HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
FEBRUARY 25, 2015
5:30 P.M. CST
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THIS TEXT IS BEING PROVIDED IN A ROUGH DRAFT FORMAT. COMMUNICATION ACCESS REALTIME TRANSLATION (CART) IS PROVIDED IN ORDER TO FACILITATE COMMUNICATION ACCESSIBILITY AND MAY NOT BE A TOTALLY VERBATIM RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS.
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> MICHAEL HAWORTH: WELCOME TO THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR FEBRUARY 25, 2015.
HAVE ALL THE MEMBERS HAD A CHANCE TO SIGN IN ON THE ATTENDANCE SHEET?
> YES.
> MICHAEL HAWORTH: WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE SOME OF THE THINGS IN THE AGENDA.
I'M GOING TO MOVE ADOPTION OF AGENDA UP A LITTLE BIT AND CHANGE SOME THINGS.
WE ORIGINALLY HAD -- THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO COME IN TONIGHT, BUT BECAUSE WE'RE MISSING A NUMBER OF NEW MEMBERS WE'RE GOING TO RESCHEDULE THAT FOR NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
OTHER THINGS THAT I WANTED TO CHANGE OR ADD TO THE AGENDA, UNDER OLD BUSINESS, THERE WILL BE SECTION A, BINDER UPDATE, SECTION B, DISCUSSION ON STATISTICS OF FERAL CAT ORDINANCE, PILOT UPDATE.
THOSE ARE THE ONLY CHANGES I HAVE.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE CHANGES TO THE AGENDA AT THIS TIME?
CAN I GET A MOTION TO HAVE THE AGENDA ADOPTED AT PROPOSED?
> TIMOTHY GOLDEN: I'LL MAKE THAT -- TIM GOLDEN. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS CHANGED.
> MICHAEL HAWORTH: DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
> CHRISTY LAYTON.
I SECOND.
> MICHAEL HAWORTH: ALL IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.
> AYE.
> MICHAEL HAWORTH: NONE OPPOSED, MOTION MADE, PASSED AND CARRIED.
MOVING ON WE'RE GOING TO STAND AND HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE TO HONOR ALL THOSE WHO STAND IN HARM'S WAY SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO, INCLUDING THOSE IN OUR MILITARY, THE POLICE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, EVERYBODY THAT DOES THINGS THAT KEEP US ARCH EVERYONE SAFE.
AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE MOMENT OF SILENCE WE'LL START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
[RECITING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
MOVING ON TO ITEM -- LET'S SEE ITEM 4, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING.
HAS EVERYONE HAD THE CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM?
DID YOU GET A COPY OF THEM BY ANY CHANCE?
> I DON'T THINK I DID.
> MICHAEL HAWORTH: WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT.
THIS IS LISA DEPAUL --
> IT'S WENDY DEPAUL.
> MICHAEL HAWORTH: I'M SO SORRY.
THIS IS WENDY DEPAUL, COMMISSIONER BECKNER'S REPRESENTATIVE.
THIS IS YOUR FIRST MEETING.
WELCOME TO THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AS WE DID AT THE LAST MEETING WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME IS HAVE EVERYONE GIVE A BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF THEMSELVES SO WENDY KNOWS WHO EVERYONE IS.
WHY DON'T WE START WITH MR. TESTA.
> JOSEPH TESTA: I'M JOE TESTA, I'M WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR ONE TERM RECENTLY AND I WAS ON THE INITIATING BOARD BACK WHEN IT FIRST STARTED I GUESS BACK IN THE '90S OR SOMETHING.
> TIMOTHY GOLDEN: HI, MY NAME IS TIM GOLDEN.
I'VE BEEN HANGING AROUND THESE MEETINGS SINCE ABOUT 2010.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA DOG FANCIERS.
WE'RE AN ALL-BREED DOG CLUB.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN RAISING, BREEDING, SHOWING AND TRAINING, RESCUING, CORGIS FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS NOW.
> MICHAEL HAWORTH: I'M MIKE HAWORTH.
I'M WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY.
