Animal Services advisory board flags omission of pets from county survey

At the April 15, 2026 meeting of the Orange County Animal Services Advisory Board, members said the county’s community survey omitted any reference to pets, feral cats or other animals and asked the board to consider whether to take further action.

Judy Miller, an Animal Welfare/Animal Advocacy board member, said the survey contained "no mention of pets, feral cats, animals, etc.," and called the omission "upsetting." Dr. Lee Pickett noted a similar omission occurred last year and said she was unsure whether anything had been done in response previously.

Chair Allan Polak read a response from the County Manager that explained the survey is intended to set priorities and was not meant to exclude topics. Polak said, after reading the manager’s response, he would advise the board against formal engagement on the survey at this time.

Elizabeth Overcash, Director of Animal Services, told the board she believes Animal Services was left off the survey because the department "would not be impacted by cuts and the department is not underfunded." Vice Chair Debby Hill agreed that there is no clear reason to press the issue if the department does not face cuts.

Board members discussed where animal issues might fit in the survey—Cathy Munnier suggested including animals in sections addressing farming or rural needs—and agreed on a next step: the Animal Services Advisory Board will review the survey materials and continue the discussion at a future meeting.

Procedural business at the start of the meeting included a motion by Chair Allan Polak, seconded by Vice Chair Debby Hill, to approve the agenda (vote: unanimous) and a motion by Polak, seconded by Cathy Munnier, to approve the March 18, 2026 minutes with a correction to a name on page 4 (vote: unanimous).

The board plans to revisit the survey at an upcoming meeting; the survey is available at OrangeCountySurvey.org.