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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Spay Neuter presentation for 2020Orange County Community Spay Neuter Program 2020 Program Report Animal Services February 2021 Targeted Spay & Neuter: The Theory Targeted Spay / Neuter: [Spay/Neuter that may not otherwise not be done] Lowered animal admissions Fewer litters; fewer “surplus pets” Controlling costs of animal services Less euthanasia What It Is & How It Works Animal Services DSS and other community partners Spay/Neuter Program [currently utilizing SNAP- NC and AnimalKind] Animal Licensing Differential Sterilized Pets - $10 Unsterilized Pets - $30 Difference = $20 Community Spay/Neuter Fund Targeted Spay/Neuter: Identifying segments of the community with a critical need for spay/neuter services Offering low-cost and no- cost services to residents that may not otherwise be able to spay and neuter their pets Community Spay Neuter Program Funding provided by pet licensing differential, state reimbursements, donations and grants. New Developments •Growing spay and neuter in the County: Thanks to a fourth substantial grant from the Margo T. Petrie Foundation, we were able to make free spay and neuter services available to more county residents in 2020. 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: We launched the Working (Barn) Cat program in late 2017 as part of a broader effort to more humanely manage free-roaming cats. Thanks to a substantial multi-year grant from The Petco Foundation and a new, strong relationship with Independent Animal Rescue (IAR), we continued this program and helped county residents have working cats spayed or neutered, vaccinated, licensed and microchipped at no charge. Effects of COVID-19 on Spay/Neuter and Our Response •In April 2020, all spay/neuter surgeries were stopped by Orange County Animal Services and our partners (SNAP-NC and IAR) to preserve PPE since they were not considered essential. •Before COVID, we did not adopt out animals that were not sterilized. However, to continue to be able to adopt out animals, we began adopting them out unsterilized. We sent them with a voucher to receive spay/neuter services from SNAP -NC. •Some adopters qualified for our normal Spay/Neuter Programs and were counted in those areas to receive spay/neuter services. However, some adopters lived outside of Orange County or had income above 400% of the federal poverty level, so they were not able to be covered by our programs. We were able to spay or neuter 79 animals that were adopted from us that did not qualify for our normal programs. Opportunities & Challenges •Sustain and increase the number of sterilized dogs and cats via enhanced communication and new initiatives. •Overcome challenges that emerged during COVID-19 to maintain programs and services. •Continue outreach to varied sectors of the community about the availability of free spay and neuter services to households with higher incomes. •Grow the Working (Barn) Cat Program to include other cats that are loosely affiliated with residents. Resolve challenges such as funding for the program, trapping cats, and especially limited access to sterilization services. •Strengthen relationships with community partners and continue to encourage community involvement and support in managing free- roaming cats in new ways using spay and neuter services. •Sustain financial support from multiple sources to ensure that Community Spay and Neuter is an ongoing component of Animal Services’ mission and operations.