I'M THE ACTING CHAIRMAN THIS YEAR.
WELCOME TO THE COMMITTEE WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU.
> STEVE LEWIS I'M STEVE LEWIS, A VETERINARIAN HERE IN TAMPA, SANDY MURMAN'S REPRESENTATIVE.
> WENDY DEPAUL: I'M WENDY DEPAUL.
I'M KEVIN BECKNER'S REPRESENTATIVE.
I'M AN ATTORNEY LOCALLY.
I'VE BEEN PRACTICING LAW NOW FOR ALMOST 18 YEARS, AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE SERVING ON THIS COMMITTEE.
> MICHAEL HAWORTH: WELCOME.
> CHRISTY LAYTON: WELCOME, WENDY, I'M CHRISTY LAYTON, TIMBERLANE PET HOSPITAL AND RESORT.
I'M COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM AM'S REPRESENTATIVE.
> SCOTT TREBATOSKI: I'M SCOTT TREBATOSKI. I'M THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR OF PET RESOURCES.
> JOHN FERDON: AND FINALLY JOHN FERDON ALSO WITH THE PET RESOURCE DEPARTMENT.
> MICHAEL HAWORTH: WE -- WE'RE IN THE PROCESS -- WE'LL GET DOWN TO IT UNDER THE OLD BUSINESS BINDER UPDATE, BUT BASICALLY WE'RE TRYING TO PREPARE A PACKET OF INFORMATION FOR ALL THE NEW MEMBERS SO THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO BE BROUGHT UP TO SPEED FAIRLY QUICKLY.
THE PACKET IS IN ITS PROTOTYPE PHASE RIGHT NOW.
LAST TIME I SAW IT IT WAS SOMEWHERE IN THE 40-MEGABYTE RANGE SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE EASILY PRINTED OUT.
IT WILL PROBABLY BE PROVIDED, I THINK IN ELECTRONIC FORMAT ON A CD, AND WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT.
> DO YOU WANT TO DO THAT NOW?
> MICHAEL HAWORTH: NO, I'LL MOVE IT TILL LATER BUT WE'LL GET BACK TO THAT, JUST IN CASE YOU DIDN'T GET ANY OF THIS INFORMATION, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET IT TO YOU.
HAVING SAID THAT, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, WE FOUND OUT THAT WENDY DIDN'T GET A COPY OF IT SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET A COPY.
HAVING SAID THAT, THAT SHE DOESN'T GET A COPY, MAYBE WE SHOULD DELAY APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES UNTIL NEXT MEETING UNTIL SHE'S HAD A CHANCE TO GET THEM AND REVIEW THEM.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT?
HEARING NONE, THEN I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION, BUT I'M GOING TO DEFER THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES BECAUSE WENDY HASN'T HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM YET.
WE'LL GET A COPY OF THEM AND THEN WE'LL VOTE ON BOTH SETS OF MINUTES, LAST MEETING'S AND THIS MEETING'S MINUTES AT THE NEXT MEETING.
MOVING ON TO PUBLIC SIGN IN OR COMMENT.
IS THERE ANY PUBLIC SIGN IN OR COMMENT?
SEEING NONE WE'LL MOVE ON.
ITEM 6 WAS TABLE TILL NEXT MEETING SO MORE PEOPLE COULD SEE THE PRESENTATION.
WENDY WILL MAKE SURE YOU GET A COPY OF HER PRESENTATION, IT'S ABOUT THE SUNSHINE LAW AND HOW IT APPLIES AND WE'LL MAKE SURE -- AS WELL AS EVERYONE IS WELL EDUCATED ON THAT.
MOVING ON TO REPORT FROM CHAIR.
THERE IS INCLUDED IN THE PACKET OF INFORMATION, EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN LAST WEEK FROM JOHN, AN EMAIL EXCHANGE BETWEEN MYSELF AND DEBORA FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK THROUGH THAT, IT COVERS A LOT OF THE CONCERNS THAT CAME UP IN THE JANUARY MEETING REGARDING POTENTIALLY INCREASING THE SIZE OF THE COMMITTEE, ATTENDANCE POLICIES, THINGS LIKE THAT, AND IT ALSO GIVES US A FORUM OF HOW TO PROCEED IF WE DECIDE AS A COMMITTEE WE NEED TO DO ANY OF THOSE CHANGES.
