When the call to order tonight's meeting of the Community Affairs Committee. We are going to hear from the public on proposal. Number 5 tonight, what I would like to encourage as we do our check with through our council. If you or want to speak tonight, there is a sign-up sheet. Please sign up on that. Sign up. She is. That is what our clerk will call through tonight for public comment. Ok? And you can feel free to get up and do that when I'm speaking. So we're going to start off with introductions from the committee starting in the front row. Thank you, MADAM Chair. My name is Michael Hart. I represent District 20. Thank you very much. MADAM Chair, pollen, a district. 22. Thank you. MADAM Chair, Roberts District Thank you. MADAM Chair, Run Gibson
District 8. Thank you. MADAM Chair, Kristin Jones District 18. Thank you. MADAM Chair, District 3 Washington Orange Township likely ship have to leave sitting in the city. Thanks, MADAM Chair. Good evening, everyone. My name is if you Indianapolis Council district 9 on the east side. Thank you. MADAM Chair of Sully District 12. And I'm Ali Brown. I represent District 10. So tonight we are on the docket. We have proposed a number. 47 48 witchery appointments to the Indianapolis community, Food Access Advisory Commission. Neither of those appointees are here tonight. So with consent from the committee will push this off to next Thank you. So we're going to hear public comment on proposal. Number 5 tonight. I want to level set with the people in the audience. You know what happens tonight? So we have already heard this in our committee last month and
it has already been sent to the council floor because of how it when the e-mails came in and people want to be heard. That's why we recall that to pull it back to hear public comment. We cannot and will not be taking a vote on it tonight. The next vote will be MARCH 3rd at the full council. However, we very much wanted to hear you. So with that, what we're going to start off with is we're going to have Director Diamond give her presentation. The council will then ask questions, including our guests, counselor, counselor boots. And then we will follow up with public while this is happening. I ask everyone to be respectful. We're all here because we care, right? So we're going to be respectful
and we're going to have a good enough time tonight, ok? So director Diamond, if you would like to begin whenever you're Thank you. MADAM Chair and members of the committee for the opportunity speak with you again this evening. Tonight. I'd like to take a moment to touch on some of the concerns I know have been expressed in charity recently. And so I'm just going jump right to it. Unfortunately, there's a lot of misinformation out there not necessarily on purpose and and when we have that incorrect information and it spread, it has detrimental effects on all within our walls, two-legged and four-legged alive. First on FEBRUARY, 8th, our shelter MAY to change her open shelter hours for the public. Now we close a little later so that the hours and more convenient to the public, thereby increasing opportunities for
animals to make it out of the shelter in a positive Our doors are now open 2 hours later, giving our staff more time in the morning to finish task before the public At the same time of this changed, we also made another change, which was a separate change and that is to adjust the hours that are volunteers can be at the shelter. Those were changed to 07:30am, to 07:00pm for safety and liability reasons. Just as with any other organization or business or volunteers can only be on site when management is present. We value the positive contributions from our volunteers and we also value their safety. And not only are we concerned about their safety when it comes to animals in our shelter, but also that of the public being able to access or building in our property and enter that building while they are there
without management oversight. This is a previous practice that was never appropriate. And we also do not allow our staff to be in the building without managers, with the exception of our enforcement staff due to the nature of their job. And we are working to make changes actually increase the number managers on staff so that they're always at least 2 on staff to support our staff in the building. So again, this is why we also cannot have volunteers in the building. By themselves as well. The need for this change and the support for this change cold and supported by the legal Team. Office of Corporation Counsel has given their support for that. The common sentiment that we have all felt is that it was very important for ics to become our own agency. Because of that, we felt that ICs would
garner the attention that long needed and long deserved. And for years, I c s has been over saddled by other agencies that reports to and with that fact, this is recreated that should not have been. We are our own agency now and need to write some things as we seek that attention that we're hoping for to be taken more seriously and not forgotten. We understand that the shorter volunteer hours mean less time for volunteers to be with the animals. And this is a change that we did not make likely that is for safety liability reasons. And we have to prioritize safety. This is a change. This change. Policy is something that you see in shelters across the country. So it is not unique to us. There have been a couple solutions that have been frequently floated about and as a way to deal with this change and an alternate, both of which we heavily considered. One was to rotate our managers that we have on
staff such that we can provide coverage later in evening for the volunteers and the other was to hire a manager to cover volunteers during those hours. Our current leadership staff is already working 10 to 12 hours a day in the shelter, going home to work even more and working on their days off. There's little to no work life balance because of being frequently pool answer calls and text when they should be disconnecting. We already can't get our jobs done and we are already stretched those. Then that too many hands in the pot trying to assist are increasing opportunities for mistakes and issues that we. We simply cannot ask our staff to state any later, especially with the need to be present when working with our actual staff that is there during the day and to perform or daily rounds and participate in meetings together. Regarding the recommendation to hire a manager to supervise volunteers, perhaps if we
weren't in the situation where we don't even have some of the basic positions in our shelter. That might be feasible opportunity. We are still without a veterinarian which will not likely change until we can start offering a competitive wage for that. Veterinarian. Our new shelter can accommodate multiple veterinarian. So ideally, we would have more than one. Believe that of great importance in hiring someone to stay late is the need to add these basic positions, competitive pay, especially for the veterinarian position and supplies for a shelter in our animals. These are the items that I plan to come back. 2 committee to ask for your support on. As I mentioned at the last committee meeting, the nsa's still greatest graciously handling our budgets,
contracts and payroll. And we're beginning our interviews for the cfo position. And once that part of the transition is complete, I look forward to being able to learn more about and being more involved in the budget going for forward. In the meantime, as we have already shared with everyone, we do plan to revisit the volunteer hours once a new volunteer coordinator is hired. There've been a lot of questions about the number of vacancies that we have ICs. This time. Last year we had the same vacancy rate guards to position to 20 tie. 22% And expected, we've had staffing changes in the last year and we are excited about building your teams and will continue to do so. And as we continue to work on improving our policies, creating efficiencies and a healthier workplace that was served to also help fill those vacancies. Our current shelter opened around 1991 and was
never built house animals only to hold them for a few days to allow owners to come in, reclaim them. And if not, they were euthanized. Through the years. Euthanasia has been a big part of the reality for staff at I c s the public. Not so much as many were unaware of the magnitude. It was euthanasia occurred, let alone its effect on the employees in the organization as a whole. While it has changed some, it is still a difficult part of the everyday and I c s I too have didn't have much of an idea of the magnitude of what occurred and ICs prior to getting into animal welfare. But I do recall everyone. Cnn news clip, photo of a conveyor belt of Animals. But for those inside the was it wasn't so unfamiliar. On FEBRUARY this 2020 for myself and believe owing starting. And started in our new roles that ICs with little to no transition or
training, we just had to figure a lot of things out along the way. And we're still doing that, which in and of itself is often an insurmountable task. We were handed the helm of the ship that had been slowly sinking for years and expected to fix it overnight. We set out to build our leadership team to learn to create better teams throughout the shelter and to help ICs to be and do better. By that point, our shelter was covered with dogs living in crates everywhere. This was not fair to the animals. Was difficult for our staff to clean. Was stressful for everyone. It was extremely noisy. Disease prevention was almost impossible and they were just too many animals to care for. This took its toll
on our staff. It was not uncommon for animal control officers to be sitting outside in their trucks filled with animals waiting for an hour or more for the staff inside the building to figure out what to do with those animals where to put them or who to euthanize, to make room for them. It was a daily struggle and still is a daily struggle to figure out where to put animals coming in and those that are waiting outside at our doors and quite often, that's all we get done in a day. There are 3 positive ways to leave our shelter. That's through adoption to reclaimed by your own or or to be pulled by a rescue or shelter. Nationwide adoptions have been down and our struggle and as a community and a shelter, we're not doing all that we can to increase the returned to owner numbers. And while we greatly appreciate the assistance from our shelters and rescues to
pull animals, we know that they must make their own decisions about what they can handle and we do not expect them to understand when they cannot. But overall, this was an ok, and we had to make a choice. We could keep that in creates. But we knew that wasn't feasible. Where we could do mass euthanasia. We estimated to get to a level of sustainability that our shelter would have to do. A shelter, killed 100 to 150 dogs in one single day. In order to do that. And with the number of animals coming in daily, we would then have to continue doing that just to keep our heads above water and stay afloat. And those are numbers that we know that most of the public would not be comfortable with knowing. We didn't want to return to the cycle of intake and was euthanized and taking animals
euthanized and expect to be able to function each day. And despite what has been said, we didn't sign up to do this. There isn't a single staff member at ics that accepted the role to become friends with care for and then euthanize animals. If we are the dog killers, the murders were the people that don't care about animals. That unfortunately we have been labeled asked shelter Hero would have been the easy fix and the route for us to take. But we did not. We recognize that ICs has tried in many ways over the years while struggling against so many odds and lack of resources to do more. To not just be the shelter. No animal a person wants to visit, but that has been a difficult go to a cheat. We instead made a choice to focus on our staff.
We made a promise to our staff, no more crates. And achieving this became possible first by manager 25 plus our day taking our dogs to a successful off-site adoption event. And while at that event, our staff back at the shelter began tearing down the creates. That would not be set up again, our hallways and rooms started to clear. Days before that event. We also announced our population management plan. In order to provide more humane care for the animals in our shelter, to care for our staffs well-being and to increase our ability to help more animals. We would work towards not continuing to warehouse animals that we couldn't care for and just have to euthanize or watched him deteriorate. Over 100% capacity had become the norm at I c s and constantly living in fear of a large impound that would mean staff having to euthanize their friends to make room for more animals was daily torture for all of us.
