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34 <br /> Slide#10 <br /> • Orange County Animal Services is following the HASS <br /> model to provide care to our people AND our animals. <br /> • We have increased our communication and connectivity with <br /> the other Orange County departments. Knowing what <br /> resources each department offers—and how to obtain <br /> Human Animal those resources—is essential to providing access to care. <br /> Support <br /> • We provide our own resources for pet owners, including: <br /> Services o A pet food pantry. <br /> o As part of Chewy's donation gram,we received <br /> • • 27 pallets of food in December 2025. <br /> o Low-cost or no-cost spay and neuter. <br /> o Low-cost or no-cost veterinary services. <br /> • Of all these services,access to veterinary care is the , <br /> greatest barrier for pet owners. <br /> 00 <br /> now <br /> Slide#11 <br /> National Statistics <br /> • The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(ASPCA)estimates that over 20 million pets live in poverty <br /> (2020). <br /> • A Humane Society of the United States(now Humane World)2024 study found that 43%of all pet owners indicated that they <br /> have been unable to pay for their pets'needs at some point because of financial reasons. <br /> • Pets for Life reported In 2020 that 77%of the approximately 23 million pets currently living in underserved communities in <br /> the United States have never been seen by a veterinarian and 87%are not spayed or neutered. <br /> • PetSmart Charities-Gallup State of Pet Care Study:Pet Parents'Assessment of American Veterinary Care(2025) <br /> o This study showed that 52%of pet parents reported having nottaken their pets to theveterinarian within the past <br /> year,even when they felttheir pet needed veterinary care,or declined care recommended by a veterinarian. <br /> o The percentage of these pet owners were particularly high among:18-to-29-year-olds(59%),black pet owners(58%), <br /> Hispanic pet owners(57%),and pet owners living in households earning less than$60,000 annually(55%). <br /> o Even people with higher incomes are affected;27%of pet parents earning more than$90,000 who have declined care <br /> say they did so because they could not afford it. <br /> o Approximately in 10 pet owners were interested in alternative veterinary care methods for their pets,such as <br /> community clinics(38%),home visits from a veterinarian(38%),or telemedicine(37%).Black pet owners(54%),18-to <br /> 29-year-olds(48%),and those living in households earning less than$60,000 annually(47%)reported the highest interest <br /> in community clinics. <br />