Animal Control Facility – Outcome Amendments

Animal Control Facility – Outcome Amendments

Recommendation:
That the September 29, 2009, Planning and Development Department report 2009PCS022 be received for information.

Report Summary

This report provides information on reducing the number of strays in Edmonton andachieving an outcome where no adoptable animal will be euthanized.

Previous Council/Committee Action

At the March 16, 2009, Community Services Committee meeting, the following motion was passed:

That Administration provide a report to the September 21, 2009, Community Services Committee meeting regarding:

  1. Consultation with organizations, such as the Apartment Owners Association, Greater Edmonton Foundation and Housing Trust, to educate regarding the issue of some pets being released to the wild when pet owners move and the possibility of amending housing policies to permit more pet ownership. The objective would be to reduce the number of stray animals in Edmonton.
  2. In consultation with stakeholders, such as the Edmonton Humane Society, explore implications of the City of Edmonton moving towards an outcome, such as Calgary’s model, where a healthy adoptable animal, regardless of breed, age or shelter capacity, will not be euthanized.

Report

Motion1 Response

  • Administration approached stakeholders from a variety of property management companies in Edmontonand asked a series of questions to determine their position about pets, rental accommodations and the potential to educate the affected parties about responsible pet ownership.
  • Each of the groups approached indicated that their pet policies were not open for discussion or change. They considered the matter a private one decided by their respective management. However, all organizations were open to working with the City of Edmonton to provide education for renters and apartment managers.
  • As a consequence, Administration has developed a strategic approach to improve renter and property manager understanding of re-homing pets through a number of education initiatives. See Attachment 1.

Motion2 Response

  • The most widely adopted policy by ‘open’ animal control shelters states all adoptable and treatable animals are saved and only un-adoptable or non-rehabilitatable animals are euthanized.
  • Considerable program development, support, and funding are required to achieve an outcome where no adoptable animal is euthanized. Fivefundamental goals must be reached:
  1. reduce the number of stray animals
  2. increase the number of animals reclaimed
  3. reduce the number of animals that need to be rescued
  4. create capacity to hold, treat and care for stray animals
  5. reduce unwanted litters
  • The following is a list of programs and initiatives that were identified as vital elements in moving Edmonton’s Animal Control and Care Services to achieving a model that allows all pets to be reunited with owners or adopted:
  • Spay/Neuter Support Program
  • Improved Licensing Program
  • Enhanced Lost and Found Program
  • Animal Control Enterprise Cost Recovery Model
  • Enhance Rescue Group Partnerships
  • Vet Care Program

See Attachment 2.

  • Attachment 2 provides an overview of these programs. Attachment 3 provides a summary of the areas Committee may wish to explore and request administration report back on.

Attachments

  1. Strategic Plan to Re-Home Pets
  2. Implications of a Minimal Euthanasia Approach
  3. Summary of Implications

Page 1 of 2

Attachment 1

Strategic Plan to Re-Home Pets

Introduction

Dogs and catsand other pets are being increasingly surrendered to animal shelters, abandoned, or worse let go stray because their owners can no longer afford to care for them or find rental property that allows pets.

People relocating are one of the main reasons owners surrender pets to shelters. People forced to sell or move often believe they have fewpet options, aslandlords lean towards accepting a pet-free tenant.Many owners try to find their animals a new home or seek the service of an adoption shelter. However, significant numbers of animals are also left in apartments or stray on the streets. By the time a neighbour or landlord notices that a pet has been left, the animalis likely in distress and poor health.

Recently a U.S. study surveyed 1000 pet owners and found the following:“pet-friendly policies play a major role for more than 80 percent of pet owners in choosing a place to live - 30 percent seek apartmentsclose to pet amenities such as dog parks, walking trails and veterinary clinics. Of those who feel forced to give up their pets, 65 percent say they are unable to find an apartment with a pet-friend policy, while 27 percent said they are unable to afford the pet deposit. More than half of renters pay more than $200 for a pet deposit, and nearly 60 percent are less likely to rent an apartment requiring a pet deposit.” These surveyresults echo a similar situation across Canada.

Strategic Approach

Thisreport examines the current options available to renters with pets in Edmonton and proposes a strategy to improve renter and landlord awareness of local pet services so that the outcome for unwanted pets is more positive. A number of educational and practical solutions are proposed to prompt renters with unwanted pets to take steps to re-home their animals.

Goal

To decrease the number of stray pets in Edmonton!

Objectives

●To reduce stray pet populations in rental areas and the surrounding community.

●To provide opportunity for renters to learn about re-homing options.

●To encourage property managers to work with the City of Edmonton to ensure that stray pets (animals left behind) go to the Animal Care and Control Centre.

