Dallas Animal Services releases Action Plan to improve loose dog enforcement

Dallas Animal Services releases Action Plan to improve loose dog enforcement

Note: Below is the plan DAS presented to the Council’s Quality of Life Committee on Monday Sept. 14. The Committee was not satisfied with the plan outlined below and asked DAS to return with additional information and a revised plan in October.

Dallas Animal Services (DAS) unveiled its requested outline of a plan to improve loose dog enforcement to the City Council’s Quality of Life and Environment Committee on September 14.

The outline presented by DAS Manager Jody Jones, focused on five key focus areas: achieving and maintain full staffing, improving technology, enhancing outreach and enforcement initiatives, delivering data-driven strategies and identifying options to increase DAS intake capacity.

Following the Sept. 2 City Council meeting, a team of City departments gathered over six days to take a fresh look at approaches and opportunities to reduce loose dogs in Dallas. DAS also initiated further dialogue with the Texas Department of State Health Services, Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas and various other animal control associations and agencies. The result of these efforts was the Action Plan presented before the Committee.

Among the highest priorities for DAS is to achieve full level staffing by attracting and hiring the best staff to resolved animal issues and promote safe neighborhoods. Starting in October, DAS will hold on-site job fairs, taking applications, conducting interviews and rendering job offers. The FY2015-16 Proposed City Budget includes $580,000 in partial year funding for 15 new positions. On the technology front, DAS is continuing to upgrade its technology by connecting data flow with 311.

By the end of 2015, a 311 to DAS database link will be completed thus providing essential call data flow into the animal database for final disposition, as needed. DAS is consulting with the Dallas Police Department (DPD) to address better field response and metrics gathering that truly measure the impact ongoing efforts. Currently, DAS data and photographs are manually provided to Dallas Municipal Court prosecutors for further actions.

DAS is also developing a new marketing campaign addressing loose dogs and responsible pet ownership to launch in December, while enhancing community presence through informational wrapped vans and partnerships with schools, crime watches, neighborhood associations and businesses.

The total estimated costs for all FY2015-16 DAS improvement costs under consideration is $783,000. Using Committee input, DAS will prioritize action plan steps and continue to provide quarterly updates to the Committee and Council, alike.

For more information on DAS visit: http://www.dallasanimalservices.org/

To view a copy of the September 14, 2015 DAS Action Plan presentation to the City Quality of Life and Environment Committee visit: http://bit.ly/1gpiaHq

 

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