The City of Sugar Land is required by state law to have an Animal Advisory Board.

Appointments to the Board are made pursuant to membership requirements and qualifications. State law requires the Board to meet at least three times a year. The purpose of the Board is to review and recommend procedures for the care and maintenance of animal shelter facilities and impounded animals to ensure compliance with state law; periodically review the City's animal control ordinances and make recommendations for revisions; review the City's animal control policies, programs and practices of the current animal shelter; review animal capacity calculations and animal population trends; review and recommend policies, programs, and practices for implementation in a new animal shelter; determine the City's animal shelter program needs versus wants and associated budget needs; recommend funding options for the programming of space and recommend a capital campaign.

The City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2101 which appoints eleven members to the Board. Membership must include the following:

• a licensed veterinarian,
• municipal official,
• animal shelter employee,
• animal rescue group representative,
• active animal services volunteer, and
• six residents of the City of Sugar Land

Staff recommends the appointment of Dr. Carolyn Bender as the Animal Services Employee to the Board.