Brant County SPCA Proposal: For the Consideration of

Transcription

1 : For the Consideration of June 2014

2 Contents Partners in Animal Welfare... 3 Executive Summary... 4 Programs and Services... 5 Operational Plan... 7 Current Situation... 8 Future Initiatives and Programs... 9 Opportunities The Future of the Brant County SPCA ii

3 Partners in Animal Welfare For over 45 years the Brant County SPCA has been protecting the animal welfare throughout Brantford and Brant County. Our partnership with the City of Brantford as it relates to Animal Control in the City of Brantford has been long-standing and mutually beneficial. As the Brant County SPCA looks to the future and works to accommodate the growing population of Brantford and surrounding areas we seek to establish a long-term relationship with the City of Brantford to address the animal welfare needs of our community. Within this proposal the Brant County SPCA seeks to establish several key outcomes, as follows: Join in a long term relationship to build a positive brand for the City Animal Services in conjunction with the Brant County SPCA. Mutually beneficial long-term investment of city dollars combined with donor pledges to provide the best in class animal welfare programs in the province. Process development, staff sharing and management training would be done in such a way that would be transparent to any taxpayer and city stake holders. Continue to run both the Animal Services and the SPCA in one cohesive facility, each would run separately but would be jointly managed to ensure responsible use of resources. Costs to the City would become actual (Fee for Service) and managed according to budget. The synergies created between the City of Brantford and the Brant County SPCA would aid in public perception as it relates to animal services and animal welfare. In order to meet the outcomes, the Brant County SPCA respectfully asks the City of Brantford to consider: A donation of a building and 3-5 acres of land secured with the assistance of the City of Brantford. We respectfully request that the building is suitably located to ensure access to all areas of future expansion and that the building allows for growth at a pace equal to the other infrastructures provided by the City and will meet the needs of the growth and the work and vision of the Brant County SPCA. $1.5 million dollars in funding to be donated by the City of Brantford to be used in the re-construction of the donated building to ensure requirements as per drawings created and targeted for the SPCA strategic Plan. 3

4 Executive Summary The Brant County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BCSPCA) is a not-for-profit organization that has been providing animal protection and welfare services in the City of Brantford and the County of Brant for the past 45 years. These services include a home for homeless animals, investigation into animal cruelty and neglect, pet adoptions, humane education, as well emergency assistance to those in need. The shelter, located at 539 Mohawk Street, Brantford was built in 1969 and it has been providing a home for homeless animals ever since. Animals served by the BCSPCA include but are not limited to cats, dogs, rabbits, degus, hamsters, guinea pigs, birds and the occasional snake or two. Although the domestic animals are housed and cared for at the shelter, the BCSPCA also rescues hundreds of sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals annually. These animals once captured are taken to a variety of Wildlife Rescue s in the region and are entered into their rehab program. The dedicated and knowledgeable staff of the BCSPCA is committed to providing a healthy and safe environment for the animals in their care and strive to find welcoming homes for all adoptive animals. We accomplish these goals by adhering to our vision, mission, and value statements. Vision All animals in Brant County will have a kind, compassionate and safe environment Values We are dedicated to all animals through: Prevention, Promotion and Protection SPCA Mission: The Mission of The Brant County SPCA is to: enlighten and enrich lives provide leadership in the prevention of cruelty to animals promote animal welfare protect the well-being of all animals 4

