Post on 23-Feb-2016
description
Animal Welfare in
Mount Pleasant TX
Wendy Blount, DVM
Wendy Blount, DVM• Westbury Animal Hospital 1992-1994• TAMU Small Animal Clinic 1994-1997
• Residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine• Connolly Animal Clinic 1998-2009
• Internal Medicine Referrals and General Practice
• 2004 TAVP Clinical Referral and Consultation Award
• Continuing Education Seminars 2007-present
• Eastex Veterinary Clinic 2009-present• Internal Med and GP• 2012 TVMA Companion Animal Practitioner of
the Year
Wendy Blount, DVM• Native American Project – 1990-1992• Volunteer Shelter Vet – 1992-1994
• BARC• Houston Humane Society• Houston SPCA
• HSUS Contract Worker – 2007 - 2009• Compassion fatigue in Shelter Medicine• Duquesne University – Field Instructor
• Medicine and Behavior in the Sheltering Environment
• Duquesne University 2007 - present
Wendy Blount, DVM• Humane Society of Nacogdoches County
2009• City of Nacogdoches – 2009-2012
• Medical Director, SpayNeuterNac• 2011 TACA Bilderback Award
• O’Malley PET (Preventing Euthanasia Together) – 2012 to present
• City of Nacogdoches Health Advisory Committee – 2012-present
Animal Welfare in the Community• Mother Teresa Approach
• I can not help them all, but I can help this one
• Improve problems in your community• Decrease shelter intakes• Decrease euthanasia per capita• Increase the Live release rate• Increase the Save rate• Decrease the euthanasia rate • Decrease animal infectious disease in
the community• Improve zoonosis in the community
Animal Welfare in the Community• Problem Solver or Enabler?• Watch the shelter numbers
• Intakes decrease• EPC decrease• Live release rate increase• Save rate increase• Euthanasia rate decrease
• Set goals• Assess progress yearly• Adjust your approach of not meeting goals
Targeted Spay Neuter• Target those who would not otherwise
have their pets altered• Low income• Low interest
• One or two zip codes, or more or less• Estimate the number of unaltered pets in
the area• Target 35-80% of this number in as short a
period as possible
Estimating Pet Population• Foundations, donors, and elected officials
want statistics and hard data supporting requests for more funding.
• Licensed animals are a small subset of total animals – not a good estimate
• There are formulas to estimate, and then adjust, based on what you know about local demographics
Estimating Pet Population• Step 1 – Determine # of Households
• Local emergency management• City Planning/Zoning Department• County building permit division• Tax appraiser’s office• US Census information – by county
EXAMPLE – 100,000 Households
Estimating Pet Population• Step 2 – Estimate # of Households with
dogs, cats and pet birds
• 39% of US Households own a dog• 39% of US Households own a cat• 6% of US Households own a bird
Source: The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association's 2003-2004 National Pet Owners
Survey.
Estimating Pet Population• Step 2 – Estimate # of Households with
dogs, cats and pet birds
EXAMPLE:• 100,000 households x 0.39 (percent
dog owners) = 39,000 dog-owning households
• 100,000 households x 0.34 (percent cat owners) = 34,000 cat-owning households
• 100,000 households x 0.06 (percent bird owners) = 6,000 bird-owning households
Estimating Pet Population• Step 3 – Estimate # of dogs, cats and
pet birds
• Average 1.7 dogs per household• Average 2.3 cats per household• Average 2.5 birds per household
Source: The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association's 2003-2004 National Pet Owners
Survey.