IF YOU COULD MAKE YOURSELF FAMILIAR WITH THOSE, THAT EMAIL, AND I KNOW IT'S KIND OF LONG, BUT I THINK IT'S VERY GOOD INFORMATION, AND DEBORA WILL BE HERE AT THE NEXT MEETING SO IF EVERYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO REVIEW THAT WE CAN GET BACK TO IT AT THE NEXT MEETING AND POTENTIALLY ASK QUICK QUESTIONS IF THERE NEEDS TO BE ANY CLARIFICATION.
HAVING SAID THAT, THAT'S THE END OF THE REPORT FROM CHAIR.
MOVING ON TO DEPARTMENT REPORT, DIRECTOR [INAUDIBLE].
> THANK YOU.
ONE OF THE INITIAL THINGS TO BE BROUGHT UP-TO-DATE IS I WANT TO SAY IT WAS A LITTLE MORE THAN A MONTH AGO COMMISSIONER HAGAN HAD REQUESTED AT A REGULAR BOARD MEETING UNDER COMMISSIONER ITEMS IS THAT WE AS A DEPARTMENT -- THAT WE AS A DEPARTMENT BRING FORWARD THE REQUEST TO LOOK AT SOME PENDING ORDINANCES THAT ARE BEING ENACTED IN SOME OTHER COMMUNITIES AND TO CONSIDER THEM OR TO GET YOUR INPUT ON THEM AS WELL AS GETTING THE INPUT OF THE HUMANE SOCIETY.
I HAVE MET WITH THE HUMANE SOCIETY AND THEY ARE NOT FEELING -- AT LEAST MY IMPRESSION, AND IF I'M WRONG I'M SURE SOMEONE WILL CORRECT ME, BUT MY IMPRESSION OF THE MEETING WAS THAT THEY DON'T SEE ANY URGENT NEED FOR A CHANGE FROM WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, BUT IF WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS IT, THEY OBVIOUSLY WANT TO BE A PLAYER IN IT, BUT THEY DON'T SEE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THIS WAS SOME SORT -- IT SORT OF CAUGHT THEM A LITTLE BIT OFF GUARD AS A TOPIC.
SO I WANTED TO UPDATE YOU GUYS.
WHAT I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST IS IF ANYBODY WAS HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT OR PERHAPS THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE AGENDA SO THAT THEY COULD COME NEXT TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND SEE WHAT GENERAL SENTIMENT IS OUT THERE, NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS TREMENDOUSLY ON MY RADAR BEFORE IT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD.
I BELIEVE IT COMES FROM THE SAME -- SAME GROUP THAT BROUGHT TETHERING FORWARD IN MANY OF THE COMMUNITIES, OR AT LEAST THEY'RE ONE OF THE PLAYERS, BUT I BELIEVE THEY'RE THE PRIMARY -- PRIMARY PLAYER.
THERE ARE SEVERAL CONCERNS THAT I HAVE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE TO -- IF WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE TOPIC, THAT WE'D WANT TO PROCEED VERY CAUTIOUSLY.
THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES THAT WE WANT TO STAY AWAY FROM AS FAR AS CREATING SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE UNENFORCEABLE.
YOU KNOW, IF IT'S GOING TO COMPEL A JUDGE TO GIVE US A WARRANT IN ORDER TO ENFORCE IT, IT'S REALLY AN IMPRACTICAL THING FOR THE OFFICERS WHO REALLY THE WARRANT SHOULD BE BEING RESERVED FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY AND THE CRIMINAL-TYPE BEHAVIORS OR THE STUFF THAT BORDERS BETWEEN SUPER SEVERE, CIVIL AND CRIMINAL MATTERS.
