Richmond Hill K9 Klub

Richmond Hill Animal Services Update

David Walker — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:52:57 +0000

We were waiting for the minutes of the April 10, 2012 Council Meeting to be posted on the Town website before providing this update.

Although current services will remain for the time being, Council has approved the following:

Continue with the existing level of service from June 2012 to June 2015. Beginning in mid 2012, increase the level of service by adopting a responsible pet ownership philosophy, add a community outreach/public education component and that a committee be struck comprised of all stakeholders including Members of Council, staff, members of the K-9 Klub and the community and that the committee report back to Council on the option of operating the service in a Town owned facility. Staff will then be directed to report back to Council with an approach to implementation.

This is a huge and important step for our Town and we are looking forward to helping make this happen.

Full April 10, 2012 Council Meeting Minutes

Excerpt regarding Animal Services from Council Meeting minutes starting on Page 12:

DELEGATIONS

David Walker, Richmond Hill K9 Klub, addressed Council with respect to Animal Services Update and Options (SRCAO.12.01) noting that they support the recommendations set out in the staff report. He requested the formation of an animal services advisory committee which would be comprised of Council Members, Town staff and members of the community be included with the recommendation. He described the purposes of the committee and noted the Chair of the committee would report to Council with an implementation plan.

Adriana Pisano Beaumont, Co-chair, Richmond Hill K9 Klub, addressed Council regarding the Animal Services Update and Options (SRCAO.12.01) noting the animal services program, the OSPCA contract and issues resulting in a need for change. She described the Calgary model and noted the benefits for Richmond Hill following this model. Ms. Pisano Beaumont recommended that Council support the current recommendations as well as include the creation of a Town owned facility for the community and to establish an animal services advisory committee that would report to Council going forward. April 10, 2012 and April 11, 2012 C#14-12

Confirmatory By-law No. 28-12
1.0 Extracts – Council Meeting C#11-12 held on March 26, 2012
1.1 Budget Committee of the Whole meeting BCW#05-12 held on March 6, 2012
Animal Services Update and Options – (SRCAO.12.01)
Moved by: Councillor Perrelli
Seconded by: Councillor Beros

Rec. 1 a) That Option C as outlined in SRCAO.12.01 be approved to: Continue with the existing level of service from June 2012 to June 2015. Beginning in mid 2012, increase the level of service by adopting a responsible pet ownership philosophy, add a community outreach/public education component and that a committee be struck comprised of all stakeholders including Members of Council, staff, members of the K-9 Klub and the community and that the committee report back to Council on the option of operating the service in our own facility;

b) That staff report back on an approach to the implementation of Option C.

Carried Unanimously

Richmond Hill Animal Services decision continues Tuesday evening

David Walker — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 16:22:29 +0000

This Tuesday, April 10, 2012, 7:30pm at the Richmond Hill Town Council meeting, discussion and hopefully a decision will be made on how Richmond Hill Animal Services will be handled going forward.

This decision will have an impact on how you, your pets and our community are serviced and protected in the coming years.

We recommend that you educate yourself on the issue and attend this meeting if you can.

Agenda

Location:

Council Chambers
Richmond Hill Town Hall
225 East Beaver Creek Road
Richmond Hill, Ontario

Minutes: K9 Klub Annual General Meeting – March 22, 2012

David Walker — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:06:32 +0000

Minutes: K9 Klub Annual General Meeting – March 22, 2012 McConaghy Centre. Richmond Hill, ON

7:30-9:30pm

Introduction & Welcome

Board Members in attendance

W.Walker

D.Walker

A.Pisano Beaumont

A.Beaumont

D.Beaven

Call to Action for new board numbers: any interest please contact K9 Klub through website.

Thank Councilors/Town Employees for attending

N.Papa

C.Perrelli

P.Lui

Financials/Official Business

No votes needed

No amendments needed to official constitution

Other official business: open forum for questions

*No questions from attendees

K9 Klub Slogan

*review new suggestions: move from “It’s all about the dogs…and thier owners!”

“Celebrating Canines and the Community”

“Canines & Community”

“Canine Community”

Accomplishments for 2011 – Adri speaking

*Earth Day – volunteers from the community helped clean up the dog ark, as well as the surrounding ravine area.

*Pooch Party – 1000 visitors; want to grow the event for 2012. Great feedback, constructive feedback given & moving towards an even better event.

*Canada Day presence – created awareness of the Klub @ tTpwn’s largest event.

*Fido Fit Walks on the Sagen Trail – 1 day Bly but looking to grow the program in 2012.

