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No More Homeless Pets Forum
February 9 2004 Animal Control |
Animal Control: exploring collaborative solutions. Don Jordan of Seattle Animal Control and Dave Flagler of Fulton County Animal Services in Atlanta, Georgia, will offer advice to resolve your toughest animal control questions and dilemmas.
Introduction from Don Jordan:
Want to help your local animal control agency but you're not sure where to begin? Are you having a tough time trying to work with local government? Is the idea wheel turning but you don't feel that you have the sympathetic ear of someone who can help bring about positive change? Well then, if you are truly committed to help end the needless euthanasia of companion animals in your community, I am here to listen and I can help.To truly make a difference in the lives of animals and people alike requires that animal welfare organizations and animal control agencies work together as professionals. It requires that people act in a manner that promotes a respectful working relationship and builds trust within the community. It requires an open mind and a willingness to work with human nature.
I was once told that one of the greatest joys of sharing is being able to give of yourself to someone who will never be able to repay you. I believe that this statement embraces what the animal welfare industry is all about -- providing the best services possible to enhance the lives of people and animals in our community, with the full understanding that we are often taken fore granted and that our efforts are not often rewarded with words of praise.
Whatever your discipline, become a student of excellence in all things. Take every opportunity to observe people who manifest the qualities of mastery. These models of excellence will inspire you and guide you toward fulfillment of your highest potential.
Let's chat about how we can work together and motivate people one-on-one in order to obtain group results. I'm ready to listen to your problems and offer advice on solutions, so I would encourage you to take part in this worthwhile forum.
Introduction from Dave Flagler:
The animal control profession is an exciting career path. Every day on the job is different, filled with adventure and pitfalls. We would love to hear about your adventures, but most importantly we want to lend a hand during your struggles. Whether you're an animal control professional yourself, or a concerned member of the community, we'll be happy to try to answer your questions. How can we help you?Questions
Humane societies competing with animal control for donations
Dealing with police departments that oversee animal control
When animal control sells animals to research
Should humane societies have animal control contracts?
Cat ordinances and TNR programs
How to help a shelter with a high kill rate
Animal control's field services
Getting mandatory spay/neuter for all animal agencies
How can animal control fundraise?
What terminology not to use with animal control
Convincing officials animal control is worth funding
Humane societies competing with animal control for donations
Question from Cassandra:
I work at a humane society that has been working in the community since the 80's. We used to run the animal control as well, but gave up the contract about 4 years ago. The pound was then run through a local kennel for a year or two, but then the town decided to build a new facility. Since Animal Control opened we have had nothing but problems with them.Things started to go wrong when they decided to call themselves a shelter to get away from the public's perception of "pounds" but what resulted was confusion within the community. People thought that the humane society was moving and a lot of donations were sent to the pound, which were intended for our own shelter (we know this from talking to some people who had sent donations there). We lost a lot of donations this past year, because of the confusion between the two places.
Now they have very limited hours of when they will pick animals up and if they are full, they simply will not pick strays up. We have heard numerous complaints from the community and we have many complaints ourselves! For years and years, animal control was operating 24/7.
They have also had extensive coverage in the local newspapers about how they are in need of donations. Now, I know that they do not receive a lot of money, but they are municipally funded, whereas the humane society receives NO funding at all.
These are only a few of the problems that we are having with them. It is really hard for each organization to see each other's side of things, even though we should really be working together! I would love to be able to have each of our managers sit down and discuss things and really compromise, but our own manager (and I'm sure theirs too) has such negative feelings about them, that it is impossible to get them together. How do we get them to understand where we are coming from, while still being respectful of their own opinions?
Response from Dave:
It sounds like your Humane Society and your animal shelter are in desperate need of being recognized as distinct organizations. In every community, you'll find that people confuse the various humane organizations. Often you can use this to your advantage. When you approach the other organization, look to see what you have in common. This is your bond with that organization. Find ways to help the other organization; conduct a fundraiser that equally split the amount raised. Build on the commonality that you share and over time you'll find them easier to win over. As your two organizations build trust with one another, together you will be able to do great things.Response from Don:
The scenario you have described in your community is one that will continue to crop up in cities and counties across the country that have both an animal control program (and sheltering services) and a local humane society. I am a very strong believer that the next 5 years will be very exciting for animal control agencies and humane societies, and the problems you are experiencing in your area is an example of the growing pains that communities will face as animal control agencies embrace the humane movement and begin to market themselves in a more positive fashion.The national economy has undoubtedly taken a toll on both government and non-profit organizations. As animal control agencies begin to incorporate humane services and programs in their own organizations, they must also begin to look for creative funding mechanisms to provide the financial resources needed to support any new initiatives. While most animal control agencies are funded by the city or county, the reality is that animal control programs will only be funded at a level that allows them to provide basic community services that protect public safety. Anything beyond that will have to be funded by other means such as grants and private donations, which creates somewhat of a competitive environment between animal welfare groups.