We couldn't keep that up. We need to have wiggle room so we needed some empty kennels. We needed to not overwhelm ourselves in the shelter. We decided to continue our manage intake system for any animal through appointments and working to only bring in sick, injured and aggressive animals from the field. As we have created some breathing room for us all by doing this. Each division within our shelter has been working on improving their processes, procedures and programs to even further a positive impact. After operate in so Just trying to get through the day. We are finding ourselves with some time to think to plan and to work on improvements. We decided we wanted to be a part of addressing the root causes for why so many animals are in our shelter so that in the long run we can reduce those
that need to come in. We don't want to return to but instead put it into the past. I cycle of intake hill intake hill intake Hill. We could not keep doing that. And we expected and be expected to keep going and be okay. If animals come in, they need a way out and as much as possible, we want that to be a positive way out and not death. But we know that's not always possible. We no longer want it to just be the place where animals go to hopefully make it out alive where they are in enter our doors and everyone else outside our walls felt good about what they didn't know and what they didn't have to do because we had to do it. We wanted to be a place where the staff could start feeling better about what they do otherwise, who will work there euthanasia continues to be the norm. We wanted to start helping the community to be a part of the solution. I'd like to point out that it was the
off-site adoption event, not the emergency intake policy that started clearing the crate. That policy had only been in place a few days before and no time to make an effect. In the following 2 weeks. We had 2 more in the following weeks. We had 2 more off-site adoption events and as the crates decrease, the impact on staff was evident. While we know we cannot meet indefinitely continue with reduced intake numbers as much as we have, we believe that it has been important to give our staff some time to breathe and have the chance to become part of some important possibilities. Our intake team is better able to actually spend time getting information on most coming in our door so that we can help make better pathway decisions. Our medical team has been working hard to get to the point that they can
actually complete and take exams when the animals come in the door instead of days or even weeks later. Our kennel staff has been working on their process is such that they are getting done with cleaning hours earlier than before and able to spend time with the animals and get them out the second time. They are also finding time to do much needed deep cleaning. Overall. Our staff is finding more time in getting in the habit of actually entering no 10 animals in our system to assist with their pathway outcomes. And those are just some of the examples of what we've been able to do with some breathing room so that we can be a better in a better situation going forward. Those are also the ways in which we can help move animals out the door quicker, thereby meaning we can get more animals in and help more animals and the long run. Where we are at today is different than where we're at
2 months ago, 6 months ago in a year ago when we started in our roles and it is definitely different from where we were at before. Photos and stories of some conditions or issues from months ago are not necessarily indicative indicative of today, but we do still have problems. We do have still have issues and we do still have things we need to work on. We know there's a lot to be done at ics and we also know that it will take time. It's frustrating for us as well. But we're committed to continuing to move forward and make progress. We've made mistakes and we will continue to make mistakes. In the past year. This staff has made some strides that they should be proud of and feel good about if only given the chance their hard work in progress should not be diminish north. Should
their excitement for the future? No decisions that ICs our main solely just by me, our leadership team, some of which are here tonight. We make them together. Tonight. These individuals, some of them. Wanted to come and expressed an interest in share with you this evening in hopes that you can hear there to from their mouse and not just for mine elite. Good evening Council. My name is Billy Bowling. I'm administrator of operations Ivy with Indianapolis animal care services. Now almost 18 years and she said we started back in FEBRUARY and our positions with no guidance, more than an admin. I was a kennel staff member looking at the stat. Dow being there till 9 o'clock every night. Turning around coming back in a 7 and doing it all over again. Walking 50 dogs out of crates before you
even start on the kennels while walking dog, you have dogs busting out of the crates, attacking them, attacking They're walking. Are screening staff having to deal with 8 candles inside their room where dogs are literally barking while they're trying to hold dogs to vaccinate microchip, draw blood, whatever exam they're trying to do in a dog with all these animals and their barking. Our adoption staff trying to do adoptions doctor barking around, trying to communicate with people. That was our my supervisor's office answer phone calls from the public constantly are dealing with 5 dogs and their office party. This was the norm. This became normal. And it's not normal. This was an everyday battle for us for a very long time. The morale over the last few months has been a lot better. People actually are smiling and enjoying themselves for
the most part they're getting to do what people get into the animal welfare program career to do and that spend time with the animals actually get instead of just running them outside for 15 minutes and then running back in and never getting to catch him. Love them. Do anything. You're seeing a lot of videos from our staff that it's actually helping a lot of our animals get adopted because they have talk. And that's the biggest thing time. Obviously we're one of the biggest struggles we have with in our shelter. Is animals losing their minds? They spend good portion. 23 plus, hours a day in the capital. Look around 50, 60 other dogs that are barking around. You. With no form of a rich, what they were ever being given back in the day. We are starting to move where they're getting daily enrichment, which is highly important for that animal and for the staff, right? That's
what you're here Not just the walking doll walking another dog walking another dog. Go home. You're here because you care about these animals. And was time with these animals and you want to you want good outcomes for these animals. So being able to do Richmond has been. Ice a life changing for our staff. It's no it's secret that animal welfare has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, right? It's no secret. We're trying to change that. Stick. When we talk about field field operations, it obviously when I first took over, like I I was kennel staff. Phil Phil I will say abandoned, but it didn't have my full attention. It does now and it has for the last few We are working now to become more community-based approach
rather than punitive. Go out and help people. We should be we should be who people are contacting for help with their animals as much as it is for someone to contact us because the most eclectic metals we need funds that we need resources to give these people so they can, you know, keep their animals in their home. They love their animal. They just can't afford it. You know, when it comes to getting your animal fixed. For us, it's almost $200 to get one dog fixed. People making minimum wage can afford that. There are barely scraping by to get food. We should be able to supply those resources start community. One of the other things that we started doing over the last few months is microchipping in the field. The SEALs are being supplied with microchips. They are
helping. If you go out, we made contact with somebody and they're warning there and a microchip. We are micro chipping in the field. The SEALs are also providing any cares. Medical vouchers to get people in the public to get. Medical help for turning over their their pet. We want to keep the pet with you. You look, the shelter is no place for your pet. If you love your pet, let's keep it with you. One thing that, you know, we want to move towards getting where we can provide dog houses. We can provide kennels. We can provide all those things. So what I started implementing with kp Eyes which are keep key performance indicators. The track how things are going in the field. And some of the things that we're tracking right now giving CEOs goals to reach so microchipping in the
field. How many can we do this year? Because that's important, right? We scanned the animal. We can bring him home. He doesn't have to come to the shelter. Some want fight him. Takes him to the clinic. We can take him home. He doesn't have to come to the shelter. When that happens, we have more room to bring animals in that need to come into the shelter. Diversions. What resources do you need for us to keep you for you to keep your dog at home? Is that a dog house? Is that a kennel? Is that this? Is that strong? Is it backs? Is it medical attention? Is vaccinations? Are you trying to get your animal Your other animal doesn't get pregnant. What do you need from us to keep that animal your home? Savory, which is the intake rate minus tonight. Now live outcome. Divided by the live into
creek. Obviously, we're aiming for 90% to become a no kill shelter. As right now, we're in 93.6% And then number of education calls. First follow-up complaints. The reason why we want it, we want it look at. How often are we being called runs where there are no violations. How do we address that? How often are we going out? And there are violations. The main purpose of what my my vision for acs. The main purpose is to be an asset to the community. How can we help you keep your animal out. Over the last couple weeks specifically yesterday I had an go out on a run. The complaint it decided to remove someone's animals from the back of there. House obviously the daughter now in a car. They're not in violation. And we've also have a person that committed that. It makes it really hard for us
to do our jobs. We're getting involved things that we should. It's dangerous for you. It's dangerous for those animals. What if you go back there? Those animals are aggressive. What if the owner comes out csu touching their dogs? I understand that there's a lot of mistrust. And we will we will build that back. That there's no doubt in my mind we will build that back. But have a little trust. In a straight or a policy and planning at s. When they stepped into this role in MARCH 2024. Alongside a newly formed farming leadership team. It felt like we were being handed the sinking ship. Animals were living in wire crates. Disease was spreading rapidly. Staff morale is at an all-time low and everyone was desperate for change. After months of trying to find our footing. We implemented the population management plan focused on reducing over
capacity. We knew this plan might raise concerns as it could seem like the goal was simply to reduce shelter intake. However, our mission was and still is the opposite. The municipal shelter should never be a long-term solution for any animal, but rather a temporary stop on their journey. By prioritizing quality care disease, prevention, and stronger outcome programs. We can help more animals moves to the system. Officially. Additionally, we're focusing on diversion efforts, both in the shelter and in the field to help keep pets in their homes whenever possible and prevent unnecessary shelter in takes. Throughout my career. I faced many challenges but nothing compares to the complexities of animal welfare. As leaders. We much see must-see each animal as an individual while also advocating for the larger
population. We make life and death decisions for animals that we know and love weighing their quality of life. Staff, safety and community well-being. There are no easy answers. No clear, right or wrong. No black or white. So life is a constant state of triage. So the kissing our energy, where it will have the greatest immediate impact. One of the most visible areas needing improvement is our shelter data. Over the past year, we uncovered significant flaws in how data has been recorded. Our shelter management software while Rob robust is not user friendly and system modifications combined with data entry in consistencies have resulted in unreliable information. For example, no cost to the nation services for the public were recorded as if the animals were in our care. And neonatal kittens who passed away remain
listed as being in foster care. These discrepancies skewed our live release rate, the number of animals in our care and our average length of stay. Repairing past data is unrealistic. We are focused on improving accuracy, moving forward. I mentioned this to emphasize work why everyone should approach data, especially projections and correlations from outside sources with an open mind as they can easily misrepresent our operations and challenge us. You will hear from individuals tonight who wish to highlight areas where progress has been slow or not aligned to their expectations to this. I offer one remark we are painfully aware of how much work remains. Progress has been slow but steady. And when I feel overwhelmed by the criticism, I think back to
where we were a year ago surrounded by barking dogs and inhumane housing. And remember how far we've come. Since implementing our population management plan. Animals are no longer living in crates. We have improved our ability to prevent and manage disease are live. Release rate has steadily increased reaching 95% for cats and dogs DECEMBER. A new daily rounds process ensures that every animal in our care is seen by members of the rounds team each day and daily afternoon meetings we review and address concerns. We developed a new at-risk protocol that will still evolving, provides more structure, guidance for pathway planning to support our most vulnerable animals. The in the cares program has been re-established allowing us to achieve more diversion son ever before. Animal control officers are providing
