Animal Shelter Statistics - 12-2008

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Animal Services Monthly Report December, 2008 2 Other statistics are more specific in summarizing the services and activities of our department’s Animal Sheltering and Animal Control Divisions. These include: Animal Sheltering 1. B.1 Monthly Dispositions (which reports the dispositions of all animals sheltered in a given month) 2. B.2 Live Release for Placeable and Recovered Animals (discussed in detail in the following sections). 3. B.3 Reasons for Euthanasia (which reports the specific reasons for which animals were euthanized in a given month) 4. B.4 Volunteer Hours (reports volunteer hours and how they compare to previous months and years) Animal Control 1. C.1 Rabies Exposures Investigated and Positive Cases (which reports positive rabies tests and related investigations conducted by Animal Control Officers). 2. C.2 Rabies Statistics (showing positive cases year-to-date and by comparison with previous years). 3. C.3 Rabies Vaccinations (which reports the number of vaccinations given by area veterinarians, at low-cost vaccination clinics organized by our department, and at Orange County’s Animal Shelter). 4. C.4 Year to Date Rabies Vaccination Clinic Numbers (which shows the number of dogs and cats vaccinated to date during the current year at the County’s low- cost rabies vaccination clinics) Together, these monthly statistics provide a convenient summary of our critical services and activities. In a very transparent manner, they describe the efforts of our staff in delivering field services, sheltering animals whose dispositions they must ultimately decide, and programs such as our volunteer program that, among other things, is responsible for public outreach activities and dog walking. Statistical Development The summary statistics provided in our monthly reports are not static. They must be subject to change as our services are redefined, our practices evolve, and we produce the most useful statistical information. A good example of change is table B.3 Reasons for Euthanasia. Staff captured and encouraged the reporting of this information to make adoption figures, as well as the reasons for euthanasia, more meaningful and transparent. It does matter greatly whether a behaviorally sound and healthy animal is euthanized as a result of space limitations or an animal is euthanized because it is aggressive or infirm. In the month of December, for example, the most common cat euthanasia reason was feral, with 42 cats euthanized for this reason. This number made up 49 percent of all cats