Galveston County Animal Resource Center

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• Any posts violating the Facebook Content Code of Conduct (facebook.com/legal/terms) such as inappropriate language or images will be removed.

• We will remove any posts that are libelous, damagingly misrepresent or are simply attacking in nature.

• We reserve the right to remove any post at any time, for any reason.

Galveston County Animal Resource Center (GCARC) is a division of the Galveston County Health District (GCHD), which is like a health department that is accountable to more than one county or city government.

There is a collection of services that GCHD provides to all of Galveston County and its cities, and then there are some services, such as animal services and EMS, that the district provides to designated jurisdictions.

GCHD has a 13-member United Board of Health, www.gchd.org/boards/boardindex.htm, with representative members appointed by the county and cities. The United Board of Health is the authoritative policy-making board that oversees all public health services (excluding the Coastal Health & Wellness clinics, which are federally-qualified clinics and are overseen by a separate board).

Both GCHD boards provide policy direction and grant specific authorities to the CEO.

The boards also adopt a five-year strategic health plan, www.gchd.org/admin/strattoc.htm, which includes many goals that apply to animal services.

In Texas, animal services are organized in different ways. Some animal service programs are operated by health departments and districts like ours, and others are operated by public safety or law enforcement.

State law requires all animal services programs to have an animal advisory Committeee as well as to work with a physician local health authority to oversee animal bites, rabies protection and quarantine.

For over 20 years, the GCHD has been the designated provider of animal services for a collaborative of local jurisdictions party to an interlocal agreement. The parties to the current agreement, which can be found online at www.gchd.org/arc/AnimalInterlocal2012.pdf, are Galveston County, Bayou Vista, Clear Lake Shores, Dickinson, Hitchcock, Kemah, La Marque, Santa Fe, Texas City and Tiki Island.

The current agreement was executed for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1. Revisions to the new agreement include a scope of services for field animal control and sheltering, a designation of the Health District as the local animal control authority, a revision to the funding formula for parties to the agreement, the creation of a reserve fund for the purchase of capital items, new Committeee positions of chair, vice-chair and secretary, a name change from “animal shelter” to “animal resource center” and other minor updates.

The funding formula determines how funds are divided among the county and nine cities. GCHD works with all 10 governments to facilitate a consensus on budgets, operations and priorities. Once they have approved the budget, it is submitted to the United Board of Health for adoption and becomes the framework over the next year for available resources, purchases and operations.

The Animal Advisory Committee is a standing advisory Committee of the United Board of Health that reviews and recommends actions regarding policies, procedures, finances and compliance. It meets four times per year and meeting notices are posted at the Animal Resource Center and at the Mid County Annex. Information about these meetings can be found at http://www.arcpets.org/animal-advisory-Committee.html. The public is invited to attend this open meeting and to suggest agenda items by calling 409-938-2319.

The United Board of Health considers the recommendations provided by the Animal Advisory Committee, adopts the animal services budget, policies and fees which can be found at www.gchd.org/boards/ubboardpolicy.htm.

United Board of Health meetings are open to the public. Meeting dates and minutes are posted online at www.gchd.org/boards/ubmeetings.htm.

In a service provider role, GCHD focuses on being effective, efficient, and accountable to our funders under the agreement.

Our dedicated staffs are proud of the many accomplishments achieved over the years, and deserve much support and appreciation for a very challenging job. Stay tuned for a future summary of the transforming changes GCHD has made in animal services starting in 2003.

Dr. Harlan “Mark” Guidry is CEO and health authority of the Galveston County Health District.