HomeMy WebLinkAboutAnimal Shelter Statistics - 08-2007Summary Statistical Report:
August 2007 *
Animal Services Department, Orange County,
North Carolina
Introduction
This is the Animal Services Department’s mo nthly statist ical report for the month of
August, 2007. Each month a standard set of summary statist ics are generated regarding
our core or essent ial services and act ivit ies. These are essent ial for purposes of effective
management and administration in different program areas, in both our Animal Control
and Animal Sheltering Divisio ns. At the same time, these statist ics are an invaluable tool
in communicating to various stakeho lders, the general public and our elected officials and
County management the scope and extent of animal services.
Notably, these monthly statist ics provide a basis for thinking about sheltering practices in
a broader context. Adoption and euthanasia numbers must be understood in the context
of a mult itude of other influent ial factors, including the number of animals that come into
Orange Count y’s Animal Shelter and the availability of medical and behavioral
resources. By far the greatest factor influencing sheltering practices in our own
communit y and others is that of “pet overpopulation,” a communit ywide problem
consist ing of a large number animals for whom there are no homes. As we continue to
push forward to find better and more innovative ways in which to improve, we must
remember that all o f these factors work together to create the broader challenge we must
address as a department, a county, and a communit y.
Standard Statistics
Each of our monthly reports contains various statistics that summarize the various
activit ies o f the County’s Animal Services Department. These are standard statist ics
inso far as for a given month, such as August, they report on the same core or essent ial
services. They are all presented at the end of the narrative portion of this report.
Some statist ics capture the overall effort of all staff as they work together to provide
integrated and coordinated animal services to the cit izens o f Orange Count y. These
include:
1. A.1. Monthly Demographics (which shows fro m where and how animals arrived
at Orange County’s Animal Shelter).
2. A.2. Monthly Shelter Activity (which shows total animal intakes and disposit io ns).
* Questions about the statistics or narrative discussion may be addressed to Andi Morgan, Administrative Assistant,
Orange County Animal Services at amorgan@co.orange.nc.us.
Animal Services Monthly Report August, 2007
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Other statist ics are more specific in summarizing the services and act ivit ies of our
department’s Animal Sheltering and Animal Control Divisio ns. These include:
Animal Sheltering
1. B.1. Total Monthly Dispositions (which reports the disposit ions o f all animals
sheltered in a given month)
2. B.2. Live Release for Placeable and Recovered Animals (discussed in detail in the
fo llo wing sect ions).
3. B.3. Reasons for Euthanasia (which reports the specific reasons for which
animals were euthanized in a given month)
4. B.4. Volunteer Hours (reports volunteer hours and how they compare to previous
mo nths and years)
Animal Control
1. C.1. Rabies Exposures Investigated and Positive Cases (which reports positive
rabies tests and related invest igations conducted by Animal Control Officers).
2. C.2. Rabies Alert Map (showing posit ive cases yeartodate, by comparison with
previous years, and their locat ion throughout Orange County).
3. C.3. Rabies Vaccinations (which reports the number of vaccinations given by area
veterinarians, at lowcost vaccination clinics organized by our department, and at
Orange Count y’s Animal Shelter).
Together, these mo nthly statistics provide a convenient summary o f our crit ical services
and act ivit ies. In a very transparent manner, they describe the efforts of our staff in
delivering field services, sheltering animals whose disposit ions they must ultimately
decide, and programs such as our volunteer program that, among other things, is
responsible for public outreach activit ies and dog walking.
Statistical Development
The summary statistics provided in our monthly reports are not static. They must be
subject to change as our services are redefined, our practices evo lve, and we produce the
most useful statist ical information.
A good example o f change is table B.3. Reasons for Euthanasia. Staff captured and
encouraged the reporting of this information to make adoption figures, as well as the
reasons for euthanasia, more meaningful and transparent. It does matter greatly whether
a behaviorally sound and healt hy animal is euthanized as a result of space limit ations or
an animal is euthanized because it is aggressive or infirm.