Competition for donor resources can be healthy for any community. It forces organizations to operate more efficiently and to better monitor internal performance in order to make themselves more attractive to potential donors. However, competition can also bring about opportunities for organizations to pool resources and collaborate on joint fundraising efforts.
In the specific situation you have described, there is definitely a need for better communication between the two organizations and this is a perfect opportunity for the humane society to be a leader and set a positive tone for the future. Have your manager set the meeting in a neutral location and invite key staff to attend from both organizations. Develop an agenda with a set of ground rules that everyone agrees upon and set aside plenty of time for thoughtful discussion. Refrain from rehashing prior issues and incidents. This is nonproductive communication that does nothing to improve relations between the two organizations.
Never forget the lasting effect that you can have on people. If you lead by example and maintain a positive attitude and open mind, you will help to lay a firm foundation that you can build upon so the two organizations can continue to meet, build a sense of trust and mutual respect, and eventually collaborate in the future.
Dealing with police departments that oversee animal control
Question from a member:
We have a new animal control administrator that is truly embracing the assistance of rescues. However, his hands are seen tied because animal control falls under the realm of the police department. For example, volunteers must go through a county background check that takes months for the county to perform. In addition, the administrator would like to increase spay/neuter compliance, but a lack of staff resources to follow up makes this difficult. Volunteers have offered to assist. However, part of the spay/neuter compliance for the county involves transferring money from the shelter to vets who perform surgeries. Only shelter staff is permitted to handle this money.Can you offer any creative solutions about how to circumnavigate the hurdles that being under the police department can create? This new administrator has a great attitude toward working with rescues and the entire community to save animals, so I would hate to see the momentum lost because of red tape.
Response from Dave:
The good news is that you have the animal control administrator behind your efforts. It is not uncommon for a new administrator to take his or her time in making significant changes to the organization. Your administrator needs to understand the politics of your community and discover where he or she needs to go to facilitate change. At this time, I would not try to circumvent the current processes. Volunteers at the animal shelter may have access to protected information and the police department is correct in requiring background checks. Any city or county auditor will advise your administrator to not let volunteers handle cash. The hurdles that you are facing are really in the best interest of your community. Concede to these requirements so that you are in a good position, down the road, for better opportunities. As the police department better understands the integrity of the volunteers, they may one day decide to lessen their requirements.Response from Don:
As a government employee, I can tell you that working in this type of setting is always very challenging, regardless of the department you work in. There are many laws and rules to which government must adhere (a.k.a. "red tape") in its daily operations, so often there is little flexibility in bending these regulations. To make matters more difficult, there are certain government employees who have become "institutionalized" and are very reluctant to change. These folks operate under the philosophy of "we've always done it this way" and they act as an impediment in incorporating positive change within the organization.I don't think that your problem is the fact that animal control falls under the realm of the police department. As I had mentioned, you won't be able to circumnavigate department policy such as cash handling requirements, but rather, you need to brainstorm on creative ways to work within the system.
First of all, you should feel very lucky to have a new animal control administrator who has a great attitude and willingness to embrace the humane movement and bring about progressive change within the organization. If I could offer a few words of advice to your administrator, it would be this. Remember that human nature is such that most people are generally good and they possess compassionate traits on many different levels. Determine who are the animal lovers within the police department, County Council, Executive's Office and embrace their enthusiasm for animals, as these people can quickly become your internal champions to help further your mission. Determine what the perceived fears are within the organizational structure that may be acting as barriers to change. Determine the risk tolerance of key decision makers and look for reassuring ways to maintain their comfort level during periods of change.
Most of all, the staff and volunteers must maintain a positive attitude despite the frustration of working within a bureaucratic environment. Change does not come about quickly or with great ease, and internal bickering does nothing for the bottom line. When the organization wins, everyone wins. Although it takes time for the county to screen volunteers, be proud of the fact that your county acknowledges the value of its citizens by offering volunteer opportunities. Look for small, achievable opportunities that require little or no money to implement and that do not create union concerns. Most importantly, maintain consistent communication with everyone and share your success stories about new business processes, services, programs and most importantly, the animals that you have saved. You must always continue to aggressively market your program internally with county staff in order to keep the momentum going and garner the support of decision makers that can further assist you in your endeavors.