Edmonton Situation

Stakeholders from a variety of property management companies in Edmonton were asked a series of questions to determine their position about pets, rental accommodations and the potential to educate the affected parties about responsible pet ownership. Secondary research was also conducted through the Internet, social networks and through discussions with vet clinic staff.

Each of the groups approached indicated that their pet policies were not open for discussion or change. They considered the matter a private one and decided by their respective management. However, all organizations were open to working with the COE to provide education for renters and apartment managers.

Organizations such as the Edmonton Apartment Association (EAA), Greater Edmonton Foundation (GEF), Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC) and Edmonton’s largest property management group Boardwalk Rental Communities (BRC) would consider providing pet owners with re-homing information alongside their rental agreements.

Most organizations have established communication vehicles available to educate landlords about reducing strays particularly through the EAA. Delivering re-homing information to renters would be at the discretion of individual managers. Generally all parties suggest that providing more information and a support program may prompt pet owners to re-home rather than desert unwanted pets.

The City’s Animal Control Section deals with ongoing stray pet calls, especially cats, in apartment complexes throughout the city. Taking proactive steps to improve renter and property manager knowledge of re-homing and licensing will not eliminate the problem but when used in combination of other initiatives it can significantly reduce the problem.

Elements of an Enhanced Education Campaign

  1. Use a variety of established education vehicles to reach renters and managers with practical re-homing and pet licensing information.
  • EAA newsletter, seminars, social networks, trade show, monthly meetings
  • Internet, email
  • Direction to landlords via management company
  1. Work within each management group’s policies to place information alongside existing rental agreements about:
  • Responsible pet ownership
  • Licensing requirements (a licensed animal is less likely to be left behind.)
  • Re-homing options
  1. Craft specific messaging for tenants, managers and neighbours.
  • Where to take pets
  • Options for adoption
  • Do’s and Don’ts
  • Can I afford a pet?
  • Shortlist of pet friendly property management listings

Other Re-Homing Options

Pet aid agencies offer different services and have different capacity levels; therefore, it can take several attempts to find one that has room for a pet.By working with an agency or other available options, pets stand a better chance of finding a suitable home. Options include:

  • Over fifteen non-profit societies and associations that provide support, rescue and care services
  • Kennel and boarding facilities donating or subsidizing kennel space
  • Specific pure breed clubs and groups

Page 1 of 2Report: 2009PCS022 Attachment 1

Attachment 2

Implications of a Minimal Euthanasia Approach

Introduction

The most widely adopted policy for ‘open’ animal control shelters state all adoptable and treatable animals are saved and only unadoptable or non-rehabilitatable animals are euthanized. Some expanded policies outline that no healthy adoptable animal, regardless of breed or age or shelter capacity is euthanized.

Clearly the overriding intent is to reduce the number of stray, feral, or unwanted animals that would be considered for euthanasia. While various shelter groups and organization have differing policies in place, larger municipalities are seen as having a broad scope of animal care and control responsibilities that align with resource dependant programs.

Edmonton’s current animal care and control responsibilities are implemented through a number of programs and initiatives; however, fully embracing a minimal euthanasia policy would require a more sophisticated strategic approach and suitable funding.

Strategic Approach

To achieve a successful outcome where no adoptable animal will be euthanized requires significant program development, enhancement, support and funding. Five fundamental goals must be reached:

Reduce the number of stray animals.

Increase the number of animals reclaimed.

Reduce the number of animals that need to be rescued

Create capacity to hold, treat and care for stray animals

Reduce unwanted litters

Implications

The following is a list of programs and initiatives that were identified as essential elements in moving Edmonton Animal Control and Care Services to achieving a model that allows all pets to be reunited with owners, adopted, rescued or treated.

Spay/Neuter Support Program.

The Edmonton Humane Society (EHS) currently provides spay and neutering for adoption animals whilelocal Veterinarians provide it on a fee for service basis. The EHS as part of its responsible pet owner philosophy spays or neuters all pets prior to adoption. The City discontinued adoption services ten years ago and, as a consequence, there is no advantagefor the City to offer in-house spay/neuter services.

The City’s primary animal care role is to accept and hold stray pets until reclaimed and then work with adoption groups to find homes for pets not claimed. Calgary’s in-house low cost spay neuter program for cats is possibleonly because it already has a long established in-house adoption program. Edmonton forwards unclaimed animals to its local humane society and there exists a partnership opportunity for development of a financial support program for spay and neutering.

Spay/neuter programs can also be used to manage feral cat populations. Feral cats because of their aggressive and un-adoptable nature are often euthanized after the required 3 day holding period. Evidence from other cities shows that over time, returning neutered cats to the feral population gradually reduces the local feral cat population. Programs such as these require dedicated resources and close management to be successful. An understanding of cost and resource implications, program effectiveness and viability are prerequisites to establish such a program.