5 Programs and Services The Brant County SPCA operates as a not for profit organization dedicated to the care and prevention of cruelty to animals. With this focus, and in adherence to its vision, mission, and values statements, the BCSPCA offers the following programs, services, and retail opportunities to the community. Temporary Home for Animals The shelter brings in thousands of homeless animals annually. The animal may have been found wandering the streets with no identification. It could have been abandoned by its previous owner or it may have been surrendered by its current owner. Most people obtain their pets with good intentions in mind, planning on the pet being with them for the rest of their life; however, sometimes life plans change for these well-intentioned pet owners. People become sick, loose their job, have to move, or go into a retirement home and are unable to take their pet with them. They are faced with relinquishing the animal they love so much to the BCSPCA. In 2013, a total of 250 cats and 80 dogs were surrendered to the shelter. Vet Services for Shelter Animals All animals in need of veterinarian care or attention receive this service through our shelter. Although the shelter itself is not equipped with a vet clinic the animals are taken to various clinics in our community as needed. We also have a veterinarian who comes into the shelter once a week to see any patients needing follow up care. All animals that go through our adoption program are spay or neutered, up to date on vaccines including rabies, dewormed, microchipped, treated for fleas, and dogs are tested for heartworm and given prevention medication to go home with. Pet Adoption The SPCA found new homes for over 1600 animals in These animals ranged from cats to dogs, to small animals such as rabbits, hamsters, birds, and even a turtle or two. However, the vast majority of the animals served by the BCSPCA continue to be cats and dogs. All cats and dogs are spay and/or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped before being returned to the community. Adoption fees at the BCSPCA are kept affordable to allow all individuals, regardless of income level, the opportunity to adopt an already spayed or neutered animal. Return to Field These are cats that are brought into the shelter as un-owned but are healthy and are thriving in the environment in which they came but will not go through our adoption process. These cats are held for their legal holding period, then the cats are vaccinated, spay or neutered, and their ears are tipped. Once this process is complete the cat is returned to the area of the community in which it came, thus working towards controlling the community s cat population, while at the same time providing the cats with a safe and compassionate environment where they can continue to thrive. In 2013 there were 67 cats that went through this program. Foster to Surrender Program This program is available to people when they find a cat or kittens and the shelter and its foster homes have reached capacity. These individuals may choose to sign up for this program to help 5

6 the animal(s) they have found. By doing so they agree to keep the animals safe and indoors. The BCSPCA will provide all supplies like food dishes, blankets etc. as well as any medical treatment and vaccines required. Once the animal is of age we will spay or neuter and place them in our adoption program. Humane Education The BCSPCA visited over 30 schools and service groups in 2013 to talk about proper pet ownership and to educate children about the services the BCSPCA provides to our community and the important role we play. Investigations The BCSPCA responds to hundreds of calls annually regarding the well-being of animals in our community. These calls can range from a dog left in a hot car, to 88 dogs living in one house in deplorable conditions, or 44 snakes living in over crowded conditions suffering from dehydration. In many cases, these animals are removed from the conditions in which they were living so that their needs can be met and the distress stops. These needs include a clean bed to sleep on, fresh food and water, and medical treatment from a licensed veterinarian if required. Emergency Services We work in partnership with many emergency services in the City of Brantford and County of Brant. These partnerships include the Police, Fire, Health Unit, Red Cross and Nova Vita Women Shelter. We provide temporary housing for animals of families that have been part of an emergency situation. We also provide emergency supplies to families with pets when they are part of such a terrible tragedy. Supplies which the BCSPCA provides include pet food, blankets, beds, toys leashes, collars, bowls, and crates. We are part of the City of Brantford s emergency evacuation plan, working in conjunction with many other departments of the City and community partners. We also provide pet food to our local foodbank as well as Six Nations to assist families in need. Brant County SPCA Thrift Store We operate a thrift store in the City of Brantford, located at 9 Queen Street. This store is overseen by a team of dedicated volunteers. Members of the public have the opportunity to drop off their used items and we in turn resell these items to raise money for the community programs we offer at the BCSPCA. Animal Control and Bylaw Enforcement Services We currently provide these services to the City of Brantford as per our signed 3 year agreement ending March 31, There are 4 Officers that provide the agreed services of both picking up animals and enforcing animal related bylaw infractions. Some of these services include picking up dogs running at large, sick or injured domestic and wild animals, as well as DOA s with the exception of deer and skunks. The Officer s investigate all bylaw complaints such as too many animals living in one location, dog bites or attacks on people or other animals, dogs running at large repeatedly, or ownership of prohibited animals. 6