Once you have garnered the support of people within the department, continue to embrace the community and invite them to be a part of your life saving efforts. Success will soon become a self-fulfilling prophecy…
When animal control sells animals to research
Question from a member:
I live in a state where a lot of Class B dealers take animals from shelters for research, particularly animal control. The animal controls see nothing wrong with this, because the animals would be euthanized anyway and they are getting money for the sales. How do you we work with animal control to stop this practice of selling animals to research?Response from Dave:
Most animal shelter would hate for the public to find out that they are selling animals for research. The community wants to believe that the animal shelter is a safe place for their lost or homeless pets. The money that the animal shelter receives from research is not sufficient for the ill will that would come from the local community. An animal shelter has an obligation to its homeless pets and submitting them to research is a violation of that obligation. If the animal control organization cannot recognize this fact, maybe the people they work for will. Contact your city or county commissioners. If that is unfruitful, then mount a media campaign. The media is a wonderful mechanism for change.Response from Don:
The practice of selling animals for research can be quite controversial, depending upon your audience, particularly when finances come into play.First of all, determine exactly how many animals are being taken to research from your local animal control and how much animal control receives from the sale of each animal. Since animal control claims that these animals would otherwise be euthanized, is there an infrastructure or support group in the community that could work with animal control to place the adoptable animals into loving homes? Is this something that animal control would be willing to try, even on a trial basis? Most likely, the bottom line for this animal control agency is that they are generating income from what they perceive to be a "surplus" of animals and it saves them the time and effort of having to euthanize these animals. A more aggressive adoption program might help to address their needs and improve relations with the community.
To make a difference in your state, I would recommend that you first start locally. Talk with your elected officials about your concerns and find out where they stand on this issue. Educate them on this important topic and provide them with materials regarding alternatives to using animals for research. PETA would be a good resource to contact regarding this topic. Ask that they become involved and garner their support for discontinuing this practice in your community.
Most of all, don't give up. You are a voice for the animals!
Comment from Joanna:
In the end, when the public learns this is happening, they will eschew shelters and more animals will be released outside either directly or indirectly. This could be by handing pets off to uncommitted adopters without being altered. Those "adopters" might either release the animals or allow them outside. The government agencies, which are responsible to taxpayers, have to see that this is only making things worse, not better, for their communities!Should humane societies have animal control contracts?
Question from Sue:
I'm interested to hear your opinions on humane societies that have animal control contracts. We currently have one but are thinking of giving it up, because it does not come close to covering the cost to administer it. We're afraid to give it up though because we don't know who will then pick up the sick, injured, or stray animals. What are your thoughts about humane societies with contracts and if they should have them or not?Response from Don:
Your question really captures the essence of the issue. Can the contract pay for itself, and if your humane society doesn't provide the service, who will do it? Who will care for the orphaned animals?Opinions will vary in different communities on this topic, but overall, I am supportive of humane societies trying to contract with local government to provide this service, especially if there isn't anyone else who will pick-up the ball. My opinion is that humane societies who have animal control contracts become a more well-rounded, global organization that can provide a wide array of services and programs to the community since everything is centralized in one location. However, I'm equally supportive of humane societies that either choose not to have a contract or don't have the opportunity to contract for services, because I recognize the important role that humane societies play in our community.
The bottom line for your Board of Directors and CEO is whether or not you can truly afford to provide this service. I haven't met one agency that has been able to attain 100% cost recovery from the government in providing this service. And often, humane societies will be forced to play the game of not renewing a local contract in order to leverage the government for additional resources once the community has had the opportunity to experience what happens when there isn't a viable animal control program in place in their community.
I would hope that before your consider not renewing the contract, that you have availed yourself of other income producing opportunities, such as pet licensing, that may offset the cost of providing this service. In the end, the financial stability of your organization will dictate whether or not you can provide this service, so oftentimes, the decision to renew or not renew becomes pretty clear when you look at the bottom line.
Response from Dave:
This is a tough question. Of course you are not in this business for the money, but it is nice to have enough funds to keep your programs going. Taking on an animal control contract is a major thing: in additional to helping the animals, you are now faced with serving the community (often a thankless task). The contract also opens up new opportunities to you. These opportunities can help you raise funds for your organization. Let's look at an opportunity:The media loves human interest stories! Your work with animals opens up a wealth of human interest stories for your local media as well as it teaches valuable lessons to your community. For example: your staff picks up a dog that is hit by a car. The dog needs extensive medical treatment. You go to the media with your injured dog and you tell them that you need money to treat the poor animal. You will likely receive more in donations than what the medial costs are. Additionally, you tell the media that animals that are allowed to run loose are at great risk of being hit by cars (your educational lesson). And finally, you announce that you have a fund set aside to help injured animals and provide an address to send money. People don't mind giving money to a good cause. You just need to make them aware of your cause.
Before you decide to give up the contract, look to see if you are exploiting all of your opportunities. If that is still not enough, go to your city or county and explain your circumstances. They might be willing to renegotiate the contract more favorably for you.
Good luck!
Cat ordinances and TNR programs
Question from Jodi:
The town I live in has only a dog shelter, nothing for cats. After several years of a handful of us trying to help the cats thru rescue, adoption and TNR, we realize we need the city/county to build a safe shelter we can work out of.Our Mayor has asked me to head a committee to research other town's cat facilities and ordinances. Currently there are NO ordinances addressing cats so we are starting from square one. Along with a basic cat ordinance and shelter, I would like to introduce something that will allow TNR.
Can you give me an idea of how other cities with cat ordinances address the issue of TNR? Are the colonies registered with animal control and monitored to be sure a caretaker is caring for them? Any links or info you can give me on cat ordinances that include TNR are greatly appreciated.