*Howl-o-ween Party – well attended and lots of fun.

*THOR & Petition Review – need to stay united & rally everyone to express their wish to have the park stay.

*Santa Claus Parade – fun day despite the rain.

Video from Council meeting shown to attendees.

Patrick Liu Presentation re: Phyllis Rawlinson Park

New site was chosen through feedback from public forums, K9 Klub & public opinion.

Access road off Leslie Road

Community Gardens

Existing Parking – 2 lots

Exisiting roads, washrooms, and trails in place

35% larger than Tower Hill site

Flat site

1 Hectre in size

Small and large dog areas

**Need to address concerns that were raised with Tower Hill

Accessibility

*Crushed stone walkway

*Flat site

Garbage can in the park

*Allows people to not only pick up the poop but also dispose of it

*Does not exist at Tower Hill site bc of transportation restrictions

Patrick answered lots of open forum questions regarding the new site.

*Shade requirements

*Garbage cans

*Perimeter materials

*Vegetation on site

*Bench seating

*Grass, not mulch – problem areas will be addressed with mulch as they become evident

**Lots of feedback on the lack of grading – worried about the level of play for the dogs; can a structure be erected to rectify this? Explained that they need to level the site due to the amount of Buckthorn in the area.

*Park hours: will finalize hours closer to park opening but it will likely be at sundown. This park will be much darker than Tower Hill as Tower Hill receives light from surrounding area.

Town Run Animal Shelter

David spoke to attendees informing themselves of what’s going on with the City.

Most town residents are not aware of the amount of money being spent on animal control

Councillor Perelli spoke to what his idea was:

Clarington runs a successful model – something for consideration

Aurora did not run a successful model – was a contracted party that ran the facility

Town report suggested a facility that would serve the needs of the Town in 2026

12,000sq. Facility suggested

$6million investment

$500K operating costs

Report also suggested that 3/4 of the facility would be rented out to other municipalities to bring in revenue that would off-set the cost

Councillor Perelli recommended that we should start with a small facility and expand as the need increases.

Councillor Papa suggested that money could be brought in through licensing.

P.Quakenbush brought up that dog owners should not be forced to fundraise for things that they want.

**Conversation shifted to need for a better Dog Licensing system for the Town

Adri – Vancouver model: licensing switched from in-store only to online to create an easier way to register.

*less than 5% of dog owners in Vancouver had licenses. By cutting cost in half, not distinguishing between neutered and unneutered – propose that they will increase revenue by making the process easier.

K9 Klub needs to champion the need for better licensing – need to convey the reason why people need to license. *allows for effective animal services within a Town.

Calgary has a successful model to be considered or looked at.

What does the Town do with the licensing documents that come in? No confirmation sent – what is really happening with it?

Pooch Party Committee Call Out

*Facility booked – larger arena

*Dog Demo team

*Temporary Off-leash park

*Food & Retail Vendors beginning to book

Carmine has committed to covering all sponsorship costs by assisting with raising all of the funds that we will require for the event.

Canine Valentine BBQ – Carmine Perelli’s Ward Party/BBQ

October 14

Will be looking to get the third Sunday named as Canine Valentine Day for Richmond Hill

Patrick Liu reminded the attendees that the neighbours surrounding the park are still complaining about issues that include:

*garbage and poop on the paths around the park

*noise from the latch on the gate

*dogs off leash outside the park areas

Please remind the park users to be mindful of the rules when using the park and the surrounding areas.

What can be done with $13K? 7ft white pine trees plus lots of landscaping. Plant trees along the sound barrier. Town is limited by funding.

What are the areas are not being used? South end.

What’s most used? The bowl.

Legit or not – the neighbours do not like that they can see the park and the park can be seen from their homes. The neighbours biggest issues are sight and sound.

They want to move the fence in cutting off the small dog area, the top of the ridge and the south end of the park to create an area for planting which would help mitigate sound.

What has been raised as far as issues that the residents have:

*more enforcement staff needed on-site

*sightlines

*sound issues

*poop bags hanging on trees

*gate noise

*off-leash dogs outside park

*parking on the street

K9 Klub will undertake to approach the Town about creating any-law that prevent residents from parking on Tower Hill. This practice creates blind spots which only serve to increase the potential for accidents. 1 accident will Lilly be the catalyst for more scrutiny about the Tower Hill site.

Thank you for attending to everyone who came out.

Pooch Party Committee Meeting

March 30 @ 7:30pm

Diane Barrow’s Building

249 Major MacKenzie @Lennox

Join us at our AGM tomorrow!

