Animal Shelter Statistics - 02-2006

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Orange County Animal Services – February 2006 Monthly Report – Page 6 wild animal such as a raccoon, as well as whether there is an indirect contact between a human and pet member of a household in these situations. Rabies Exposure Investigations Dogs Cats Other Total Bite Quarantines 10 3 0 13 Exposures Investigated 5 3 4 12 Tested Positive 0 0 2 2 In addition to these “exposure investigations,” our Animal Control Officers are responsible for bite reports involving dogs and cats (as well as others animals) and a human victim. In these cases, it is a legal requirement and public health precaution that a dog or cat biting 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. As can be seen from the Rabies Exposure Investigation Table, in February there were thirteen (13) such bite quarantines. Efforts to ensure current vaccination, for the welfare of pets and the people with whom they come into contact, are ongoing and activities in this area are captured by vaccination statistics compiled by our Animal Control Division. As is ordinarily the case, the majority of these vaccinations continue to be performed at veterinary establishments that service pet owners who reside in Orange County. Significantly, more than one hundred animals were vaccinated at low-cost clinics sponsored by the Animal Services Department; and nearly two hundred were vaccinated at our Animal Shelter prior to their adoption or recovery. Rabies Vaccinations within Orange County Dogs Cats Total Vaccinated at Shelter 81 94 175 Vaccinated at Vet Clinics 451 410 861 Vaccinated at Rabies Clinics 74 55 129 Total Vaccinations 606 559 1165 Appendix Placement Rate: This is a gross statistic which relates the number of animals placed (adopted, reclaimed and transferred) to the number of animals admitted in a given time period. This is expressed as a percentage attained by dividing the number of animals placed by the number of animals admitted. Adoptable Placement Rate: To gain a clearer representation of the placement program, the animals brought to the shelter that are not part of the placement program are excluded, namely feral cats and owner requests for euthanasia. Since the number of feral cats in particular can vary a great deal from month to month, they can obscure the true effects of the program. The adoptable placement rate is obtained by subtracting the number of feral cats and owner requests for euthanasia from the total intake number before the number of placed animals is divided by it. This yields a more refined statistic since the absent animals are generally not regarded as animals that can be placed in new homes.