Estimating Pet Population• Step 3 – Estimate # of dogs, cats and
pet birds
EXAMPLE:• 39,000 dog-owning households x 1.7
(average dogs per household) = 66,300 dogs
• 34,000 cat-owning households x 2.3 (average cats per household) = 78,200 cats
• 6,000 bird-owning households x 2.5 (average birds per household) = 15,000 pet birds
Estimating Minimum Surgeries per YearPetSmart Charities:• 80% of pets owned by those of financial
means are spayed or neutered• 80% of pets owned by those who live
below the poverty standard are not surgically sterilized
• Need to sterilize 35-80% of the animals in any given area per year in order to impact pet numbers
www.census.gov• Population of the area – 66,034• Percent living in poverty – 24.1%• Average household size – 2.52 personsAVMA• 37% of households own dogs• 32% of households own catsAPPMA• Average 1.7 dogs per household• Average 2.3 cats per household
Estimating Minimum Surgeries per Year
#1 Calculate Households in poverty with dogs and cats
• Population of the area – 66,034• Average household size – 2.52 persons• Households in area – 66,034/2.52 = 26,204• Percent living in poverty – 24.1%• Households in poverty – 26,204 x 24.1% = 6315• 37% of households own dogs• 32% of households own cats• Households with dogs in poverty – 6315 x 37% =
2337• Households with cats in poverty – 6315 x 32% =
2021
Estimating Minimum Surgeries per Year
#2 Calculate Dogs and Cats in Poverty• Households with dogs in poverty – 2337• Households with cats in poverty – 2021• Average 1.7 dogs per household• Average 2.3 cats per household• Cats in poverty – 2021 x 2.3 = 4648• Dogs in poverty – 2337 x 1.7 = 3973
Estimating Minimum Surgeries per Year
#3 Calculate Dogs and Cats not in poverty• Households in area – 26,204• Households in poverty – 6315• 37% of households have 1.7 each• 32% of households have 2.3 cats each• Households not in poverty – 26,204 – 6315
= 19,889• Cats not in poverty = 19,889 x 32% x 2.3 =
14,638• Dogs not in poverty = 19,889 x 37% x 1.7 =
12,510
Estimating Minimum Surgeries per Year
#4 Calculate Unsterilized Dogs and Cats• Cats in poverty – 4648• Dogs in poverty – 3973• Cats not in poverty – 14,638• Dogs not in poverty – 12,510• Unsterilized dogs in poverty = 3973 x 80% = 3178• Unsterilized cats in poverty = 4648 x 80% = 3718• Unsterilized dogs not in poverty = 12,510 x 20% =
2502• Unsterilized cats not in poverty = 14,638 x 20% = 2928• Unsterilized dogs = 3178 + 2502 = 5680• Unsterilized Cats = 3718 + 2928 = 6646
Estimating Minimum Surgeries per Year
#5 Calculate minimum surgeries needed per year
• Unsterilized dogs in poverty = 3178• Unsterilized cats in poverty = 3718• Unsterilized dogs not in poverty = 2502• Unsterilized cats not in poverty = 2928• Unsterilized dogs = 5680• Unsterilized Cats = 6646• To impact dogs in poverty = 3178 x 35% = 1112• To impact cats in poverty = 3718 3 35% = 1301• To impact dog community = 5680 x 35% = 1988• To impact cat community = 6646 x 35% = 2326
Estimating Minimum Surgeries per Year
Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter?Do We really have a pet overpopulation
problem in East Texas?• “Euthanasias per capita” are used to
assess pet overpopulation in an area• Euthanasia = humanely killing pets at
animal shelters• Because they are not adoptable• Because there are no available homes
• In the Northeast where pet population is ideal, euthanasias are 5 per 1,000 capita (5 EPC)• Pet Transports• Rescue Waggin’
Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter?Do We really have a pet overpopulation
problem in East Texas?• TX, Southern CA and FL have the highest
EPC in the US, per PetSmart Charities.• San Antonio is at 40 EPC
• Over the past 3 decades on Nac County, 2,000-4,000 unwanted pets have been euthanized at our shelter each year• population has grown from 47,000 to
66,000 during that time• EPC have remained 40-50 during this
time, with no trend downwardOur Pet Overpopulation Problem is as bad
as is gets in the United States
Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter?Arguments Against• There are already a dozen veterinarians in
this county who do spays and neuters• Program will harm the financial well being
of local veterinarians• Program will only cannibalize local
business without solving the pet overpopulation problem
• Low cost spay-neuter usually means low quality health care services for pets
• It’s too expensive, we can’t afford it
Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter?Program will harm the financial well being
of local veterinarians• Maddie’s Fund Study (Frank et al)
• Low cost SNC screen for financial need• Increase total number of spays and
neuters done in an area• Do not cannibalize full service surgeries• 85% of the pets/owners served do not
have/seek regular veterinary care
Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter?Low Cost services are not necessary• Chu et al, JAVMA, 2009
• Family income is the strongest predictor as to whether cats in a household are spayed or neutered
• 50% of cats in households with income <$35K are not spayed or neutered
• Median income for our county is $35K• 26,204 households• 13,102 households below $35K• 13,102 x 32% x 1.7 = 7127 cats• 50% = 3564 unsterilized cats• 3564 x 35% = 1247 cat spays needed
Persons in household
Household income – 2013Free Services Low Cost Services
1 $11,170 $22,310
2 $15,130 $30,014
3 $19,090 $37,719
4 $23,050 $45,423
5 $27,010 $53,127
6 $30,970 $60,832
7 $34,930 $68,536
8 $38,890 $76,241
For families > 8 + $3,960 per person + $7,704 per person
Source HHS Poverty Standard State Aid Programs
Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter?
Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter?Low Cost services are not necessary6646 unsterilized cats
THAT’S A LOT OF CAT LOVIN’!!!
Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter?Low Cost services are not necessary5680 unsterilized dogs
THAT’S A PUP-U-LATIONEXPLOSION!!!
Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter?Low Cost services are not necessary• We are counting only euthanasias at our
shelter• Hundreds to thousands more occur at
veterinary clinics• Untold numbers of dogs and cats killed at
the hands of our citizens, or left to die of exposure• Drowned, Shot• Connected to car exhaust• “Knocked on the head”
• THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT THE DEATHS IS TO PREVENT THE BIRTHS
Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter?Low cost spay-neuter usually means low
quality health care services for pets• Humane Alliance• Association of Shelter Veterinarians• American Animal Hospital Association
• Each pet gets a pre-operative exam• Prepped in the prep room, and then
brought into the surgical suite• Surgeon wears mask, cap and gown• Pain meds not optional• Written anesthesia and surgery reports• IV fluids and bloodwork as indicated• Monitored every step of the way
Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter?It costs too much• It costs taxpayers as much as $176 to
impound, house, and destroy a homeless pet through the shelter system.
• $40-80 will spay or neuter the same pet• Cat neuter as little as $25• Large dog spay as much as $75• These are subsidized costs
• Donations• Volunteer labor• 2 part time clinic employees
• Average cost per surgery is $65.• Client Fees set at cost minus grants
Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter?How do we keep costs down?• $65 per surgery is way less than cost at a
full service clinic• We staff the clinic with 7-10 trained
volunteers each week• Veterinary technicians• nurse practitioners, pharmacists• social workers• business owners• shelter directors• professors and teachers• massage therapists, rescue workers• Housewives
Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter?How do we keep costs down?• Donations - $180K this year
• ~$20K from local benefactors and fundraisers
• ~$10K/yr website labor donated• building purchased by a benefactor,
budget pays utilities only• ~$50K in veterinary labor donated
• Grants - $65K this year• $4.8K ASPCA • $35K Montgomery Humane Trust• $15.65K Texas DSHS• $10K PetSmart Charities
Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter?The Bottom Line• If EPC in the area are >5-10, YES!!
How many surgeries are needed in your community to make an impact?
• How many are being done by local vets?• How many more need to be done?• Can your program meet that need?
