1

“Cat Critical”

Saving the Lives of Oregon’s Cats

Joyce Briggs

Dr. Marla McGeorge

2

Bridging Non-Profits, Corporations and Communities

Bridge: A structure spanning and providing passage over a gap or barrier. Something resembling or analogous to this structure in form or function: a bridge of understanding between two countries. From the Middle English brigge, from Old English brycg.

Joyce Briggs

3

Joyce Briggs

Corporate Non-Profit

4

A.S.A.P.

Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland

5

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

19931994

19951996

19971998

19992000

20012002

20032004

2005 *2 0 06

Tot al AnimalsReceived

Tot al AnimalsEut hanized

Tot al AnimalsAdopt ed

Tot al AnimalsRedeemed

88.9K 90.5K

37.7K53.7K

25.9K 30.5K

Oregon Animal Shelter StatisticsAll Dogs and Cats – 1993 - 2006

6

Dogs and Cat data…

• 90,532 admitted in 2006vs. 89,908 in 1993 +2%

• 37,723 or 42% adopted vs.29% in ‘93• 30,528 or 34% euthanized in 2006

vs 60% in 1993

Adjusted per 1000 human population• Euthanasia:18.8 in ’93 reduced to 8.9 in ’06• Current average in US is 12.5

7

Dogs and Cat data…Better results than Oregon• NH..2.4 in 2006

NJ….4.1 in 2005Los Angeles City 4.3 in FY06

• Key Trends: Cats, cats, cats• Of the animals our shelters are killing

72% are cats – 60 cats every day

8

9

10

11

12

Oregon Cat Statistics1993 - 2006 Oregon Animal Shelter Cat Statistics Cat Intake and

Euthanasia Trend

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Cats Received

Cats Euthanized

47.7K45.1K

22.0K

33.4K

13

Oregon Cat Statistics1 9 9 3 - 2 0 0 6 Oregon Anim al Shelt er Data

I ntake and Eut hanasia TrendsPer 1 ,0 0 0 hum an populat ion

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

19931994

19951996

19971998

19992000

20012002

20032004

2005*2006

2006A

Tot al Cat s ReceivedTot al Cat s Eut hanized

15.9K

11.8K12.9

5.9

14

CATS ENTER SHELTERS FROM MANY DIFFERENT SOURCES AND FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS.

MAJOR SOURCES OF SHELTER ADMISSIONS:LITTERS OF KITTENSSTRAY AND LOST CATSCATS GIVEN UP BY CARETAKERSFREE-ROAMING AND FERAL CATS

EFFECTIVE PROGRAM TO END PET OVERPOPULATION ADDRESSES EACH OF

THESE SOURCES OF SHELTER ADMISSIONS

Slide Courtesy of P. Marsh, Esq.

15

HISTORICALLY THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO DRIVE DOWN SHELTER ADMISSIONS HAS BEEN TO INCREASE A COMMUNITY’S

PET STERILIZATION RATE

PENINSULA HUMANE SOCIETY ADMISSION & EUTHANASIA RATES '70-'02

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

'70 75 80 86 90 93 02

TOTA

L DO

GS

AND

CATS

ADMISSIONSEUTHANASIAS

Slide Courtesy of P. Marsh, Esq.

16

AFFORDABLE LOW-INCOME NEUTERING ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS DRIVE DOWN SHELTER INTAKES AND EUTHANASIAS

NH SHELTER ADMISSIONS AND EUTHANASIAS '83-'04

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

83 85 87 89 91 93 95 97 99 01 03

TOTA

L DO

GS

AND

CA

TS

ADMISSIONSEUTHANASIAS

STATE NEUTERING PROGRAM BEGAN

Slide Courtesy of P. Marsh, Esq.

17

THE NUMBER OF CATS EUTHANIZED IN SAN DIEGO SHELTERS DROPPED BY 46% DURING THE FIRST ELEVEN YEARS THAT THE FERAL CAT COALITION OPERATED A HIGH VOLUME TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN PROGRAM.

HIGH-VOLUME FERAL CAT NEUTERING PROGRAMS DRIVE DOWN SHELTER INTAKES AND EUTHANASIAS

CAT EUTHANASIAS AT SAN DIEGO SHELTERS '91--'02

8211

15525

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

91 02

CA

TS E

UTH

AN

IZED

Slide Courtesy of P. Marsh, Esq.

