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⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings 9 findings
F1
Physical conditions in the dog kennels that require attention: 1) Kennel flooring is damaged. 2) Kennel doors are difficult to open in a fluid motion and rub against the concrete flooring due to rusting. 3) The kennel drainage system is antiquated and allows fecal contact from one kennel to another during cleaning and flushing excrement down each kennel trough to the main drain. 5 4) The kennel floors have heating elements in them, but staff reported to the contractor that they no longer function. 5) One kennel used for quarantine dogs has no Plexiglas covering to prevent the public from putting their fingers in the kennel. The above conditions leave the County open to liability.
F2
Each officer cleans the kennels by their own methods. There is no standardized procedure for cleaning and disinfecting the kennels. The water pressure used in the kennel area is too low to properly remove feces and debris from the kennels. There are no standard operating procedures outlining steps to be taken to reduce the spread of disease and limit disease exposure for healthy animals. Dogs that present signs of illness or become ill at the shelter remain housed in the main kennels. Healthy cats are group housed with ill cats.
F3
There is no standardized feeding protocol that identifies certain types of foods to be fed to the animals. The type of food being fed to the animals is dependent on what is donated.
F4
The MOA recommended Animal Services replace the current Animal Control Officers’ trucks with new vehicles containing standard cage mounts that prevent exposure to the weather and have cooling and heating units. The Grand Jury found that Animal Services has the following vehicles: A) Two older 4-wheel drive vehicles with open compartments that expose animals to extreme weather conditions. The Grand Jury learned that during the winter months, animals being transported in these vehicles have arrived to the shelter cold and wet even when blankets were provided. B) Two used animal control trucks were recently purchased which have no cooling or heating units but rather two fans installed on top of each vehicle that only moves air through the six animal compartments. The two trucks do not have the 4-wheel drive needed for severe weather mountain conditions. The intent of the Sheriff’s Department is to transport animals immediately to the shelter during inclement weather. However, given the large size of Calaveras County, transporting animals across the County could take at least an hour or more, causing discomfort or possible death for an animal in extreme weather. The following temperatures were recorded in San Andreas, Calaveras County: During the Winter Months: During the Summer Months: (November 2005 - March 2006) (May - September 2005) 47 days were recorded 32 degrees 86 days were recorded 90 degrees or or below. above, and 38 days were recorded 100 degrees or above. These statistics were taken in San Andreas, which is fairly moderate compared to the mountains and the lower foothill communities of Calaveras County.
F5
The Grand Jury confirmed complaints received by the consultant that cats without sedation were being euthanized by intracardiac injection. Also, the Grand Jury found there were complaints of abusive treatment of animals being taken to the euthanasia room. Assembly Bill 1426 – Chaptered Section 1. Section 597u of the Penal Code is amended to read: (a) No person, peace officer, officer of a humane society, or officer of a pound or animal regulation department of a public agency shall kill any animal by using (2) Intracardiac injection of a euthanasia agent on a conscious animal, unless the animal is heavily sedated or anesthetized in a humane manner, or comatose. Penal Code 597 (b) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (a) or (c), whoever, having the charge or custody of any animal, either as owner or otherwise, subjects any animal to needless suffering, or inflicts unnecessary cruelty upon the animal, or in any manner abuses any animal, is for every such offense, guilty of a crime punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony and by a fine of not more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000). 8
F6
The Grand Jury found Calaveras County Animal Services, when compared to similar counties, is under funded. Budget amounts for 2006 divided by population resulted in the following: Name of County Population Budget for 2006 Cost per person/per year Calaveras County 49,000 $ 343,823 $ 7.02 Amador County 38,000 $ 798,211 $21.00 Tuolumne County 57,000 $ 823,000 $14.44 El Dorado/Westslope 68,100 $1,260,000 $18.50
F7
The Grand Jury finds inadequate communication between Animal Services and the Calaveras Humane Society. Several animals selected for “Pet of the Week” or for transport to another facility were euthanized due to poor communication between Animal Services and the Humane Society. Animal Services developed “Pet of the Week” procedures, issued on March 3, 2006, to improve communications between Animal Services employees and volunteers of the Humane Society. Without the Humane Society’s 50 volunteers, it would be difficult to operate the Calaveras County animal shelter. These volunteers find foster families and permanent homes for the animals and help out with a variety of other tasks.
F8
The Calaveras County Animal Services Facility is in need of developing and revising their Policies and Procedures Manual, job descriptions, methods for training, and evaluating its staff and volunteers. Animal Services has mentioned implementing a new tracking software program to maintain a more effective database. Animal Services management intends to have all the above items completed and in place by January 2007.
F9
There are significant increases in police activity during the Calaveras Frog Jump Celebration and other special events that put a demand on crime enforcement infrastructure. These costs are born by county taxpayers. Ironically, taxpayers recently rejected an increase in the Transient Occupancy Tax, which could have reduced this burden of visitor-related stress to law enforcement infrastructure. SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATION As with any type of public infrastructure, a “bottleneck” or “choke point” will limit the ability of that agency to be effective. Within the law enforcement infrastructure, the choke point is the jail. With current population increases and projections based on development within the County, the law enforcement infrastructure is inadequate to meet the current or projected needs of the population. Increasing personnel within the Sheriff’s Department can only partially deter crime increases. The impact on the law enforcement infrastructure caused by population growth has been woefully ignored. State funding from grants, revenue from bonds, or tax increases are necessary in order to meet the urgent need for a new jail. We find it difficult to agree with county approvals for increased development without a plan to upgrade the infrastructures to support that growth. Under the current financial climate within state government, the likelihood of a grant for a small voting block such as Calaveras County is, at best, weak. Further delays in securing a new jail only increase the eventual cost and time needed for construction.
Recommendations 6
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R1Animal Services needs to replace all kennel doors that are not functioning properly.
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R2The heating elements in the floor of the dog kennels must be repaired prior to the winter months.
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R3Plexiglas must be replaced on the quarantine kennel. RESPONSE REQUESTED Sheriff’s Department Board of Supervisors
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R4Did holding a closed session to initiate litigation violate the Brown Act? Code 54956.9 (c)
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R5Did the district overpay staff and directors’ expenses?
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R6Was the Brown Act violated by not having full packet agendas available when requested prior to the November 21, 2005 board meeting? PROCEDURES The Grand Jury requested and reviewed all agendas and minutes for the district for 2005, interviewed the complainant, and interviewed a district staff member. The Grand Jury listened to tapes of board meetings and reviewed budgets and financial statements, including expenses of the board. The Grand Jury reviewed district policies and procedures and the Brown Act with particular attention to sections 54952.2(b) and 54956.9(c). County Counsel was consulted by the Grand Jury. RESULTS OF INVESTIGATION
Conclusions 1
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CL1Computer system failures are a fact of life. The Calaveras County Clerk-Recorder’s Office system failure record is one of the lowest in the state. Redundant systems and procedures are adequate and effective.
No Responses Found 1
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
Calaveras County
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