For example, in the month of August, the most commo n cat euthanasia reason was feral,
with 45 feral cats euthanized. This number made up 54 percent of all cats euthanized
during the month and 28 percent of all animals euthanized. For dogs, the two primary
Animal Services Monthly Report August, 2007
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reasons for euthanasia for the month were behavio ral (31) and space (22). Together, they
made up 71 percent of the dogs euthanized and 33 percent of all animals euthanized for
the month.
Also, we anticipate further development of the euthanasia categories that are used to
report such information. Of special note is the generation of more specific information
concerning the medical and behavioral reasons for euthanasia—not only because this
clarifies the difficult decisio ns that staff must make on daily basis but because such
information enables us to discuss whether there are specific programs that may be offered
to reduce the rate of euthanasia of certain animals.
Finally, our intent ion is to link specific monthly reports such as this one to date about
trends in our services and act ivit ies. What we foresee is a related set of graphs showing
mo nthly data over time that enable us to ident ify and evaluate trends in key services and
activit ies in relation to policies, practices and our own missio n. As allowed by t ime in
the coming year, these graphs will be prepared and they are expected to be presented
along with reports of standard statist ics for a given month.
Adoptions and “Lives Releases”
The placement of healthy and behaviorally sound animal companions is one of the
foremost object ives of Orange County’s Animal Services Department. The direct
placement or “reho ming” of small animals, cats and dogs occurs through our own
adoption program. In addition, many companio n animals are transferred to “placement
partners”—that is, nonbreed as well as breed specific rescue organizat ions for cats and
dogs (as well as other animals)—for their final placement on the basis of addit ional effort
and evaluation by these various animal organizat ions.
Adoptions and transfer are two of the three elements of what may be referred to as “live
releases.” Animal companio ns recovered by their owners or a custodian—usually if not
always “stray” animals brought to Orange County’s Animal Shelter either by one o f our
Animal Control Officers or a member of the public—form the third element of animals
that are released alive.
Using this basic formula, it is possible to calculate the total (or absolute) number of
animals that are released alive fro m Orange County’s Shelter. 1 The figures needed to
make this calculation are provided by table B.1. Total Monthly Dispositions: August,
1 It should be said that we are using “live release” rather than “placement” for two very specific reasons as well as
because it has become a convention in the field of animal welfare since the appearance of the Asilomar Accords
(http://www.asilomaraccords.org/). One reason is that it includes all animals that are not euthanized, i.e., transfers to
placement partners and returns to owners and custodians as well as direct adoptions. The other reason is that it does not
presume that an animal transferred to placement partners is, in fact, “rehomed.” In the absence of feedback data from
these organizations, which is desirable and an objective toward which we are working, there is no way to know what
decision they have ultimately made about the disposition of a particular animal.
Animal Services Monthly Report August, 2007
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2007. For the month, there was a total of 216 “live releases,” consist ing of 195
adoptions, 19 transfers and 38 returns to owners or custodians.
Moreover, it is possible to determine the rate of live release for placeable animals and
animals that have been recovered for a given mo nth. Placeable animals do not include
animals surrendered by their owner for euthanasia (usually due to illness, infirmit y or a
behavior problem); feral cats (as these are typically not placed); or animals that died
before arriving at the shelter or in our custody as a result of an “untreatable” injury or
illness.
The number of placeable animals is determined by subtracting animals surrendered for
euthanasia, feral cats, and deceased animals from the total number of animals
disposit ioned in a given mo nth. For the month of August, there were 381 total animals
disposit ioned. When we remove the animals surrendered for euthanasia, the feral cats
and those animals that arrived dead or died of an untreatable injury while at the shelter,
we are left with 334 “placeable” animals. To find the “live release rate,” we must then
divide the total number of “live releases” (216) by the total number of potentially
placeable animals whose disposit ion was decided in the month (334)—and as Table B.2
shows, the rate is 65 percent for the month of August. 2
Finally, wit h respect to adoptions themselves, several observations can be made. By
comparison wit h August 2006,there is a slight decrease in the number of adoptions (159
vs. 162) as well as a decrease in the number of “live releases” (216 vs. 260). However,
this August has the highest number of adoptions thus far for the year. Moreover, August
has the third highest “live release” total when compared to the preceding months of this
year, during which it ranged fro m 155 (in February) to 230 (in June).
