Mayor Craig A. Moe and City Council of Laurel are firmly committed to a no kill animal shelter in the city. 

They approved a resolution back in February to create a No-Kill-Animal Shelter Citizens Advisory Committee.

The 9-member committee, made up of volunteers who live in the City of Laurel,

would help create a plan to provide a safe place to house and care for stray animals, and then get them adopted.

The advisory group meets bi-monthly and will make recommendations on everything from infrastructure and policies to venues.

Committee members will be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council for either 3 or 4 year terms.

If you are interested, please send an email to [email protected] or call 301-725-5300 and ask for the Mayor’s Office.

Read the full  resolution creating the CAC below.

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community animal shelter.

• Provide rules, regulations and other policies that will be needed to operate and support the no-kill community animal shelter.
• Create an Operations Manual for the shelter.
• Work with the City’s Emergency Manager on ways to support City animals in times of emergencies.
• Develop a program for to publicize the shelter to residents and the business community located in the City and the surrounding community, and to educate those individuals as to the importance of and benefits to the City and the community.
• Provide input on properties that could possibly satisfy the requirements for a no-kill community animal shelter.
• Provide input as to the requirements for a no-kill community animal shelter, such as needed space, rooms, types of cages, volunteers for staffing, etc.
• Working in conjunction with the City’s Volunteer Coordinator, develop a volunteer program to assist the staff of the proposed no-kill animal shelter.

  CITY OF LAUREL, MARYLAND

  RESOLUTION NO. 6-2023

  A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF LAUREL, MARYLAND TO ESTABLISH THE CITY OF LAUREL NO-KILL COMMUNITY ANIMAL SHELTER CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ASCAC).

  Sponsored by the President at the request of the Administration.

  WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Council of Laurel reviewed and adopted Resolution No. 2-19 on February 25, 2019, to establish a Task Force to study the matter of animal sheltering in the City of Laurel and make a recommendation to the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland regarding possible need for a community animal shelter in the City of Laurel, and

  WHEREAS, the Task Force did explore all the possibilities of establishing a No-Kill Community Animal Shelter in the City of Laurel, and

  WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Council believe that a no-kill shelter within the City will be beneficial to its citizens by providing a safe place for stray animals to be housed, cared for and where the adoption of those animals can be promoted within the community, and

  WHEREAS, that after review and in support of the of the No-Kill Community Animal Shelter Task Force Final Report, dated March 21, 2022, the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland adopted the report, directing the Mayor to move forward with the recommendations, specifically those recommendations found on page 33 of the Final Report, and

  NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland, that a No-Kill Animal Shelter Citizens Advisory Committee (ASCAC) is hereby established to advise City officials and staff on the development and management of a No-Kill Animal Community Shelter within the City of Laurel, which shall have the following attributes:

  Purpose – The purpose of the No-Kill Community Animal Shelter Citizens Advisory Committee (ASCAC) is to recommend infrastructure needs, policies to be established, and other such related issues to the Mayor and City Council, and to determine possible venues for the shelter. The ASCAC shall solicit public input on matters related to a City Community Animal Shelter facility and programs. The ASCAC is an advisory committee to the Mayor and City Council, and City staff with no decision or policy-making authority.

  Membership – The following shall be the makeup of the committee:

  • The Committee shall be comprised of members reflecting knowledge in the area of animals, animal care, and project management.

   

  • Members should be residents that work, own property, reside, or own a business in the City.
  • The Committee shall consist of 9 voting members.
  • Four members of the committee shall serve for 2-year terms and five members shall serve a 3-year term.
  • Members are to be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council.
  • Members shall serve without compensation.
  • If any member fails to attend 75% of all meetings held during any calendar year, the Mayor may remove the member and fill it with another qualified person..
  • Members must sign a City Volunteer Code of Conduct form.
  • Members may be reappointed at the end of their term.
  • The Chief of the Laurel Police Department or his/her designee shall serve on the Committee as an ex-officio, non-voting member.
  • The Director of the Department of Fire Marshal and Permit Services or his/her designee shall serve on the Committee as an ex-officio, non­voting member.

  Leadership – The Mayor shall appoint a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson who shall serve for two years and may be reappointed by the Mayor.

  • The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson may serve as many terms as Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson as appointed by the Mayor.
  • The committee shall elect one member to serve as the Secretary and take minutes of the meetings, notify members of meetings and other duties assigned by the Chairperson.
  • The Committee may establish rules of procedure for the order of the Committee, have the authority to establish sub-committees, and plan events for educational or fundraising purposes.

  Meetings – The Committee shall meet at least Bi-monthly, at times and places that are determined by the Committee Chairperson and shall hold additional meetings as it deems necessary to perform its functions.

  • All meetings shall be subject to the Maryland Open Meetings Act, as amended from time to time.
  • The committee shall hold at least three (3) virtual meetings each calendar year but may hold more virtual or in-person meetings at the direction of the Chairperson, after discussion with the City staff assigned to the committee.
  • The Committee Chairperson, or in the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson, shall preside over all meetings of the

  committee. When both are absent the Secretary of the Committee shall preside.

  Duties – The Committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities:

  • Review County and State policies on the establishment of a no-kill 2

   

  community animal shelter.

• Provide rules, regulations and other policies that will be needed to operate and support the no-kill community animal shelter.
• Create an Operations Manual for the shelter.
• Work with the City’s Emergency Manager on ways to support City animals in times of emergencies.
• Develop a program for to publicize the shelter to residents and the business community located in the City and the surrounding community, and to educate those individuals as to the importance of and benefits to the City and the community.
• Provide input on properties that could possibly satisfy the requirements for a no-kill community animal shelter.
• Provide input as to the requirements for a no-kill community animal shelter, such as needed space, rooms, types of cages, volunteers for staffing, etc.
• Working in conjunction with the City’s Volunteer Coordinator, develop a volunteer program to assist the staff of the proposed no-kill animal shelter.