WWalker — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:06:42 +0000

We hope you’ll be able to join us tomorrow evening ( that’s Thursday, March 22) for our Annual General Meeting at 7:30pm. It will be held at the the McConaghy Centre (10100 Yonge Street) on the 2nd floor in room 205. There’s lots of parking in back. Join us for a coffee!

We’ll be discussing K9 Klub plans for the coming year and there will be a short presentation from Richmond Hill’s Parks, Recreation and Culture department regarding the progress of the new leash-free area in Phyllis Rawlinson Park.

We have a couple of seats available on our board if you would like commit some time and get more involved in our projects and causes this year. Email dwalker@rhk9klub.ca for more information.

THE SCOOP ON POOP…Giardia and the Spring Melt.

Adriana Pisano Beaumont — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 16:07:51 +0000

giardia lamblia

Since the purpose of this blog is that of providing information to help people and their pets achieve and sustain wellness, it is critical that we discuss a health risk that is of particular concern at this time of year, especially if you frequent off-leash areas or ravines with water sources. Giardia are parasitic protozoans (single celled organisms) found in the intestines of many animals, including dogs. This microscopic parasite clings to the surface of the intestine or floats free in the mucous lining within the intestine. It is generally thought to occur in dogs at rates of 5-10% (as high as 50% in puppies) based on surveys of many countries and is generally transmitted when microscopic cysts are ingested by our dogs coming into contact with contaminated feces or drinking water. Once the host animal has consumed the giardia cyst, it invades the intestine, hatches into a motile form (capable of active movement), feeds and then reproduces and multiplies all the while causing inflammation of the intestine in the host animal. The motile cyst makes its way into the large intestine, transforms into a non-motile cyst and is shed into the feces serving as the source for infection of the next animal it contacts. Giardia cysts are particularly hardy and therefore can survive for very long periods of time especially in cool moist environments. It is of particular concern as the spring thaw begins and the cysts from contaminated feces from either domestic or wild animals make their way into streams and ponds during the runoff. The other concern arises when dogs step in contaminated feces left behind at the park and later ingest the cysts when licking and grooming themselves.

The giardia cycle puts other pets and you at risk

Since most of the symptoms of giardiasis (the technical term for infection by giardia) resemble so many other gastro-intestinal problems, it is difficult to know for sure if your dog is infected. Some dogs show no symptoms and act as carriers of the disease, while others exhibit symptoms ranging from mild recurring light-coloured soft stools to acute explosive diarrhea. Gradual weight loss, listlessness, lethargy and mucous in the stool are some of the more long-term symptoms that might be present, but not necessarily. Therein lies the difficulty in actually diagnosing giardia cases. Even with repeated fecal samples, the cysts are intermittently shed and not always seen in the sample. Newer tests for giardia-specific protein offer better screening success and are able to detect cases that would have been previously missed but this too is not foolproof. Although several treatment protocols are available once a diagnosis is made, the success rate for eradication of the infection is also not 100%. So what is the best way to protect our dogs from giardia infection? As with all wellness regimens, the most sustainable and successful management strategy is always mindful prevention. With all the necessary information about how giardia lives, infects and multiplies, there are many strategies we can incorporate to reduce the risk that our dogs will come into contact with it.

1. BRING YOUR OWN CLEAN WATER FOR FIDO … The easiest way to prevent a giardia infection in dogs is to keep him or her from drinking out of pools of water in nature. Ponds, lakes, puddles and all other bodies of water found in nature have the potential to be infected and can pass that infection to your dog. When you visit the dog park, especially, bring your own water for your dog and don’t allow puddles, ponds or streams to become handy refreshments.

2. STOOP AND SCOOP IN THE PARK OR ON NATURE TRAILS (even if it’s not yours) … Once again, we stress the importance of making this a universal responsibility, that while you’re bent over picking up after your dog, you might as well pick up anything else you see. Even if it doesn’t belong to your dog, ignoring it could potentially make it your problem.

3. CLEAN YOUR DOG’S PAWS … If you have visited the park or greenspace during this time of increased concern, take the extra precaution of giving your dog’s paws a good wipe with a wet cloth making sure to get between the pads and around the nails where feces may have been inadvertently picked up. Don’t forget to wash your own hands afterwards!

Happy, healthy, well.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, exposure to any potential health risk is always best dealt with when your dog has a healthy immune system and robust constitution. Consult your veterinarian about yearly ‘wellness’ checkups. Good nutrition from whole foods, plenty of exercise and rest and a happy life go a long way to minimizing and preventing disease…for us and for our dogs!! That’s wellness.