7 Pound Operations The BCSPCA currently operates a pound facility for the City of Brantford. This facility is located at 539 Mohawk Street, Brantford and shares the use of the facility with the operations of the BCSPCA. In 2013, there were 2,195 cats brought into the shelter and 1,822 of them were made up of community cats that were feral, stray or abandoned. In 2013, there were 591 dogs brought into the shelter and 383 of these dogs were strays picked up by the Officers or brought in by members of the public. Operational Plan Organizational Structure The Brant County SPCA is a not-for-profit organization which acts in accordance to the regulations of the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals OSPCA. It is governed by a local volunteer Board of Directors. The Executive Director, who reports to the Board, currently manages 11 full-time and 5 part-time staff, as well as numerous volunteers who are critical to our day-to-day operations. Board of Directors Vice Chair Robin McNaughton Director Kari Wilson Chair Tanya Stephens Secretary Lacey Kempinski Director Lana Lang Director Ammie Poag Director Lori Williamson Executive Director Robin Kuchma 7

8 Current Situation Building We are currently in a building that was built in the 1960 s and is approximately a little over 2500 square feet. The shelter was designed to meet the requirements and needs of the community at that time; which focused on the housing of dogs and serving a community of 50,000 residents. The water, sewage, and electrical services are outdated and at their limit. There is no ability to install proper ventilation and air conditioning in the current building. Housing animals comes with increased noise concerns. The existing shelter does not allow for proper noise reduction remedies that will benefit the staff, volunteers, visitors, and most of all the animals. Communication needs can no longer be met. Staff cannot be under one roof, currently they are in the building, a trailer and offsite offices. The parking lot is not sufficient to accommodate staff, volunteers or customers. Storage space is very limited and does not allow us to stock for current day to day activities. The building is not conducive to Barrier Free based on the Accessibility Act. The location of the facility being next to the City landfill and sanitation plants causes unwanted odour, insects, garbage and additional staff time for rodent control. Limitations Number and size of kennels are not in line with growth rate of the community. Currently there are 5 small rooms for cats with a total of 42 cages. In the spring and summer our intake can average 300 cats/kittens per month. We have 2 rooms for dogs which have 6 large kennels and 10 small per room. The building does not allow for proper segregation of animals as per today s standards of care and regulations. Support remedies for our community partners such as Foodbanks, Fire, Red Cross, Police, Mental Health and Nova Vita residents are hampered due to space. Currently we are not able to initiate and introduce new programs that will benefit the community due to lack of space required for training, staff, volunteers, storage of supplies and housing of animals. Financial Limitations With a current operating budget of $1,040,000 and growing it is imperative to have additional revenue sources as well expense reduction opportunities available at the facility. The current building and location does not allow for these opportunities. All grooming and vet services required for animals are off site, therefore resulting in transporting and staff costs as well as variable fee for service charges. No space to implement retail section or community outreach programs for revenue source. Due to the aging of the current building we are wasting donor money on expensive repairs and upgrades. Current facilities can and does add costs of services to the community. Rate for service is negotiated frequently therefore little investment is made by either party due to uncertainty. 8

9 Future Initiatives and Programs It is our goal to enhance and grow our current programs we offer our community in which we serve. As well as introduce new initiatives to allow us to partner with others in our field to better the lives of all animals in the Brantford, Brant County and surrounding areas. These new initiatives include: Trap Neuter Return Program (TNR) Trap-Neutered-Return and its variants are non-lethal strategies intended to reduce the numbers of community cats, improve the health and safety of cats and reduce the impacts on wildlife. At minimum, TNRed community cats are spayed or neutered so they can no longer reproduce, vaccinated against rabies, marked (left ear-tipped, a universally recognized sign of sterilization) to identify them as sterile and returned to their home territory. Return to Field (RTF) This program is currently in place and is a shelter only program but will need to grow in conjunction with the introduction of the TNR program so that all community cats can be spay or neutered. Pets for Life (PFL) The Pets for Life program is a ground breaking community outreach initiative designed to extend animal welfare resources and information to pet owners who have never received services or have received services without long-lasting impact. Pets for Life is centered in communities that have the least access to service and information-the truly under-served. The PFL model encourages approaching people with respect and accepting that most people love their pets, regardless of socioeconomic status or variations in culture. Through this nonjudgmental method, we help elevate the human-animal bond and foster healthy relationships between people and their pets. By improving the relationship between a person and his or her pet, we help improve the quality of life for both by increasing the chances of the pet staying in that home permanently. This approach is effective because it embraces the human component of the companion animal equation, meeting people where they are and establishing trust, creating a ripple effect in the community for long-term impact. Low Cost Spay Neuter Program This will allow individuals and families who are of limited income to have their animals spay and neutered. The introduction of this program will significantly reduce the pet over-population in our community and this program will be geared to income. Humane Education Programs Currently we do go into schools when asked to speak to children regarding proper pet ownership as well as sharing with them a bit about what the SPCA does and has to offer in our community. However we would like to expand this program by inviting groups to visit the shelter. Some of those groups would be school children, service groups as well as seniors. Quite often we are 9

