Meet The Dallas Animal Advisory Commissioners
Hello fellow Dallasites! As a new member of the Dallas Animal Advisory Commission (District 3), I am hoping to help steer this board towards cohesive action on behalf of our dogs and cats. Notably, we have a dog and cat overpopulation crisis. The issue affects the greater Southern United States but we live in Dallas so let's start here!
As I meet with the commissioners, one-on-one, and get to know them they will be added to the photo collage and a brief dossier for each is below.
With connection to our corresponding district city council members and influencers in the local animal advocacy scene, Dallas Animal Advisory Commissioners have the opportunity to unite city leadership in animal advocacy efforts including awareness campaigns, public safety and well being enhancements, budget allocation lobbying, and adjustment to Dallas animal rule and law.
Let's Fix It! Meet Dallas's current Animal Advisory Commissioners...
Want to Watch The Dallas Animal Advisory Commission Meetings Live? INFO HERE!
Note: DISTRICT links below will jump to that city council person's contact page!
DISTRICT 1
JONATHAN SAXER
Jonathan works in finance and is adept at compliance and legalese. He and his family have lived in Texas for about 12 years by way of California by way of Florida so he has spent time in all the states with the worst dog and cat overpopulation issues. His household includes two rescue dogs one of which is famous for "boirking" instead of "barking." Jonathan’s top priority for animals in Dallas is to increase awareness of “what to do” and “how to do it” for the most pressing animal related issues in order to reduce inaction due to ignorance.
DISTRICT 2
RACHEL GEARING
Rachel is a healthcare industry attorney who originates from California. She and her husband live in Dallas with their 4 rescue animals - 2 Great Danes, a Doberman, and a cat. Rachel has a self-admitted affinity for, "blind & deaf, massive dogs!” Rachel’s top focus as an animal advisory commissioner is twofold - to get more education to citizens about our animal issues coming directly from the city and to secure funding to build a new DAS facility.
DISTRICT 3
STEPHANIE M. CASEY
That's me! I founded and run this community, Dallas Love Bugs. I have worked on a variety of Animal Advocacy efforts over my 30 year media career and had a rescue animal in my home all the years of my life with the exception of my freshman year at University living in a dorm. I believe change is possible... that we can fix this problem of overpopulation to curb the suffering of so many animals and humans. Let's do it!
DISTRICT 4
AARON GOUGIWS
(stay tuned)
DISTRICT 5
CURRENTLY VACANT
(stay tuned)
DISTRICT 6
GREG MOAKES
Greg is a doctor of chemistry who moved to the Southern USA, from the UK, 20 years ago. He has 3 rescue dogs and recently acquired K9 Magazine to expand it stateside building on the work of a friend and his friend’s wife who created this online dog resource in the UK. Greg is passionate about fixing the dog culture here.
DISTRICT 7
CASSANDRA LASTER
Cassandra is a South Dallas resident and business owner so very familiar with the dog issues in the southern part of our city. She owns Dawg Life at which she is mainly interested in the dog training arena of their offerings. Cassandra's background includes leadership positions in ISDs (independent school districts) in the area so she is quite experienced in the public education realm and with city budgeting, grants, etc. This skillset is a terrific asset to have on the animal commission. A lover of Shepherd-breed, she has several of her own at home. Cassandra’s main focus as an advocate for dogs in Dallas is that they get the care and respect they deserve. As a living, breathing thing - that they should be taken care of!
DISTRICT 8
STEPHANIE HANSON
(stay tuned)
DISTRICT 9
SHELBY L. BOBOSKY
Shelby is the executive director of the Texas Humane Legislation Network. Shelby guides THLN through legislative activities, at city and state levels, for change to policy and ordinances to better our laws and regulations on behalf of our animal’s wellbeing. Through her work, Texas is the first state to outlaw chains as a method of restraint and she also successfully got the “Safe Outdoor Dogs Act” passed which made it law for an outdoor animal to have adequate food, water, and shelter. Outlawing puppy mill sales in Texas pet stores is also an effort you may have caught over the past year, which Shelby and THLN are behind! Shelby has 2 rescued pittie mixes at home and her top priority is focusing on ordinance and policy adjustment so the law reflects how we want to see animals treated.
DISTRICT 10
BONNIE HILL
Bonnie founded the Spay Neuter Network in 2004 and worked passionately for 20 years expanding awareness and availability of spay & neuter services in Texas. She retired from the organization a few years ago but now sits on SNN’s Board and remains dedicated to working on solving Texas’s dog and cat overpopulation crisis. Bonnie loves all animals but will tell you she is more of a cat person! She is especially interested in ramping up TNR (trap neuter release) efforts and when cats are trapped which are clearly not feral - getting those felines homed VS released!
DISTRICT 11
ELIZABETH SCHRUPP
(stay tuned)
DISTRICT 12
LISA FAULKNER-DUNNE
Lisa is President of The DAWG Project. DAWG was founded in response to the death of Antoinette Brown who was killed by a pack of stray dogs in South Dallas in 2016. DAWG focuses efforts in South Dallas distributing food, getting dogs spayed/neutered, providing fencing and such in addition to being a foster-based rescue for dogs pulled from the shelter system. Lisa started her career in Dallas politics working at the Mayor’s office and went on to found her own PR Agency. She loves all the dogs but has a sweet spot for Huskies! Lisa is passionate about helping at the core of our dog overpopulation crisis (which is all about people) and wisely focused on our region needing the most help (South Dallas).
DISTRICT 13
JOE JOHN (JAY) GONZALEZ
Jay has lived in Dallas for just shy of 40 years, is the owner of Dallas Hair By Jay, and is serving his second term on the Animal Advisory Commission. Jay's husband works for DISD and between them - they have a home very active in Dallas culture and making our city a better place! Dog dad to 5 pups at home, Jay values his role as an animal commissioner for the opportunity to create awareness around our animal issues and serve as a public voice for Dallas Animal Services' challenges, needs, and potential for continued growth and community support.
DISTRICT 14
KAREN SANDERS
(stay tuned)
"DISTRICT 15" (this seat is appointed by the Mayor of Dallas)
SANA SYED
Sana is a PR executive and former staff for the City of Dallas PIO department. PIO stands for “public information officer” and is the city’s PR division. When Sana was a city staff member she worked on a huge awareness campaign on behalf of Dallas’s animals and animal services. We so need something like this to happen again which makes Sana's experience, here, very valuable! Sana is a dog mom to two dogs at home and the local animal issue which pains her most is euthanizing for space so she is eager to work on the underlying problems which cause this.
HOT TIP: Each DISTRICT link above jumps to that district's city council member's website page with their contact info! Not sure which Dallas City Council District you are in? Check out the city district map.
Here is a list of all current City Council Members and the Mayor's office
