Animal Shelter Statistics 03-2009

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Animal Services Monthly Report March, 2009 8 continues to be affected by the epidemic of “eastern raccoon rabies” that began in the latter half of the 1990s. Special Monthly Notes Still a factor in disposition numbers again this month is the overall economic downturn that North Carolina and other regions have experienced. As has been discussed in professional publications and reviewed on national news coverage, this economic burden has forced many people to give up things they once were more able to afford, including pets. Our impression is that this may not only be affecting not only adoption numbers, but also reclaim rates and the ability for people to provide different levels of care such as spaying and neutering pets. Despite the economy’s effects on businesses of all kinds, adoption and reclaim numbers have stayed moderately level, in part due to staff’s dedicated work in areas such as outreach, visibility, awareness, and education. Conclusion As a very young department that only came into existence in 2005, Animal Services continues to develop new ways in which to better serve the animals and citizens of the county. As suggested in our discussion of pet overpopulation, there are a number of initiatives that must be taken to effectively address the underlying problem of pet overpopulation. These include the creation of a spay/neuter fund and an effective program to address feral cats, among others, and steps are being taken toward those goals by the department in coordination with the Animal Services Advisory Board. Also, on behalf of its citizens the County has committed itself to building a new animal services facility. With the opening of this facility at the beginning of 2009, for the first time Animal Control, the Animal Shelter, and Administrative staff will be housed under the same roof. In addition to providing some true economies of scale, and better allowing the coordination of animal services, it is expected that this facility will help to overcome one of the major inhibitions to our placement efforts—namely, the inhibition that members of the public have toward earlier generations of shelters which are often perceived as dreadful places. As it is being designed as a resource center that is an attractive public destination, the new facility is expected to have a very positive affect on the number of adoptions, transfers, community outreach programs, public visitors—and much more. With its innovative and modern design, this new facility will become a community asset and help further staff efforts to deliver integrated and coordinated animal services to the citizens of Orange County. As well, it is intended and expected to enhance our adoption activities and increase our average rate of “live releases” at the same time as it enables our staff to work with community stakeholders to more effectively address and ultimately resolve the pressing problem of pet overpopulation.