10 requested for visits but due to the space and accessibility restrictions we are not able to accommodate. Pet Surrender Program Although we currently do take in pets from individuals and families who need to relinquish them, this service is very limited due to space and financial restrictions. With all of the above programs put in place there still will be times when people can no longer care for their pet. So by increasing our Pet Surrender program we can eliminate pet abandonment. Opportunities To implement the new programs and financial initiatives along with the ability to ensure future growth we will need a larger facility and a longer term commitment from the City of Brantford Larger Facility could lower overall animal welfare costs and serve the community better by: Creating the ability to have an in house vet clinic resulting in a more efficient and lower cost animal care solution. Creating the ability to have additional and more size appropriate pens to allow more animals to be transitioned back into homes. Creating an education facility for community events such as children s birthday parties, school tours and senior programs. Offer alternative long term solutions to euthanasia. Creating a facility where animals will be properly housed and cared for and animal care standards will be met or exceeded. Creating the ability to have all staff under one roof. Creating the opportunity to deliver exceptional customer service. Provide safe zones for families in distress requiring animal boarding or rehoming due to circumstances beyond their control. Creating an Accessibility and barrier-free facility. Bylaws infractions can be resolved quicker without adding costs of outsourcing short term animal housing facilities. Properly positioned and supplied to provide support to local emergency task force. It is also important as we grow our outreach to the community we have ways of increase our financial growth as well. Some of the programs identified to help accomplish this are: Community Room This space will have many purposes, it will be a meeting place, a training center for staff, a room where we can do indoor animal meet and greets. It will allow us to hold some of our events like Pet Pics with Santa, Christmas Baskets and our Forever Friends Reunion. As well as giving us the opportunity to grow our events and social gatherings to increase our community awareness. 10

11 Children s Center With the community room in place we will be able to host children s Birthday parties as well as summer and March break camps. It will also be the gathering place for the Humane Education Tours for schools, service groups and seniors. Pet Grooming We will not only be able to reduce costs by grooming our own animals at our facility but we will have the option to expand and offer the service to others. Retail Quite often when people come to the shelter to claim an animal or to adopt they do not have a leash and collar or a proper crate. If it is their first pet they may not have any supplies at all. By offering the basics for sale to them not only will they have what they need for the animal when they get home but it will also benefit the shelter. Pet Training With the addition of the community room we will now have the ability to offer pet training in the future. This program will not only help those individuals with their dogs, but will create a long-term source of revenue for the shelter. The Future of the Brant County SPCA Investments in animal welfare, such as the one proposed, ensure that the BCSPCA can continue to serve the community of Brantford and Brant County. Animals play a critical role in many of the families located within our community; they bring joy, laughter, and companionship to all demographics with the City of Brantford and Brant County. It is our hope that with your support we can continue to advance the care of animals, ensuring we remain true to our mission, vision, and values. We truly appreciate the opportunity to present this proposal to the City of Brantford. With an established long-term commitment to animal services and an expansion of our current facilities the BCSPCA will be prepared to meet the needs of our growing community. 11