Hays County Commissioners Debbie Ingalsbe and Lon Shell were appointed Feb. 5 to the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter 90 Percent Live Outcome Implementation Plan Committee.

The appointments were made official by a unanimous vote on Feb. 5 by the Hays County Commissioners Court.

San Marcos City Council created the committee in a recent ordinance passed in support of helping the SMRAS reach no-kill status, defined as at least a 90 percent live-outcome rate for its animals.

Ingalsbe and Shell will be the two Hays County representatives on the committee while each of the shelter’s regional partners—San Marcos, Kyle and Buda—will have two spots as well. Local animal advocacy groups including Mutt Strutt, PALS, PAWS, Hays County Animal Advocates, SMRAS staff and volunteers will also have spots on the committee.

“This is something we really need to look at and be a part of,” said Hays County Commissioner Mark Jones at the Feb. 5 meeting.

The committee is charged with coming up with an implementation plan to help the SMRAS reach no-kill status; the plan is due to come before the San Marcos City Council for review and consideration no later than June.

The formation of the committee comes after a regional movement to get the shelter to no-kill status gained momentum following the passage of local ordinances in support of the goal by Hays County, Wimberley, San Marcos and Buda.

Newly elected City Council Members Joca Marquez and Mark Rockeymoore both made the no-kill goal for SMRAS part of their platforms during the November election.