Animal Shelter Statistics - 06-2007

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Animal Services Monthly Report June, 2007 5 effect ive enforcement; and other such “variables” are what affect the number of animals that are sheltered in our own and other communit ies. Monthly and Seasonal Variations Month by mo nth there are significant changes in the numbers of cats, dogs and other animals that are sheltered at Orange County’s Animal Shelter. In very general terms, there is a significant “spread” in the number of animals that are sheltered each mo nth, which reflect the seasonal nature of pet demographics and animal sheltering in our own and other communit ies. During the peak summer months, the numbers are much higher than in other months of the year. In June, for instance, 733 animals were sheltered. Whereas this is comparable to the number sheltered last August (751), it is twice as high as the number sheltered this past February (359). Similarly, in June 488 animals were admitted to the shelter—a staggering number that equates to 16 animals per day over that thirt yday period. This is the highest number of animals admitted to the shelter since August of 2006, and it is almost twice as many as the lowest number of animals admitted during that tenmonth period (the 262 animals admitted in February 2007). Moreover, it should be underscored that the “live release rate” for a given time period is determined by the number of animals that are sheltered as well as the absolute or total number of animals that are adopted, transferred, or recovered by their owner. It may well be that there is a very high percentage animals that are released alive in a given mo nth but that the abso lute number is lower than in other months because of the number of animals that come to the shelter. Wit h respect to the month of June, for instance, a higher number of animals were released alive than in May—230 versus 228; however, the percentage of live releases is lower in June than in May—53 percent versus 70 percent. Quite simply, the reason for this is that the number of animal sheltered was higher this month than last month (733 versus 639). Addressing Pet Overpopulation To work toward the desideratum o f ending euthanasia as a means of population control, it is thus essent ial to posit ively impact the number of animals that come into Orange County’s Animal Shelter in the course of the year. Essent ial to this is a communit y spay/neuter program for animal companio ns such as dogs and cats that promotes responsible pet ownership and enables all communit y members to spay and neuter their own pets. Developing such a program through the County’s Animal Services Department, in coordination with the Animal Services Advisory Board, remains a fundamental and realizable object ive for the foreseeable future.