2003 S Manager - Animal Protection Society of Orange County, Inc Interim Mngt & Operation Services for Orange Co Animal Shelter

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6. VETERINARY SERVICES There are four major areas in which Veterinary Services are utilized at the Orange County Animal Shelter. It is important to recognize that not just any Vet can fill these needs, as these are specific to an animal shelter operation and require more than just a Vet license. Spay/Neuter -The chosen vet must be able to handle 10 to 20 operations per day. This requires speed and endurance, but most of all it requires an extreme discipline in disease management and safety at all times. The chosen vet must be accessible 4 or 5 days a week for surgery, so that animals do not languish in the shelter. Such languishment limits holding space and increases the probability that the animal will become sick. The Vet must be willing to perform early (8 weeks of age) Spay/Neuter, a procedure which requires dexterity. Early spay/neuter insures that adopted animals aren't going home unsterilized. COST: The current cost is $55 per animal average (less for cats, more for dogs, less for neuter and more for spay). Estimating 1,600 adoptions, this would produce $88,000 in Spay/Neuter income and the entire amount would go to the Vet. 2. Shelter Vet Services - a. The chosen vet must be knowledgeable about diseases that are common in a shelter environment, as well as about disease management. Treating many animals in a confined space is a challenge. Diseases like upper respiratory infection, kennel cough, and parvovirus are common, as are injuries. Less common ailments that still show up regularly are distemper and panleukopenia. Knowledge of treatments and the latest vaccination protocols and advances, as well as recognition that there is a limited budget to handle disease management, is a necessity on the part of the Vet. The Vet must be on-site 3 to 5 days per week to prescribe necessary treatments and assess the progress of animals under the shelter's care. The Vet must also provide the license to order and store controlled drugs such as euthanasia solution, tranquillizers, and other medicines used in treatment. b. The Vet must be able to train staff in a clear, concise and understandable manner. The ability to teach well is not found in all practitioners. The Vet must teach staff how to perform initial and final health checks, how to vaccinate and mix medicines, and how to determine how much and when to administer medicines. The Vet does the initial euthanasia training, explaining injection sites and tranquilizing solutions and amounts. The Vet certifies the trainee after the trainee has spent several weeks working with a certified staff member. It is important to note that most Vets have never had to deal with the massive euthanasia that takes place in a shelter and some find that impossible to deal with. The Vet must teach emergency animal first aid and wildlife handling and procedures. COST: The proposed medical oversight and teaching responsibilities of the Vet will total 10-12 hours per week. A reasonable pay is $35 per hour, so the monthly cost would be $1500-$1800. 38