HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 8-d - Resolution Acknowledging February 26, 2019, as Spay Neuter Day in Orange County 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: February 19, 2019
Action Agenda
Item No. 8-d
SUBJECT: Resolution Acknowledging February 26, 2019, as Spay Neuter Day in Orange
County
DEPARTMENT: Animal Services
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Spay Neuter Day Resolution
2018 Community Spay/Neuter Program Report Bob Marotto, Director, Animal Services,
919.932.4963
Cooper Hatch, Program Coordinator,
Animal Services, 919.932.4965
Maureane Hoffman, Chair, Animal
Services Advisory Board,
919.493.2999
PURPOSE: To officially resolve that February 26, 2019, is "Spay Neuter Day" in Orange County and
receive an update regarding the County's spay and neuter program.
BACKGROUND: Animal Services staff and the Animal Services Advisory Board (ASAB) are
recommending that the BOCC adopt a resolution making February 26, 2019, "Spay Neuter Day" in
Orange County. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has nationally designated the last
Tuesday of each February as "International Spay Day."
In Orange County, the issue of pet overpopulation is a priority. Working together, Animal Services
staff and the ASAB prepared a five-year strategic plan on the basis of best practices in the field of
animal welfare and public policy: Managing Pet Overpopulation: A Strategic Plan for Orange
County, North Carolina. Fundamental to this plan is targeting spays and neuters in the County to
decrease the rate of reproduction of dogs and cats, thereby containing the number of animals that
must be sheltered and the costs of caring for those animals.
The final stage of this plan is to address free roaming cats in Orange County. Accordingly, staff and
the ASAB prepared a plan called Managing Free-Roaming Cats in Orange County, North
Carolina. A central component of this plan is to more effectively sterilize these (and other) cats in
order to reduce their numbers over time.
Significant developments for calendar year 2018 include:
• Spaying and neutering a total of 602 cats and dogs on the basis of the County's partnership
with AnimalKind and Spay Neuter Assistance Program—North Carolina.
• Spaying and neutering 251 dogs and cats belonging to clients of the Department of Social
Service (DSS) on a "no pay" basis; and
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• Tripling the number of spays and neuters (from 50 to 149) performed for pets belonging to
residents with household incomes from 200 to 400 percent of the federal poverty level on the
basis of a grant from the Margaret T. Petrie Spaying and Neutering Foundation.
• Helping to control the number of animals needing to be sheltered by Orange County Animal
Services, which for the fourth consecutive year was less than 3000.
Orange County's subsidized spay and neuter for cats and dogs is now available to more residents
than ever before. Orange County Animal Services received another grant from the Margaret T.
Petrie Spaying and Neutering Foundation in the amount of $25,000 to continue to cover the cost of
spay and neuter for animals belonging to residents whose household income is between 200 and
400 percent of the federal poverty level. Previously, 200 percent was the ceiling for income-based
qualification.
Orange County also continues its effort to sterilize cats from farms and stables in more rural parts of
Orange County. Animal Services has created a Working (Barn) Cat Program that not only sterilizes
but vaccinates, microchips, and licenses participating felines for free. The funding for this effort has
shifted from a grant to donations received through Orange County's Community Giving Fund. As a
result of outreach including Cooperative Extension and the Agricultural Preservation Board, among
others, Animal Services was able to sterilize 136 working cats in 2018.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The resolution has no financial impact. Events and outreach done in
conjunction with this year's Spay Neuter Day involve funds already in the County's Community Spay
and Neuter Fund. The FY1819 operating budget for the Community Spay and Neuter Fund is
$68,350 and there is a fund balance of approximately $42,616. These funds primarily come from the
$20 differential license fee for reproductive cats and dogs, combined with reimbursement from the
North Carolina Spay Neuter Reimbursement Program, significant donations from the public and
grants awarded to Animal Services.
SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: There is no Orange County Social Justice Goal impact associated with
this item.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board receive the written program report,
adopt the proposed resolution, and authorize the Chair to sign the resolution.