SO I DON'T REALLY WANT TO WATER DOWN THAT TOO LOW BY CREATING AN ORDINANCE THAT REQUIRES US TO BREACH INTO AREAS OF POTENTIAL PERSONAL PRIVACY, TO COMPEL SOMEBODY TO ALLOW US TO, LET'S SAY, MEASURE THE LENGTH AND THE HEIGHT OF THE DOG IN ORDER TO DO SOME SORT OF A FORMULA TO DETERMINE HOW BIG A PEN WOULD BE.
YOU KNOW, THEY -- THOSE THINGS MIGHT SOUND FANTASTIC TO THE LAYPERSON, OH, IT'S SO SIMPLE, IT'S A SIMPLE MATHEMATICAL EQUATION.
IT'S NOT SO SIMPLE WHEN IT COMES TO THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE OF IT.
AND THE OTHER PRECAUTION IS WE ALL KNOW PROBABLY SITTING AT THIS TABLE AND PROBABLY EVERYBODY WATCHING KNOWS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A BIG RANGE BETWEEN A CHIHUAHUA AND ENGLISH MASTIFF, AND SO YOU CAN'T REALLY -- IT'S REALLY HARD TO SAY ONE STANDARD, BECAUSE IF IT'S A SINGLE FLAT STANDARD YOU ALMOST HAVE TO GO TO THE BIG SIDE, AND IF YOU GO TO THE BIG SIDE IT'S, YOU KNOW, AN ATROCIOUSLY HUGE CLOSURE FOR A SMALL DOG.
AND SO IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED THING.
MY PERSONAL FEELING IS THERE ARE NO ANIMALS IMMINENTLY SUFFERING OR IN DANGER OF LOSING THEIR LIFE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE PENDING ORDINANCES.
WE HAVE RESTRICTIONS IN HOW PEOPLE CAN MAINTAIN ANIMALS, CERTAIN ACCEPTABLE -- MINIMAL ACCEPTABLE HOUSING, WATER, FOOD.
SO THIS WOULD BE A LAYER THAT -- THAT ISN'T LIKE AN URGENT, HEY, I CAN SHOW YOU PICTURES OF ALL THESE ANIMALS THAT ARE SUFFERING.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S THE CASE.
IS THERE INAPPROPRIATE PEN BEING DONE?
PROBABLY.
IS THERE INAPPROPRIATE STUFF, PEOPLE DOING WITH THEIR ANIMALS INSIDE THEIR HOUSE?
PROBABLY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A MATTER OF, YOU KNOW, HOW PREVALENT IT IS AND DO WE HAVE SUFFICIENT TOOLS RIGHT NOW TO DO IT VERSUS CREATING NEW TOOLS, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE DISCUSSION, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANY, SHOULD START AS A FOCUS.
ONE OF THE OTHER PRECAUTIONS THAT I HAVE IS THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE PLACES WHO HAVE PASSED SOME PENNING ORDINANCES.
THERE ARE SOME PLACES THAT PASSED PENNING ORDINANCES WHO HAVE NOW SUSPENDED ENFORCEMENT OF THEM AND ARE TALKING ABOUT REVOKING THEM.
SO SOMETIMES IT'S GREAT TO BE THE GROUND BREAKER.
SOMETIMES IT'S GREAT TO SIT BACK AND LET THINGS DEVELOP.
I THINK IN THIS CASE I LEAN TOWARDS THE LATTER INSTEAD OF THE FORMER.
THERE ARE -- THERE ARE CLEARLY SOME ISSUES IF YOU GET TOO AGGRESSIVE, CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES THAT ARE VERY FUNDAMENTAL TO PROPERTY RIGHTS.
WE ALL LOVE OUR PETS BUT IN FLORIDA THEY ARE PROPERTY, AND THERE ARE SOME ISSUES THAT WE'VE GOT TO TREAD VERY CAUTIOUSLY IN THAT CATEGORY TOO.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE GENERAL PHILOSOPHY, THE GENERAL THOUGHT IS AS FAR AS PROCEEDING WITH THIS OR GIVING SOME MESSAGE BACK.
I'M SUPPOSED TO REPORT BACK TO THE BOARD AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, THEY WANT IT IN 30 DAYS.
