Non-Profit Offers to Take Over Healdsburg Animal Shelter

The April 2 meeting of the City Council got underway on schedule Monday night, but started with a surprise change to the agenda.

The ’s representative, Bill Anderson, apparently called Mayor Gary Plass before the meeting to request another delay in the HAS presentation to the council, and a rescheduling of it for two weeks until April 16.

With the HAS off the agenda, the way was cleared for several members of the public to make comment on the HAS in the open public comment portion of the agenda, and make comment they did.

First to speak was Colleen Combs, and co-founder of the non-profit Green Dog Project pet rehabilitation organization. She forcefully asked the Board of Directors of the Healdsburg Animal Shelter to dissolve the organization, and turn over the operation of the shelter to Green Dog.

“The system’s broken,” Combs said, echoing what last week. “I think we as a community can make a change. I know Green Dog can.”

Her voice breaking, she explained that her commitment to animal welfare turned into a lifelong urgency because of a dog who “took a bullet” for her, referring to an incident in the 1990s when an armed intruder broke into her house.

“That dog was a rescue dog,” she said – a dog that would have otherwise been “put down” by the traditional animal shelter procedures.

At present there are five dogs in King's Kastle's care who were turned over from the Healdsburg Animal Shelter, including , the mastiff mix whose term at the shelter caused a public controversy

Combs emphasized that Green Dog was prepared to take over the complete operations of the shelter, including finishing the building in a more humane way, training staff and taking responsibility for the animals in the shelter.

“Green Dog is not here to compete but to unite and resolve,” she said. “This would be a bold first step – we are an amazing community, and I advise you to do something amazing right now.”

She was followed to the public comment podium by Toni Lisoni, who also spoke up in support of Green Dog as a member of its newly formed board of directors.

“What you may not know is that, since the date when Cash was surrendered to Colleen,” referring to Combs’ Kings Kastle in Windsor, “she hasn’t received one phone call or visit from any member of the HAS Board of Directors or any member of the HAS staff, even simply to inquire as to his progress.”

Lisoni also made the point that “no member of the current board of directors or of the staff possesses the knowledge, skills or training of an animal behaviorist. On the contrary, for Green Dog, that training is required of everyone, board and staff alike.”

Bill Anderson, the newest board member and co-chair – who had been expected to give the HAS presentation at the City Council meeting – was also noted as having no formal background in animal behavior or welfare, although he has considerable experience in “high-end, global, hospitality establishments,” Lisoni said.

“If we were about to undertake the business of a world-class animal spa, he would be the perfect person to lead that endeavor,” she said.

Three other members of the audience spoke up  either in support of the Green Dog offer to take over the animal shelter, or in evident frustration over the HAS delay in presenting their status to the City Council. Carol Noack wondered why “apparently the only one capable to speak for the HAS board has only one month experience.”

At the end of the charged half-hour of public comment, Mayor Gary Plass requested that an audio CD be made and sent to the Healdsburg Animal Shelter board so they would be aware of the arguments.

About 15 people left the council chambers at the end of public comment, apparently all of whom had come to the meeting to hear the HAS presentation.

At the meeting, Plass said he felt it was appropriate for City Council to get involved in mediating the conflict "in some fashion" because the shelter was "a very important part of the community."

Healdsburg Animal Shelter is a separate nonprofit agency from the city, but the city does finance animal control operations at the shelter at a cost of about $115,000 annually.

This marks the second time a scheduled presentation by HAS has been been delayed, from March 19 due to an absence on the City Council, and this time at the request of HAS. was originally presumed to be the one to give the presentation, but she resigned suddenly on March 12.

The Healdsburg Animal Shelter is now scheduled to appear before the City Council at their next meeting, on Monday, April 16.

HAS has also promised an to be held later this week, on Wednesday April 4. It is to be held on the site of the new, as on Westside Rd.