Response from Don:
This topic is still somewhat controversial amongst municipally funded animal control agencies. Quite frankly, we all have a long way to go in addressing the important issue of feral cats in our communities. I'm glad to hear that you are trying to implement such a program in your community.My experience has been that most animal control agencies currently turn a "blind eye" at this issue, even though there may be current TNR programs in their community. It is often difficult for animal control to respond to the issues raised by all of the special interest groups. For instance, once group complains that the ferals are causing a decline in the songbird population and that ferals should all be euthanized. Another group promotes cats as indoor pets only. Another group has the opinion that ferals are wild animals and should be left alone. Then there are the homeowners complaining about property damage, urination and the noise allegedly created by ferals in their neighborhood. The list of those people for and against TNR is endless, so you can see how politically sensitive this topic is for animal control to respond to.
One agency that comes to mind is Maricopa County Animal Cared and Control. They have a program called Operation FELIX, which helps provide an effective solution to the free-roaming cat population. Visit www.maricopa.gov/pets/ for more information. You may also contact the National Animal Control Association and ask for their assistance in gathering ordinances from other agencies. You can contact them at www.nacanet.org.
Your best overall resource in helping to address this important issue is Alley Cat Allies. They have been an invaluable resource for the animal welfare community and they have a variety of publications and information that can assist you in tackling this project. You can visit them online at www.alleycat.org or email them at alleycat@alleycat.org. Also go to the Best Friends website and look at their Resources on Feral Cats.
Keep your spirits up and forge ahead!
Response from Dave:
I've always joked that the best way for me to get thrown out of a town is to write ordinances regulating cats. It is a very volatile issue and only the most progressive of communities have addressed the issue. Currently, nothing in your ordinance prohibits the management of feral cat colonies. Once you begin regulating the feral cat colonies, you will be placing greater responsibility on the caregiver, as well you should. Through the permit process you can define a Feral Cat Colony Permit much like you would define a Kennel or Hobby Permit: determine the manner of identifying the animals within the colony, the maximum carrying capacity of the colony and where colonies may be located. When developing your ordinance, ask for spay/neuter assistance from your local jurisdiction to help with the cost of managing the colony numbers.You will need to address the issue of how you deal with complaints that are associated with your colonies. I wouldn't mind a colony in my neighborhood, but many of my neighbors might mind. When you determine the selection criteria for a colony site, you need to keep the neighbors in mind. Your friends at Alley Cat Allies will be a great resource for you.
Good luck!
Comment from Margo, with Alley Cat Allies:
Alley Cat Allies is often approached by activists who are trying to pass a pro-TNR ordinance in their communities. Our usual advice to them, though, is "Don't do it".Well-intentioned, ordinances often end up backfiring on the caregivers. The ordinance can be strict or cost prohibitive. Some caregivers will not register their colonies. They are afraid that if the ordinance is repealed or a new mayor or public health board that is not supportive of TNR changes the regulations, a registered colony can be quickly located, trapped, and killed.
If the municipality has no ordinances addressing cats in place, this is actually an ideal situation for implementing TNR. There are no TNR-unfriendly laws (such as feeding bans, pet limit laws, licensing requirements, etc.) to get around. A TNR ordinance is really only appropriate when the municipality is providing funding for the program. Otherwise, an ordinance is not usually a good idea. What you want is for TNR to be permitted, not regulated.
How to help a shelter with a high-kill rate
Question from a member:
I live near a small southern town of approx. 16,000. They are the only city in the county to do their own A/C. There are 12 dog runs and 2 banks of cat cages making total of 12 cat cages. The facility is entirely too small, but since we have been around cleanliness has improved 1000 percent. Our group was started 3 years ago, because animals were being 'adopted' for $25.00 with the money refunded if proof of sterilization was returned. Needless to say not many refunds were given. Animals were also just given away. We convinced the supervisor of A/C (who is also over the Leisure Services Department and Library) to allow our group to handle adoptions. If someone goes to their facility wanting to adopt, they have them call us. We do the paperwork then pick up the animal get it vetted and hand it over. We also remove animals and foster them, and take them to a storefront adoption center we operate one evening a week and on Saturday. We have adopted out 150 animals this year and have started a S/N assistance program for pet owners.I know the kill ratio for 2001 was about 75 per 1000 residents. This partnership is always on shaky ground because of the attitudes of the shelter employees. And the supervisor is not much better. The feeling is that he is always looking for an excuse to limit us or toss us out altogether. We have provided air conditioners for the cat room and try to limit our exposure, because the more time we spend there the more gripes seem to come up. I have just requested admission and euthanasia records from him so we can assess the impact our program has had. What more can we do to try to bring the city, et al out of the dark ages?
Response from Don:
You should feel very proud about the accomplishments of your group thus far, and based on your adoptions numbers this year, you should have no problem reducing the number of animal euthanized and changing the focus of your community from "kill ratio" to an "adoption ratio".In order to continue to incorporate positive change within this organization, you must work aggressively to market yourself internally with the staff and supervisor of this agency. Always stay positive, provide solutions to the problems you encounter, and remain willing to help the staff. Try not to create extra work for the staff and be sensitive to their concerns.
