El Paso Animal Services euthanasia rate drops to record low

In January, the city of El Paso approved adding $1.1 million to the budget for the Animal Services Center. That was the beginning of a major overhaul of the shelter on Fred Wilson Avenue in the northeast.

Some changes included adding new personnel, hiring more vets and holding more adoption events.

In a short time, those changes are already showing a significant return on investment. The El Paso Animal Services Center gave an update to City Council members today.

All of the center’s numbers show the city is making great strides in reducing the number of animals euthanized.

In 2016 so far, the center has put down 9,646 animals. While that number is heartbreaking for animal lovers, it is lower than the numbers in the past years. In 2013, there were 23,616 animals killed. The euthanasia rate is down more than 50 percent.

The live release rate showing a big increase. That’s the number of animals adopted, returned to owner, or transferred to another non-profit agency that can guarantee finding a home.

In 2013, the live release rate was 26 percent. In 2016, the number has jumped to 56 percent.

The adoption rate at the center is also climbing fast. For dogs the center has seen a 38 percent increase in the rate of adoption. For cats the jump is even more impressive. There has been a 68 percent increase in the number of feline adoptions.

Overall, the restructuring of the animal services center includes the hiring of 27 additional personnel over three years.
There are now four full-time vets working at the center and the number of runs-and-play areas has also increased, giving more animals access to outdoor “play time” every day.

The center has also increased the number of hours it is open to the public and embraced social media as a way to save the lives of more animals.