Animal shelter saves record number of cats, dogs
The January 2018 live release rate for El Paso’s Animal Services Center was 87 percent, the highest ever reported. The live release rate is the percentage of animals leaving the shelter alive through adoption, return to owner or transfer.
The Animal Services Task Force recently reported the good news to the City Council. The group is working to turn the center into a no-kill shelter by 2020. A no-kill shelter has a 90 percent live release rate, meaning that nine of every 10 animals admitted leaves alive.
Interim animal services director Paula Powell presented a six-month report on key statistics, new initiatives, community outreach and 2018 goals.
“We are in the process of reprogramming savings from our new microchip contract and vehicle replacement for capital improvements in the facility,” said Powell.
She highlighted big improvements over a six-month period compared to the same time period the year before.
In August 2016 through January 2017, the shelter’s live release rate was 64.3 percent.
That number jumped dramatically during August 2017 through January 2018. The live release rate during that period was 78.1 percent.
The national average live release rate is 68 percent.
“What we are really trying to do is change the culture out at the shelter,” said City Manager Tommy Gonzalez. “We are really working hard to demonstrate that we are wanting to give these animals a voice that can’t speak. A lot of our community loves our pets and we are really working hard to demonstrate that. I think we have put together a star-studded team that is really doing amazing work.”
The new executive director of the Humane Society of El Paso, Luke Westerman, has promised the mayor and council that he will work closely with the city’s animal shelter.
“It is my intention and the intention of the Humane Society on the whole to collaborative openly and actively with our city shelter more than has been done in the past. I am so grateful for the city’s commitment to making El Paso a no-kill community,” Westerman said.
The Animal Services Task Force team has focused on improving medical operations and the facility. A fourth veterinarian started work in October.
The shelter has worked to improve the customer experience, renovate the cat adoption room and streamline the adoption event process.
The shelter is also partnering with the El Paso Police Department’s Animal Cruelty Investigative Unit. Powell said the partnership has already yielded several arrests.
The El Paso Fire Department is another important partner. There are potential plans to develop a program in which people who have found animals can have a microchip checked at a fire station, instead of having to bring the cat or dog to the animal shelter.
One of the shelter’s big goals for 2018 is to reach a 78 percent live release rate. Officials hope to achieve this by reducing animal intake and decreasing the length of stay. Powell was quick to thank people for fostering animals and volunteering their time.
“This is huge. This is such good news. From the point where we were at 45 percent,” said city representative Claudia Ordaz-Perez. “This is a blessing for this community and for the animals.”
The shelter is currently offering free adoptions for any “longtimers” – pets who have been at the shelter longer than 20 days. There are also free pet reclaims on lost and found pets for two days after the pet arrives arrival at the shelter.