greater assistance in the field, reducing the likelihood of animals even entering ICs. We've committed to better visibility of at-risk animals in the urgent placement resulting in decrease of rescue animals who do not make it out alive. Fully vacancy. Rates have consistently improved each month. This is just a broad overview of the progress made. I am incredibly grateful to Kelly Diamond for the unwavering support. She has shown every one of us as we work together to make ics a better place. She has made the tough decisions that have been avoided for far too long. Facing criticism from those who don't fully understand the challenges, any municipal shelter. She has provoked prioritized her staff's mental well-being over the demands of those who insist we take in every animal. Why simultaneously condemning us forever. Euthanasia. There are those who MISS Understand our role and others who would rather see in these overpopulation crisis quietly
manage threes in Asia. Kelly has chosen transparency, accountability and the hard work of real change. For that, deeply respect and appreciate her leadership. I hope our words tonight provide a deeper understanding of the challenges we navigate and the progress we've made. I stand alongside Kelly Dimon and my colleagues because I believe in the direction we're heading change is never easy. A working together with compassion and commitment, we can create a better future for the animals in our care and the community we serve. Good evening. Members of the council. My name is Bree Joyce. I'm Ian Daycares coordinator at Indianapolis, Animal Care Services. And I've worked at the shelter for nearly 4 years. I currently service both the head of our diversion program and the supervisor of our intake department. This means that my
job is often meeting. People have one of the worst days of their life and trying to figure out what I can do to help them when they feel they have nowhere else to turn. Our shelters open in, take shelter, which currently operates under a managed intake system. This means that we must accept any animal that has been brought to us by a resident of Marion County. We cannot pick and choose based on breed, temperament or health. However, local ordinance does allow us to implement in take appointments. But there are always sick, injured or aggressive animals that must come in without a scheduled appointment. Since I took over as the nba cares, coordinator, we've begun providing supplies to people found stray animals while they wait for an appointment at our facility, we have offered assistance
with supplies like food and cat litter to owners who have provided. And have provided financial assistance with veterinary care and euthanasia is for age and medical concerns. We do everything we can to help pets stay with their owners or find their way back home. When an animal does have to enter the shelter, we must staff must ask a series of questions to the residents rendering that animal after intake that animal receives an exam and vaccinations and after their exams are finished, their then transferred into the kennel. The effect of unmanaged intake is a cascade effect that felt across all departments within our shelter. If we spend less time getting information about each animal, it will be more difficult to determine their exit pathway immediately
increasing their length of stay. If we spend less time examining each animal, it could lead to medical and behavior issues getting missed and increased stress during that exam. As more and more animals enter our exam room. There is strong pressure on management to make space in an already full kennel, meaning frequent euthanasia. As we work to improve each of these steps through staff training, clear protocols and growth of our diversion program. We reduce our length of stay and our shelter will better serve our community. Kelly is leading the charge in this effort. But here's the reality. If we eliminated the managed intake process and significantly increased the number of animals coming into our shelter. We would also have to increase the number of
animals exiting our shelter one way or another. Our options are these. Adoption foster and rescue. They're limited barriers to adoption and not enough. Our foster program has been reignited and a rescue program feels more effective than ever before. But it is still not enough. There is really only one other alternative euthanasia. This is the most difficult option for our staff. Volunteers and the general public to face. Before Kelly became our deputy director. Animals were being euthanized behind closed doors. As often as possible. Dogs are being given deadlines and we give the community a chance to save them. If we just euthanize them behind closed doors, you'd never know
they were at risk. You'd never know if they had lived and died. And you never know the reason to be angry. I see this transparency is a win for these stocks. A chance to avoid death. Managed intake has allowed us to stabilize or occupancy of dogs and cats in the shelter. If we open the floodgates, management must start making difficult decisions. Daily about euthanizing for space. There is no alternative. For over a year. Our shelter was operating well be on maximum capacity talks were being held in crates in every hallway, every room and every office. Kelly made the decision to ditch the crates and it was absolutely the right call. The effect was felt immediately like a collective sigh of relief from the entire staff. The passion in this room is
strong. Among my friends, my coworkers, the volunteers who I've worked side by side with for years. Nobody loves the stocks more than us and most states. We're the only ones who love them. We need the residents in our community to step up. This is a nationwide issue and not one exclusive to Indianapolis we need stricter spay and neuter laws. We need to eliminate breed restrictions and secure affordable pet friendly housing for vulnerable populations in our community. We need to work together to save these animals and being divided like this is not the right answer. And I don't pretend to have the right answers. And I don't think Kelly does either. There are no perfect solutions in a
place where a literal lives hang in the balance. What I do know is that we needed to try something new. Kelly has helped us achieve that. She has helped us achieve change. I'm not saying that. Agree with every decision she has made. And there is a lot more work to do, but we are strong. We are capable and we are in this fight together. I support the appointment of Kelly Diamond as director of Indianapolis. Animal Care Services. Thank you. Thank you Council for hearing everyone tonight. My name is Kalen House and I'm the manager of enforcement operations at acs where worked in the enforcement department for 6 years. Tonight. You MAY hear things about our enforcement statistics mostly response times and the numbers of
citations issued I'm here to provide some context for those things. It was noted that we had five-day response time to a priority. One run in DECEMBER. I'd like to start by saying that 5 days is definitely longer than I want. I do not want to give any impression that I am proud of that number, but I will not stand idly by while someone implies that my team is not trying caring for putting in the work. Response times are not inherently reflective of the work that is going on there. They're obvious factors like temperature and holidays that I don't want to spend too much time discussing. There's also the fact that the acs have for as long as I've been with the department, had taken shifted holidays. So there are not scheduled to work the city holiday. They got another day off. Because of this. We had 14 days with lower than usual staffing directly due to holidays, despite their only being 6 scheduled city
holidays. I believe that reevaluating in trying new things is an essential part of leadership. It's a lot of what you're hearing about tonight. Therefore started looking into the process of changing that system to remove some of the staffing burden for my team from the city that we serve. Another thing I'd like to address is the human aspect of things and what my officers go through. MAY see his face huge trauma every day, every single time that they step out of their truck. They know that they are at risk from animals and from people. If you've heard of the child homicide that happened right before Christmas, where a child is. Basically the please know that 2 of my sails were in that house. They were in there while the body was also in there. Without alongside that, obviously, we see animals in atrocious conditions. Fortunately, not daily, but more often than any of us would like. This also sometimes affect response times because people need time
to decompress from these issues. Sometimes it's only just few minutes taking coming down in their truck after some people are needing more time from that. Another factor I'd want on regarding our response times are staffing. I'm very excited about what our staffing is headed. We have just brought on a new enforcement supervisor this week. We have released 3 new acs to full duty in the past 4 months. And we have for trainees that are extremely promising. However, I had 2 new acs start this week and we had to have multiple conversations about this meeting. We're in currently because of the amount of media attention surrounding it. We've seen on Facebook and social CEOs getting personally called out for guarding him, take decisions that their supervisors have been the ones making. We are working towards a better culture in our shelter. And it is honestly quite frustrating to be dealing with so much negative
media attention online. With every front threat that the ac is willingly deal with. We should not also have to do with attacks on ourselves and our organization this frequently. It is not a tension that is helping us find and retained good new staff members. And also like to note that in JANUARY of this year, average response time was down to 3 days from 6 and DECEMBER. Acs has been moving towards a more community-based policing approach for years, which is reflected in the number of yearly citations and steadily decreasing citation numbers are something that already greatly fluctuate and viewing are presenting them presenting lower numbers as a negative. It's just not an appropriate interpretation of that metric. I've repeatedly heard from outside of acs that people feel we should be strengthening our enforcement, but we are. Philly has been pushing us to be a better resource for years as
Inforcement manager. And I am happy to take on that mantle, especially with his continued support in his role. Better. Stronger enforcement is not measured in the number of citations issued. It has measured in the amount of improvement we see in the and welfare of the animals and the people of this city. I'm committed to building community and building up our community. And that is achieved by forging a team which is committed to treating everyone they encounter with respect, kindness and dignity. With knowledge that we have to allow people to fail without thinking that they are failures with providing education and resources instead of judgment and fines and to bring this full circle strengthening that relationship we built with the community MAY impact response times because doing the job right? Does not always mean doing it quickly. And I would rather have my team focus on
communicating with public and taking the time to help them than ever thinking about those statistics. And thank you Council for hearing us today. Carol Schumacher on the adoptions team lean. I've been with since mid AUGUST to present when I joined the team, there was only one adoption counselor and then myself. So we were both rather new to what was going on with everything as of yesterday. We now feel we have a staff team and the adoptions which is really awesome. And that's something that we're working towards getting everyone on the same page. Everyone trains so we can work unanimously as a whole not only with adoptions, but with the entirety of the staff. Michael, as the top 10 team lead is to foster an understanding and accepting environment. This is not only
goes for the team and staff throughout the ics but includes the individuals coming in as well. Our goals are to focus and tailored options to fit families. Lifestyles, and find animals that check all of their boxes when they come We have a a strong suit and our team of various aspects such as animal knowledge, life skills and leadership, the compassion and dedication that too take on a position most wanted take on speaks volumes. We laugh together, cry together. We hold each other up to the hard times and the less than ideal times. I've been working bringing the follow-ups of adoptions back. What these follow-ups are ways for us to reach back out to the animals that have been adopted in
homes. See how they're doing, have the positive updates. That's something always brings a smile to base is as the see the hard work that they put in. Well at the shelter to than see that pay off in the home during those follow-ups. We are also utilizing any of the information they're giving to us passing back out resources, trying to do everything that we can to keep those animals and home as well as keep the family safe and the animals safe. That we do provide our home scholarship, low-cost, veterinary services. And these are I want extend out throughout the adoption process that are not just in the moment of the adoption. They're in the building. These opportunities keep animals and home evaluate what is best for the household and for the animal. Well, for overall, the more that we see, the more
that we are going to continue to use that information to a bill that are going up. Good afternoon Council. Good afternoon, everyone. My name is John Hicks. I and I am currently the general manager here at I c s I've had the distinct pleasure of working here since NOVEMBER 2013 and in many years here, I've taken on several different roles. I've seen my both myself and the shelter grow together over time. Today. I would like to share some of my observations from the various primary roles that I've held here. Up until recently. I spent a significant part of my tenure Dicey s as an animal control officer. This rule allowed me to experience firsthand what it means to be a civil officer in our city and what it means to serve our community as co, I learned that there is a major difference between willful and and willful neglect. And I learned the power of education. Our department has transitioned to
a more community-based policing approach. Shifting our focus from catching people doing things wrong to understanding what they need to do. Things right. Building relationships with the community, fostering report and leaving positive impressions have helped us stay in a state of prevention rather than reaction. Our buildings, trucks and uniform say animal clearly on the side. But acs is not just here for the animals. We're here to take care of the people in the community who care for them. It isn't the animals that come in. Ask us for help. It's the people. In the middle of last year. I transitioned from animal control officer to my current role as kennel manager. At that time, we're in the midst of what we call dark re crisis and I could speak for hours about what it was like during that period.