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PES-2019-011
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
SPAY NEUTER DAY USA RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, cats and dogs provide companionship to and share the homes of thousands of
individuals in Orange County; and
WHEREAS, the problem of pet overpopulation costs the taxpayers of Orange County hundreds of
thousands of dollars annually through animal control and sheltering programs aimed at coping with
unwanted and homeless cats and dogs; and
WHEREAS, humane societies and shelters throughout the country have to euthanize approximately
four million cats and dogs each year, although many of them are healthy and adoptable, due to the
lack of critical resources such as money, space, and good adoptive homes; and
WHEREAS, the Animal Services Advisory Board and the Animal Services Department have made
correcting pet overpopulation a priority, taken a positive approach to improving quality of life for
community cat populations, and prepared Managing Pet Overpopulation: A Strategic Plan for
Orange County and Managing Free-Roaming Cats in Orange County North Carolina; and
WHEREAS, spaying and neutering cats and dogs, among other animal companions, has been shown
to drastically reduce overpopulation; and
WHEREAS, Animal Services has partnered with community partners including the Department of
Social Services, AnimalKind, and Spay Neuter Assistant Program-North Carolina to offer "low cost"
and "no cost" spay and neuter to households who are economically disadvantaged or who receive
public assistance; and
WHEREAS, veterinarians, animal care and control organizations, national and local animal welfare
organizations, and private citizens have joined together again this year to advocate and support the
spaying and neutering of companion animals on "Spay Day USA 2019;"
Now, therefore be it RESOLVED by Orange County that February 26, 2019, is declared "Spay Neuter
Day", and the Board of County Commissioners calls upon the people of the County to observe the
day by having their own cats or dogs spayed or neutered or by sponsoring the spaying or neutering of
another person's cat or dog.
THIS THE 19t" DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2019.
Penny Rich, Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners
4
Orange County
Community Spay Neuter Program
2018 Program Report
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Animal Services ° x_
February 2019 '
5
Targeted Spay & Neuter:
The Theory
Targeted Spay / Neuter:
[Spay/Neuter that may
not otherwise not be done] Fewer litters; fewer
"surplus pets"
Lowered animal
admissions Less euthanasia
Controlling costs of
' animal services
i '
Community Spay Neuter Program
What It Is & How It Works
Animal Services
Targeted Spay/Neuter: Animal Offering low-cost and no-
Identifying a segment Licensing cost services to residents
of the community Differential that may not otherwise be
with a critical need for able to spay and neuter
spay/neuter services Sterilized Pets - 10 their pets
Unsterilized Pets - $30
DSS and other Difference = $20 Spay/Neuter
1 Program
community g
partners Community Spay/Neuter Fund [currently utilizing SNAP-
NC and AnimalKind]
Funding provided by pet licensing differential, state
reimbursements, donations and grants.
7
New Developments
• Growing spay and neuter in the County: Thanks to a substantial grant from the
Margo T. Petrie Foundation, we have been able to make free spay and neuter
services available to more county residents than ever before. Since 2017, these
services have been available to residents with a household income of up to 400
percent of the Federal Poverty level rather than only 200 percent as well as residents
who receive public assistance.
• Working (Barn) Cat Program: With an initial grant from the Triad Foundation and
continuing donations, we launched and are continuing the Working (Barn) Cat
program as part of a broader effort to more humanely manage free-roaming cats.
This program helps county residents have working cats spayed or neutered,
vaccinated, licensed and microchipped at no charge.
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Fill out our inquiry forth at:
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9
Animals Admitted 2005- 2018
2018
Total Intakes = 2938
4500 Total Animals in Litters = 737
4000 ,
3500 ,r
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0 -
Total Intakes Total Animals In Litters
■2005-2009 Average ■2010-2014 Average 2015-2018 Average
10
Animal Outcomes 2005-2018
2018
Live release = 2335
24M _ Euthanized = 430
2266
U2340
19(]Q
14000
900 1110
400 Id
Live Release Euthanized
■2005-2009 Average ■2010-2014 Average 2015-2018 Average
"Live Release"animals include animals that were recovered by their owner, adopted, or transferred to a placement
partner organization (rescue group)
11
700 Targeted Spays and Neuters 2008-2018
600
602
500
471 478
400
350
300
251
200 — 227
198
100
102
0
Total Spays&Neuters DSS Spays& Neuters
12008-2009 Average i2010-2014 Average i2015-2018 Average 12018
12
� Q
Dogs vs. Cats Spay/Neuter
mm 136 I
2018 238
MM 21
2017 198 I
2016 177 I
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
+Dogs ■Cats a Working Cats
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Opportunities & Challenges
• Increasing the number of sterilized dogs and cats to 600+ .41
via enhanced communication and new initiatives.
• Continuing outreach to new sectors of the community
about the availability of free spay and neuter services to
households with higher incomes.
• Growing the Working (Barn) Cat Program and expanding
the program to include other cats that are loosely affiliated
with residents.
• Encouraging community involvement and support in
managing free roaming cats in new ways using spay and
neuter services.
• Sustaining financial support from multiple sources to
ensure that Community Spay and Neuter is an ongoing and
growing part of Animal Services
wORI�ING BARN CAT PROIL, 0
OGRAM
Orange County residents, get your barn ca' s spayed or neutered
• Mother cats with unweaned kittens under 6 weeks
Lid
old should not be spayed.
• Cans ear will be clipped for identification of spay
PP p Y
or neuter
Call 919-932-4965 or email , . ■
chatch@)orangecountync.govVW
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