Animal Management

Figures are still being calculated for 2010, even though an annual report was released last week to public officials. Still, figures show a downward trend in intakes, with 1,412 animals taken in during 2009 and around the same number for 2010.

“Ten years ago, there were virtually no low-cost spay and neuter programs out there; now, they’re everywhere,” said Jeff Leffel, director of animal management.

Animals adopted from the agency must be spayed or neutered. Plus, there are low-cost spay-neuter programs sponsored by groups such as P.A.W.S. – Partners for Animal Welfare Society – that are helping people afford the

surgeries for their own animals, Leffel said.

The euthanasia rate for the municipal shelter has also decreased from five years ago.

In 2006, 65 percent of animals brought to the shelter were euthanized.

In 2009, 33 percent were euthanized. Figures for 2010 remain in flux, but Nancy Rubino of P.A.W.S. expects the 2010 figure to be about the same. She pointed out that the euthanasia rate has remained steady since 2008, when the figure was 31 percent.

The 2010 rate is in limbo because of questions over whether feral cats were included in the euthanasia rate and overall intakes. Rubino said they probably weren’t, which makes it hard to compare the annual report to previous years.

Leffel is aware of the conflicting numbers and is striving to put a corrected report together.

Leffel said decreasing euthanasia is a high priority for the facility, though there will always be animals that are too aggressive and must be put down, or an owner has requested euthanasia.

“For 2010, not one was (euthanized) for lack of space,” Leffel said. “There are still going to be owner requests; there are still going to be the sick and injured; and there are still going to be aggressive (animals).”

Leffel was appointed director of the facility in mid-2010. Mayor Brad DeReamer said he was encouraged by the numbers showing downward trends.

DeReamer agreed that the public is doing a better job with spaying and neutering their animals, and the facility is doing more work with rescue groups and organizations.

Two board members of P.A.W.S. agreed that there is more of a combined effort to curb the animal population numbers in Hancock County.

“It’s a whole joint effort that’s making this work,” said Karin Blue.

Blue and Rubino said they were encouraged by the 2010 report.

“What’s great is the number of animals coming into the shelter is reduced,” Rubino said. “It’s because of our efforts of providing low-cost spay and neuter opportunities in the community.”

P.A.W.S. takes around 600 animals a year to various low-cost spay and neuter clinics. Rubino said it was good to see that effort paying off.

Looking back to 2005 and 2006, Rubino said the city-county facility did not work as much with rescue groups or on adoptions. Rubino also questions the statistics of the report in the years 2005 and 2006 because of what she called poor bookkeeping.

Blue added that the facility is simply cleaner compared to the department five years ago, which probably increases adoption rates and decreases euthanasia.

“It changed the attitude around there and made it so people would want to go in there,” she said.

Rubino and Blue said the euthanasia rate is fairly good now, and Rubino said it’s consistent with “well-managed” municipal facilities.

“The only concern that we have is the hours that they’re open,” Rubino said, noting that last year the facility was open four hours on Saturdays. They said more people could adopt a pet or drop one off if it was open after people got off work.

Leffel said the shelter no longer has Saturday hours because it wasn’t worth it. Adoptions and drop-offs were about the same as other days of the week, he said.

Monday afternoon, four cats nuzzled their cages vying for the attention of visitors, and 14 dogs waited for a chance to go on a walk or get attention from staff. Those are low numbers compared to the maximum the facility can hold: 30 dogs and 48 cats.

Leffel said he hopes to continue working with other animal organizations in getting animals adopted.

“Bottom line is, we’re still trying to place animals in a foreverhome…,” Leffel said. “We’re all in the same business.” 

Greenfield-Hancock County Animal Management volunteer Katie Harlan (left) and Animal Control Officer Tiana Gerald play with Ryder, a 2-year-old yellow Labrador. Ryder was dropped off at the shelter on Monday. Unwanted pets and strays like Ryder are becoming more infrequent at the shelter, officials say: Both the number of intakes and the number of animals being put down are dropping.

Spooky the cat virtually has the kennel to himself these days: On Monday, animal management had only four cats housed at the shelter. Capacity is 48. Employee Tiana Gerald was giving Spooky some attention Monday afternoon.