From RPOA Texas Outreach and
Responsible Pet Owners Alliance
"Animal welfare, not animal 'rights'
and, yes, there is a difference."
Permission granted to crosspost.
June 9, 2010
San Antonio City Council will vote next week (Thursday, June 17th) on
Chapter 5 Animal Ordinance Revisions. Thanks to your emails and letters,
we've eliminated the previous "suggestions" from Animal Care Services. But
we need your help again as we have a few new objections. After 8 Public
Meetings, 3 Focus Group Meetings, and 2 ACS Advisory Board Meetings, we
finally received a draft of the proposal May 14th in time for a fourth Focus
Group Meeting. However this was simply a formality as few of our
suggestions made it into print. The draft had four revisions within two
weeks and the final draft was received last Thursday. It was passed by the
Quality of Life Committee yesterday, 2 working days later! As usual we have
little time.
Tossing out "suggestions" with no final document until the last minute and
no time for "John Q." Pet Owner input has become the new MO for Texas
cities.
A copy of the June 3 version of the ordinance proposal is at the URL:
www.rpoatexasoutreach.org under the San Antonio tab.
PLEASE CONTACT CITY OFFICIALS LISTED BELOW by phone/email/fax or this is a
done deal! TALKING POINTS: (Add your own personal comments.)
* Please take this opportunity to become a "Pet Friendly" city instead of
being known nationally as the most "Anti-Pet" city in Texas because of the
2007 Ordinance. With the Internet, news travels fast.
* Enforce your Leash Law which would address 95% of local animal problems
instead of making scofflaws out of pet owners whose animals are confined and
not the problem!
* Delete the $250 Annual Sellers Permit for non-residents which is
impossible to enforce. The Litter Permit (Approx. 150 sold per year) has
been proven unenforceable with litters being dumped in droves as a permit is
required for ads. "Animal Rights" extremists are outraged about the mostly
out-of-town Classified Ads that don't require a Litter Permit and are
promoting this new unenforceable Sellers Permit provision.
* Animal Care Services claims they have no staff to pick up strays unless
sick, injured or biting animals. How can they enforce a $250 Sellers Permit
for non-residents? The "Animal Rights" extremists say they want this permit
to include ALL sales actually and consider this the first step to accomplish
their national legislative agenda.
* Delete the Aggressive Dog Definition pertaining to a dog barking at the
fence while enclosed on the owner's premises. The animal control director
and his staff should NOT be the accuser, judge, jury and executioner for
Dangerous Animal and Aggressive Dog Hearings as is written. Nor for the
Permits Appeals.
* Mandatory Spay/Neuter of dogs and cats upon second impoundment at ACS is
not acceptable. Besides ACS recently said they have no records on second
impoundments!
Animals are our legal property and are let out of yards many times by meter
readers, workmen or children. Fines and impoundment fees are adequate
punishment. The "Competition Animal" Definition for exemption is not
workable.
* Delete "All outdoor cats must be spayed/neutered" as there is already
discussion by one councilwoman to add "dogs and cats" to this section.
San Antonio officials:
Address for all:
City of San Antonio
PO Box 839966
San Antonio, TX 78283
Mayor Julián Castro
Phone: (210) 207-7060
Fax: (210) 207-4168
E-mail:
mayorjuliancastro@sanantonio.govCity Manager Sheryl Sculley
Phone: (210) 207-7080
Fax: (210) 207-4217
E-mail:
citymanager@sanantonio.govDeputy City Manager Pat DiGiovanni
Phone: (210) 207-6912
Fax: (210) 207-4122
E-mail:
PDiGiovanni@sanantonio.govAssist. City Manager T. C. Broadnax
Phone: (210) 207-7080
Fax: (210) 207-4122
E-mail:
tc.broadnax@sanantonio.govCouncilwoman Mary Alice Cisneros
Phone: (210) 207-7279
Fax: (210) 207-6931
E-mail:
district1@sanantonio.govCouncilwoman Ivy R. Taylor
Phone: (210) 207-7278
Fax: (210) 207-4496
E-mail:
district2@sanantonio.govCouncilwoman Jennifer Ramos
Phone: (210) 207-7064
Fax: (210) 534-1931
E-mail:
district3@sanantonio.govCouncilman Philip Cortez
Phone: (210) 207-7281
Fax: (210) 678-0099
E-mail:
district4@sanantonio.govCouncilman David Medina, Jr.
Phone: (210) 207-7043
Fax: (210) 212-4860
E-mail:
district5@sanantonio.govCouncilman Ray Lopez
Phone: (210) 207-7065
Fax: (210) 207-8760
E-mail:
district6@sanantonio.govCouncilman Justin Rodriguez
Phone: (210) 207-7044
Fax: (210) 207-7027
E-mail:
district7@sanantonio.govCouncilman W. Reed Williams
Phone: (210) 207-7086
Fax: (210) 949-0439
E-mail:
district8@sanantonio.govCouncilwoman Elisa Chan
Phone: (210) 207-7325
Fax: (210) 341-2092
E-mail:
district9@sanantonio.govCouncilman John Clamp
Phone: (210) 207-7276
Fax: (210) 207-7027
E-mail:
district10@sanantonio.gov