Simply put physically present emotionally exhausted. Getting out of the crate situation require drastic drastically changing our intake policies re prioritizing our runs on the road for officers focusing on rescues and adoption events. Each room we cleared of crates with a victory to be celebrated in clearing them all without resorting to mass euthanasia is a miracle. Since then I've seen Morell slowly improve staff is working extra hours instead of being forced to work extra hours. They're doing so in multiple permits to help out. Moved from relying heavily on outside help to becoming a more sustainable day-to-day operations with our current roster. Our staff has also shifted focus from just basic
husbandry of the animals in our care to providing enrichment activities. Caring for the emotional and psychological needs as well. For me, the experiences in these roles, among all the others that I've had here at the shelter over the years have taught me that growth comes from challenges. And progress is achieved through collaboration. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Director and staff counselors, questions that you have. Seeing. None. Oh, no. Sorry. So I mean, I've got I took some time before this meeting to talk to some volunteers get a handful of questions. Some of these things were answers that I want to be 2 redundant, but least. Brees over them and in a sense breeze. But it was really some of the answers that I have. A lot of the items were touched on. You
know, a lot of the concern was wait, time response, time and things of that nature, particularly, you know, looking at it. The field response time going from 5 days which was discussed down to 3 you a lot of the follow-up question that has some of these points where what are you going to do to improve it really the theme for for the bases of many of these things here from what I heard on at least the field services. It was reducing organize holiday times and increased f. And if there's more things and we can get to that later. But at least that's what I heard as it pertains How do we reduce that time of waiting for somebody the field to get out to a home that check on the animal. The other 2 are similar all dress you for all these Israel's up
to and it has to do with. The average wait time on trays average. Wait times on time to surrender. Us Jessica, 5 weeks strays. And a statistic on 2 months for weight on surrenders. Whether that's That's correct. Can you confirm that So it's like that's about correct. For weeks. I'm just race. The question of that being, you know, we frequently see leaders come through here. And it's, you know, we see a lot. Of the issues and we've heard a lot of, you know what the concerns are. That sounds like you've been handed. Before we get into the question. You've all mentioned it. You've been handed sinking ship is the way I think it was phrased multiple times. That's what I've written. That your theme
right. I recognize. You don't have easy job. It's a very difficult job. But I also need to recognize that it is this administration that has put you in this position. Whether it was you or your predecessor. We're here now. So I do want that to be recognized. Now, the point of the wait time. Where here? The issues, what we like to hear. What I like to hear is how are you going to address those issues and how are you doing to improve So a lot of that has to do with it. How I've mentioned that. We now have this breathing room where they start thinking about things where we can start looking at is working in other shelters across the country. And so improving our diversion and a lot of that if we can provide diversion, if we can provide more assistance and we have
the time to talk to people, whether in the field are out the door as opposed to they want an appointment, you know, or they just want to take an and one. And we're not able to take that time. It's being able to work on all of those things working on providing resources to keep animals and home, whether they're adopted from us or just an animal is owned by person. They want to surrender helping owners were working on a better system and new technology to actually catalog and provide case management work for our. And here is an intake diversion team. But then also looking at a software to help us in a new process to help us. Help the public instead of surrendering their animals rehome their
animals themselves working on. A lot of the things that Bill Lee skews me Officer House and mentioned in the field to help people keep animals in their homes. And that then also working on things that we can do to help those who do find stray animals. Lot of people we get at the door, they actually want to keep the animals or they, you know, if it doesn't get adopted their interest in adopting it. So helping them in those ways, but then also helping the public understand better what to do when they do find stray animals. It's a difficult position. We know we don't like the long wait as well. And it's a difficult struggle for us to kind of. Navigate reducing those wait times with the alternative as well. So there's a lot of programs out
there that we're working on things that we don't know a lot about yet. There were hoping to use to help us focus on keeping the animals out of the shelter that don't need to be there and hopefully reduce those times as well. MADAM Yes. So I just want stay in observation that I have right. And I'm not familiar with the great program, but I think I'm a little understanding of what the situation was. There was Craig set up within the facility to hold animals because it wasn't enough That creates being smaller. More new main of over 6 periods for the animal. The long run you decision was to remove that. But that lead to is increased. Wait times essentially because now you cannot bring these animals in. They're staying out in the field. With that observation. The other thing, the other one I have is. Staff
shortages. I would imagine you like the rest of the city have that issue. And it's not to say that you guys are working hard. It sounds like everybody's putting in more than 8 hours a day, right? From what I'm understanding and there was testimony was evident of that. I see I see all these people and what I've heard and e-mails is there is a massive. Volunteer pool available to help you. What I observed in the situation. And what I look for the how encourage you to consider is how do you create a policy within your organization to utilize all these folks that are in this room to help support because we'll never hire enough people. I can pick any department that we have
never people. What you have something unique that others don't. And they're all sitting right here. And so those my observations, that is my my request of you. And with that, MADAM Chair, freshman time. Thank you, counselor Thank you very much. Meant keep my questions. Comments brief. And we have a lot of folks that would like to have a voice is heard, which is why we are here this evening. This time. Not first and foremost. Want to thank you for the chance to be with you in person and get to know you better. And some of these questions about a week and a half got wanted to just bring a couple things said to you and I discussed and just advocate for them in In this venue. Leader Hart noted. Animal care services is really one of the more unique agencies in the city of Indianapolis because it is so
public facing that is not always true of all of our agencies and apartments, but it's particularly true of animal care services. And so. With that being a public-facing agency and with so many people very passionate, as you can see. Of the animal welfare. Cause. Tremendous opportunity. 2 vigor and enthusiasm to the work that you folks too. I'm sorry that it's been a sinking ship. I don't know that. I've heard it characterized that way before. I think I've understood some issues. It's a real shame. I hope we can tap into. The volunteer base in a way that makes sense for your agency. But also makes sense for the animals I think about volunteers animal care
services, like I think of reserve officers for police department without a reserve officers on the police department with a very difficult time hosting events and doing the things that our department does in such a short staff. So my questions comments or this one of the things I heard from some folks specifically about not being heard. Is a policy that have been adopted. And you and I talked about this at the animal Care Services Board. And the policy is that if you want to speak on behalf of an item at that board meeting. You need to submit the question with a comment about a week prior. To the meeting in order to be heard. And I told you my concerns about that. We hear the council don't have the luxury and
that's code. But anybody who comes to our meetings under public hearing public testimony gets 2 minutes to speak, has to be germane to the topic at hand and have a chance to their voices one again encourage you and the board reconsider that. I think our staff to be happy to send you over our ground rules in how that discussion needs to be formatted about really like to see people be able to show up to the meetings in person and be able to bring some of the issues concerns that are germane to the topic that you're discussing. So I just hope that you take that back. Should you be confirmed? The second thing is I would just like to understand better if I walked in today, what would be the process of signing up to be a volunteer? It's mostly
down online. So it's an online application that is completed. And then at this moment, we do not have a volunteer coordinator, so-called a la Roche is kind of handling those. But some online process. And then from that point. There's orientations. There's coming in person, orientation, training and just kind of learning whatever that role or position is that ended individuals signed up for committing to their hours and just learning about do organizations While ago I was going to bring up the the idea volunteer orientation if there isn't one and maybe we can evaluate how orientation is. I think that. What I've heard tonight is the idea that criticisms from those who
don't know and I think it's perhaps true that there are folks who maybe don't know the nuances of of h our policies are the nuances of you know, just the standards and protocols in this case, your agency. But I think sometimes the way that this has been characterized this evening as criticisms and and, you know, being painfully aware, I think that it it kind of. Projects out that they're just criticisms. It's just misinformation. Feels like maybe the cares and concerns that have been shared aren't being taken seriously. I'm not suggesting that that's the case, but I think that sometimes the way that things have been awarded this evening, just maybe have sounded a little bit you know, an interested hearing from folks. Criticism. It's just sometimes you don't know until
somebody says maybe there's a better way of talking the perception doesn't match rowdy. I would just encourage think about ways because hearing from all your folks, obviously, they are very passionate about what they do under your leadership. Obviously, MR. Bowling wouldn't have been with us 18 years on a sinking ship if he didn't care very much about the animal welfare cause. And so we appreciate all of those who've been on the team for a long time where people be on the team, you know, just a little of a while. I just think we need to be more conscientious of how we were Misinformation or disinformation because I think sometimes that causes a divide
or tension that you could cut in this room as an example. And we really need to find ways to plug in those grow, willing to volunteer until we're able to better recruit and retain new folks with Animal Care Services. So thank you. Thank Councilor boots. Thank you, MADAM Chair, and thank you, MR. Diamond for your testimony this evening. Just a couple comments and observations. I've heard a couple times said here that unm are bowling have only been in this job for a few months at current positions. There was no training. You were just stepped into a sinking ship. As we've heard our jobs are not a micromanager jobs. That's not our role. But from what we're hearing, you have a
major issue. And you're volunteer corps is one of the strongest ones that I've seen my 5 years of any agency. And implore you to find a way to work with them and bring them back on too. Counselor Heart pointed out, you we will never give you what you need. That is not physically possible by this council. So you have to make do with what you can get and when you got volunteers out there that have been around a lot longer than you have. Behooves everybody too. Pay attention and take it listen more. I understand you're you mentioned you're going to work on the hour's issue for volunteers. Encourage you to do that. Once a coordinator comes on and I did have a question, issue that was brought to my attention by several people was the adoption vetting
system in program that you currently use. And though you MAY have switched from one to another and that is possibly impeded your ability to identify dangerous adopters of your animals. Matt. So we can understand that issue better. Yes. So what you're referencing is after a single traumatic incident a couple years ago, a policy was instituted where part of the adoptions approval process was too do essentially a criminal background check on anyone wanting to adopt using the online. My system. That is a system that while it will show any animal-related senses that have occurred. It shows a lot of other information about an
individual that is not relevant and that we use we saw and we witness encouraging Bice in those adoption process is whether a person is going through a divorce should not affect whether they are a good pet owner at this time in their life. We we heard and we saw that happen it's not a practice that is institute did and it's common around the country in shelters to do such a check. What is common is to review your actual systems and in our situation, we are fortunate to also be the animal control facility. So we do have access to those animal related offenses in our system that occur in Marion County. No, it does not reflect anything outside of Marion County, but it does with in Marion County. And so it is
not impeded our ability. We have not seen any uptick or any other recent serious cases that were. To of why that policy was instituted. We have switch to what is also, you know, very popular way to do adoptions. And that actually just listen to people and talk to people in check our system and try to figure out if this is a good match, rely on what we do have in our system and make those decisions that way. Is there a possibility of u of coordinating with surrounding counties? It sounds a little short-sighted to look only Marion County, but when we got 91 other counties that could have very relevant information, I am not familiar
with how we would do that. I would imagine they might have other systems like that. But that still introduces one thing that we're trying to avoid is that, you know, discrimination that is, you know, and becomes difficult. I mean, it's it's it's natural for us one. And, you know, anyway, and then when they're so passionate about the animals, it just becomes what we saw just getting out of control, wanting to deny someone the and we were told this because, you know, they didn't have a car things like that or we're already dealing with those type of ice and then watching. The investigation of what's on my case. And then unfortunately, it spilled into land face booking people and just finding any reason just in tonight essentially leading to euthanizing more animals because we're not giving them any type of, you know, chance, even when my case has a
disclaimer that says that, you know, it is not, you know, necessarily totally accurate or even current and 2, be careful in the use of it. Thank you very much. Thank you. MADAM Chair. And the other council questions. Before our clerk reads off and we start public comment. I do want to warn you now because I know there's a lot to do this year that when you clap while someone is speaking, that takes away from their 2 minutes. Just saying so everyone gets their full 2 minutes, ok? Just say, ok, go sir. As we move to the public comment portion of this debate for this proposal, I would like my colleagues in the fuel ground rules in order for everyone to have a fair chance to speak and be heard. It is important that each observe
the following ground rules. First, the speaker's limited to 2 minutes. Second, any public comment must be reasonably related to the agenda item under consideration. 3rd speakers who stray away from the item under consideration or become unruly repetitious MAY be asked to move to the next point or conclude your comments. Finally attendees to cause disruption that prevent the council from proceeding to today's agenda in a reasonably efficient manner will be removed. Ok, Kendall, can you read like on deck and then? Well in shot put would say in the hole, but 1, 2, 3, So that way people know their order and then we'll keep going that way. Everyone has a reasonable amount of time to get up front. First we have Dorsey
Coats then Beth Meyer and then last would Ashwell. Stanley. And sorry. If I'm mispronouncing names. Please. When you come up, give us your name and then go ahead and get started. Once you start speaking, Kendall, at the time. Hello, I'm Darcy Curtis founder and executive director of fido Fighters worked with in partnership with ics from most 8 years in the past 4 years fighting his assisted ics with over 1100 of their dog neglect cases in the field. While our focus is on helping the dogs. We were also Glen to help the ics officer since we recognize the difficult work required of them. Up to one or 2 years ago. Ics was functioning as a safe haven for dogs. Some 6, some stray injured and some simply unwanted and not cared
for. They would take in dogs with no other options. That was appropriate because ICs is our city's only open admission, shelter. However, in the past year, there have significant changes and ics policies. Ics now tells us that they cannot take dogs because their shelter is full as a result fighter. He's taken in 110 dogs in the past 8 months because these dogs had no other options. That fight not a shelter. Regular citizens without even the resources of Fido are also expected to pulled stray dogs and their own homes for 5 weeks before ICs will take them in. Up to a year or 2 ago. Ics was functioning as an animal enforcement agency to quickly rescue dogs from extreme neglect and prevent
further suffering. That was appropriate because I see us is our city's only animal enforcement authority. Now the average wait time for an officer to respond to a priority. One is 5 days. This includes and MAY say to dogs living outside in extreme weather with no shelter even after an initial visit for neglect. Now it can take 3 months before a John will be removed from the home. So just a few years ago, ICs was doing a much better job of fulfilling their city. Mandated responsibilities as an open admission shelter in an animal enforcement agency. Thank vital or just to reverse many of the recent policy changes they tell that was a timer and okay. Policy changes or reverse Biden cannot thank at the current leadership that I c s okay. Good evening. My name is Beth Meyer and I'm a
resident of Indianapolis and speaking on behalf of Guinness Kashmir, really, Tony. Lo Mama Clover Vega, buddy. Now the other animals that I've been rescued have been rescued into loving homes. I do not work in animal rescue, but I supported as much as I can. I work in public service funded by taxes. Understand the challenges of finding many providing excellent service staffing curating relationships and the highs and lows of public opinion. I know from experience that the best way to lead an organization is to be transparent to clearly communicate, to build goodwill and to model the behavior. You wish to as a resident. What I have seen is obviously not the whole picture, but some recent reports are enough to galvanize me to speak today. I do not understand how a recent video of dogs in feces field Canales came to light. I don't have all the information, but I do know that one of my
neighbors had an animal in these conditions. I would call the authorities. So what happens when it's the authorities keeping the animals in these conditions? Could we call? I also know from personal experience that leaders must sometimes cleanup literally. One video cannot tell the entire story. But i watched last month's presentation and instead of having my concerns alleviated it simply raise more questions for anymore. But my greatest concern rests with the intense outcry from the boots on the ground at the shelter when volunteers are begging leadership for hours to be reinstated because of safety and health. As an administrator myself, it gives me pause serving. The public is incredibly stressful and more. So when animals are involved, the only way to genuinely improve are out there by improving conditions at the shelter is to earning
trust and respect. One does that by being involved in the work at all levels and I can assure you that a new building does not build that trust and respect. I'm not here to vilify anyone. I'm here as a resident and an animal lover and to request that there be more robust oversight, communications support and guidance for ICs. As Gandhi said, the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. Thank you. Kendall can call the next 3, 2, after. Leave Mueller spawn Rachel Scott in Marcy Route. He thank you, Go ahead. Good evening. I am a shorey of Stanley and I'm appalled by Misskelley Diamonds, apathy, callousness, and a total dereliction of duty with regard to protecting the benefit of the animals watch slashing the volunteer hours
during the week. Now forces dogs to hold their bladders and waste for over 14 hours or sit in their own based on to the next morning, not having at quality and enrichment. I'm is debilitating to an animal. The increasing stress levels for many of these animals is already being used as one of the reasons to euthanize them. Just last month, state FEBRUARY child I see is euthanized. A dog named Nico who was only a year old, citing kennel stress time in states that the use of my case to vet potential adopters to ensure that they did not abuse animals in the past 3 years unfairly discriminates certain sections of the population. I support a society that is inclusive, equitable and fair to all. I unequivocally believe that absolutely needs
to be a process that screens potential adopters so that these innocent animals do not walk into their own death traps. Lastly missed Diamond fails to cast the right shadows, a lead in addition to doing what's right for animal. She needs to be open to feedback and put forth policies with staff members and one tsp valued and most importantly, Hood, however, her continued short-sightedness and moderate bring bankruptcy refusal to accept and implement constructive feedback show that she is prepared for the role that she's seeking to date. Her stubbornness is a direct reflection of arrogance and not assertiveness like she MAY believe. I implore you to please find a better candidate to run the ics. Please put the very being off these animals
ahead of any partisan. Vince, we are all counting on you to exercise your vote to do the right thing. Vote no on Prop fight. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Ali meters reading a statement on behalf of Jan Johnson, acs lead cap, fallen tear in early 2024 misses diamonds promotion and the arrival of outside consultants MAY many volunteers hopeful that the situation the shelter was in would improve. Later, though, when summer came one thing after another became happened to crush Jens hopes when kitten season hit ICs was so understaffed that volunteers readily found dying and deceased. Kittens and critical positions like the veterinarian are currently vacant today. Compounding this problem. This is Diamond abruptly terminated. Several key employees throughout the year. Our community cat
Cordinator have been a fixture of ics for years since the shelter is very geared towards dogs. Cats are often overlooked and she was the one staff member who truly advocated for cats. This critical position has now been vacant for 8 months and has not been posted. Staff has been. More friendly. Adoptable cats are being released onto the streets with no cat coordinator in place to monitor this process. And Capela tears are very concerned for their safety. 2 other significant policy changes this past year included the abandonment of the My case, adoption policy and new rules for Animal Control officers often prevented them but bringing animals to the shelter in a timely manner to current management to current management. It's clearly more important to keep animals out of the shelter get them out as
quickly as possible rather than to worry about what is happening to them in the community. The focus is on numbers and not on welfare. Jen asks to please vote no to proposal 5 and implement a traditional search and interview process to include outside candidates for ICs director. She has faith that the right person will be found. Someone who will do better by the animals and the people. I c s thank you. Leadership is the capacity to translate a vision into reality. A true leader is one who knows the way goes the way and most importantly shows the way, unfortunately, leadership that animal control services Thales that all 3 aspects as a result, innocent victim, innocent animals pay the price. Now, I don't want to dwell on all the shortcomings
of leadership. Because it's completely been documented. Everybody knows situation rather. I want to focus on the future and keep things on the positive side and believe that there there is hope in the future in regards to leadership at animal Control. Animal Control needs a leader who encompasses the boots on the ground mentality. 3 components of this approach or one direct observation. Their leader is actively watching and participating in the work being done to event. Dana, 5 potential issues in areas for improvement. 2 hands-on approach, not just delegating tasks as a leader, the actively getting involved in the execution to provide guidance and support. When your shelter is in crisis, it's all hands on deck. No one
should or separate himself from that. The grinding task of cleaning up poo poo. Building relationships it with your volunteers. Your fostering strong relationships with team members or volunteers by being present and accessible and understanding their concerns and perspectives. As you begin to search for a new leader. And you look for your new leader. Look no further in your community to the life of Darcy Kurtz with Fido. She's literally executive director and she's hands on. Reacted Stevenson from him. I think that's what I'm well, just a second and new go ahead just second. Continue going announce next. 3 real quick.
