do adoption of the minutes.

0:42

Is there any discussion or anything anyone can't change on that from our last board meeting from December 15th, 2025?

0:52

No, I would move approval.

0:53

Okay.

0:54

Second.

0:55

Motion second.

0:57

Approved.

0:58

All right.

0:59

Next up, new business.

1:02

Looks like we're going to do shelter stats first.

1:10

And that packet I think is the ones from last meeting.

1:15

So the ones that emailed this morning are what we're gonna go over.

1:20

Our total intake for 2025 was 9,397.

1:26

And total outcome was 8,622.

1:30

I could break that down if you like.

1:32

Adoptions were 3,844.

1:35

Return to owners were 823.

1:38

Transfer out to other organizations or rescues was 2,542.

1:44

Return to field 181.

1:47

This one return to wild was 12.

1:53

Our savor live release rate.

1:55

I won't say savory.

1:56

Our live release rate for dogs and cats was 89.43 for the year.

2:07

For December, total animals in care starting December 1st was 423.

2:14

Total animals in care 1231 was 379.

2:20

Just for December, we had 382 adoptions, 95 returned to owners, and 225 were transferred to rescues.

2:27

Our total outcomes for the month were 784, and our total diversions were 13.

2:41

Just in graphs.

3:11

Total number of active volunteers, this is just for December was 143.

3:16

Number of hours volunteered at the shelter was 1,652 at special events was 41.

3:22

And doggy day outs was 47.

3:25

Giving us a total of 1,740.

3:33

And we have a 14% vacancy rate for December 2025.

3:58

Yeah, I mean it goes, we put everything in our chameleon system and then it calculates.

4:06

I won't say a discrepancy.

4:07

There was a change or difference of opinion versus live rate versus save rate.

4:13

So we're just doing the live live release rate versus the save rate.

4:24

But as far as I'm concerned, our stats are pretty accurate as possibly can be.

5:00

I I mean, like the only example I can recall off the top of my mind is I thought there was an issue with how we reported diet-in care.

5:09

Like I remember historically somebody making the comment that if ICS picked up an animal that was already dead, that there wasn't a mechanism to indicate that and it ended up being reported as diet care, and so they were able to do that.

5:22

Kelly has fixed all those reports to to show way more accurately for those.

5:26

I do so if we picked up like a DOA, it would show rather than like for disposal of the show as dieting care.

5:33

Yeah.

5:33

And she goes back through them also and changes any that she notices like someone put in correctly, she does go back there and re corrects those.

5:51

And that could more than likely like neonates or something that came in super sick and we couldn't get up through it.

5:57

Yeah, yeah.

5:58

I think there was a spike at some period of time of a lot of diet in here.

6:02

Um that was before you were here.

6:04

Yeah.

6:06

It might be a little too early to have a good answer to this question.

6:10

But I know there was a a huge number of applicants to become volunteers, and obviously Lucian is now rolled out the new volunteer orientation.

6:19

Do you have any sense of of that approximately 800 applicants kind of where we are now with the I want to say he just sent an email to volunteers about this, and I do not remember the exact numbers.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Animal Care█████████████████████████████████████████████90%
Technology and Innovation████7%
Procedural██3%
Summary of Proceedings

Minneapolis Animal Care Services Board Meeting – January 29, 2026

The board met at 8:34 AM on January 29, 2026, to discuss shelter statistics, approve service agreements, and receive updates on the new shelter facility and veterinary staffing.

Consent Calendar

  • Unanimous approval of meeting minutes from December 15, 2025.

