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DRAFT <br /> <br /> <br />1. Introduction <br />In 2010, Orange County Animal Services put forward Managing Pet Overpopulation: A Strategic <br />Plan for Orange County, North Carolina.1 By partnering with animal rescue groups and <br />organizations that offer low-cost and targeted spay/neuter surgeries, this plan has been very <br />successful in both decreasing the overall number of pets that enter the sheltering system and <br />increasing the number of live releases from the shelter. <br />Between 2005 and 2013, intake numbers of cats and dogs decreased from more than 4,000 per <br />year to less than 3,500; and in 2014, fewer than 3,000 animals were admitted.2 During the <br />same period, the number of live outcomes — a combination of animal recoveries, adoptions, <br />and transfers to rescue group— was strengthened and stabilized despite the economic <br />recession. In 2013 and 2014, there were 2279 and 2154 live outcomes respectfully, which are <br />among the highest numbers of live outcomes in the history of Animal Services. <br />As a result of strong placements and declining intakes, there has been a dramatic decrease in <br />the number of animals euthanized. In 2013, 847 animals were euthanized, and in 2014 that <br />number was 760. By comparison, an average of 1580 animals were euthanized annually for the <br />period of 2005-2009. <br />Despite these significant and notable strides, there is a strong belief that Orange County can do <br />even better, especially in regards to cats. Doing so is important to a community that has a <br />strong tradition of animal protection and demanding expectations for animal care and welfare. <br />Cats are an important issue for animal welfare and services, not only in Orange County, but in <br />the United States. Their persistence as a “problem” raises issues not only about animal <br />sheltering, but also traditional approaches to animal control and the overall philosophy and <br />approach to animal management in our communities. Indeed, cats in general, and free-roaming <br />cats in particular, are a new frontier for animal services and animal welfare. <br />The Animal Services Advisory Board established its free-roaming cat task force (the task force) <br />in December 2013 to develop strategies for overcoming the varied problems created by cats <br />that roam our community and swell the county’s animal shelter during summer months. Doing <br /> <br />1 The report is available at <br />http://orangecountync.gov/AnimalServices/documents/ManagingPetOverpopulation2010OrangeCountyN <br />C.pdf. <br />2 Trend data is available at http://orangecountync.gov/AnimalServices/info.asp on intakes, placements, <br />and euthanasia.