Pet Demographics and Overpopulation
It is o ften said that pet problems are people problems, and that pet overpopulation is a
communit y problem. These insights very much apply to our own circumstances and they
help create a broader perspective in which to understand our own sheltering statist ics.
More specifically, the number of animals that are sheltered in a given period of time is
itself not caused by or a direct function of our shelt ering operations and practices. The
number of unwanted animals in our communit ies— animals so metimes referred to as
“surplus” pets; the extent to which cats, rabbits and dogs alike are spayed or neutered
rather than allowed to remain intact and reproduce; the strength of norms and customs of
responsible pet ownership; the scope and strength of animal regulations and their
effect ive enforcement; and other such “variables” are what affect the number of animals
that are sheltered in our own and other communit ies.
2 In our early monthly reports, this was referred to as the “adoptable placement rate” versus the “gross placement rate,”
insofar as the latter was determined on the basis of all animals dispositioned in a given month.
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Monthly and Seasonal Variations
Month by mo nth there are significant changes in the numbers of cats, dogs and other
animals that are sheltered at Orange County’s Animal Shelter. In very general terms,
there is a significant “spread” in the number of animals that are sheltered each mo nth,
which reflect the seasonal nature of pet demographics and animal sheltering in our own
and other communit ies.
During the peak summer months, the numbers are much higher than in other months of
the year. In August, for instance, 590 animals were sheltered. Whereas this is less than
the number sheltered last August (752), it is almost twice as high as the number sheltered
this past February (392). Similarly, this August 387 animals were admitted to the
shelter—a staggering number that equates to nearly 13 animals per day over that thirty
oneday period. During the last twelve months, the number of animals admitted to the
shelter has ranged fro m 262 (February 07) to 449 (May 07).
Moreover, it should be underscored that the “live release rate” for a given time period is
determined by the number of animals that are sheltered as well as the absolute or total
number of animals that are adopted, transferred, or recovered by their owner. It may
well be that there is a very high percentage animals that are released alive in a given
mo nth but that the abso lute number is lower than in other months because of the number
of animals that come to the shelter.
Wit h respect to this August, for instance, a lower number of animals were adopted than in
August 2006—159 versus 162; however, the percentage of adoptions is much higher in
August 2007 than in August 2006—42 percent versus 28 percent. Quite simply, the
reason for this is that the number of animal sheltered was lower this mo nth than in
August 2006 (590 versus 751). The same pattern ho lds true for the live release numbers
and percentages using this same co mparison.
Addressing Pet Overpopulation
To work toward the desideratum o f ending euthanasia as a means of population control, it
is thus essent ial to posit ively impact the number of animals that come into Orange
County’s Animal Shelter in the course of the year. Essent ial to this is a communit y
spay/neuter program for animal companio ns such as dogs and cats that promotes
responsible pet ownership and enables all communit y members to spay and neuter their
own pets. Developing such a program through the County’s Animal Services
Department, in coordination with the Animal Services Advisory Board, remains a
fundamental and realizable object ive for the foreseeable future.
No less essent ial is progressive legislation that is enforced in an effect ive, fair and
reasonable manner. A starting po int is what is sometimes referred to as “different ial
licensing”—that is, licensing or registration fees that are much lower for spayed and
Animal Services Monthly Report August, 2007
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neutered animals than for intact animals. Other legislative options include an extra
redempt ion fee for intact animals recovered fro m the Animal Shelter, which may be
refunded if they are sterilized within a given time period, and permit systems that require
a permit for dogs and cats that are going to be bred.
Moreover, there is an overwhelming need to address the deepseated problem of feral cats
in Orange County. Month after month feral cats (as defined by their communit y history
and/or observed behaviors in the context of the shelter) are the largest single group of
animals that are euthanized. In August, 45 feral cats were euthanized, and they
comprised 54 percent of all cats euthanized during the month (and 28 percent of all
animals euthanized).