Discussion Items

  • Shelter Statistics: Director Bailey reported 2025 totals: 9,397 intakes, 8,622 outcomes (3,844 adoptions, 823 returned to owners, 2,542 transfers, 181 returned to field, 12 returned to wild). Live release rate for dogs and cats was 89.43%. December 2025: starting count 423, ending 379, 382 adoptions, 95 returned to owners, 225 transfers, 784 total outcomes, 13 diversions. Volunteer activity: 143 active volunteers contributed 1,740 hours (1,652 shelter, 41 special events, 47 doggy day outs). Vacancy rate 14%. Discussion included accuracy of live release versus save rate reporting and improvements to data entry.
  • Volunteer Program Update: Of approximately 800 applicants, only 39 have completed orientation and started volunteering. New orientation sessions are being held about 12 per week, and dog walking training is being rolled out.
  • Resolution 0126 – Signal Pet X-Ray Services: Approved extension of service agreement by $20,000 for one year. X-ray interpretation uses AI with follow-up review by contract veterinarians. Some pushback noted regarding lack of human radiologist. Motion to approve carried unanimously.
  • Resolution 22 – Four Precious Paws Spay/Neuter Clinic: Approved to pursue a digital spay/neuter and general medical clinic contract with Four Precious Paws in Lebanon, Indiana. The clinic would provide pickups and transport. The maximum spending limit is set, and discussions about transport arrangement after the shelter move are ongoing. Motion to approve carried unanimously.
  • New Shelter Update: Construction is near completion; kennel installation will be delayed until mid-April, pushing move-in to May 1, 2026. The current facility lease with the state is $1 per year and ends December 31, 2026, with no major liability concerns. Future tours for board and stakeholders are being planned.
  • Veterinary Staffing: A contract veterinarian has expressed interest in full-time work at the new shelter, and another potential vendor has signed up. This would significantly help capacity.

Key Outcomes

  • Minutes approved.
  • Resolution 0126 approved.
  • Resolution 22 approved.
  • New shelter move-in target set for May 1, 2026, pending kennel installation.
  • Veterinary recruitment progress noted.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, we'll go ahead and get started. I'll call for Minneapolis Animal Care Services. The time is 8 34 AM, January 29th, 2026. We can start with introductions. I'm Danielle City County Council appointee. Commander Honey Hinkle. Director Bailey Renchief Board Council. And James Finlaysman, CFO and acting as interim board secretary. First up, we will do adoption of the minutes. Is there any discussion or anything anyone can't change on that from our last board meeting from December 15th, 2025? No, I would move approval. Okay. Second. Motion second. Approved. All right. Next up, new business. Looks like we're going to do shelter stats first. And that packet I think is the ones from last meeting. So the ones that emailed this morning are what we're gonna go over. Our total intake for 2025 was 9,397. And total outcome was 8,622. I could break that down if you like. Adoptions were 3,844. Return to owners were 823. Transfer out to other organizations or rescues was 2,542. Return to field 181. This one return to wild was 12. Our savor live release rate. I won't say savory. Our live release rate for dogs and cats was 89.43 for the year. For December, total animals in care starting December 1st was 423. Total animals in care 1231 was 379. Just for December, we had 382 adoptions, 95 returned to owners, and 225 were transferred to rescues. Our total outcomes for the month were 784, and our total diversions were 13. Just in graphs. Total number of active volunteers, this is just for December was 143. Number of hours volunteered at the shelter was 1,652 at special events was 41. And doggy day outs was 47. Giving us a total of 1,740. And we have a 14% vacancy rate for December 2025. Yeah, I mean it goes, we put everything in our chameleon system and then it calculates. I won't say a discrepancy. There was a change or difference of opinion versus live rate versus save rate. So we're just doing the live live release rate versus the save rate. But as far as I'm concerned, our stats are pretty accurate as possibly can be. I I mean, like the only example I can recall off the top of my mind is I thought there was an issue with how we reported diet-in care. Like I remember historically somebody making the comment that if ICS picked up an animal that was already dead, that there wasn't a mechanism to indicate that and it ended up being reported as diet care, and so they were able to do that. Kelly has fixed all those reports to to show way more accurately for those. I do so if we picked up like a DOA, it would show rather than like for disposal of the show as dieting care.

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