BUT GIVEN THE FACT WE'VE GOT TO REALLY GIVE THE PUBLIC A CHANCE, I THINK WE HAVE TO KIND OF KICK THAT BALL AT LEAST ONE 30-DAY DOWN THE ROAD SO THE PUBLIC CAN COME AND TELL US WHAT THEY THINK.
BUT ANY -- ANY INPUT YOU GUYS HAVE WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
I'LL HAVE JOHN -- I'LL WORK WITH JOHN FERDON BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING, GET YOU SOME COPIES OF WHAT WE KNOW IS OUT THERE AND MAYBE SOME -- MAYBE TRY TO COLLECT SOME OF THE ARTICLES IN THE PLACES WHERE THEY'VE RUN INTO SOME INTERESTING BUMPS ALONG THE WAY BY WHAT THEY PASSED, AND THEN WHEN IT ACTUALLY WENT INTO ACTION WHAT -- WHAT KICKBACK THEY GOT THAT WAS PERHAPS UNFORESEEN AS FAR AS WHAT'S OUT THERE.
BUT THAT'S SORT OF MY BIG TWO CENTS ON THE PENNING.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD HAVE TO DO TONIGHT IN ORDER TO SAVE ANIMALS.
I DON'T THINK THERE ARE ANIMALS' LIVES IN DANGER BECAUSE OF THINGS CURRENTLY OUT THERE.
SO MY THOUGHT IS WE GIVE IT CAUTIOUS CONTEMPLATION AND NOT SOMETHING I'M EAGER TO JUMP TOO FAR AHEAD OF THE CURVE BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT GOING TO STEP IN A LAND MINE SOMEWHERE.
> CAN WE HALT YOUR PRESENTATION JUST FOR A SECOND JUST TO OPEN IT UP TO DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD?
> ABSOLUTELY.
> DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC?
> CHRISTY?
> CHRISTY LAYTON: RIGHT AFTER I HEARD HAGAN MENTION THAT AT THE BOCC MEETING I CALLED HIS AIDE AND SPOKE WITH HIM THE FOLLOWING WEEK ABOUT MY CONCERNS.
I TOO AGREE WITH YOU.
I THINK THERE IS A NUMBER OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT ARE GOING TO COME ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL PENNING ORDINANCE.
MY WORRIES ARE THINGS SUCH AS BOARDING FACILITIES, TRAINING FACILITIES, PET RESOURCE CENTER PROBABLY WOULDN'T EVEN, YOU KNOW, WORK AS FAR AS SPACE REQUIREMENTS AND THAT KIND OF THING.
I ALSO -- SINCE IT HAPPENED I HAVE SPOKEN WITH A NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
OF COURSE I'M IN EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND A LOT OF HUNTING DOGS AND THAT KIND OF THING IN THAT AREA.
I CAN TELL YOU THEY ARE IN AN UPROAR AND SAID, WE CANNOT HAVE THIS.
YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT THE FLUFFY DOG THAT'S IN THE HOUSE THAT'S IN A SMALL CRATE.
MY DOGS ARE IN PENS.
THEY GET OUT, YOU KNOW, EVERY NIGHT FOR TWO HOURS.
THEY GET LOOSE ON THE WEEKENDS TO HUNT AND DO THEIR JOB.
YOU KNOW, AND THIS DOG IS STUCK IN AN APARTMENT IN A LITTLE CRATE ALL DAY LONG, AND HOW IS THAT LEGAL, AND MY HUNTING DOGS WOULDN'T BE.
SO I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF, AS I SAID, UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT WILL COME ABOUT WITH AN ORDINANCE LIKE THIS.
AND I AGREE -- YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'D ALL LOVE TO LIVE IN THAT NORMAN ROCKWELL PAINTING WHERE ALL THE DOGS ARE HAPPY AND HEALTHY AND ALL THE CATS ARE HAPPY AND HEALTHY AND EVERYBODY LIVES THIS WONDERFUL, YOU KNOW, MAGICAL LIFE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY I THINK THERE'S KIND OF A LIMIT AND WE HAVE TO BALANCE THAT OUT WITH THE FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENTS OF DOGS AND CATES AND KEEPING THEM HEALTHY AND KEEPING THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE UP.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE TO BALANCE THAT WITH, AGAIN, WHAT THE COUNTY CAN EVEN MANDATE, WHAT THEY CAN EVEN ENFORCE.
