What it means to be an Adoption Guarantee Shelter. January 2010

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1 What it means to be an Adoption Guarantee Shelter January 2010

2 SPCA Mission The Peninsula SPCA advocates and provides for the humane care and welfare of all animals. We are committed to finding a loving home for every orphaned pet on the Virginia Peninsula.

3 Adoption Guarantee Definitions Board Update January 2010

4 What is Adoption Guarantee? Adoption Guarantee Animal organizations that save all the healthy and treatable animals under their care, with euthanasia reserved only for unhealthy & untreatable animals. An adoption guarantee organization could be an animal shelter, rescue group, foster care organization, or sanctuary. We are not blazing new trails

5 Definitions Healthy means and includes all dogs and cats eight weeks of age or older that, at or subsequent to the time the animal is taken into possession, have manifested no sign of a behavioral or temperamental characteristic that could pose a health or safety risk or otherwise make the animal unsuitable for placement as a pet, and have manifested no sign of disease, injury, or congenital or hereditary condition that adversely affects the health of the animal or that is likely to adversely affect the animal s health in the future.

6 Definitions Treatable means and includes all dogs and cats who are rehabilitatable and all dogs and cats who are manageable. Rehabilitatable means and includes all dogs and cats who are not healthy, but who are likely to become healthy, if given medical, foster, behavioral, or other care equivalent to the care typically provided to pets by reasonable and caring pet owners/guardians in the community. Manageable means and includes all dogs and cats who are not healthy and who are not likely to become healthy, regardless of the care provided; but who would likely maintain a satisfactory quality of life, if given medical, foster, behavioral, or other care, including long-term care, equivalent to the care typically provided to pets by reasonable and caring pet owners/guardians in the community; provided, however, that the term manageable does not include any dog or cat who is determined to pose a significant risk to human health or safety or to the health or safety of other animals.

7 Unhealthy or untreatable The definition of unhealthy & untreatable covers dogs and cats who do not fall into either of the categories healthy or treatable. Unhealthy & Untreatable includes animals who are not likely to become healthy, well-adjusted companion animals, or animals who are not likely to have a satisfactory quality of life, even if they are given care typical of that provided by reasonable and caring pet guardians in the community. *see handout for complete Asilomar Accords definitions

8 Understanding Virginia State Law Code of Virginia County or city pounds The governing body of each county or city shall maintain or cause to be maintained a pound The governing body of any county or city need not own the facility required by this section but may contract for its establishment with a private group or in conjunction with one or more other local governing bodies Governing body of any locality may adopt certain ordinances

9 Understanding Virginia State Law Animal shelter means a facility, other than a private residential dwelling and its surrounding grounds, that is used to house or contain animals and that is owned, operated, or maintained by a nongovernmental entity including a humane society, animal welfare organization, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or any other organization operating for the purpose of finding permanent adoptive homes for animals. Pound means a facility operated by the Commonwealth, or any locality, for the purpose of impounding or harboring seized, stray, homeless, abandoned, or unwanted animals

10 Definitions cont. "Companion animal" means any domestic or feral dog, domestic or feral cat, nonhuman primate, guinea pig, hamster, rabbit not raised for human food or fiber, exotic or native animal, reptile, exotic or native bird, or any feral animal or any animal under the care, custody, or ownership of a person or any animal that is bought, sold, traded, or bartered by any person. Agricultural animals, game species, or any animals regulated under federal law as research animals shall not be considered companion animals...

11 Adoption Guarantee The Facts Board Update January 2010

12 Two Entities - City Pound & SPCA Cage capacity is 213 (dog 124 and cat 89 with trailer gone) Quarantine offers 26 dog cages and 24 cat cages Currently accepts animals per day Including feral cats, wildlife, aggressive dogs, and pets held for court cases. 50% Budget comes from municipalities 100% of animals come from Animal Control or citizens The SPCA, as the contracted pound, cannot refuse anyone from turning in an animal. (aggressive, feral, or otherwise) Once an animal becomes property of the Peninsula SPCA (mandatory five day holding period) - no funds from the local municipalities are available to support the animals.

13 Shelter Statistics - The Hard Truth Intake of animals from public 8,142 Adoptions 2,619 Transfers, Return to Owners, Rescues 2,579 Live release rate for dogs 70% Live release rate for cats 31% Overall live release rate 50%

14 Adoption Guarantee Budget Considerations January 2010

15 Budget considerations Number of Animals Annual Cost 1,000 $450,000 2,000 $900,000 3,000 $1,350,000 4,000 $1,800,000 5,000 $2,250,000 Numbers are based on an average 12 day stay at $17/day and $146/animal in spay-neuter, vaccinations, laboratory testing and microchipping Our fixed costs become more efficient in the 3,500 animal range In 2010, the PSPCA adopted out 2,565 animals Using this chart, our cost would be $1,154,250 if we adopted out 2,565 animals in our first year

16 Budget considerations The PSPCA currently raises 50% of the operating budget, $1,859,037, or $929,518 Our shortfall the first year would be $224,732 Shelters across the country have seen dramatic increases in their fundraising with the decision to increase their live release rates. Expanded fundraising One more fundraising function and an increase in donations would have to cover the shortfall Grants Maddie s Fund Fewer animals = reduction in operating expense

17 Adoption Guarantee Partnerships January 2010

18 Community Support and Alignment In a model community, the city pound serves as the central location for stray and unwanted pets (incl. court cases). It is the community s open door shelter funded by tax dollars. The PSPCA proposes to serve as the adoption arm of the city pound(s). Our goal is to solicit community support from both the municipalities and other animal welfare organizations to achieve community-wide Adoption Guarantee. It will require the PSPCA, the municipalities, and our citizens working together to proactively make a difference in reducing pet overpopulation and finding homes for all adoptable animals in our community.

19 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) The PSPCA would like the cities to enter into mutual agreement that no healthy homeless animal will lose its life for the lack of a home, or due to issues of space or time in a shelter. (see Richmond example)

20 Adoption Guarantee Success Stories January 2010

21 This has been done, and it works! Maddiesfund.org San Francisco Chicago Richmond Charlottesville Norfolk And on and on

22 We are doing the right thing for the animals!