The euthanasia of feral cats is not in fact a “shelter problem,” but rather a communit y
problem that needs to be addressed as such. There is a great need for init iatives in the
area of public educat ion to raise awareness insofar as euthanasia is the end result for
many of these creatures, and their presence must be considered in relation to the risk of
rabies, given the ongoing and endemic nature of socalled “raccoon rabies” in our County
and region. Thus addressing the problem o f feral cats must beco me part of a strategic
plan for the County’s Animal Services Department, again working in coordination with
our concerned cit izenry through the Animal Services Advisory Board.
These are illustrations o f the kinds of the positive and proactive approaches that are
needed to address the problem of pet overpopulation as a communit y problem. In
working to reduce the number of unwanted animals that must be sheltered in our own
communit ies, we would also expect improvements in so me o f the outcomes of our
sheltering practices. We should all look forward to the day when there are very good
numbers of adoptions and “live releases” but no less notable ongoing decreases in the
number of animals that come to our shelter.
Rabies Cycle, Rabies Prevention and Rabies Control
Wit h respect to rabies control—historically a core function of animal control—there is a
continuing concern about posit ive rabies tests based upon public reporting and our
surveillance of possible exposures of people and/or their pets. Table C.1. Rabies
Exposures Investigated and Positive Cases shows that this month there were no posit ive
rabies tests. However, thus far there have been twelve (12) posit ive tests for 2007, and in
2006 there were twent yseven posit ive cases—eighteen (18) raccoons, four (4) bats, four
(4) skunks, and one (1) fox.
Our own public educat ion activit ies stress that pet owners not only need to be sure that
their pets are vaccinated and licensed but that a dog or cat with a current rabies
vaccination must receive a booster shot within sevent ytwo (72) hours of any exposure to
rabies. Unless an exposed pet with a current vaccination receives a booster shot within
that time frame, the requirements of North Carolina law is the same as for an
unvaccinated animal—namely, euthanasia or a six (6) month quarant ine. In this regard,
Animal Services Monthly Report August, 2007
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staff stresses the immediate reporting of any possible contact to animal control and/or
public healt h authorities to ensure the healt h of all members of a househo ld—human and
pet alike.
As can also be seen fro m the table on rabies exposures, Animal Control Officers
investigated twentyfive (25) cases in which there were possible rabies exposures.
Usually, these are cases invo lving known or suspected contact between a domest ic small
animal such as a dog or a cat and a wild animal such as a raccoon, as well as whether
there is an indirect contact between a human and pet member of a househo ld in these
situations. But our Animal Control Officers are also responsible for bite reports
invo lving dogs and cats (as well as other animals) and a human victim. In these cases, it
is a legal requirement and public health precaution that a dog or cat bit ing a human being
be contained and observed for a period of ten (10) days—thereby ensuring that the bite
victim was not exposed to the rabies virus.
Efforts to ensure current vaccination, for the welfare of pets and the people with who m
they come into contact, are ongoing and act ivit ies in this area are captured by vaccination
statist ics compiled by our Animal Control Divisio n. As is ordinarily the case, the
majorit y o f these vaccinations – 1,411 out of a total o f 1,555 vaccinations – continue to
be performed at private veterinary establishments. But another one hundred and forty
four (144) animals were vaccinated at our Animal Shelter prior to their adoption or
recovery.
All o f these act ivit ies—public educat ion and outreach, invest igations and enforcement,
and providing lowcost vaccination clinics—are crit ical given that Orange County
continues to be affected by the epidemic of “eastern raccoon rabies” that began in the
latter half o f the 1990s. Their essential nature is further underscored by the current view
that we are on the upside o f a raccoon rabies cycle that may bring even higher numbers of
confirmed rabies cases than we have seen in recent years. North Carolina public health
veterinarians have articulated this view because of their awareness that last year 520
animals were confirmed rabid by North Carolina’s rabies laboratory, an increase of 62
cases fro m the year before.
Special Monthly Notes
There have been several challenges and changes that have affected animal disposit ion
numbers this month. One of the most notable has been the typical seasonal increase of
animal intakes during spring and summer, a clear indicat ion of the ongoing problem of
pet overpopulation.
