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Context <br /> <br />• Orange County’s Shelter faces increased competition for adopters with rescues and other animal <br />organizations. Not only is it the case that another shelter (or sanctuary) now operates within the <br />county but some private rescue organizations have become quite prominent. <br />• Related to increased competition is the physical condition of the County’s shelter, which will <br />remain an impediment to attracting potential adopters until the County’s new facility is finished <br />at the end of 2008. In the meantime, rescues and newer shelters provide potential adopters with <br />the opportunity to adopt a homeless animal without having to enter an old, unattractive building. <br />• In this changing context, 2006 is only the second year of direct operation of the County’s Animal <br />Shelter, which makes meaningful statistical comparison of smaller periods of time quite <br />challenging. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Placing Animals <br /> <br />As mentioned at the outset, staff have taken several oriented toward ensuring that adoptable animals are <br />placed in new homes. These are in addition to the “regular” responsibilities of staff for the care and <br />placement of the various animals that we shelter. And they are based upon our careful monitoring of our <br />sheltering activities, on the basis of monthly statistics as presented in the following section, given our full <br />complement of responsibilities and available resources. <br /> <br />Specific Initiatives <br /> <br />• New marketing ideas have been implemented including classified ads in several area papers, <br />fliers, and our new website (which includes a link to Pet Harbor to photographically showcase <br />animals at the shelter). We are also working to more fully and routinely utilize Petfinder and <br />other such opportunities for the electronic advertising of adoptable animals. <br />• Developing the volunteer program in new ways that help to promote adoptions. One example is <br />taking adoption deposits at outreach events. Another a brand new component of our dog walking <br />program in which volunteers promote our dogs as well as hand out information about the <br />County’s Animal Shelter and its services. <br />• Efforts continue to sustain and broaden relations with other animal organizations to increase the <br />number of animals that are transferred for final placement, within the context of a developed <br />partnership program, in this way expanding our the capacity to house as well as place animals. <br />• Working with the Adoption Committee of the Animal Services Advisory Board, staff are more <br />carefully evaluating the reasons for euthanasia, not only so that there is a clear understanding of <br />that process in the County’s Animal Shelter but to begin to identify targeted programs to increase <br />animal placements. <br /> <br />Developments <br /> <br />• We have been building on the skills and abilities of staff through training and have every reason <br />to believe that our human resources will continue to grow stronger in the coming years— <br />strengths that are already readily apparent in our service to the public and our care of animals. <br />• In the same vein, two vacant positions with administrative responsibilities for our sheltering <br />services are expected to be filled, and doing so is another opportunity to strengthen our human <br />resources and leadership capabilities as we move forward in developing and delivering animal <br />services.