They be able or and Megan McMann aims. Thank you. MAY you MAY go ahead. Hi. Greetings. Committee members. I'm here tonight. Like many other concerned citizens. I urge you to expand your search for a competent leader to manager City shelter. I've never done this before. Never common spoken to a committee, but I feel very passionately about this. They're bad policies, cutting free volunteer hours, not reading propery it background checks. Obviously there is low morale. I've worked in government for over 25 years. Typically when there's a problem at the head of the agency, we replaced them with a new leader with a sinking ship. Ship is sinking. The data can tell any story that you want. And hit her tonight. Lots of pieces of data doesn't sound very
reliable to me. There's simply no way that this many people can speak out and be wrong when there is smoke. There is most certainly fire. I'd also like to add that. I heard you state that you would rather make decisions based on feeling and not fact is diamond, which is the very definition of bias. I've been doing human resources and the government setting for over 20 years using information that has a direct nexus to whether someone would be a suitable adopter. It's completely appropriate and legal. I have to believe that the decision to hire someone and the employment laws are more stringent than the adoption laws or adoption rules and that we should be using this information that's publicly available to make good decisions for our community. You'll hear that we will be back on MARCH. 3rd, 2. To hear
what happens as an outcome of this. I think that we need to demand better of our leadership and our government, our community. And we need to look out for these animals. Thank you. My name is Debbie able. I have been and rescue for over 45 years. So there's a lot of people in this room who probably know me or have worked with me. And ICs is notorious for putting people in leadership are all who have no real animal rescuer. People skills. You have to have a heart for the animals and the people who work for you, the staff to do the job with very little pay, do it because they truly have a heart for the animals. This person doesn't need to manage people. They need to lead people. They need to be visionaries. They need to be a person that the staff knows won't ask them to do
something they haven't done or won't do themselves a true leader. You sometimes take a step back and say, hey, maybe I acted too fast. That might have been a mistake. I need more input. But the biggest thing you can do is involved your front line before you make decisions, ask them for their input. Let them have a voice without threatening to fire them without the threat of repercussions, which I know from talking to people has happened. Change management. That's the way you do it. Front line up, not applying down because then you're shoving it down people's throats and you have no basis. I worked with my case. I just
recently retired from managing Ronald McDonald House working with people at the worst time in their lives. We used my case every day all day. No one came in that house without having my case stunt. If they had a criminal background, if it was one parent, the other parent to come, the other parent could not. We weren't going allow that type of situation. My case is used to. It's not discriminatory. It's used to protect vulnerable in our community. With that humans or animals. And it just takes a couple of extra minutes to do it. I know it's not popular, but because you're trying to get animals out. Thank you. Hi, my name is Angie Helena. I run a local rescue, sketchy Watson underdogs. I was a volunteer at ice. Yes, for 5 years that was contracted by the city. 2
new canine temperament testing from 2000 to 22 to 2024, I left you to Kelly's lack of professionalism. What has been presented today is merely words they generalities and nice to have that any one of us in animal welfare could come up with. At leader a true leader into space down steer effects of their policies. Managed intake solves a singular problem that you MAY dogs in one building. This in the and instructing the public to put dogs back out on the street is not working independently funded rescues that are not supported by tax dollars are doing the work. The ics is mandated to do as an open-ended in take shelter. For perspective. 40 1% of my intake last year was dock straight off the streets in previous years. It was less than one percent. I pulled many dead and dying dollars. Got the streets of shares. The didn't have 3 to 5 days dogs are being left to fend for
themselves. Every day. Also, everyday citizens are taking in dogs that they're not equipped to handle it. Many, many calls about that every day, making it a public safety issue as well. It's their countless examples of poor leadership, really Inc, lack of change management skills, failure to hear a presentation available data gaslighting just gaslighting decision-making without stakeholders, present hiding behind policies rather than finding solutions. Employees fearing retaliation for speaking up, cherry picking data chasing metrics and the list goes on. Ics is at a critical juncture becoming his own agency building a new shelter, handling its own financial plan at a time when the state of animal welfare in. And list is at an all-time
low. Public opinion of ice. Yes, has hit an all-time low. I see He's a leader, a mature, seasoned individual who has experience with change management community relations and strategic planning I implore you to reject this time. It's appointment initiate a national search for a leader who can get ice yachting Indianapolis, but they desperately need. Just a second. And then when you're ready, can call the next 3 up. Just so we are We have mother spawn Stacy. Stacy, bride's Caitlin author. Thank you so much. He MAY go ahead. Thank you. Hello counselors. My name is Megan nicknames. I'm a shelter volunteer and I previously taught at that ball state and I work in Indy's thriving tech scene mostly in
the high off a family interim director Diamond. I was prepared to really hold your Hold you to the fire tonight regarding the previous concept of a plan that you presented to this committee in JANUARY. I thought the presentation you gave on JANUARY 22nd was pretty flippin presenting just a few out of context numbers and some softball goals like proactive and efficient while ignoring the elephant or I guess the stray dog in the room. It was so unbecoming front agency supported by 8 million dollars of taxpayer money in a city that's calls itself a center of innovation. Appreciate you revising your work today and clarifying the choice that you made to move to managed intake and your acknowledgment that you cannot continue to operate this way. But if your appointment had not been sent back to this committee today. We would not have heard any of this. I think it's clear that unless
you are made to you won't acknowledge the challenges and explain your position. So I want to thank City Council for making what I think it's a wise decision to hold you accountable to higher standards. I hope they will continue doing so one way. I would like to see them do that is by requiring whoever becomes director to create an actual strategic plan for 2025, really don't understand why one wasn't already created. Other agencies have them. I think in that plan, the director should call out real goals, objectives and performance in kit indicators, especially around ways to improve service to the people of Indianapolis. Director Diamond to understand you have had a tough year municipal sheltering is always hard work. But what is next? Help
us to understand provide a plan, a real plan and a timeline for when it will be done. If you can't afford to pay or veterinarian more, how for dog houses. Show us how thank you. My name is Kaitlyn Arthur. I'm a volunteer and foster dicey. Yes, I would like to read a statement from a former ics adoptions counselor who cannot be here. And I feel that the statement demonstrates that ICs leadership is not acting in the best interest of animal welfare 2024. Saw many changes in policy ICs, but one change that deserves reconsideration of involves its adoption denial policy. That options department ics no longer denies adoptions for persons convicted or currently charged with felony level animal abuse, domestic violence or
child abuse. This is despite the fact that multiple studies have shown that sending any animal to a home with a history of these charges result in a significant increase in risk to that animal. Peer reviewed study from 2015 states that partners of women living in domestic violence shelters were reported to be 11 times more likely to hurt or kill pets. Then a comparison group. The study also states that 41% of intimate partner violence offenders reported to have committed at least one act of animal abuse compared to a community community incidence rate of 1.5 percent. In addition to this multiple studies have shown that placing an animal in these homes results in an airing of options for human victims as the animal can be used as leverage to delay, leaving or reaching out for help management ICs has stated that
this is to increase adoptions and reduce bias. But this contradicts the data this former staff member created a program that runs applicants info through my case and calculates the number of potential denials that would have occurred analysis of a year's worth of adoptions that I so that out of 11,361 applications, only 47 would have resulted in a denial for animal abuse, domestic violence or child abuse and extra. 47 potential adoptions is not worth a significant risk to those animals. The city has a duty to protect animals for reaching ares of abusers. The new policy is detrimental to animals presents a bad public image to the public and does not accomplish what the shelter states that accomplishes for this reason. I'm asking that the shelter not only reconsider this policy but also reconsider appointing
interim director Diamond to it. The director of ics. And I also want to add that. Thank you. Thank you. Hello. My name is Nick. Given I am reading a statement on behalf of Tom Wiseman who was a former. 5 year employee. It was also the adoption counselor for the last year and a half of his tenure. One of Kelly Diamonds first moved as the interim shelter director was organizational restructure. This process removed myself. The volunteer coordinator, the rescue coordinator in the kennel supervisors from leadership meetings. Essentially removing all avenues for input of new policies from department, mental managers. Newly developed policies, lack any substantial input from staff in coordinators. In our communique did to coordinators
with the tone of this is how things are going to be. And raise questions or brushed off or ignored completely. Adoption counselors have always taken a conversation based approach. With potential adopters. This is in fact, not just explicitly written in the job description, but he's quite literally the definition of the positions title of adoption counselor. Statements from Kelly Diamond on this. Quote, new approach failed to mention that this is already how the process works. Kelly Diamond has created a culture at Animal Care services that breeze hostility. Many staff has expressed that they do not feel comfortable taking higher positions such as coordinators due to losing protection from the Union. Staff members view. These positions as putting a
target on your back. Which creates massive morale problems. In addition to leadership, vacuums that arise when the people in those positions leave. For reference when Kelly Diamond pushed me, Tom Wiseman to quit my position as an adoption coordinator, my whole staff quit rather continue to work under Kelly. And I mean, Kelly, the Roche. It seems we are missing. One have signed up. So kind of can you read the next 3, please? Just Pierre Kay Hall. I mean, Counselors. My name is Jessica Perry. And I'm a dog volunteer at I c s I'll be speaking and Kelly Diamonds removal the use of my case in adoptions. As you've already heard tonight, the previous my case policy was solely focused on serious violent crimes. The had a connection. They were strongly
linked to animal abuse. Excuse me, it was developed based on research in scientific journals, had a three-year look-back period, which is. How impd views recidivism. The policy was applied uniformly and resulted in a small percentage of denials. Tonight, an impasse committee meetings you've heard Missus, Diamond defend the removal of my case by telling the council that adoption counselors would deny things, deny people for things like people's accidents, their shoes, divorce, dui, Republican, take charge. According to shelter staff. That is just simply not accurate. And in well, research clearly defined policy would actually help remove bias and make sure
people are not denied for things like their shoes or their accents. Compare this very specific my case policy with what we know about current policy other than checking come million ics zone. Internal database misses. Diamond has said the adoption counselor should just have conversations with the doctors and get to know them. I would ask where the safeguards to make sure bias does not enter those conversations where the safeguards to ensure notes in communion are not biased. Criminal cases documented in my case, at least have all the protections of the U.S. Constitution and our justice system, which is a much higher bar than undefined conversations and unscrew debt scrutinize notes. Income million. In addition,
Communion only covers Marion County. Where is my cases statewide allowing staff to check adopters from all over the state? I am not aware of a single objective standard of review under the current adoptions policy, nor is anyone I've spoken to. But I welcome any information that Missus Diamond able to provide anything about the projected safeguards contained at their policy. Thanks. My name is Katie Hall. I'm a lifelong resident of Indianapolis and I've been a volunteer since 2015. I have cheered and watch animals. I love. Find wonderful families and I have cried so many tears over the ones I couldn't save. But I've never doubted that the people around me at ics all have the animals. Best interest in mind
until now. This is Luna is alive because a dedicated volunteer found her in a pool of blood on a Monday evening. She had complications from space surgery and she was rushed to the er for lifesaving care. And I want to point out that Luna still at the shelter in this is a recent picture. I shudder to think how many Luna's will go on notice. Now the volunteers are barred from the premises outside of business hours. The current management won't have eyes on them and they will languish in their own waste waiting for help them won't come for another 23 hours. I'm asking you today to please reconsider the proposed shelter management in front of you. Certainly not all of them, but not just Kelly
Diamond. I do not believe their militias, people that I do believe they have lost sight of what is truly in the best interest of our city's animals. There was a comment made recently that management is trying to enhance volunteer opportunities and make things more fun for us. None of us are there because it's fun were there because it's honors. And that's why we dedicate her time there. I think every staff member who spoke touched on how dreadful the conditions are. Let us help you do don't push us Just a second before you begin. Just second chemical, me the next Lori Collins, Stephanie Waters and Lauren Watts. Thank you, sir. You make ahead. Good evening, counselors. My name is Amy Gone Indianapolis resident and I see volunteer. I'm speaking on the volunteer
policy change. First, I want to say how integral volunteers are to this organization. In fact, the requirement for volunteer program is actually written into the ordinance that governs the shelter. Volunteers care for animals, clean kennels, do laundry and dishes. So when for staff and their call offs photograph and write bias for animals work, adoption events and all side events for the interface with the public, clean up lots of proof and more. Volunteers work at the shelter 365 days. A year. We also routinely donate money and supplies and opener homes to foster animals. And we do all of this on top of our jobs and our personal lives. The way hours were cut prevents people with day jobs from being able to work most days. This results in most dogs only getting out one short time today. The dogs
are forced to live in a small candle with their urine and feces for almost 24 hours at a time, this will lead to increased stress and worse outcomes like high risk of bites, more filth, more disease and more deaths, at animals that are less a safer state to hunt for staff to handle and are less appealing to and less safe for adopters. Volunteers worked over 30,000 free hours last year was night. Ics will only lose those hours. Many people. We will either not be able to meet the minimum required hours or just leave out of frustration. The ordinance governing ICs also requires that maintain a clean, comfortable safe and healthy environment for the animals as
is reasonably possible. It is not reasonable to cut valuable working hours to make such a big difference in important ways. I understand I c s decision to require staff on site with volunteers. However, it is still unreasonable not to figure out coverage for evening hours considering the invaluable benefit to the animals. If there's one thing you can do tonight to immediately make the shelter a better place for animals. It's to ask for commitment from this diamond to wreak to restore the volunteer hours as soon as possible. Thank Good evening, Council members. My name is Lori Collins and I am the founder and director of that use House Bully Rescue. We are one of the largest pitbull rescues in the Midwest. United States. I'm here tonight because of reckless policies being enacted. The ics, they're not just unacceptable. They're costing innocent dogs lives under the leadership of Kelly Diamond ICs is implemented
policies that are actively making things worse. Restricting access to my case, eliminating the ability vet potential adopters for animal cruelty outside of Marion County, cutting volunteer hours, forcing dog to sit in kennels for almost 24 hours a day increasing stress, anxiety and behavioral decline, refusing to collaborate with rescue, shutting out very or very organizations that are trying to help. When I reached out to Ms Diamond and her team that has spoke here tonight, I write reached out directly via e-mail and voice my concerns seeking and that reasonable explanation. I received nothing but a dismissive in platitude response. No solutions, no actions, no concern. Meanwhile, rescuers like mine already stretched to our limits are forced to pick up the slack, every restrictive policy doesn't
cost lives cost thousands of dollars. It doesn't just cause lies that cost thousands of dollars in vet bills, rehabilitation and boarding. We are pulling dogs that are sick, stressed and traumatized because they then left in a teary 18 conditions for far too long. We're burnout were struggling to keep up and facing constant roll back. Some ics enough is enough. Time it has made it clear through her actions that she is not interested in real solutions. She has ignored volunteers, stone, water rescues and implement policies that prior towards prioritize convenience over compassion. Indianapolis needs a leader and I c s who cares about the animals in the city? Not some armchair rescue or director that just watch as everybody else to the work we need someone willing to communicate collaborate and not shut
people out. I urge this committee do not make this appointment do not submit these harmful policies into the future of ICs. Find someone who will make ICs a place of hope, not a place of suffering. Thanks. Before you begin. Just a second. Kendall, can you call the next 8? 0nd? Mama? Could Griffin? Doctor Amanda Cohn Lindsay Roy? Thank you. You MAY go ahead. Hi, my name is Stephanie Waters. And I've been a volunteer at ics for 3 years, misinformation and lack transparency has led to frustration among volunteers and has quickly resulted in public losing trust in the facility that their tax money is paying for. Recently. I c s leadership out an email to all volunteers response to concerns about restricted volunteer hours. Several process changes are mentioned in that e-mail that
were said to have started in JUNE of 2024, some of these new processes are enhancing cleaning protocols to maintain high sanitation standards. Instead of enhancing sanitation standards, they limited volunteer hours which decrease the number of dogs that will get to go outside in the evening, which immediately resulted in more dirty kennels. Developing structured enrichment schedules and Richmond ICs includes giving dogs Nyla bones looking peanut butter off a phrase be are scattering cable on dirty kennel floors. These tax, these tasks are not mentally stimulating in do not provide the kind of enriching the dogs would have gotten by simply going out volunteers again. Expanding training, an animal handling communication
training was initially offered volunteers once during Twenty-twenty 4, but that training session was canceled by leadership before it was ever held. He has training has not been offered to volunteers in 2025. Reforming euthanasia decision making to ensure alternatives are fully considered. Ics is also limited alternative pathways for dogs who have euthanasia deadline by no longer line and to be placed in current. I c s fosters and expanding adoption opportunities and post adoption resources to support pet retention in 2024. Ics help for off-site adoption event. One of those was in Chicago. I don't know how we are able to provide post adoption resources to pet owners in another state. These are just a few areas in which we're ship stated. They're making improvements that have yet to come to fruition, which is more oversight and
transparency is Thank you. My name is Lauren. Why? I started volunteering ics in 2016. I was a volunteer coordinator for a year and a half until about a month ago. Also fun 11 dogs, most of them from ice. Yes, be briefly addressing how staff and volunteers have been treated by Kelly Diamond in last month's meeting with counselors. She talked about how she brought in a staff member from best friends to help improve workplace culture. All those efforts did not adjust the core of our workplace issues. Many of the staff would say it's the kellys, but it did provide evidence of Kelly's poor leadership and management. A summary was sent out to staff and volunteers and across the board staff something similar.
