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Orange County Animal Services – August 2006 Monthly Report – Page 5 <br /> <br />Volunteer Hours <br />0 <br />100 <br />200 <br />300 <br />400 <br />500 <br />600 <br />JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec <br />2004 <br />2005 <br />2006 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />2. Special Events and Community Meetings <br /> <br />4th Annual Dog Swim – On Saturday, August 26th, Triangle SportsPlex held their fourth dog swim <br />benefit. Each year, before scheduled maintenance, Triangle SportsPlex opens their indoor pool to allow <br />dogs, and their owners themselves, to hop in, cool off, and have some fun. Entry fee was $5.00 per dog, <br />half of which was donated to the Orange County Animal Shelter, and the event attracted over 70 dogs. <br />Our Program Coordinator, Animal Control Manager, Shelter Operations Manger and several volunteers <br />attended with shelter dogs and information about our programs, and Orange County Animal Services <br />donated a prize for the “best swim suit”. A reporter from the Chapel Hill Herald attended and featured the <br />event prominently in the following day’s issue. <br /> <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.