Richmond Hill Pooch Party 2012 Announced

David Walker — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:53:15 +0000

The Richmond Hill K9 Klub is proud to announce the 2012 Pooch Party will be held on June 24, 2012 from 10am – 4pm and it is going to be bigger than ever! Visit the website www.poochparty.ca for additional information.

This year the event will be held at the indoor Sports Centre at Richmond Green Park. We are organizing some very special exhibitions and guests throughout the day. Stay tuned as we’ll update the website regularly as everything comes together.

Richmond Hill K9 Klub receives Character nomination!

Adriana Pisano Beaumont — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 01:04:25 +0000

The Richmond Hill K9 Klub has received a nomination from the community for the 2012 York Region Character Community Awards. What is a Character Community? It is one in which community members work together to nurture positive character attributes. According to the Character Community Initiative, it requires a shift in thinking and a focus on attitudes and behaviours that lead to achievement and success. The Character Community Foundation of York Region recognizes 11 character attributes: compassion, courage, fairness, honesty, inclusiveness, initiative, integrity, optimism, perseverance, respect and responsibility.

Character Community Foundation of York Region

Criteria – Nominees will be judged on:

Consistent character attributes demonstrated.
Impact on the community.
Leadership in respect to character development.
Active and committed service to others in their community.
Demonstrated commitment to making good decisions, doing the right thing, and honouring personal beliefs and values.

Receiving this nomination is a great honour for us since ultimately, through our hard work, we seek to achieve a connected and engaged membership that serves the community of Richmond Hill in a positive way by generating social capital. We have been nominated in the category of “Change our World – Community”, which recognizes an individual or organization that demonstrates character in making effective changes in our world at the community level. The 6^th Annual Character Community Awards will be presented at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, April 25^th. We are deeply honoured by this nomination and appreciate the value that is seen in our mandate as a community volunteer organization. We’ll keep you posted on the results!

Made in Richmond Hill Animal Services moves step closer

David Walker — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 02:31:43 +0000

Today we had the opportunity to listen in on Town Council’s deliberations in deciding whether to keep the status quo with respect to Animal Services or work on a “Made in Richmond Hill” approach to this important community need.

Although the final decision on how the Town will move forward on this issue has been moved to the next budget meeting on March 6th, a draft motion proposed by Councillor Greg Beros was approved for now.

From my perspective, the motion approves the extension of the OSPCA contract for as long as 3 years while the Town takes steps to improve the animal services it currently provides; reach out to the community with respect to responsible pet ownership and education. A look must also be taken at improving services while finding additional revenue sources, such as an improved licensing system and then conduct a proper, comprehensive report on the viability and establishment of Town owned shelter facilities and animal services with an eye to full implementation 3-4 years from now.

Upfront capital cost and ongoing operational costs are the big concerns with taking animal services ‘in-house’. The material presented was not enough information for anyone, including Council, to make a decision as presented.

We’ll keep you posted on further developments…

Should Richmond Hill animal services be through OSPCA or Town owned?

David Walker — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 15:00:15 +0000

On Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 at 1pm, at the Budget Committee of the whole meeting, our Town Council is reviewing options with respect to ongoing Animal Services for the Town of Richmond Hill.

Meeting Agenda

Animal Services Update and Options Staff Report (SRCAO.12.1)

Several of our board members will be attending the meeting and if you have the time, I suggest you join us. This is a very important topic for our community and we strongly suggest you bring yourself up to speed and express your opinion.

Summary of the decision before Council:

1. That Council provide direction to staff on the provision of animals services by selecting one of the following three options, as identified in SRCAO.12.01:

Option A: Continue with the existing level of service through a contracted provider; (OSPCA)

Option B: Continue with the existing level of service from June 2012 to June 2015. Beginning mid 2015, increase the level of service by adopting a responsible pet ownership philosophy, adding a community outreach/public education component and have Town staff deliver patrol, pickup and drop off services. Have animals sheltered by a contracted provider;

Option C: Continue with the existing level of service from June 2012 to June 2015. Beginning in mid 2015, increase the level of service by adopting a responsible pet ownership philosophy, add a community outreach/public education component and build a Town owned and operated shelter, where patrol/pickup, drop off and sheltering are the responsibility of the Town;

2. Should Council select Option B or C, staff report back on an approach to implementation of the selected option.

VW Superbowl teaser – the “Bark Side”

WWalker — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:07:33 +0000

Didn’t see this one leading up to Superbowl; I suppose it’s the whole Canadian content thing… thank goodness for You Tube!

Love it :)