Ch-ch-changes: Hellos and Goodbyes at the Animal Commission

Summer changes are here, and we San Franciscans make our own summer heat. photo: AdobeStock

Hot time! It’s almost summer in the city! 

While our San Francisco summers may be cooler than in other parts of the country, we still chase that summery vibe that makes everything feel like it’s going to be all right. That means welcoming the seasonal changes with open arms, no matter the temperature.

But seasons aren’t the only things changing. And, as with any change, there’s a sense of excitement about what is coming as well as a little sadness over what has drawn to a close. 

That proverbial change came to the San Francisco Animal Commission recently by way of our city’s Board of Supervisors (BOS), with our regular commission appointment hearings. Of the seven commission seats that needed to be filled, four of us (including yours truly) reapplied for our seats and were reappointed. Three remaining seats were open as three of our members had made the decision to step down from the commission. This is where the sadness around change comes into play.

The retiring commission members were Lisa Fagundes, Jane Tobin, and Dr. Brian VanHorn - and I could write a book about how much they contributed to the commission during the time they served. 

Jane and Brian were already members of the commission when I was first appointed back in 2019. Not only did they volunteer countless hours and unfathomable energy to the commission, but they did so while performing even more volunteer work with other animal organizations in the community. I can’t imagine how they were able to do all that they did, but I continue to be incredibly inspired by their example.

As a commissioner, Jane also served as an animal welfare advisor on the Department of Recreation and Parks Joint Zoo Committee. Her compassionate  work on that committee was instrumental in creating the San Francisco Zoo Recommendation Report that was published to great media attention last year. Her impact regarding that report cannot be overstated. 

Brian served in Seat 7 of the commission, which is reserved for veterinarians only. Although his term ended last year, Brian graciously continued to serve and attend meetings for many more months. Unfortunately, we have not had another veterinarian apply for the seat since Brian’s recent departure so that seat remains empty for now. 

Although she served just one two-year term, Lisa Fagundes was an outstanding commissioner who contributed greatly to our meeting discussions. As a city employee with the public library system, Lisa also provided valuable insight into city government processes and answered many questions about how city systems work. 

The remaining commissioners are incredibly grateful for the service of our former colleagues. We wish them all the best and will miss them very much.

Welcome, New Commissioners

But along with those three goodbyes come some welcome hellos. I’m happy to announce that two new commissioners will be joining us on the dais.  

Joining the commission in Seat 4 is Nick Chapman. Nick is a manager responsible for special event permitting with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SF MTA). He has lived in the city for most of his life and currently resides in the Haight-Ashbury District along with his cat Frannie, an alum of our Department of Animal Care and Control. 

Joining us in Seat 5 is Dayna Sherwood, a city resident for over 20 years who  currently lives in the Bayview District. Dayna’s work with animals includes service as a zookeeper for the San Francisco Zoo and as an animal control officer for the  Department of Animal Care and Control. Her experience will be invaluable, and I’m sure both she and Nick will bring a compassionate approach to addressing animal issues within the community. 

The Work Ahead

At our June meeting, commissioners will continue the discussion about glue traps and our work toward a possible ban. The commission has received significant feedback from the community in support of action on this matter, and we are in the process of creating the wording for proposed legislation to ban these needless, but very harmful, products in our city. 

In addition, commissioners hope to begin a discussion about the San Francisco Zoo and the anticipated arrival of the giant pandas from China. The wildlife organization Panda Voices is tentatively scheduled to present at our July meeting. 

As always, we look forward to hearing from you about any animal issues in our community. See you at City Hall!

The opinions expressed in this article are those of Commission Chair Michael Angelo Torres and do not necessarily reflect official positions of the San Francisco Commission of Animal Control & Welfare.

* * * * * * * * * * *

The next meeting of the Commission of Animal Control and Welfare is at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, June 12, Room 408 at City Hall (1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102). Information about remote access to meetings is available at sf.gov/animalcommission. Agendas are published 72 hours prior to the meeting.