City of Columbia Animal Services

No-Kill Columbia 2018

What is “No-Kill”?

• A "no-kill" shelter is an animal shelter that does not kill healthy or treatable animals even when the shelter is full, reserving euthanasia for terminally ill animals or those considered dangerous to public safety

Statistics 2014/2015

• Intake over the last 5 years has been reduced by 4,044 animals or 31%

• Euthanasia has

been reduced by 5,370 animals or 51%

Adoption Efforts

Richland County Partnership

• Agreement to house all animals • County funded shelter expansion

• 2007 • Added 12,000 sq. ft. addition making 30,000 sq. ft. shelter

• Original contract – 5 years – Contract extension 5 years in 2012

• Cost $14 per animal per day for the legal hold time • 64% of our intake

Our Partners – A Unique Environment • Richland County Animal Care • Lexington County Animal Services • The Animal Mission - $1.3 million and over 28,000 spay/neuter vouchers • The Humane Society – over 19,000 voucher spay/neuters – their location is vital

to us and Richland County citizens • Pawmetto Lifeline / HEART – multiple partner rescue groups • Independent rescue groups working directly with us – most recently Wings of

Rescue and their multiple rescue groups – large, long term dogs • Heartworm Project – treatments and equipment • Other local groups – Petsense and Palmetto Conservation Association • Private Veterinarians – emergency and bigger scale treatments • Our citizen groups

– Fill the Red Truck – School groups – New opportunities Everyone has to be a part of the process

Looking Out for Our Citizens • Affordable and Easy Adoptions

– Dogs/puppies $73 – Cats/kittens $68

• Multiple specials throughout the year that creates awareness and fun for our citizens, placing even more animals into good homes

• Adoptions are on the rise and increasing • Our employees

– Dedication – Quality – Accountability – Customer service

• Maintain an open door policy for our citizens

Marketing

Current Practices • Legal hold times

– 3 business days • owner surrender

– 5 business days • strays

– 14 days • identifiable strays

• Cleaning protocol – based on best practices suggested by Dr. Gerry Hall – internationally know expert on shelter sanitation, disease control and vaccination protocols. Also research suggestions by UC Davis, HSUS, ASPCA, Petfinder and more

• All animals in shelter are photographed and posted – Pet Harbor and Petfinder

• All animals receive a full medical exam by our shelter veterinarian • Training and Behavioral evaluations • There is no shortage of animals - there is no cap on what any rescue group can pull

Changes and Opportunities • Drop cage closing

– reduced intake by 403 in just three months • Ordinances

– Community Cats – pilot program success – Free pass for pets already neutered, microchipped, vaccinated and licensed – Differential licensing that further rewards owners of neutered pets

• Outreach programs – Ad campaigns – Email blasts to our partners and citizens – Social media – Expanding our partnerships with rescue groups

• Fosters, weekend outings • Transports • Isolation areas for transport animals in new building • Advanced pet care for injuries and illness

Other Agencies • Charleston

– Live Release Rate - 92% • Year 5 40% • Columbia Animal Services 42%

– Budget - $5,000,000 – Number of Employees

• 90 • 4 full time vets

– Foster Homes • 500 at any given time

– 32,000 Sq. Ft. facility

• Greenville – Live Release Rate – 61% – Budget - $3,933,096 – Number of Employees - 77

No Kill Columbia 2018_Hyper.pptx

The Future • A No-Kill Columbia is almost here and will happen at

Columbia Animal Services • Any interruption or major change at this point will only

disrupt and delay that goal • Intake and euthanasia numbers are at an all time low and

dropping steadily by working with all of our partners • City of Columbia Animal Services is building

something we can all be proud of in a sustainable and affordable way

No-Kill Columbia 2018 The dream is about to become a

sustainable reality!