Another notable challenge over the last six mo nths has been the housing o f 17 dogs that
were confiscated due to a cruelt y case. In May, nine of these dogs were humanely
euthanized due to medical or behavioral problems, but six of the dogs still remain in the
care of the Animal Shelter, subject to the terms of a plea agreement reached in Superior
Animal Services Monthly Report August, 2007
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Court in August. The costs of their care are covered, but their presence reduces the
available kennel space the shelter has to house other animals.
In a similar vein, mult iple kennels in our holding areas have been undergoing routine
sanding and paint ing during August. This periodic maintenance is necessary for the
purposes of disease control and sanitation, and at least four kennels at a time have been
unusable due to this maintenance project, reducing available space.
Yet the numbers o f direct adoptions as well as “live releases” remain strong. These very
posit ive indicators reflect the varied efforts of staff (discussed in detail in previous
mo nthly reports) and vo lunteers. In addit ion to their work with potential adopters, they
have built and maintained important relationships with various placement partners. They
have also init iated new market ing activit ies including communit y posters and targeted
ads that are intended to supplement ongoing outreach act ivit ies in raising the public
profile of Orange Count y’s Animal Shelter and Animal Services Department.
Conclusion
As a very young department that came into existence in 2005, Animal Services cont inues
to develop new ways in which to better serve the animals and cit izens of the county. As
suggested in our discussion o f pet overpopulation, there are a number of init iatives that
must be taken to effect ively address the underlying problem of pet overpopulation. These
include the creation of a spay/neuter fund and an effective program to address feral cats,
among others, and steps are being taken toward those goals by the department in
coordination with the Animal Services Advisory Board.
Also, on behalf o f its cit izens the County has committed itself to building a new animal
services facilit y. Wit h the opening of this facilit y at the end of 2008, for the first time
Animal Control, the Animal Shelter, and Administ rative staff will be housed under the
same roof. In addit ion to providing so me true econo mies o f scale, and better allowing the
coordination of animal services, it is expected that this facilit y will help to overcome one
of the major inhibit io ns to our placement efforts—namely, the fear and inhibit io n that
members of the public have toward earlier generations of shelters which are often
perceived as dreadful places.
As it is being designed as a resource center that is an attractive public dest ination, the
new facilit y is expected to have a very posit ive affect on the number of adoptions,
transfers, communit y outreach programs, public visitors— and much more. With its
inno vative and modern design, this new facilit y will become a communit y asset and help
further staff efforts to deliver integrated and coordinated animal services to the cit izens o f
Orange Count y. As well, it is intended and expected to enhance our adoption activit ies
and increase our average rate of “live releases” at the same t ime as it enabled our staff to
work with communit y stakeholders to more effective address and ult imately reso lve the
pressing problem o f pet overpopulation.
Animal Services Monthly Report August, 2007
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STANDARD MONTHLY STATISTICS:
August 2007
A. Overview Statistics
A.1. Demographics: August 2007
(1) “Strays” under Animal Control Demographics also includes quarantined animals that have not been surrendered.