Upper management was ignoring concerns making changes without communication, pushing staff out and validating their feelings, making feel disposable. And overall, this lack of leadership, communication appreciation MAY 7 volunteers have also commented how they've never seen Kelly work alongside staff or volunteers when help is needed. We're also seeing a pattern when he pushed back ics question policies and decisions you get pushed out by Kelly Diamond. Over the last year we've Lost ix coordinators and adoptions rescue. Our community cat coordinator to foster coordinator myself, all are gone in part due to Kelly Diamonds, poor management leadership and how she treated them. Last year, we lost 3 of our 6 full time staff and medical, including our medical member. I talked to said they left in part because of the
change issues making unrealistic expectations and also frustrations over not being heard. Volunteers are devastated by recent decisions. Disheartened by the cutting of volunteer hours, demoralized by the lack of appreciation from staff in volunteer morale is just a disaster. I don't have time to elaborate. Got 20 seconds. The efforts to improve safety and also mental health staff and volunteers also been thwarted by Kelly. She also refuses to do on site adoption events at the shelter in the future. I hope for a new leader at ice. Yes, thank you. Hi, my name is Monica Griffin. And I'm a program manager for the state of Indiana. And I've been a volunteer at ics for over 70 years. This is my city. This is my shelter. I love the animals. There is not just
staff. I love the animals. Air. And the animals deserve much better. And frankly, I deserve much better. I'm clarifying some information that she gave you. At the JANUARY 22nd. A meeting where she talked about the success and no more crates. From 2023 2024, there was an 8% decrease in the number of in takes from 2019. To 2024, there was a 46% decrease in the number of animal in takes what is happening to those animals. They are on the street dying. She said that the 4 events that she had that resulted in less than 100 dog adoptions. And we've always had them. We've always had off-site events with animals present. So that wasn't a thing that she developed. But we have
also had on-site events and NOVEMBER, 15th, 2019, we have an on-site event, but she refuses to hold that adopted out over 100 dogs and cats. She talked about opening kennels to the public. She fought that tooth and nail. Until she finally realized it was needed to increase adoptions. She has failed to engage local stakeholders stakeholders to pay her salary in planning and policy decisions. She is very knowledgeable gifted free workforce volunteers, wonderful frontline staff outside rescue partners. Shelters. Thank you so much. Good evening. My name is DR. Amanda Falcone have a veterinarian that has been involved a shelter medicine for 10 years and an animal rescue for closer to 20. And the new owner of the Lebanon Veterinary Clinic in Lebanon, Indiana clinic is to focus on
the and serve the smaller animal rescues and provide affordable care. In recent months, I have treated an increased number of cases that have been pulled from Icy s some of these animals are suffering with preventable medical conditions that were not addressed. Other cases have shown severe behavioral issues that were suppressed by ics with medications such as transit own, which is a sedative. Well, the use of trans and can certainly help animals in a shelter. Environment is vital that these animals be properly evaluated by medical staff prior to its use. There's no magical pill that will work for dogs with anxiety without a proper modification plan in place. The use of a sedative drug to comp compensate for severe lack of proper animal enrichment is not only unacceptable. It is dangerous for all involved. Additionally, there have been several cases in which it was
not fully disclosed to the rescues or doctors they serve. Animal had been on trez on while in the shelter. This too is unacceptable and puts volunteers and personnel in danger when the medication is discontinued abruptly and the nature of the annual becomes apparent. I could dive into more specific medical cases. But in the interest of the overwhelming number of people here to speak and will not. I'm concerned for the well-being of the animals in the shelter under the direction of Kelly Diamond. Please recognize and strongly consider the medical staff turnover rate in your decision to reelect her. This time it has a history of pushing good doctors out as she has proven with your organization. It's not about the salary. The salary is actually quite ok. Having worked under her in the past. I believe you will be hard pressed to find a veterinarian who is willing to
work under her poor leadership. I certainly never would. Again. As a veterinarian, I feel obligated to speak up for the animals that are currently suffering under the policies for which she has implemented. I speak for myself and many others in the veterinary community. When I say do not feel that time it is qualified to direct a large municipal shelter. She likes both compassion and education on animal behavior. Thank you. Give us one 2nd half of Kendall, can you call the next 3? Please? We've got Andrea Douglas. Believe this is Sarah. And then Camille Morgan. Thank you, sir. MAY go ahead. Good evening. My name is Lindsay Roy. I'm a volunteer in a foster for ICs and I'm speaking in support of
for mention strategic plan because whatever plan we have right now, whoever is directing its not working. It's unsustainable. And I'm also asking for this outcome on behalf of Emily, her. She's a behavior specialist in municipal sheltering has been in the field for more than 17 years. And just a note of speaking with MISTER, she shared with me their screening process at her municipal shelter just an hour away. That looks for people to offense registry in people with violent crimes and they unapologetically reject them from applications, volunteering, fostering and community service. So here's MISTER Statement. Also what I can get in the new policies in leaderships, Ics re significant concerns regarding the well-being of both the animals and the staff by prioritizing bureaucratic decision making over the
individual needs of shelter animals. We risk creating an environment, the staples, the potential for positive experiences and engagement. When these animals are confined for extended periods without sufficient social interaction, stimulation, mental engagement, they can develop a range of psychological issues, including including anxiety, depression, handling issues and increased cortisol during their stay. There changes their brain patterns, which contrast last the rest of their lives. This lack of socialization can lead to fear and aggression such as increased by incidents is making it difficult for these animals to adapt new environments and find homes. The recent shift some false pos policy, policy, foster mistrust within the community
as individuals who care about animal welfare MAY feel sidelined and powerless to affect positive change. It is crucial for ice. Yes, to recognize that a healthy shelter environment requires collaboration and open communication with volunteers and the community. The focus should be on hand sing the overall welfare of shelter animals. Doc spending nearly 24 hours a day in the kennel is not a standard of care that any welfare shut organization to try for these conditions are not acceptable as the animals in our care sheltering professionals like Emily deserve the opportunity to thrive, not merely survive. Thank you. Thank you. Council. My name is Syrian to novelists and I have no affiliation to anyone here. I'm actually just a citizen. I don't know if you've ever been to and take
before, but I did. And I had a community cat that I needed help with. It a series of unfortunate events after that. So I was told by a veterinarian, hey, if you need help with the community cat, you can go in. You can get help. I dropped the cat office. Come back on Monday. When you call, you can't get anybody answer the phone. I saw one person and take they were running. They were like I got a stray dog. I got to go do this. I stay there for an hour every day. My lunch hour for 2 weeks to get this cat back. So I kind of feel like that's an excess unacceptable as a medical professional to the community when I'm giving out resources. This is not a resource that I can give. There's got to be another resource that we can give to people. I do believe that the number one thing that I see in the community from working
with people is they will love their pets. They want to keep their pets, but they can't afford all of this care. So what are we doing to get these resources back into our community so we can keep the pet therapy going. We can keep these animals united with their families. And one of the things I didn't hear anybody say was on your website. It says how we serve you that your mission, how we serve you as this community. I don't Did not feel served in MAY. That was a disaster. I would pay a little extra money go to Michigan Street that do anything I could to avoid what I had to go through and MAY. And also you say that you advocate animal welfare and adoption, a rescue rescue. I would did not even know all of this staff until I walked in today. All of these concerns,
I saw this on tv. I was like I didn't even know how I could get my voice out there. And this happened in MAY. You did not do that. That's fake news. cancer. Whatever my name is. Camille, Morgan I'm speaking on behalf of an outsider, but an animal advocate a long time Marin County taxpayer animal lover and owner. I have Mount 1000 cancer. She still has some kennel stress, but donated fostered a cat. But I can't have any of the dogs because mines and more aggressive bat. However, I'm just going to highlight my concerns. The violence. I agree. It's about the volunteer hours times. I'm not sure I understand how that can even make sense. For the welfare of the animals because on them to created longer, they'll be in their first faces longer. That will cause
more stress, some of them. Well. South the I also agree my case, but background checks me after for a job, you have I mean, you can eliminate Modified with a shoplifting or the whatever you want to kind of out. There's unrelated We've had a lot of dog fighting. That's the concern now. I work in the medical field. So other concern is the lack of a veterinarian. And you control da medications used for euthanasia. The tree of the animals. First hat-trick that and in fact, there's a lot of paperwork. There's a lot of time. And in the medical field, you sign it out. You have a lot training. You have a license. I'm just not understanding. You work under a medical doctor. They have to have a dea license. I
would think of that. An of course, would have to. I'm sure they all down. You are correct me if I'm wrong. I'm not in that area, but I have Concern for that. Thank you. I don't want her voted before. Before you begin, Kendall, Kendall, can you read the next Erin race. Blouin lane bias. Most are engine you cook or thank you, sir. You MAY go ahead and begin. Thank you. Everybody. My name is Andrea Douglas. And I've been volunteering since SEPTEMBER of last year. I had rescue dog named Cassie. She was actually the best song ever had. She passed from cancer last year and ever since then, I promised her that I would be a voice for the docks. Shortly after that, I started volunteering ics. And recently since their volunteer hours
have been cut. I have not been able to volunteer since no one can stay past 07:00pm. Any more volunteers. Every week. Since then, more and more dogs have been up for use in a show with a deadline that also seems speeding shorter. If the dog isn't getting Adopted, rescued Foster by certain deadline, then they're euthanized FEBRUARY. 12th was Nikos deadline by the end of the day. Micah was only a year old. So I probably never knew what love was. He was a sweet heart, cuddly, playful, love Billy roads and was healthy. There were a few people who are interested in him. Couple ladies were calling ICs to adopt him. And one lady also put her adoption applications that no one would answer the phone. Both ladies commented on Cubs photo on Facebook stating No one was answering
the phone. I saw the comment even commented back. Please let us know if there has been phone number mistakenly published on this page. We do have our e-mail address on every post and that e-mail is monitored consistently. The lady responded to I see as his comment, the number listed on Google tried checking your messages and the adoption applications. I've been trying to save him. Wants because messages an adoption application. Ics even responded on Facebook about the phone calls. They knew someone was trying to save him. Ics is reasoning behind changing their hours to new to 7 was to create a more consistent shelter hours. That better fit than the public is most available at 06:00pm that day. They euthanized him. It was they were still open to the public until 07:00pm. He
had an hour left. Where was his time? He left this world? My name is Aaron Race. Please vote no on Proposition 5. I recently learned animal control officers were told they would be fired if they came tonight. I think the smart investigation before making a determination. I am a domestic violence survivor, as are multiple animals I've taken in and rehabilitated over 23 years in my home. On JANUARY, 22nd interim director Diamonds stated it was her decision to stop using the database that identifies violent criminals, including domestic violence to reduce barriers to adoption, which improves euthanasia statistics making her look good on paper. Allow the statistics from multiple studies in an article
by American Humane with reputable citations to show why it is a dangerous and poor decision. 13% intentional animal abuse cases involve domestic violence. Between 18 48% of battered women delay, leaving abuse situations out of fear for the safety of their animals. Over 71% of battered women report that their batteries have harmed, killed or threatened animals to careers and control and humiliate them. 13% of the children admitted that they had hurt pets. 8% admitted to having hurt or killed animals. Generational patterns of violence. 2 animals exists in violent household. 32% of battered women reported that their children hurt or killed animals. 68% battered women reported their animals have been targeted. Violence children exposed to domestic violence were found to be 3
times more likely to be cruel to animals. 48% of battered women reported the animal abuse had occurred often and additional 30% reported that abuse occurred. Almost always 78% of battered women reported animal abuse. I think you're before you go ahead and start, Kendall, you want to call the next 3? Alyssa Lewis. Kimberly know and it's Thank you. He MAY go ahead. Good evening. My name is Jenny Happy reading a statement on behalf of Nicole Stubbs Rescue relief operations specialist. And that's my former employment as a program manager in animal welfare as a direct result of the hostile work environment. Kelly Diamond intentionally and purposely created. Instead of communicating about disagreements and resolving conflicts. Kelly went out of her way to isolate and push
out any employees of any station who did not align with her personal preferences. She watched cameras hid behind her computer or out of the facility when communication was attempted and ignored any attempts at mediation, she had no consideration for time outside of working hours and made sure to send confrontational emails on days where staff are off where she could avoid having to follow up on them in person. Excuse me, Kelly also put in place many policies and procedures without allowing any input from the people. These policies would be affecting our care for the animals. It would be disenfranchising. I could go on into many specific and detailed incident says that for fear. But fear of Kelly's track record of retaliation on myself or the agencies. I now work for are
of my utmost concern. Most staff last that I acs has a cure occurred under her leadership. Further proof that this lack of care and consideration towards the people under her continues working in animal welfare is already hard mentally physically and spiritually and adding appropriate considerate leadership will only continue to increase turnover rates. Kelly Dimon was ineffectual, antagonistic and invasive leader. When I worked under her at different different organization and I fear her appointment as director at ics would only give her a larger rain for such behavior. Think. Thank you council. I'm Alyssa Lewis and the co-founder and executive director of Peaceful
Souls. Animal Rescue him Recovering unique rescue, the trapped dogs that can be contained and have been an outreach partner with ics for the last 5 years. And I have trapped for the shelter for the last 6.13 Our city is in crisis. The average wait time for intake of a stray dog is 5 weeks. Many of these animals can be managed and controlled children. Byron Mont, but we are asking them to safely manage them in their homes. This is leaving citizens with 2 choices. Figure it out on your own or let them go back on the streets. The average wait time for in taking surrendered AUGUST 2 months. That's time that families in crisis don't have. So those animals are dumped a Leon shelter property and on the streets. As a result straight roaming dogs. Not sick, injured or aggressive enough to be deemed eligible to come