Committee may wish to explore implications of a grant or sponsorship program that provides financial support to encourage the spay/neutering of pets.

Committee may wish to explore implications of developing a spay/neuterrelease program for feral cats.

Improved Licensing program

Licensing is viewed as a cornerstone of responsible pet ownership and the best method to reunite pets with owners. The City licenses 68,000 dogs and 36,000 cats annually which represents about half the estimated number of pets in Edmonton. With ninety eight percent of licensed cats and eight five percent of licensed dogs being spayed or neutered, licensingcan influence the number of unwanted pets being born and, by extension, reduces euthanasia rates.

As animal population numbers continue to grow additional animal control officers are required to effectively manage licensing and service demands. Planning and Development Department has recognized this important need and is bringing forward a 2010 budget service package that requests four additional Animal Control Officers.

These officers are necessary to handle the increase in animal numbers, service demand, provide weekend and evening coverage, reduce overtime requirements, provide faster response for dog attacks, and proactively patrol parks, off leash areas and green space. Additional benefits will be to reduce animal euthanasia rates, increasing claim rates, encourage pet licensing, reducing the number of animals admitted, and reduce the reliance on rescue groups.

2009 department survey data showed:

1. 95% of citizens surveyed indicate responsible pet ownership (controlling barking, running at large and dog attacks) as important.

2. Only 55% of citizens surveyed found enforcement of animal control behaviour complaints as satisfactory.

3. 23% of citizens surveyed felt that there was too little enforcement concerning dog and cat behaviour problems.

4. Public dog defecation concerns rated highest as important to citizens

Committee may wish to explore implications of enhancing the existing pet licensing program.

Enhanced Lost and Found Program

Edmonton was among the first organizations in Canada to use the new PetLynx program that allows both pet finders and owners of lost pets to enter information on the Web. Working more closely with service providers to improve automated real-time searches ofregistered pets, improve recovery tools and auto-matching functions will help increase re-claim rates.

The use of permanent identification systems such as microchips is a primary method of returning lost pets home. This system safeguards pets from being lost or stolen and provides municipalities with a simple identification method. Electronic ID offers a number of physical advantages over external tags and is viewed as very reliable.

A community microchip program of low cost or no cost implants will return lost animals home, protect pets from theft, accidental euthanasia, and foster responsible animal ownership.

Committee may wish to explore implications of enhancing lost and found services with external service providers.

Committee may wish to explore implications of implementing a community microchip program.

Enhanced Education Program

The City of Edmonton has a number of educational vehicles it uses to promote responsible pet ownership, such as, gone to the dogs, pet expo, pet licensing, pets in the park, etc. On going education and communication is viewed as critical in developing awareness of city bylaws and municipal services. With Edmonton’s new facility in close proximity to the Edmonton Humane Society strategic development of programs and educational initiatives to benefit both organizations and recognize partnerships and synergies should occur.

Committee may wish to explore development of an enhanced education program.

Enterprise Cost Recovery Model

The City of Calgary’s Animal Control facility, support programs and adoption policies are viewed as industry leading. A lot of the success can be attributed to operating under a self funding model. In addition, significant work and resources in the areas of marketing, business and fund reserve management make this model a success.

Calgary representatives were quick to point out that development of a distinct Edmonton model or solution is needed as Calgary’s programs and services differ significantly to Edmonton. While it’s recognized that such a process may take five years to fully align programs, strategies, revenues and expenses, it is viewed as a sustainable option. The ability to fold positive variances back into programs, facilities and service enhancements highlights a positive re-investment process.

Committee may wish to explore an enterprise cost recovery model for Edmonton Animal Control Services.

Enhance rescue group partnerships

In addition to the partnership and funding support the City has with the Edmonton Humane Society, added support to local pet rescue organizations could reduce euthanasia rates. Rescue groups commonly accept animals not suitable for adoption. The City provides little in the way of financial support to these groups but gains from their efforts to take unwanted animals.

Committee may wish to explore development of a funding framework for animal rescue groups.

Vet Care Program

The City currently provides basic in-house “first aid” to all pets taken in by the Animal Services facility. Animal care beyond this level of service would likely require the City to operate under the standards of a certified veterinary clinic. A move to this level of animal care and service wouldsignificantly improvehealth services to stray animals. Statistics show that 22% of the cats and 29% of the dogs are required to be euthanized because of health reasons. A full service vet program could significantly reduce health related euthanasia. Such a service would be subject to the regulations and equipment requirements of the AVMA (Alberta Veterinary Medical Association).

Committee may wish to explore implications of a full service vet care program.

Page 1 of 4Report: 2009PCS022 Attachment 2

Attachment 3