Animal Welfare in Mount Pleasant TX Wendy Blount

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, Spay. Neuter. Nac • 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 Year Pet. Smart 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

Estimating Minimum Surgeries per Year www. census. gov • Population of the area – 66, 034 • Percent living in poverty – 24. 1% • Average household size – 2. 52 persons AVMA • 37% of households own dogs • 32% of households own cats APPMA • 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

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 Pet. Smart 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 downward Our Pet Overpopulation Problem is as bad as is gets in the United States

Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter? Arguments Against • There 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 <$35 K are not spayed or neutered • Median income for our county is $35 K • 26, 204 households • 13, 102 households below $35 K • 13, 102 x 32% x 1. 7 = 7127 cats • 50% = 3564 unsterilized cats • 3564 x 35% = 1247 cat spays needed

Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter? Household income – 2013 Persons in household Free 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 person + $7, 704 person Source HHS Poverty Standard State Aid Programs

Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter? Low Cost services are not necessary 6646 unsterilized cats THAT’S A LOT OF CAT LOVIN’!!!

Do We Need Low Cost Spay Neuter? Low Cost services are not necessary 5680 unsterilized dogs THAT’S A PUP-U-LATION EXPLOSION!!!

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 - $180 K this year • ~$20 K from local benefactors and fundraisers • ~$10 K/yr website labor donated • building purchased by a benefactor, budget pays utilities only • ~$50 K in veterinary labor donated • Grants - $65 K this year • $4. 8 K ASPCA • $35 K Montgomery Humane Trust • $15. 65 K Texas DSHS • $10 K Pet. Smart 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 setup 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 – Pet. Smart Charities Grant $57 K for 700 surgeries in 75964 • April 2012 – City Closes Spay. Neuter. Nac 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 US Jennifer Bryant • Veterinary Technician • The glue that holds us together • Responsible for absolutely everything • Since 2013 Jennifer and family

About US Michele Sprague – “Huckleberry” • Director of Volunteers & Treasurer • Property Manager • Amazing powers of persuasion Michele tells us how she really feels about dogs who reproduce indiscriminantly