Begin a fundraising campaign for animal control to provide resources for rehabilitating sick and injured animals. Many municipally funded animal control agencies are unaware that they can receive donations from the public and that the donations are an allowable tax deduction in accordance with the IRS tax code. I would be happy to show you how to go about establishing such a fund.
Finally, begin a public relations campaign with the local media about the success stories of the organization. Find out which reporters are animal lovers and embrace the opportunity to tug the heartstrings of these folks. Send out weekly press releases featuring such topics as a pet of the week, adoption statistics, a special needs animal, an innovative volunteer program, a happy family that has adopted a pet, etc.
If you do everything you can to put the agency, its staff and volunteers in a positive light, you will eventually win the support of the staff and supervisor. Once they see the positive recognition from the media and community at-large about the importance that animal control plays in the community, this will make them much more receptive to other innovative ideas that help bring them "out of the dark ages."
And remember to always stay positive and focused on your goals. You play a vital role in ending the needless euthanasia of companion animals and never forget the positive impact that you have on the lives of animals and people alike.
Response from Dave:
Stop for a moment and recognize all of the wonderful work that you had done up to this point. You have already accomplished great things in your local animal shelter. Give yourself a pat on the back! If you accomplish the same great work with your community, encouraging them to spay/neuter their pets, you may soon become a no-kill community. The problem of pet overpopulation is a community issue and I believe your next phase is to work with your shelter folks in developing an education program. For the most part, you have the shelter under control, now it is time to take your message into your community.The great news is that that there is a tremendous amount to material to help get you started. Material is available from the ASPCA, American Humane and the Humane Society of the United States. The ASPCA and HSUS have people assigned to regions and they can work with you directly to develop your education program. The national conferences are a great place to get idea. Look for an animal shelter near you that has developed an education program and spend a day or two with them. You are going to find a wealth of good material.
Animal control's field services
Question from a member:
My question is about field services. How do you encourage animal control to enforce local cruelty statutes and animal laws and follow themselves? We have a difficult time getting animal control to respond to issues. For instance, they won't respond to a stray dog call unless you already have the dog confined, because otherwise their officers spend too much time looking for the animal. I don't think the public should be putting themselves at risk trying to corral dogs for animal control.They say they can't do anything about Pitbull fighting unless they catch them in the act. They recently came out to a neighborhood complaining of stray cats to set traps in freezing weather and left them there unattended overnight.
When we as individuals try to talk to animal control to voice our concerns, they tell us that we don't understand the issues and should leave animal control to them.
Response from Don:
The situation you describe is very common with many animal control agencies. I can certainly understand your frustrationFirst of all, you need to recognize that most animal control agencies are very under funded in this country. Government typically funds higher priorities such as police, fire, health and housing. This leaves our local animal control agencies in a position where they must determine deployment guidelines for a limited enforcement staff and establish internal policy relating to the types of service calls to which they will respond.
Your comment regarding dog fighting is correct. Unless the Officer actually sees the incident or is able to find someone willing to testify in court, it would be difficult to find a prosecutor willing to take on such a case without actual witnesses.
I would recommend that you arrange for a one-on-one meeting with the director of the agency to learn more about the dynamics and limitations of the agency. As public servants, they should be willing to meet with you at your request. Do not, however, pack the room with unsatisfied citizens. The meeting should be just one-on-one with you.
Keep an open mind when you meet and have an outline of the questions you would like to ask. Be honest, and maintain a positive attitude during your discussions with the director. Try to be empathetic of their position. This is a difficult industry for people to work in.
I would hope that after meeting with the director, you might have a better understanding of the operational considerations that come into play in managing an animal control agency.
Response from Dave:
My first concern is that you are describing everything that your animal control is doing wrong and not a word is said about what they may be doing right. This type of interaction does not foster for a good working relationship with the organization. One thing that you might try is learning to talk to them on their level: become acquainted with your State and local laws so that you can better understand the legal constraints in which the officers must work. Too often we allow our emotions to override our legal constraints. Pitbull fighting is a good example. If we see a Pitbull dog that has old wounds, our first assumption is that the dog is being used in fighting and we want to take the dog away from its owner. However, the Constitution of this Country protects its citizens from unlawful seizure.Understanding the laws regulating search and seizure will help you better relate to the organization when discussing Pitbull fighting.
I'm puzzled as to why your animal control is not responding to loose dogs. I understand that dogs are mobile, but not taking action to round them up places a tremendous about of liability on them. For example: if you call and report a loose dog and they advise you to catch the dog for them. In the process of catching the dog, you are bitten. They may incur some liability. They are the professionals and have the proper equipment for animal capture and I would remind them of that fact.
Policies should be established for the organization as to when to set live traps. The traps should be placed in a manner that provides adequate protection from the weather. It is critical that they treat every animal as if it is someone's loving pet, because it might be.