to the shelter. They just stay out there. Dogs are running the streets and packing up together and alter dogs are reproducing and I'm personally have taken in more pregnant dogs and litters of puppies. Born and abandoned homes and cars faces in 2024. And I have another 10 years of doing this. These are basic functions that citizens expect of our city funded shelters that are not being met. They we were doing better several years ago. This downhill trend started with covid restrictions and managed intake. But 5 years we're later we are seeing continue to get worse in 2019 ICs took in 15,292 animals with a live release rate of 88%. In 2024. ICs took 8,260 animals with a live release rate of 85%. The numbers just don't add up. In 2019, we're truly serving. Our city has an open admission
shelter with rapid enforcement. This animal numbers don't cut. In half because breathing has slowed down. So all these animals are running the streets. We are here to continue our work with ice. Yes, and our city so that we can meet the basic needs regarding our animals to help keep our citizens safe. We asked the committee to keep this information in mind as you make your oversight decision. Thank Hi, my name is Kimberly Norris. The statements on behalf of the Leann Lawson. PRESIDENT Lance Animal Rescue. I begin the statement by urging you to vote no on Prop 5 interim director Dimon has taken many actions that have caused senseless harm to countless animals and volunteers alike. Interim director Dimon is not fit to lead Indianapolis animal care control. And here are some examples of the harm
that has been caused. Volunteers. Let me say that again. Volunteers have Heather hours limited and therefore limits the time animals can be in captivity. This is devastating when an animal can spend time out of its enclosure. My case is no longer being used to reduce the chances. The animal abusers getting access to helpless animals. Do you want those intend to harm helpless animals? Get access? I do. There are deadlines looming often for dogs on euthanasia list. But in the past, we've had 10:00am the following day cut off, allowing us to work tirelessly through the night to secure placement and say precious lives. I've been fortunate enough to find placement for several animals after deadlines literally saving them from certain death. However, the rules have
changed and euthanasia is carried out just one hour after the deadline, putting many more lives at risk. She has implemented an extreme managed intake policy that least raise on the streets to fend for themselves and post a burned to care for them on public. Local rescues and all shelters. She has changed ordinance covering. I So there's less transparency public comment and cs board meetings. Kelly dime has shown very poor leadership treating the worker's son and her organization like they are worthless in around already difficult job. I personally interact with some of these impacted and it's heartbreaking to see these people discard who are so selfless getting that I manage
an organization and have for many years. I understand the impact my decisions to the animals. My fosters volunteers in my supporters idly from the ground working with animals on a daily basis. Thank Thanks. Before you begin. Okay, Kendall, can you read the next Meat cheese Issues. Spencer Matt. La far and Amber MARCH. Thank you, sir. You members of the council, name is Stacy Greene on behalf. I'm here on behalf of my husband and myself. We're current longtime volunteers at I c s today. We're here to ask you for the release of Kelly. Diane is the interim director since coming to ICs. Kelly's made several court decisions that have left deeply disappointing when the one we're most passionate
about is the reduction hours. Kelley recently put in place, thereby denying the necessary basic care for the animals in the shelter. It is not make sense to cut shot cut hours to the people who want to volunteer their time to help these animals in need. Perhaps she would reconsider her decision if she observed or participated in the evening routine through e-mails, volunteers ask Allah to reconsider her decision. Well, we got back in return is a denial of the time to help the animals in a copy of our code ethics that we signed become volunteers. It stated that if we can not maintain our monthly 8 hours, we would have a one-month grace period before becoming inactive yet she was the one who cut our hours causing us not to be able to maintain this commitment. We completely understand leaving volunteers
at night is a liability. But volunteered stay late in Kelly has denied that as well to put things in perspective. If you have 10 people on given evening, you're not losing 2 hours. You're losing 20 hours. That is 2 hours per person having those 2 hours in the evenings is extremely important. Enables us to clean more candles and give the dogs more times outside of them. This is especially beneficial for the animals with behavioral issues in stress. It allows us to look at the animals once again before we leave. And most importantly, each dog gets one nyla bone. It MAY not seem like much to most, but when you place it nyla bone in the animal at night, they get super excited about it and immediately start children. It's the only mental stimulation they get, as they say, takes a village to raise
a child in this case. Caring for city shelter takes a community. We are here today for the animals we care for. We get nothing out of it except the sheer joy of knowing we made a difference in the animal's our lives work is driven by love and compassion and we hope you aspire to do the same. And joining us. My name is Amber Marks and Iran, German Shepherd rescue Monday. I've been a rescue partner for 14 years and I know many of the staff really have clean counts for you. And as a volunteer. I really love my shelter and they're passionate about it. Problem is the last year I want to commercial. It's the policies are devastating. I
want to read something that think has eyes is the issue. This is an excerpt from fox. 59 article at the MAY 31st. 2024. One witness told police a man believed to be Thompson was holding a knife while the dog was hanging from a leash and bleeding. The other 3 suspects standing on the porch watching as the animal was abused. Another witness said the dog was stabbed hanging on the porch, a trash bag. Over its head until a quick moving. What happened to Darren? You have to do background checks. I'm gonna tell you a personal story that I did. About 9 years ago. I adopted beautiful 80 pound German shepherd named him King. I fought for that dog to survive. He's very hard to get out Can lead is nasty. I loved him. He was worth it. Idot him to a man because of his role in this community. I thought I could trust him
based on his his title. Fast forward. 5 years later. The dog was that animal can care and control. 30 pounds. Lighter. No hair. I walked up to his kennel. I did not even recognize my own dog. That a doctor was a Marion County Sheriff. You cannot tell a person. I look like an animal abuser. You look like one and you look like you don't know. They look like you can't talk to someone and not know please. I am begging to use my case. It is the most important policy change. Thank you. Hi, I'm Matt with I'm here to some remarks from Elizabeth Clinesmith who couldn't be here this evening. She's a former Humane Society of Indianapolis. Here a few years ago, worked under Kelly time and for a brief period during that time, I was asked to
compromise my professional and ethical standards in a way that was deeply troubling. I was asked to spy on the medical team and document the conversations between the veterinarian and the vet techs with the intention of forcing this veterinarian out of her job. This request directly conflicted with my morels. I realized they could not remain in that environment. I made the decision to leave the organization quickly. In order to succeed in this position. Director must lend a helping hand daily remain humble and keep the focus on the animals and those who care for them. It's not about personal gain or internal politics. It's about making tough decisions for betterment of those who cannot speak for themselves, the well-being of the animals and the morale of the employees and volunteers are essential to the success of any shelter yet. I've seen both suffer greatly within our
city. It's essential that I see us use their time team and resources as effectively as possible. Cutting back on volunteer hours or eliminating the necessary tools to prevent animal abuse is not the right course of action. Such decisions only jeopardize the safety of these animals. I do not believe Kelly Diamond possesses leadership qualities required to put the needs of these animals and their caregivers first hires a committee to carefully consider these concerns is part of the decision-making process. And to speak for myself. I want to thank you guys for taking the time to have us all here tonight. Listen to all the speak and give us the time to voice her concerns. Thank you for reading all the e-mails. I can tell you guys have been listening and I can tell you guys can sense that something is very wrong. If I were going
to urge you to do anything, I would ask you to try to make sometime between now and the 3rd to make it down to the shelter, hopefully around 7. Just take a look. Give us a second to call it the next 3. Just a second. Kendall can call the next Lisa Koval Justin Allen Rebecca. Thank you, MAY go ahead. My name is Michelle. See Brie and I am reading on behalf of a former volunteer former board member former board chair in a former employee. I was just told to not give their because of repercussions. I've written to a couple of city councilors. So hopefully what I told them will be taken seriously. But here's the bottom line, everyone. And I mean, everyone in current upper management ICs needs to be replaced. This agency needs to be a belt back
from the ground up using common sense and a love for not just animals but 11 understanding for and of community. This agency serves. You can't fix this problem if you stay behind are fence and behind your closed doors, you can't fix it with a one size fits all program brought in from best friends and others who have no idea what the community with the Indianapolis community is. You can't fix this if you don't understand from where the problems stem and why and then go about making changes in the communities through targeted outreach. It troubles me when I hear animal welfare folks make the statement. I hate people stop that. You hate you might hate what they do but understanding people's the only way you'll ever the way to make a dent in this animal
welfare crisis of unwanted animals over breeding. Responsibility, learn to work with him to the iea Cs Management. Stop clutching your pearls. Open your board meetings again to questions from the plot public and have honest, viable answers. Ready if the city can now figure out what to do with advisory board, it could cure staff with everything they need. I eat my case access to make good adoption calls, equip your outreach person to get the animals out of the building and into community events. All site adoptions in work with local businesses to find more foster homes, equip CEOs with what they need to get out and get their jobs done. Pickups, trace, least. Thank you. My name is Lisa Kolesnikov. I've worked and volunteered in animal welfare
in Indianapolis for the last 15 years in 2019 2020, I was the community cat program manager at a well-funded low-cost spay neuter clinic. And Kelly Diamond was my direct supervisor. For part of that time. I would like to use my time to share a few stories that demonstrate Kelly's incompetent leadership. Story. Kelly ordered the clinic's garage to be fumigated for pests without notifying the staff and volunteers who spent several hours a day working there the following day staff and volunteers arrived to find dead birds throughout their workspace that they had to been clean. This was reckless endangerment for the health of staff and an osha violation that Kelly was never held accountable for a formal complaint was never made due to Kelly's reputation for retaliation. Example to the lead veterinarian who was on
her feet for over 10 hours a day performing surgeries was reprimanded by Kelly for stretching during breaks. That veterinarian was the most efficient surgeon on the team and was able to perform over 60 surgeries per day. Kelly terminated this veterinarian shortly afterwards due to feelings that she wouldn't fit the company culture. This caused a reduction of over 4,000 spay neuter surgeries per year. And the clinic was never able to restore that high volume of surgeries that this veterinarian was capable of. This not only resulted in a significant loss of revenue, but it has directly led to increase of the overpopulation of animals in Indianapolis. The loss of revenue also lead to an increase of fees for services that were intended to be affordable to low-income families because it was a low
cost. Spay neuter clinic. Thank you committee for taking the time to hear our concerns today. I sincerely hope you consider a cautionary tales as you decide the future of animal welfare for Indianapolis. And I think it says a lot when the only positive stories you hear about Kelly Diamond are coming from her staff. Good evening. My name is Justin Allen. And until recently I served as a member of the Friends of Indiana mulls board of directors and citywide strategic Planning Committee for Animal Welfare. Both of which I served on with his diamond a year ago. I was vocally excited and optimistic about Kelly Diamonds Elevation the deputy director. But today I urge a no vote on her appointment under current leadership, ICs has leaned into the flawed managed intake
model advocated by best friend society in doing so. The shelter's abdicated its most fundamental reason to exist to how stray animals. Instead, that book has been passed to other area shelters, overburdened rescues and the citizenry at large. Your taxpayer constituents in 2019 ics took in over 15,000 animals with a live release rate of almost 90%. Our shelter was not intake hill intake Hill as ms Dimon told you tonight last year that intake number was just 8200 with so many fears and animals in the building. One would expect ICs to at least improve their internal operations. Not so the candles and cat rooms are often left in deplorable conditions. Animals frequently failed to receive timely emergency medical care, which prevent will probably tell you
about here shortly. The foster program is still undersized, lifesaving off-site programs have been halted without explanation and adoptions were down over 7% in 2024, those are the programs that reduce euthanasia is and they have been neglected. Put simply the shelter has regressed under shelter, lit current leadership, our city, your constituents deserve better. The next few years will be hard as we clean up this mess that we've created. But we must reject the notion that we have to choose between saving lives and serving the community. Ics can do both and there are model shelters out there who do both. Well, in fact, I c s was doing it well, just a few years ago saving far more lives while taking in every animal at their door. We can get back there, but it will not happen under current leadership and current philosophy. I therefore urge the council vote no on this
point. Give us a second so he can give canopy of a call just the next speakers. Was taken to certain I think they're still getting that and the other the sorting we're Schuster Cindi kind. Mickey start my name is Rebecca Stevens on the PRESIDENT And ceo of the Humane Society for Hamilton County. And I'm here tonight with kind of a unique perspective. And I don't know if there's an opportunity to have an extra minute simply because I think you're going to hear some things you need to know and you're only going to hear it from somebody who actually runs an open admission shelter. That's municipal equitable to what I acs is in most ways. And I am the only person who can answer absolutely any question. You have regarding whether or not
something is accurate or not, when it comes to adoption, foster volunteering, processing in, take anything. I've done this for 20 years in MAY. And I want you to know I would love to meet with anyone of you. If I run out of time. I also want you to know I'm representing not just Hamilton County tonight, but also Hendricks County and Johnson County. My counterparts, I'm representing those commissioners. I'm representing our taxpayers and I'm doing that because I knew long ago I knew in the end of 2020 3 really beginning of 2023, the statistics of yours, we're screaming alarm and I
