BARC Animal Enforcement Programs and Protocols
BARC Animal Enforcement is responsible for addressing dangerous, aggressive, and nuisance dog cases in the community. Through a structured priority matrix and enforcement tools, BARC aims to ensure public safety and animal welfare. The process involves investigation, designation determination, and compliance with relevant laws and ordinances. Specific response goals and protocols are in place to handle different types of animal-related incidents efficiently and effectively.
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Regulation and Neighborhood Affairs (RNA) Committee Presentation Presented by Greg Damianoff, Asst. Director, ARA Dept. Shelter Director, BARC Animal Shelter & Adoptions
Key Programs Brief overview of BARC Animal Enforcement Spay/Neuter Healthy Pets Healthy Streets Individual Community Outreach Fixin Houston Wellness Clinic
Animal Enforcement Priority Matrix Response Time Goal Priority Level Call Type Bite Case/ Dangerous Dog Within 2 Hours 1 Dangerous Animals on School Grounds HPD / Police Agency Assistance Vicious Unrestrained Within 3 Hours Aggressive Animals When Citizen is imminent danger at time of Call 2 Injured or Sick Animal unable to leave on their own power. Trapped Wildlife (Raccoons, Skunks, Coyotes, Fox) Post Office Calls / Mayor / Council Calls / Closely Tied Animals / ACO Supervisor Within 48 Hours 3 Feral Cat TNR Returns / Pick-ups from approved colony managers Unable to respond due to limited resources. Injured Animals able to leave location on its own power. Confined- Domestic Trap Delivery Unrestrained Stray Animals When Citizen is not in Imminent Danger at Time of Call. Unable to respond due to limited resources. Owner Turn Ins Approved by ACO Supervisor 4 N / A 5 N / A
Animal Enforcement Dangerous dog: makes an unprovoked attack that causes injury or death to a human. 94 dangerous dogs in BARC s registry. 9 currently active. 85 euthanized or moved to a different jurisdiction. Aggressive dog: bites, assaults, or otherwise attacks a person without provocation or displays aggressive tendencies that causes a person of normal sensibilities to fear the dog. 6 aggressive cases since 2014; 1 is current 5 have been euthanized. Nuisance dog: substantially interferes with the right or enjoyment of life by excessive barking or howling, repeated defecation on property, domestic animal attacks, etc. 6 nuisance cases reported. Resolved through Animal Enforcement mitigation without an official declaration.
Animal Enforcement Tools 1. Complainant completes affidavit declaring an argument for making a dog dangerous, aggressive or public nuisance (dangerous dog affidavit must be notarized). 2. BARC reviews complaint and if the case meets the definition, conducts an investigation. 3. Upon completion of the investigation, BARC determines if the animal meets the designation definition and determines next steps. 4. If the dog is deemed aggressive or a nuisance by City ordinance, BARC will order the dog owner to follow the mandates described in the City ordinance. If the dog is deemed dangerous due to severe bodily injury or death, it could be euthanized. All other dogs deemed dangerous will follow the prescribed State law and City ordinances
Animal Enforcement Tools 1. Dangerous Dogs: comply at all times with Chapter 822 of the Texas Health and Safety Code and Chapter 6-154 of the City of Houston Code of Ordinances (see handout). 2. Aggressive Dogs: comply at all times with Chapter 6- 165 of the City of Houston Code of Ordinances (see handout). 3. Nuisance Dogs: comply at all times with Chapter 6-168 of the City of Houston Code of Ordinances (see handout).
Spay/Neuter Programs The Vision Why prioritize spay/neuter? Problem: Overpopulation of unowned animals due to unwanted litters Problem: Houstonians without access to spay/neuter Solution: Educate communities and offer free services on a personal level through neighborhood and district-specific efforts
Healthy Pets Healthy Streets Began as a beachhead endeavor to clean up neighborhoods with the largest stray animal populations, one-by-one, by providing same-day spay/neuter services in each area Expanded to include key council districts with the greatest need for free spay/neuter education and services Partners: Friends For Life, SNAP and Emancipet The Results Since the program began in July 2013, we have held 73 events in five key districts in Houston More than 2,880 dogs and cats have been spayed or neutered
Healthy Pets Healthy Streets event Sunny Side Multi Service Center (District D) on September 19, 2015
Door-to-DoorCommunity Outreach Began as a supplement to Healthy Pets Healthy Streets to reach Houstonians that need pet spay/neuter services but may not readily understand the value of the surgery The program focuses on reaching neighborhoods through block-walking and direct interactions with citizens The Results Since the program began in July 2015, we have visited 2566 homes and performed 267 spay/neuter surgeries
Fixin Houston In November 2014, BARC launched Fixin Houston the first public, in-house, low-cost municipal spay/neuter clinic in Texas. The Results BARC has performed 3,796 spay/neuter surgeries through the low-cost clinic
BARCs Wellness Clinic BARC s Wellness Clinic opened in 2012 to provide basic wellness services to pets at a low-cost The clinic offers annual vaccinations and monthly flea and heartworm preventatives in packages or a-la-cart More than 18,300 customers have been through the wellness clinic since it opened
Wellness Customers 9,000 8,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 Projection 4,000 Visitors 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 FY2012 FY2013 FY2014 FY2015FY2016 (so far)
Wellness Revenues $70,000 $60,000 $50,000 $40,000 $30,000 $20,000 $10,000 $0 July August September October November December January February March April May June FY2012 FY2013 FY2014 FY2015 FY2016
