Animal Shelter Statistics - 10-2007

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Animal Services Monthly Report October, 2007 7 a dog or a cat and a wild animal such as a raccoon, as well as whether there is indirect contact between a human and pet member of a househo ld in these situations. But our Animal Control Officers are also responsible for bite reports invo lving dogs and cats (as well as other animals) and a human victim. In these cases, it is a legal requirement and public healt h precaution that a dog or cat bit ing a human being be contained and observed for a period of ten (10) days—thereby ensuring that the bite victim was not exposed to the rabies virus. Efforts to ensure current vaccination, for the welfare of pets and the people with who m they come into contact, are ongoing and act ivit ies in this area are captured by vaccination statist ics compiled by our Animal Control Divisio n. As is ordinarily the case, the majorit y o f these vaccinations—1,117 out of a total o f 1,363 vaccinations—continue to be performed at veterinary establishments. The Animal Services Department organized three lowcost rabies vaccination clinics for Orange Count y in the month of October, and a total o f one hundred and twentynine (129) cats and dogs were vaccinated at these clinics. In addit ion, another one hundred and seventeen (117) animals were vaccinated at our Animal Shelter prior to their adoption or recovery. All o f these act ivit ies—public educat ion and outreach, invest igations and enforcement, and providing lowcost vaccination clinics—are crit ical given that Orange County continues to be affected by the epidemic of “eastern raccoon rabies” that began in the latter half o f the 1990s. Their essential nature is further underscored by the current view that we are on the upside o f a raccoon rabies cycle that may bring even higher numbers of confirmed rabies cases than we have seen in recent years. North Carolina public health veterinarians have articulated this view because of their awareness that last year 520 animals were confirmed rabid by North Carolina’s rabies laboratory, an increase of 62 cases fro m the year before. Special Monthly Notes There have been several challenges and changes that have affected animal disposit ion numbers this month. One of the most notable has been the housing of dogs that were confiscated due to a cruelt y case. In May, nine o f these dogs were humanely euthanized due to medical or behavioral problems, but six of the dogs still remain in the care of the Animal Shelter, subject to the terms of a plea agreement reached in Superior Court. The costs of their care are covered, but their presence reduces the available kennel space the shelter has to house other animals. In a similar vein, mult iple kennels in our holding areas have cont inued to undergo routine sanding and paint ing during October. This periodic maintenance is necessary for the purposes of disease control and sanitation, and at least four kennels at a time have been unusable due to this maintenance project, reducing available space.