went to Mayor hog sets office. And I met Jeff Bennett. Abby brands with those statistics which were very accurate. I watched them for years. They're not wrong. And I shared with them from Somebodys perspective that my numbers are starting to tick up and the most obvious way. And it was very concerning because as your breaking down crates, I'm in a brand new facility that was designed to last till 2036 and I'm popping up crates because I'm taking in your animals. I have proof of it. I have the financial impact of it in 2020 for our taxpayers spent $754,000 to pay for your animals think. And have to tell you, I'm sorry, it hearing room. We're not going doing it and they do talk and I can help you solve
your problem. I've offered a new for Kelly saying the mayor for free. I'm thank That's not how it works. We haven't yet. Over time. Hi, my name's Brianna Schuster. I'm the owner of Doggie Acres. It's a boarding facility that offers emergency short or long-term foster placements for some of the rescues in the area. Foster and rescue partner for ICs. My experience trying to foster fry Cs has been nothing short of difficult. I did get a foster for them that I had for over a year before I transferred him to a new rescue with 0 support. 0 help finding him placement at another foster after I was already a approved foster that
I called emailed could not get after. They were making urgent pleas. The dogs needed out of the building ago in person 3 times to be able to take her home to get special permissions to have a second foster because I still have the first that I've never gotten help placing. During my time working with him. I've seen multiple foster coordinators fired adoption counselors fired for trying to prevent dogs to go into dangerous situations. And now the coordinator fired preventing volunteers from helping the animals in desperate need. There's been no clear communications with the Fosters are others that are desperately trying to help this organization. The stray manage intake policy has just returned dogs outside, forcing that pressure on to private citizens and rescues. The average person isn't capable
of holding a dog with unknown medical or behavioral issues for 5 weeks before placing them to a rescue. And it's discouraging the public from stepping in to help when they would be willing if those resources were available. Well, the goal is reducing humane euthanasia. There are many worse deaths for these dogs on the streets that were seen every single day. Starvation being hit by cars eaten by animals, stabbed, fought except not taking in these dogs immediately decreases the chance of the reuniting with their owner and increases the likelihood of these dogs becoming aggressive, inviting our citizens that were trying to protect managed intake MAY reduce the humane euthanasia rate. And the reasoning can include lack of time and space. But if the foster
program have the confidence of the community, it would be easier to place these dogs in foster homes. Hi, I'm Cindy Kiernan. I have been the citizen of Indianapolis for 38 years specifically, Lawrence Township, I came here with the intention of just publicly reading what a message to COUNCILMAN Roberts today but instead my husband and I decided to go. Visit, the shelter for ourselves to see what we were talking about rather than just reading about it and watching videos about it. Have any you visited recently. What I witnessed in my 10 years of volunteering. Hamilton County Shelter. I had never seen even on their worst ace. We walked into birds flying in the cannons. There
are piles of At least 2 more kennels had coop in then did not. The Korean. The beds. On the concrete floors being smeared by the Pooh. And there are puddles in the walkway. I don't know what from because they were not being washed out. We had to step over the potholes. There is a blanket torn up. And pieces like this by a dog that could easily be choked cs lost all respect. Within the rescue community. Please do the right thing and help our city shelter become something we as citizens can be proud of. We as humans has failed animals. Please don't feel them. Now. You want to call the next bill the next 3
says, oh, well, Carlo, Catherine Gentry, thank you. You MAY go ahead. My name is Mickey I am going to read. And from an anonymous former employee Kelly Diamond. It says I worked with Kelly Diamond for about a year when she was hired as the new director of the building. She took staff out. One on one to lunch and separated them together. Personal information about all employees. She asked to co-workers to observe a veterinarian and report everything back which eventually led to the employee resigning because she felt she was being forced by Kelly to spy on her co-workers. I was also pressured for information multiple times called Kelly ultimately fired the veterinarian due to her personal issues with her, even though she was an amazing and
very efficient doctor. Her actions created a toxic work culture, fostering paranoia and division by encouraging staff to essentially spy on each other. She lacked compassion for everyone focused only on the bottom line in part prioritize her image to upper management treating staff as expendable. Anyone who voiced concerns who had or hadn't differing opinions was alienated and on the outs. That was from her. Went into the military at 17 in 1997. To be a vet tech. I have been in the veterinary field since then. I am on the board of. Foster and volunteer with which is House rescue. I have my own. Minaj of dogs. Cats and for current Foster's right now. I get calls text.
Messages from family friends. I found the stock. I found this cap. What do I do with that? They said they can't take it. You know how heartbreaking it is to say, I don't know. I don't figure it out. We've had people dump dogs that are clinics. Because they have no winner. I am here to support. Her being Administrator non just kidding. Spay and spay and neuter law. Being considered in Marion County. That is the title of a news article from 6 years ago. 6 years ago. The law would require all pet owners get their pet fixed or get a breeding license. They could get a fine if they don't. Hamilton County passed the law in 2007. The Van Animal Control coordinator said that it cut and take it half and he believes it also
cut down on backyard breeding animal hoarding cases. Then the Hamilton Hamilton County Board of Commissioners, the low-cost spay neuter clinic and the council funded the construction of the high-volume, low-cost Hamilton County, Low cost Spay neuter clinic. Indiana law requires that municipalities enforce animal-related laws, including the care and control of stray animals. Ics has abdicated this responsibility and put it on to the citizens. The city currently owes me $256,000 for the rescues that I've taken and that you have shirked responsibility, especially this last year telling people we will not take the animal. Advocating. What you're exposed to do according to the state law. So then it falls on citizens because we can't take
that call in not take the animal Because we know they're going to starve to death. And Theresa Death, you have the animal presented to you. You know how long it takes us to wrangle a loose dog. All of those hours could be spent marketing getting animals, placements getting of supplies, volunteers. Instead, they've got the animal right there and have it to be able to take a Short sighted. Hi, I'm karah as and and just real quickly because everybody's already said everything anyway, just want to say, I've been a volunteer at ics for 14 years. And in that time I have worked under several different
managers at different levels. I have seen some really good ones like Randy Dodd and Lauren, why who spoke earlier and some mediocre leaders in some really bad leaders. But seeing our shelter in our animals. Suffering and being killed and the way they have in the past year. Is more than my heart and my stomach can take. So I have to speak up and hopefully I won't get fired from being a volunteer as others who have that when they spoke up. Watching our animals stuck in cages for 23 and a half hours a day is heart-wrenching. Not only due to the constant confinement, but also the filth that which they must live. I would challenge anyone in this council seek sneak into the shelter for a walk through. So the staff doesn't know who you are and then ask yourself if you would allow your pets
Sullivan, those kind of conditions. They're nothing short of abusive and neglectful. When the public comes to see about adopting a dog. The majority of the people are holding their nose or covering their nose with their church or their jackets like this. When they walk through because the pope is everywhere in the stench is that Rick Ware? They speed by and they take a little time to visit if any and thereby decrease the chance for the Dodgers getting adopted. The other thing as far having an opportunity to get these dogs out of the cage is with fostering is that Kelly has shut off the ability for volunteers to foster dogs. Ask her why I don't now. Anyway, getting legitimate answers is pretty tough. So good luck with that. Would like to call
more. Kirstin Church too. To glow Winfrey Valerie Hines. Thank you, sir. You MAY go ahead. Good evening, counselors. Thank you for being here to listen. All of us and thank you for the opportunity to speak. My name is Katherine gearing Williams. I'm relatively new volunteer with the animal shelter compared to everyone that you've heard from already. I just became a volunteer in DECEMBER of last year in JANUARY, the volunteer coordinator was let go. I've been told by other volunteers that there was an e-mail sent out, letting us know if this change. I did not receive this e-mail. I sent an email to the designated email address for volunteers asking to be added to the communication list. Since then I've been made aware by other volunteers of at least 2 other e-mails that have been sent out to
volunteers that I again did not receive. I understand the Kelly Diamonds job is not easy. And there is no quick or easy way to fix all of the problems at the shelter. But it gives me pause that the decision to fire the volunteer coordinator did not seem well thought out. It's been over a month since the volunteer coordinator was let go. And that position is still open. I also understand that the position of a full-time veterinarian, as you've already heard this evening, is also open and has been for months. I have never met Kelly Diamond, but I have met our low counselors. I have just sent to all of you an email that I urge you to look at later this evening. Our low is a very sweet dog that has now been at the shelter for 94 days. Last week I took our low
for a doggy day out to give him a break from the shelter for a few hours. This picture was taken last Monday. The last time I saw Arlo was when I went into the shelter to volunteer for a few hours. He was standing in a pile of his own feces and there were flies buzzing all around his face. I don't know how to fix all the problems. And I frankly don't care whether or not Kelly Diamond is confirmed, but I am asking I am begging for the volunteer hours to be extended back to 09:00pm. So the dogs like Arlo have a chance. Thank you. Thank you. Council. Kirstin Churchill, Indianapolis resident dog owner. When I first heard about this issue, these are the thoughts that came to me. 23.5 hours in lockup. Is this
real life? Do you hear what you're proposing? Do you have an animal? If you do, someone should go check on them. How does cutting hours help them in any way staff has offered to stay later. So your argument to keep volunteers out is also out after hearing about all the issues stated. Sounds like having the extra free willing hands would really help out. Now. Lately daily we've learned and are continuing to learn that when the government is doing something that doesn't make sense, that usually means there's something afoot. This is a government program. Was the motive for this nonsense? Is there something more here? Vote now on Kelly Diamond. My name is taken Winfrey. I'm not a volunteer at the shelter. But I see a lot. I see a lot
in the streets. I see things that the most most of the general public never seas. I take it upon myself to triage of what I call in and run. I don't. But when I see animals that are suffering gross. Abuse and neglect. I make reports. In JULY of this past year. I knew of 2 dogs that we're in a horrific hoarding situation in a studio apartment. Either one or both of those dogs were both sick, very, very sick based on the vomit and the diarrhea that was all over the floor inside of that building's entryway. I made a report. Before the day was up. The ticket was closed. And no one came out to check animals. The very next day that apartment went up in
flames. Because of all the trash and debris and disgusting to live in a situation that was in sight. Those 2 dogs fortunately made it out. But what happened to them? I don't know. But they should not have had to endure the situation that they were in nor. Terror, terrible horrific situation of being in fire. And our shelter. So those to a ticket on them and never went to check. Ma'am. You are already up your current. I'm reading for someone You can only come up once I'm sorry. Everyone else is red for other people. I'm sorry. That's just how the rules are. Kendall, can you call the next 3? Please? Carol, Sherman. Sherry's storms. Know, that's the last
2. Okay. Thank you. MAY I give my time to Rebecca Stevens. I would very much encourage anybody to to take her up on her offer to help says a lot of expertise. I'm Carol volunteer doing trap neuter return with cats, community cats in the casselton area. I just I had some prepared statements tonight, but I just a lot of people have covered better and more qualified. People that speak better have covered them. So I would just like to say to give couple examples of the consequences of not allowing people in crisis to bring their pets to the shelter. Just one example, lady who was getting evicted from her apartment with multiple cats is going to be evicted in a matter of days. The shelter said, well, we'll
take your cats and 8 weeks. These are Cassidy never been outside in their lives. And this lady was looking at the she was going just put them at put them on the street. And, you know, while we all want to decrease euthanasia. Sentencing animals to a slow death by starvation or freezing is not the answer. I'm a social worker and I do home visits with elderly clients on the east side of Indianapolis. Safari side. A lot of Lawrence and I said their dogs running all over the place. One perspective and sad for them. But the other perspective is that my clients can stand on their front porches. You know, for all the dogs that are running their neighborhood, they're afraid to sit on their own front porches. One lady that I see has diabetes. Her doctor told her to exercise she didn't
have a car should not go to gyms. You'd like to walk around neighborhood, but you can't do it because last time to the issue got chased by that dog. So I just want to give those examples. And I think the message tonight is clear. And I think that there needs to be a broader search. Thank you for listening. Hello. My name is Sherry storms. I am director of pet from the services of Indiana. We provide spay neuter for rescue groups and shelters in for a limited income individuals. I'm a long-term resident of Indianapolis. I've been an animal off after 20 years starting as a volunteer for ics. It is definitely hard work. Turning away animals. There's not day that goes by that I next door. It doesn't pop up in my e-mail that one of my neighbors has found an animal needs to get rid of an animal that doesn't belong to
them. It's a it's all over. I live in Midtown. There have also been numerous news articles about animals that are biting people that are surrounding people, that dogs that are in packs. So. Thing about these dogs that are running around is there and fixed and they're unvaccinated. They're on the streets as that previous speaker just said threatening and terrifying neighbors. So keeping animals out of the shelter is bad for animals. It's better public policy. It's bad for people. We're in a broken system. We don't have an end in sight. It's taken a while to get here. But we need to work on getting out. We needed plan as one of the other speakers had mentioned. And we need to let the animal welfare community help ICs, thank you. Thank you, sir. Thank you. For all its
attendant counselors. Do we have any other follow-up questions? Okay. Seeing Council Grant Council Brown that's Council heart. Sorry, Long night, guys. 3 hours on time. If the chair would hear curious to know if directors, anything to say that any of those comments. Director, if you would like. I think it's been a lot and again. A lot of inaccuracies and a lot of accusations, character assassinations. It's a lot right now for me to be have to comment site. Understand. Thank you. Anyone else from the council. Council Thank Appreciate everybody's attendants. And I just was a closing comment. If there are any volunteers out there. And you are not rehired or you are fired as a result of what you've done recently. Please let us know. Thank you so much, everyone for attending seeing no further business.
The meeting is adjourned.