18

What WorksINCREMENTAL STERILIZATION• Targeted Programs

– Low Income– Feral– Shelter adoptees

• Sustained– Minimum five years

• Significant levelsper 1000 human pop– 5 - low income– 1.25 - feral

19

Central Oregon Example

SNIP cat spays and neuters 341 1186 2806 2015

20

Founding participants

• Cat Adoption Team• Clackamas County

Animal Control• Feral Cat Coalition

of Oregon• Multnomah County

Animal Services

• Oregon Humane Soc.• SW Washington H.S.• Washington Cty Animal

Services/Bonnie Hayes

A.S.A.P.Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland

21

Our mission is to end the euthanasia of social, healthy or treatable dogs and cats in our local shelters by collaborating on spay/neuter programs, educational and outreach efforts and the promotion of humane alternatives for feral cats.

OUR MISSION

22

A.S.A.P.Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland

Geographic Area

• Four counties: Clackamas, Multnomah, Washington, Clark (WA)

• Nearly 2 million people182K living < poverty line

• Estimated 966k dogs and cats (incl. 101K ferals)

• 26.5K cats entered our shelters

• 41% adopted, 50% euthanized

• 13,363 lost their lives

23

ASAP Cat Sheltering Trends 2006/7 vs. 2004/5

• 06/07 Intake +2% to 26,533• Adoptions+4% to 10,807• Euthanasia +0.2% or 24 cats to

at 13,363

24

25

CATNIP Pilot Program

• Selected RED zip-codes 97206, 97266• Received grant funding for 800 surgeries

in one year.• 410 completed 3/07-11/07• Lots of learning – premature to measure

26

What is needed, ASAP

OVER baseline: Formula for surgeries: • 7138 targeted low income • 2479 feral cat • Total Targeted surgeries = 9617

Goal:• Sustain five years, 30% drop in intake

HOW DO WE ACHIEVE THIS ?

27

What IS the Baseline?The Sterilization Marketplace

• Est.Owned Cats:462K- 86% Sterile• Feral Cats:102K- 5% Sterile• Total intact cats 65K owned,97K feral

• Owned cats replaced annually 15%• Surgeries annually to achieve 86% rate

sterile=59.6K• Target surgeries OVER baseline 9.6

• Total = 69.2K surgeries in 4 counties• 16% increase -14% TARGETED

28

Impact of low cost surgeries on private clinics

Concerns by vet community:• Quality of care• Loss of business

29

Quality of Care

• Specialists in S/N• National Task Force creating standards

of care manual for S/N Clinics.

30

Business Impact

Need to work together tothe raise care of animals

• S/N subsidized must be incremental• Large percentage of cats not seeing

veterinarians• Analysis of Maddies’s programs with

VMAs/Charities showed that aggressive S/N programs did not cause substitution,but raised private vet S/N surgeries as well.

31

What’s the landscape in Oregon ?

• Fewer Companion Pet Clinics • POPPA challenged• Eugene Clinic to open• Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon growing

32

Dr.Marla McGeorge

33

WHAT IS BEING DONE ELSEWHERE ?

State Legislation– Delaware 2006– Illinois 2005

both cover low income, homeless pets and feral catswith state funds to reimburse participating veterinarians

• Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont

34

BASIS FOR PUBLICLY FUNDED PROGRAMS

Reducing animal control costs…

• NH Program – Saved taxpayers $3.23 for every $1 spent on S/N subsidies in first 6 years

• National survey found it cost $176 for each animal impounded vs. $60 ave. S/N subsidy

35

36

Spay BB4455 Campaign• >half sterilizations done

after reproductive maturity• One analyst estimates

that 80% of kittensborn to mothersthat will eventuallybe spayed.

www.fivesaveslives.org

37

WHAT IS BEING DONE ELSEWHERE ?

National Charities with grants for collaborations:

Community Grants,S/N Clinic start up

38

39

MODEL :Stationery Clinic

with Active Transport Program

• Cover a 60 mile radius• 5000- 20K surgery capacity• Active mentoring & start-up grantsFunding models:• Break even costs• Charitable donations• Public funding(municipal/county/city)

40

Questions/Considerations• What is the baseline of sterilization

surgeries now? Can we learn together where we are and what will work?

• Is a state program feasible? Could we design one together?

• Can we tackle the ASAP area where human population and euthanasia are highest ?

41

42

How can we save lives …and increase the quality of care for cats

Together ?