I think your comment about the animal control personnel telling you to "leave the animal control to them" is an indication of the animosity that may exists between them and community members. It does not benefit them to subscribe to an adversarial stance with the community that they serve. If you have no success in developing a better relationship with them, then you are left with no other recourse but to address your issues with your City Manager or your City Council. However, a relationship that is forced upon them is likely to be less lasting that one you forge on your own.
Good luck!
Getting mandatory spay/neuter for all animal agencies
Question from Bill:
We are trying to get a mandatory spay/neuter ordinance passed in our town that would require all agencies adopting out animals to spay/neuter before adoption. However, the animal control agency is opposed, saying that they don't have the funds to do spay/neuter adoptable animals, and that they cannot do it. We understand that there is a lack of funding, but feel that if we aren't fixing animals as a rescue community, how can we ever expect it from the public? And how will we ever get ahead of the game?How do you get animal control on board with spay/neuter before adoption when they are so under funded?
Response from Don:
Spaying and neutering is an important part of any animal adoption program. I'm glad to hear that you are trying to get this legislation in place.If funding is truly the problem, you need to help animal control look for creative means to get the animals altered. First of all, will the market tolerate an increase in the adoption fee to cover the cost of the surgery? Are there veterinarians in the community willing to give the animal shelter a reduced rate for sterilizing adoption animals? Can animal control charge a high surgical deposit at the time of adoption and refund it upon proof of sterilization within 6 months? Is there someone willing to write a grant request to obtain funding to assist with this endeavor? These are all questions that should be thoroughly evaluated.
I would continue to meet with animal control and maintain a positive attitude. Let them know that you are interested in finding a solution that works for them. If they need some statistics to show the importance of pre-adoption spaying and neutering, use this. In 1972, the Seattle Animal Shelter was formed and we were handling over 25,000 animals at that time each year. In 1982 we began spaying and neutering all adoption animals prior to them going into their new homes. In 2003, we handled less than 7,000 live animals.
Pre-adoption spaying and neutering is an important part of ending the euthanasia of companion animals. As Nike would say: "Just Do It".
Response from Dave:
Several years ago, we attempted to pass a mandatory spay/neuter law in Utah similar to what you suggested. I was shocked that the opposition to the law was from the State Animal Control Association. Their reasoning was that the added cost of spaying or neutering would drive up the cost of adoptions. They believed that would result in fewer adoptions and higher euthanasia. So, they thought it better to release animals back into the community with the ability to breed. From my standpoint, I could not understand their reasoning. They probably thought the same about me. We could have let this become a rift between us, or we could compromise.The cities in Utah are placed in classes by population. We wrote the code to address first class cities only. Additionally we added to the code the ability to collect spay/neuter deposits from people whose animals were impounded two or more times within a twelve-month period. The idea is that these free-roaming, intact animals are partly to blame for the pet overpopulation problem. We let their owners pay to solve the problem. If the dog owner didn't claim his or her deposit, it would go into a spay/neuter fund. In Salt Lake County, that fund amounted to about $20,000 each year. We used the fund to help other community members spay/neuter their pets.
Suggest to the animal control agency that spaying/neutering animals prior to release into their new homes does not have to cost them more. They can contract with a local veterinarian to perform the surgeries, and prior to releasing the pet to the new owner, drive the animal to the vet for spay/neutering. You collect the cost of the surgery with the adoption fees and you deliver the pet to the vet. The new owner picks up the pet from the vet. The only cost to the agency is the time that it takes to drive the animals to the vet's office, and you don't have the alumni from your animal shelter adding to the over population problem.
How can animal control fundraise?
Question from Karen:
In Don's introduction message, he mentioned that he has raised $1 million dollars for Animal Control. Our animal control is always telling us that they can't raise funds. So since the city doesn't give them enough funding, they can't do programs like spay/neuter or increase adoptions or the hours they are open. How did Seattle AC fundraise, and are there tips you both can share on how to get other animal controls to raise funds?Response from Don:
First of all, if animal control is not raising funds, it is likely either due to a policy issue on fundraising activities. Or it may be a lack of knowledge that they can actually legally receive donations and that donations are tax deductible.IRS tax code Section 170(A) allows for donations to the government and the IRS sanctions this as a charitable donation, which allows the donor to deduct it from their taxable income. Donors should always consult a tax advisor though.
In regards to fundraising, it must be determined if they are prohibited by policy or state law from actively fundraising for their agency. Also determine if they are somehow prohibited, by policy or state law, from receiving donations from the community. If there isn't anything legally preventing them from fundraising, then you need to approach the issue creatively to garner support for policy change.
When I assumed by position in 1996, Seattle Animal Shelter did not actively fundraise at that time. First, I had an ordinance passed establishing the different donation funds and the purpose of each fund, as well as establishing the authority to expend money from these funds. This is a necessary, but also important, part of the government process. And because these funds are part of the City's General Donation and Gift Trust Fund, they are not subject to the annual budgeting process. Nor could the funds be used for purposes other than what was set forth in the ordinance (i.e., the budget office couldn't direct that you use those funds for salaries in times of poor economic conditions).
