Post on 13-Oct-2020
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Proactive Community
Animal Control
Officer Todd Stosuy
Field Services Manager
Santa Cruz County, California
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Based on
Community Policing Model
Defined as “a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies, which support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques, to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime.” - US Department of Justice
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What is
Community Animal Control?
Same as Community Policing, but with an emphasis on a community’s animal issues
Varies from jurisdiction
to jurisdiction
Community Animal Control
First, identify the problems and problem locations
Then ask “How can these problems be resolved?”
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Three Things We Do In Santa
Cruz
Preventative Patrols
Door to Door Outreach
Shots Fair
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Preventative Patrols
City of Watsonville – 10 areas patrolled for one year
Officers spoke with residents BEFORE there were issues
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Preventative Patrols
Pick targeted areas
Drive through locations slowly, windows down
Preventative Patrols
Stop and speak to people in a friendly manner
Preventative Patrols
Officers acted less law enforcement, and more educational
Officers provided bilingual educational material BEFORE there were issues
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Preventative Patrols
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Preventative Patrols
Impoundment rates fell
Spay/Neuter compliance went up
Community viewed Animal Control as helpful and came to our shelters for education
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Door to Door Campaign
Targeted areas in City of Watsonville
Maps generated by 911 Center
Foot patrol of areas
Door to Door Campaign
Officers dress in polo shirts without badges
No enforcement action unless egregious animal neglect/cruelty found
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Children Specific Items
Junior Law Enforcement Badge Stickers
Tattoos
Toys to play with
their animals
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Door to Door Campaign
Knock on EVERY door in targeted areas
Meet apartment managers beforehand and set up community meeting
Door to Door Campaign
Focus on intact animals, dogs running loose and animal neglect and cruelty
Provide free items (toys, dog houses, etc)
Door to Door Campaign
DO NOT FOCUS ON LICENSING
Work with the community to resolve what is truly important for the ANIMALS
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Door to Door Campaign
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Door to Door Campaign
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Door to Door Campaign
Dogs removed from tethers
TNR colonies started
Dogs and cats provided routine vaccinations and veterinary care
All WITHOUT enforcement action
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Door to Door Campaign
Gave away free dog houses
Provided hundreds of free Kongs and other enrichment toys for backyard dogs
Provided hundreds of free collars, tags, leashes and bowls
All items were donated through media campaigns
Door to Door Campaign
People have begun to view Animal Shelter as community resource
Officers have begun providing community oriented services daily
Volunteer Outreach Team
Work within the community
Door to Door Outreach
Table at events
Assist with spay/neuter transport
Adoption events
Healthy Dog Shots Fair
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Volunteer Outreach Team
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Volunteer Door to Door
Specific training
1.Basic overview of what to expect
2.How to Approach and Talk to People
3.Cats, Cats, Cats
4.Spay and Neuter Conversations
5.Trespassing and Civil Rights
6.Dog Behavior and Training
7.Understanding poverty and cultural differences 25
Volunteer Door to Door
Day One
Middle to low income neighborhood
“Breaking” volunteers in
I did most of the talking (at first)
Volunteers began opening up
It’s all about being HUMAN
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Volunteer Door to Door
Day 2
Homeless Services Center and Soup Kitchen
Mostly dogs (one cat)
Flea preventative
Spay/neuter
Enrichment and food
EYE OPENING 27
Volunteer Door to Door
Day 3
Very poor and underprivileged neighborhood
Mainly Spanish speaking
Reality check
Day had ups and down, but ended positively
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Volunteer Door to Door
Team assignments
Neighborhood assignments
Allows for individuals to be known and trusted within the community
“Lock the block”
Ongoing learning process
Work WITH Animal Control on follow ups and community assistance
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Healthy Dog Shots Fair
Held in lower income area of County
Provides free routine
vaccinations, rabies
shots, microchips,
collars, leashes
and training advice
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Healthy Dog Shots Fair
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"We hope to offer resources to the community that will improve the health and
welfare of our area's pets. Vaccines significantly reduce the chance of dogs
contracting deadly diseases. Microchipping a pet offers pet owners the only truly
permanent method of identifying their pet and linking the animal back to the owner.
Spaying and neutering a pet is healthier for the animal and helps to combat the
pet overpopulation problem." —Melanie Sobel, General Manager
Healthy Shots Dog Fair
Uniformed animal control officer
Police Cadets and CSO’s
Dog trainers
Veterinarians
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Healthy Dog Shots Fair
350 dogs given rabies shots, routine vaccinations and microchipped
Hundreds of leashes, collars, flea medication, food and enrichment toys provided
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Healthy Shots Dog Fair
Free training advice
30 dogs provided low cost spay/neuter
All services and items donated by local veterinarians, pet stores, etc
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Questions?
Officer Todd Stosuy
Field Services Manager
Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter
Asa235@co.santa-cruz.ca.us
www.scanimalshelter.org