A.2 Shelter Activity: August 2007
Dogs Cats Others Total
In Shelter Custody
as of August 1, 2007 89 112 2 203
+
Total Admitted August 2007 179 202 6 387
Sheltered in August 2007 268 314 8 590
Dispositions for August 2007
(1) 174 199 8 381
Remaining in Shelter Custody
on September 1, 2007 (2) 94 115 0 209
(1) Includes corrections to previous month
(2) Within Shelter: 79 dogs, 82 cats, 0 other
In foster Homes/ Pet Stores: 15 dogs, 33 cats, 0 other
Total Percent
Animal Control From Public Incoming of Total
Strays (1) Surrender Strays Surrender
Carrboro 6 0 3 5 14 3.6%
Chapel Hill 6 3 50 15 76 19.6%
Hillsborough 15 12 24 22 73 18.9%
Orange County 133 34 31 6 204 52.7%
Other County 0 0 9 6 15 3.9%
Unknown 0 0 4 1 5 1.3%
Total 160 49 121 57 387 100.0%
Strays 281 72.6%
Animal
Control 209 54.0%
Surrenders 106 27.4% Public 200 46.0%
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B. Animal Sheltering Statistics
B.1.Total Monthly Dispositions: August 2007
Dogs Cats Others Total
% of Total
Dispositions
Reclaimed 32 5 1 38 9.97%
Adopted 58 98 3 159 41.73%
Transferred (1) 8 10 1 19 4.99%
Euthanized 78 84 1 160 41.99%
Died 1 1 0 2 0.52%
Other 0 1 2 3 0.79%
Totals 174 199 8 381 100.00%
(1) Transferred to Rescue Service
B.2 Live Releases for Placeable and Recovered Animals: August 2007(1)
Dogs Cats Others Total
% of Total
Dispositions
Reclaimed 32 5 1 38 11.38%
Adopted 58 98 3 159 47.60%
Transferred (2) 8 10 1 19 5.69%
Totals 98 113 5 216 64.67%
(1) Live Releases include all animals that are not euthanized, i.e., transfers to placement partners, returns to owners and custodians, and direct adoptions.
The “live release rate” is calculated by dividing the live releases by the total number of placeable animals. To calculate placeable animals, we must
remove the animals surrendered for euthanasia, feral cats, and animals that arrive dead or die in our custody from the total number of animals
dispositioned.
(2) Transferred to Rescue Service
Animal Services Monthly Report August, 2007
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B.3. Reasons for Euthanasia: August 2007
% of Total % of Total % of Total
Dogs
Euthanized
By Reason Cats
Euthanized
By Reason Others
Euthanized
By Reason
Age 2 2.67% Age 11 13.10% Age 0 0.00%
Behavioral (1) 31 41.33% Behavioral (1) 16 19.05% Behavioral (1) 0 0.00%
Feline Leukemia 0 0.00% Feline Leukemia 0 0.00% Feline Leukemia 0 0.00%
Feral 0 0.00% Feral 45 53.57% Feral 0 0.00%
Heartworm 7 9.33% Heartworm 0 0.00% Heartworm 0 0.00%
Medical (2) 10 13.33% Medical (2) 12 14.29% Medical (2) 1 100.00%
Pregnant 0 0.00% Pregnant 0 0.00% Pregnant 0 0.00%
Owner Request 3 4.00% Owner Request 0 0.00% Owner Request 0 00.00%
Space 22 29.33% Space 0 0.00% Space 0 0.00%
Totals 75 100.00% 84 100.00% 1 100.00%
(1)“Behavioral” includes a wide range of behavioral issues that may prevent an animal from being available for adoption to the public. These issues vary
widely between cats, dogs and other animals, and can include aggression, lack of socialization, severe kennel stress or other factors that make the animal
a risk if placed back into the community.
(2)“Medical” includes a wide range of conditions and diseases that may prevent an animal from being available for adoption to the public due to unsound
health. These conditions range in severity and differ greatly between cats, dog and other animals. Additionally, because we test animals for certain
diseases as a standard protocol, these are often more easily identifiable and thus can be separated as a specific condition statistic. For example, the
“Feline Leukemia” category above is listed separately, though it is a medical condition.
B.4. Volunteer Hours: August 2007(1)
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2005
2006
2007
(1) Information for March 2006 is not available.
Animal Services Monthly Report August, 2007
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C. Animal Control Statistics
C.1. Rabies Exposures Investigated and Positive Cases: August 2007
Dogs Cats Other Total
Exposures Investigated 0 2 23 25
Tested Positive 0 0 0 0
C.2. Rabies Alert Map: August 2007
Source: News of Orange
Total Rabies Exposures Jan 1 August 31, 2007: 12
Total Rabies Exposures Jan 1 August 31, 2006: 17
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13
C.3. Rabies Vaccinations: August 2007
Dogs Cats Other Total
Vaccinated at Shelter 60 84 0 144
Vaccinated at Vet Clinics 613 798 0 1411
Vaccinated at Rabies Clinics 0 0 0 0
Total Vaccinations 673 882 0 1555