We began slowly by putting donation information on our pet license renewal forms, pet license applications, brochures and website. We also included donation information in all correspondence with the public and on the back of our cash receipts. Basically, we included donation information on anything we printed. This is what I would consider passive fundraising efforts. These passive efforts brought in over $50,000 the first year. It took very little staff time to do, other than depositing the money in the bank! Then, we started utilizing volunteers for special fundraisers, such as our Furry 5K, which raises money each year for the Help The Animals Fund. We also created a semiannual newsletter, which is sent out to our donors and adopters.
Donations are the most important aspect to the continuing success of my program. Without the support of the community, we would not be able to sponsor many of the programs we have or save the lives of countless animals. Although our elected officials love what the shelter is doing and how we support people and animals in our community, there is simply no funding available for the "frilly" things that are so important to the community.
In the end, once you start to fundraise, you need to let the public know the great things you are doing with the donations, which will spur even more contributions. Really market the success stories of the organization, especially the special needs animals that you have rehabilitated and placed in a loving home. Find out who the animal lovers are in the media and embrace them. The media loves these types of stories, and they will quickly respond to most anything that helps the animals.
Remember, people want to give to a winner... Be the winner in your community!
Response from Dave:
Many government organizations prohibit fundraising because they believe it sends a negative message to the community that the portion of the tax base is insufficiently allocated to animal control. "Well duh!" Animal Control would not need to consider raising money if it was sufficiently funded. It helps in your fundraising efforts that you do not alienate yourself from your main funding source. Use your fundraising effort to enhance your current services and make it clear that is what you are doing. Keep in mind that funding for increased adoption hours is going to be a reoccurring expense and you need to plan for those future expenses to maintain those hours in the future.If your city refuses to allow your animal control program to raise funds, then do it yourself. Start a non-profit "Friend of the Animal Shelter" organization and raise funds for them. In this way, you are in a better position to see how the money is spent. After getting them started, they will see the benefit in fundraising and will likely begin doing it themselves. They may just need someone to start them off.
Many animal control organizations are beginning to realize that they are missing out on potential resources. They are beginning to recognize that government is really a non-profit type organization and if they are doing good things, people will be eager to donate to improve their services.
Comment from Ceily:
Invite the director of the shelter to join (or to assign a shelter worker as his/her representative) your Friends group as a "Shelter Liaison". Have regular meetings and keep everything that you do open and above board. Start by holding a fundraiser (Dog Walk, Pet Parade, Cake Sale, anything) to kick off a membership drive. Designate all proceeds toward a project that the shelter needs (equipment, for instance). Prove that you can be successful and are willing to "walk the walk" when you "talk the talk" and go from there. The worse thing is to present ideas to the shelter and expect them to implement those ideas without your or your group's help.And please, remove from your vocabulary (if they are there) things like kill shelter, dog pound, dogcatcher, and other derogatory terms - even if they deserve them!
I manage a public shelter that is blessed by having a "Friends of the Animal Shelter" auxiliary organization. The group is incorporated as a non-profit and is applying for 501(c)(3) status to enable them to apply for grants for which a public (government-run) shelter would not be eligible/qualified. Their articles of incorporation state that their sole purpose is to help our shelter - this can be directly or indirectly. Being a non-profit gives the public a place for their donations to go to benefit animals, instead of to the government. We accept the donations at the shelter and I, as Liaison, bring the donations to the treasurer at monthly meetings. The group holds fundraisers to provide programs that not only help us get more pets adopted, but also to address the root causes of pet overpopulation and abuse such as spay/neuter for low income owners, free feral and stray cat spay/neuter, free adoptions of adult pets to senior citizens, and educational materials for classrooms (Adopt-A-Teacher). They also have a fund for shelter needs and projects which has paid for painting and outfitting a bus with cages for mobile adoptions, a covered secure area for pets surrendered after hours, a microscope, automatic waterers, cement walkways, grooming supplies, cat and dog treats and toys, etc., ETC. In turn, the government picks up all liability for their fundraising events, and provides postage for newsletters and donation/fundraiser mailings.
All of this did not happen overnight. Our Friends group is 15 yrs. old and still going strong! We have seen our shelter numbers reduced from a high of 5,000 incoming animals to about 3,500 today. Incoming dogs have been steadily declining for the past seven years. Cat intake has slowly been creeping up, causing us to rethink Friends' spay/neuter program to include ferals and stray cats. The government is in the process of building a new shelter that will have separate adoption areas and a surgery room. Any success our shelter enjoys is due to a dedicated, hard working staff and good enforcement of animal laws combined with our Friends of the Animal Shelter's hard work and ability to raise private funds. I can't imagine life without them!
