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Orange County Animal Services – July 2006 Monthly Report – Page 5 <br /> <br />Volunteers: Volunteers this month numbered 36 and volunteer hours totaled 233.5. This is the first time <br />this year that total hours were less than in the same month of 2005, and as the following table shows, July <br />and August and September have been the months with the lowest levels of volunteer activities. The <br />overall positive trend of growth in volunteer hours for 2006 is expected to continue with Sarah’s return . <br /> <br />Volunteer Hours <br />0 <br />100 <br />200 <br />300 <br />400 <br />500 <br />600 <br />Ja <br />n <br />Fe <br />b <br />M <br />ar <br />Ap <br />r <br />M <br />a <br />y <br />Ju <br />n Ju <br />l <br />Au <br />g <br />Se <br />p <br />Oc <br />t <br />No <br />v <br />De <br />c <br />2004 <br />2005 <br />2006 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />2. Special Events and Community Meetings <br /> <br />Last Friday an Art walk in Hillsborough – On Friday, July 28th, the Burwell School sponsored “Dog Day <br />Afternoon” featuring a live band and a dog contest, with free water and dog biscuits for contestants. <br />Orange County Animal Services was among the several animal groups that were invited, and met the <br />public from an informational booth. <br /> <br />AniMall Impact – On Saturday July 29th, we could be found at a foster family drive in the Outlet Mall in <br />Morrisville. Animal organizations set up booths with information about their foster program, in hopes to <br />recruit new foster families. One of our own foster families represented Orange County Animal Services . <br /> <br /> <br />Animal Control Highlights <br /> <br />Animal Intake Data shows that we are continuing to impound a large number of unclaimed stray animals <br />and a large number of animals released (or surrendered) by their owner. The presence of such animals in <br />our community accounts in no small part for our need to have professional animal control services as well <br />as an animal shelter. These respective divisions of the Animal Services Department minimize the adverse <br />affects of stray and unwanted animals on our communities, and provide for the welfare of what are <br />sometimes referred to as “surplus” animal companions and place them in new homes to the greatest extent <br />possible. <br /> <br />Of course, animal intakes numbering hundreds each month underscores the importance of promoting pet <br />owner responsibility in our communities and County. While responsible pet ownership begins with <br />matters such as rabies vaccination and licensing, among other legal requirements, in fact, it is much <br />broader. It includes proper husbandry and care; socialization and training; no unwanted offspring; and <br />ultimately, the formation of a lifelong human-animal bond. Thus our staff will necessarily continue to <br />provide public education on responsible pet ownership, perform spay/neuter outreach; and offer low-cost <br />rabies vaccination clinics.