Monitor Shelter intakes and euthanasias yearly
If numbers are not improving, increase surgery numbers
How Do We Know it Will Work?• It’s a numbers game• If we do enough surgeries, euthanasia and
shelter intake numbers will come down• If we don’t, they won’t• Our goal is to do 1000 surgeries per year• Average 20 a week
• Surgery one day a week
How Do We Know it Will Work?There many examples of similar programs
which have been successful• Knoxville, TN - Linda Chassy, DVM• Low cost spay-neuter began in 2007• 20,000 surgeries done in 4 years• County population 436,000• 2009 – euthanasias down by 2000• 2010 – euthanasias down by 2500 more
• Down 4500 total from 2007• Puppy intake dropping steadily for 24
months in a row• Now <700 animals away from adopting
out all healthy pets in the shelter
How Do We Know it Will Work?There many examples of similar programs
which have been successful• Indianapolis, IN• County population 890,000• 13,000 surgeries in 2010• 130,000 surgeries since 1999• Euthanasias dropped from 22,000 per
year to 10,000 per year since 1999
Our Story• 2005 – Humane Society of Nacogdoches
County met with local vets• 2007 – Proposal by local vet to purchase
equipment for SN clinic at the shelter• 2009 – HSNC asked me to purchase set-
up equipment and supplies and do surgery, secured permission from City• $40,000
• Jan 2010 – HSNC petitioned City to administer the clinic
• March 2010 – began training volunteers, did 23 surgeries during the training period
• June 2010 – HSNC agreed to pay surgical fees for animals owned by people living in poverty
Our Story• August 17, 2010 – City of Nacogdoches
voted to hire 1 full time employee, pay professional labor, replenish supplies and administer the project• $98,000 budget, break even
• August 23, 2010 – clinic opened to shelter animals
• January 2011 – clinic opened to the public• January 2011 – St. Francis Rescue of
Nacogdoches agrees to pay medical costs for all pit bulls owned by family who qualify for low cost fees.
Our Story• February 2011 – local benefactor agrees
to pay surgery fees for all animals leaving the shelter to go to rescue• 50 animals in 2011
• April, 2011 – DSHS grant makes all surgeries on animals not adopted from the shelter free to owners• $34,000
• May 2011 – HS donates $5000 to expand OR to 2 surgery tables
• September, 2011 – local benefactor donates serology machine, diagnostic sets and ultrasonic instrument cleaner• $13,000
Our Story• March 2012 – PetSmart Charities Grant
$57K for 700 surgeries in 75964• April 2012 – City Closes SpayNeuterNac
Clinic – 1241 surgeries done• Joint Project by HSNC and local vets to
fund 700 surgeries by local vets• December 2012 – 214 surgeries done• O’Malley PET Founded– purchased clinic
equipment from HS• February 2013 – O’Malley PET Opens• Currently doing 20 surgeries every other
Thursday
Who Do We Serve?• SNN served those who adopted from the shelter, regardless
of financial need (SNN 54%)• OMPET no longer does this (OMPET 14%)
• Those who live below federal poverty line• Free services for $10 co-pay• SNN – 36%; OMPET – 93%
• Those who qualify for various state aid• Low cost services, $25-$75• SNN – 7%; OMPET – 7%
Pebbles – spayed 2-2011 and now in her new home
About USJennifer Bryant
• Veterinary Technician• The glue that holds us together• Responsible for absolutely everything• Since 2013
Jennifer and family
About USMichele Sprague – “Huckleberry”
• Director of Volunteers & Treasurer• Property Manager• Amazing powers of persuasion
Michele tells us how she really feels about dogs
who reproduce indiscriminantly
About USBrenda Hayter – “Brendita”
• Anesthetic Induction and Patient Prep• Volunteer
About USJudy Mahoney – “Feral Human Helper”
• Client Care & Patient Recovery• Volunteer
About USJudy Mahoney
• Client Care & Patient Recovery• Volunteer
Lola enjoys a “JuMo spa recovery”
About USBetty Yuracko – “Chart Nazi”
• Medical Records• Volunteer
About USDr. Maggie Forbes – “Detail Devil”
• Pre-anesthetic exams, data entry, vaccination visits
• Volunteer
About USLauren Gaudette and Jane Austin– “Pack Rats”
• Instrument Pack Preparation• Volunteers
About USNancy Hinds – “Nants”
• Laundress• Volunteer
About USWanda Jorgensen– “Secret Weapon”
• Executive Chef• Volunteer
About USSome of our many other volunteers
How Can You Help??• Volunteer
• Michele Sprague - mdstx77019@yahoo.com
• Director of Volunteers• Donate Funds
• www.omalleypet.org