What terminology not to use with animal control
Question from a member:
Could you share your advice on what types of terminology work best when approaching animal control with a request to work jointly? I know that "no-kill" generally is a bad word in animal control circles but what do you think are the most inoffensive terms?Should we say "open admission" or "traditional" and is it preferred to say "euthanasia" over "killing"? Any tips on how to approach animal control and what to say and what NOT to say would be very helpful!
Response from Don:
First of all, recognize that most employees working in the animal control profession are animal lovers themselves, and truly care about the services that they provide to people and animals in the community. Also recognize that it is often very easy to offend some animal control officers because the industry has been stereotyped as "dog catchers" and "puppy killers" for so long. While I believe there have been great strides made in changing the image of animal control professionals, there is still a long ways to go.Based on your question, you seem to understand what terms trigger the defenses of some animal control agencies. Use terms that are respectful to the organization and its staff. Stay away from the terms "killing", "rescue", "pound", "dog catcher", etc. Most government agencies cannot turn away anyone, so I do not see a need to quantify the shelter as "traditional" or "open admission". If they care for animals in a building they manage, then they have an "animal shelter." "Euthanasia" or "humane disposition" are very professional terms to use, especially when speaking with someone who actually has to perform this task.
Be sensitive to a problem that exists in this industry called "Compassion Fatigue." Some people who work in a stressful industry such as this become burned out over time and they are easily offended. Try and refer to the staff as "animal care professionals" and "humane law enforcement officers". Refer to the agency in the best of terms and use words that are compassionate and kind.
I've always said that if you maintain a positive attitude, recognize the valuable role that animal control plays in your community and offer words of thanks and praise to the staff, that you will forge life-long relationships with the animal control staff and they will embrace you because of your passion and dedication to the animals.
Response from Dave:
Good question, words can be very powerful. The two words that still get my hackles up are "dog-catcher" and "pound". I believe that these words are demeaning to the animal control profession. Years ago, the animal control officer in a neighboring community wore a ball cap that had "dog-catcher" written across the front. I desperately wanted to get a hold of that cap and burn it.I believe that animal control has gotten past the "no-kill" word. I believe that it is no longer offensive because the word has no meaning. The word doesn't seem to have a common definition, and it is frequently abused by its users. It is one of those words that require further clarification: "We are no-kill, we only kill animals that are, sick, injured, or have behavior problems!" I think that no-kill is a word that we aspire to. And as such, the word will change meaning as we evolve to a no-kill community that preservers every animal regardless of its physical or behavioral condition.
One of the very sad facts is that animal control is still engaged in the killing of animals. It is a horrible task and I have great respect for those who perform this distasteful task. When I am talking to a Euthanasia Technician, I will use the word "euthanasia". It takes great care to perform euthanasia in a caring and humane manner and it is such a stressful task. The word "kill" does not do them justice in the performance of this task. I take great care in picking my words carefully when talking to these folks.
Words have different impact to different people. When talking to someone else, watch his or her body language. By watching them closely, you can detect those offensive words. Just come up to me and ask "Dave, how was work at the pound today?" And prepare to duck.
Convincing officials animal control is worth funding
Question from Janet:
Our city had an animal control shelter, but it is incredibly run down and not usable anymore. Instead of looking for a new building and upgrading services, the city is saying that it too expensive to run animal control. They are looking at paying the next city over to take our animals and not run an animal control at all. But most people will not take their animals 30 miles to the next city. That city won't do pickups of strays or sick and injured. How do we convince our officials that animal control is a necessary service and worth the funding? Do you have any statistics that could help us or any advice?Response from Don:
Animal Control is a necessary function of any municipality and the cost of providing the service is always under scrutiny.First of all, try meeting with the animal control director to get a better handle on the cost of the service. File a public disclosure request and obtain a copy of the budget allocated to animal control. According to the International City/County Management Association, Animal Control Management, A Guide For Local Governments, an effective animal control program costs $4.00 per person per year. Some agencies budget as much as $7.00 per person per year. So, find out the population of your area and determine how much is currently being spent per person each year on animal control services.
Next, contact the City's budget office or contracting office and see if you can gather any preliminary data on what it would cost to contract this service out, or see if they have received a preliminary bid for contracting this service to the next City.
Next, you may wish to start a letter writing campaign to the elected officials and get the media involved. Get the community involved in issue and survey the city council members on the issue. If it is an election year, you may be able to use this issue to leverage some positive results with elected officials.
My opinion is that regardless of the cost, there is a greater sense of accountability to the community if you can keep the animal control program under the auspices of city management.
Response from Dave:
For years, as an animal control director, I have heard grumbling from government officials interested in eliminating animal control services. I believe the best way for your local government to come to an appreciation of their animal control is to eliminate it. I believe that within days those officials will regret their decision. Your community would be outraged. Sometimes the best way to teach your government officials a lesson is to let them make their mistakes.We are living in difficult times and government is struggling to fund necessary programs. Maybe the time has come for you to search for other funding sources. Maybe it is time for you to start fund raising for the shelter. Efforts made on your behalf to save the animal control program in your community will be noticed by your government officials. Your efforts may help them rethink their decision.