SO I AGREE WITH YOU ON THIS.
I THINK IF WE CAN TABLE THIS OR -- UNLESS HE CAN GIVE US MORE SPECIFIC CONCERNS, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY PUT THIS OFF.
I'VE LOOKED AT LEE COUNTY AND I THINK IT WAS PALM BEACH COUNTY'S ORDINANCES, AND I GOT TO TELL YOU, THOSE ARE SCARY.
SO I CERTAINLY DON'T THINK WE NEED SOMETHING LIKE THOSE IN OUR COUNTY.
> OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE?
TIM?
> TIM GOLDEN: THANK YOU, DR. MIKE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE LIST OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE POSSIBLE RAMIFICATIONS OF MORE ORDINANCES, PROBABLY THE RESCUE COMMUNITY, WHETHER CATS OR DOGS, ARE GOING TO FIND THIS TO BE A HUGE ISSUE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION ABOUT WHO IT WOULD AFFECT.
I SPOKE TO SOMEONE AT THE FLORIDA STATE FAIR RECENTLY WHO SAID, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE 15 ACRES FENCED IN.
THEY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THIS WOULD APPLY TO THEM, BUT I SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, ON THE SURFACE PERHAPS NOT, BUT IN TECHNICAL TERMS IF, YOU KNOW -- WHAT IS THE TECHNICALITY IF YOU PUT YOUR DOGS OUTSIDE AND THEY'RE PENNED AND IT'S 15 ACRES AND YOU WALK AWAY AND IT'S 15 ACRES, WILL YOU STILL BE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THE SAME GUIDELINES AS SOMEONE WHO HAS AN 8-FOOT BY 10-FOOT ENCLOSURE AND THEY WERE SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT QUITE POSSIBLY THEY MIGHT BE UNDER THE SAME RULES.
I'M GLAD TO HERE AND I WANT TO CLARIFY FROM YOU, SCOTT, THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT WE HAVE THE TOOLS IN OUR HANDS RIGHT NOW, IF THERE IS CRUELTY, IF THERE IS INHUMANE TREATMENT, IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, WHETHER THEY'RE -- THEY HAPPEN TO BE PENNED, WE CAN TAKE CARE OF IT RIGHT NOW.
> YEAH.
IN SPEAKING WITH BOTH MY REGULAR FIELD OFFICERS AND MY ANIMAL ABUSE AND CRUELTY INVESTIGATORS, THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY'VE REALLY GOT THE TOOLS.
THEY WOULD -- THEIR ADVICE TO ME WHEN I ASKED THEM WAS, IT WOULD ALMOST BE BETTER TO MAYBE CLEAN UP SOME OF THE EXISTING LANGUAGE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT OVERLAYS OF BOARD POLICIES, ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS, AND SOMETIMES TOO MANY LAYERS TO SIMPLIFY IT DOWN TO A SINGLE LAYER SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO SAY, WELL, JUST A SECOND, I'VE GOT TO CHECK THREE PLACES BEFORE I CAN TELL YOU WHAT THE FINAL ANSWER -- THE FINAL ANSWER IS.
SO I THINK THEY FEEL THEY HAVE THE TOOLS AND PERHAPS MAYBE WE'VE MADE THINGS MORE COMPLICATED THAN NECESSARY AND THAT MAYBE THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, MAYBE MORE OF A SIMPLIFICATION.
ONE OF THE CONCERNS -- I'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE 2001, AND I CAN TELL YOU THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MY PHILOSOPHY IN 2015 AND 2001 IS PROBABLY LIGHT-YEARS DIFFERENT ON PRETTY MUCH ALMOST EVERY ASPECT OF ANIMAL CONTROL AND SHELTERING.