OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Animal Wellbeing Commission Meeting - September 10, 2025

Animal Wellbeing Commission — Wednesday, September 10, 2025
BodySacramento, California
SessionAnimal Wellbeing Commission
DateWednesday, September 10, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:59:47

Transcript — Verbatim
0:34

Great.

0:34

Good evening.

0:35

Welcome to the Wednesday, September 10th meeting of the Animal Wellbeing Commission.

0:39

The meeting is now called to order.

0:41

Will the clerk please call the role to establish a quorum?

0:43

Yes.

0:44

Commissioners, please unmute your microphones.

0:46

Commissioner Treat.

0:48

Here.

0:49

Commissioner Snell.

0:50

Here.

0:51

Commissioner Abushai is absent.

0:54

Commissioner Middleton?

0:55

Here.

0:56

Commissioner Hayes is also absent.

0:58

Commissioner Bell.

0:59

Here.

1:00

Commissioner Backley.

1:02

Commissioner Christie.

1:03

Here.

1:03

Commissioner Hugh is absent.

1:06

Vice Chair Morris.

1:08

Here.

1:08

Commissioner Garcia.

1:10

Here.

1:10

And Chair Hefner.

1:12

And I am here.

1:12

Thank you.

1:13

We have a quorum.

1:14

Excellent.

1:14

All members of the public are welcome to address the commission as we're here to provide a public forum for discussion.

1:20

I'd ask members of the public in chambers that if you'd like to speak on an agenda item, please turn in a speaker slip no later than when the item begins.

1:28

You'll have uh two minutes to speak once you're called on.

1:31

After the first speaker, we will no longer accept speaker slips.

1:34

We'll now proceed with today's agenda, starting with the land acknowledgement and pledge led by Commissioner Middleton.

1:41

Please rise to the opening acknowledgments in honor of Sassamento's indigenous people and tribal lands.

1:49

So the original people of this land, the Nissanan people, the Southern Maidu, Valley Plains, Miwok, Patwin, Winsune peoples, and the people of the Wilton Rancheria and Sacramento's only federally recognized tribe.

2:03

May we acknowledge and honor the native people who came before us and still walk beside us today on these ancestral lands by choosing to gather today in the active practice of acknowledgement and appreciation for Sacramento's indigenous peoples' history, contributions, and lives.

2:19

Thank you.

2:21

And now for the Pledge of Allegiance.

2:24

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

2:38

Thank you, Commissioner Middleton.

2:41

Before we get to the consent calendar, just a minor adjustment to tonight's agenda.

2:45

We'll be taking up item five, the staff presentation after the consent calendar.

2:50

So our first order of business today is the consent calendar clerk.

2:52

Do we have any members of the public who want to speak on the consent calendar?

2:55

I do not have any speaker slips.

2:57

Do we have any members who have a comment to make on the consent calendar?

3:03

If not, the chair will entertain a motion.

3:08

Oh actually I'll move.

3:09

Sorry.

3:10

Moved by Commissioner Middleton and seconded.

3:12

I'll second, but I do have a question.

3:15

Sorry.

3:16

I just realized may I ask my question.

3:21

Is there another second?

3:27

On the ordinance update, I something says on there that we can have that something about September.

3:34

So it's not.

3:39

I don't have anything to report back.

3:40

Just that that is going to be reviewed by the internal city attorneys.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Animal Services█████████████████████████████████████████████65%
Public Comments██████████14%
Procedural████6%
Community Engagement███5%
Public Health███4%
Budget and Finance██3%
Public Works██3%
Summary of Proceedings

Animal Wellbeing Commission Meeting - September 10, 2025

The Sacramento Animal Wellbeing Commission held a regular meeting on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at 5:31 PM in City Hall Council Chamber. The meeting was called to order by Chair Paul Hefner, with 9 commissioners present and 3 absent. The agenda included a consent calendar, a staff presentation, discussion of euthanasia statistics, a spay/neuter capacity assessment, annual report review, shelter updates, and public comments. The meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of August 13, 2025 Meeting Minutes: Passed unanimously with a voice vote. File ID: 2025-00023.
  • Adoption of Animal Wellbeing Commission Follow-Up Log: Passed unanimously with a voice vote. File ID: 2025-00139.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Jamie McDoll (on euthanasia statistics): Expressed concern that declining live release rates and rising intake were linked to the shelter's policy of leaving strays in place, leading to overpopulation and increased euthanasia.
  • Julie Verga (on euthanasia statistics and spay/neuter): Stated that public trust had been violated and that euthanasia increased 38% since May 2025 under new leadership. She argued the shelter was not transparent about reasons for euthanasia and urged increasing spay/neuter capacity, noting that past offers of high-volume surgical teams were rejected.
  • Elise (on euthanasia statistics and spay/neuter): Questioned the logic of a 90% drop in space-related euthanasia despite higher intake and euthanasia totals. She emphasized that simple phone calls had brought resources like Snipbus and Animal Balance to the region, and criticized the dismissal of volunteer-run voucher programs.
  • Julie Verga (on matters not on the agenda): Reminded commissioners that the commission sets the agenda per city code, and urged them to push for increased spay/neuter capacity, citing ongoing conversations with Community Spay Neuter about bringing in high-volume teams.
  • Elise (on matters not on the agenda): Defended

Meeting Transcript

Great. Good evening. Welcome to the Wednesday, September 10th meeting of the Animal Wellbeing Commission. The meeting is now called to order. Will the clerk please call the role to establish a quorum? Yes. Commissioners, please unmute your microphones. Commissioner Treat. Here. Commissioner Snell. Here. Commissioner Abushai is absent. Commissioner Middleton? Here. Commissioner Hayes is also absent. Commissioner Bell. Here. Commissioner Backley. Commissioner Christie. Here. Commissioner Hugh is absent. Vice Chair Morris. Here. Commissioner Garcia. Here. And Chair Hefner. And I am here. Thank you. We have a quorum. Excellent. All members of the public are welcome to address the commission as we're here to provide a public forum for discussion. I'd ask members of the public in chambers that if you'd like to speak on an agenda item, please turn in a speaker slip no later than when the item begins. You'll have uh two minutes to speak once you're called on. After the first speaker, we will no longer accept speaker slips. We'll now proceed with today's agenda, starting with the land acknowledgement and pledge led by Commissioner Middleton. Please rise to the opening acknowledgments in honor of Sassamento's indigenous people and tribal lands. So the original people of this land, the Nissanan people, the Southern Maidu, Valley Plains, Miwok, Patwin, Winsune peoples, and the people of the Wilton Rancheria and Sacramento's only federally recognized tribe. May we acknowledge and honor the native people who came before us and still walk beside us today on these ancestral lands by choosing to gather today in the active practice of acknowledgement and appreciation for Sacramento's indigenous peoples' history, contributions, and lives. Thank you. And now for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. Thank you, Commissioner Middleton. Before we get to the consent calendar, just a minor adjustment to tonight's agenda. We'll be taking up item five, the staff presentation after the consent calendar. So our first order of business today is the consent calendar clerk. Do we have any members of the public who want to speak on the consent calendar? I do not have any speaker slips. Do we have any members who have a comment to make on the consent calendar? If not, the chair will entertain a motion. Oh actually I'll move.

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