2020: A Year in Review

Live animal markets were on this year’s agenda for the SF Animal Commission

It’s beginning to look a lot like that time of year again...

As 2020 comes to a close, it’s a chance to look back on all that’s happened on San Francisco’s Commission of Animal Control and Welfare. So put on some fun holiday tunes (the Ronettes’ “Sleigh Ride” is always a winner), grab a hot cider and a slice of vegan fruit cake, and let’s review the year as seen through the eyes of a commissioner.

2020 began with the commission voting in favor of a resolution to support enforcement of California Penal Code 597 as it pertains to the mistreatment of farm animals and to support local activists arrested and charged while investigating conditions at a Sonoma County commercial farming facility. This resolution ultimately made its way to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, where we were pleased to see it receive unanimous support.

The commission also provided a letter of support for an ordinance that would require city departments to meet new food purchasing goals by decreasing animal-based food purchases. Another important resolution we passed dealt with California Proposition 12 (Farm Animal Confinement Initiative), ensuring that local businesses prepare for, and comply with, its requirements when that law becomes effective.

In 2020, commissioners continued to discuss the city’s Animal Care and Control department’s euthanasia policy. A recommendation was proposed to revise the city code to require the department to contact or update interested parties and social media within 48 hours of a potential euthanasia. Many public comments were submitted to the commission both for and against the proposed change. In June, commissioners voted 4-2 against making this recommendation.

Throughout the year, the commission hosted in-depth discussions about live animal markets and the city policy concerning feral cats. Due to shelter-in-place limitations, commissioners experienced difficulty meeting with the relevant city departments about animal markets; for now, we are concentrating on statewide efforts regarding animal markets but will return to this as a local issue in the future. Commissioners will also continue to work to address concerns involving San Francisco’s feral cat population. In addition, the commission provided informative guest presentations, including how to prepare companion animals for emergencies and an overview of local conservation efforts to help wildlife in Yosemite.

The commission also made progress on the logistics front this year. We were able to make significant updates to our website as well as to revise some of our commission documents. The Animal Care and Control department is now providing the commission with quarterly reports about the areas that tend to regularly generate questions and comments during meetings. Having this information on a regular basis should greatly increase transparency and accountability moving forward. 

Of course, we can’t discuss logistics without acknowledging the way meetings have changed during the pandemic. I’ve written previously about the challenges of going from in-person meetings to our current remote format. Fortunately, many of those challenges have smoothed out over time, but some are still there. During my first in-person commission meetings at City Hall, I was incredibly nervous, fearing saying something silly. Now, with our remote meetings, my biggest fear is of technical problems or losing connectivity in the middle of an important discussion. Though our remote meetings have been largely problem-free, technical hiccups are still a constant concern. It’s strange to think that, as a relatively new commissioner, I’ve now attended more remote meetings (7) than in-person meetings (5). 

Although we’re waving goodbye to a year like no other (and which we never want to experience again), I remain hopeful about what these last few weeks of 2020 will bring. Next month, I plan to share some of my goals for the new year and some thoughts about what I believe lies ahead for the commission. 

I’m excited about the future, and I hope you are as well. In the meantime, best wishes for a wonderful holiday and an amazing new year.

Stay safe and see you in 2021!

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The Commission of Animal Control and Welfare will not meet in December. The next meeting will be held on January 21, 2021. Happy Holidays!

For additional information about the Commission of Animal Control and Welfare, please visit our website at https://sfgov.org/animals/. Meeting Agendas, Minutes and Supporting Documentation can be found at https://sfgov.org/animals/meetings-1 (agendas for upcoming meetings are published within 72 hours prior to that meeting).

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Please be aware that the views and opinions expressed in this column are those of Commissioner Torres and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of the Commission of Animal Control and Welfare