Breakdowns
Breakdowns
in the Community
Animal Management System
community
goals
with each organization playing a key role.
Inability to develop coalitions
of animal organizations who work together to achieve regional goals.
Inability to develop synergism
(total effect is greater than the sum of its parts), define strengths
and weaknesses of each organization and work within those abilities
for the good of the animals.
Failure of humane organizations
to advocate a clear and sensible message to the public that the life
of an animal is valued and working to uphold the humane ethic by not
taking life, but by protecting life.
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Failure to apply political
pressure on politicians to adequately address
community
animal programs.
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A lack of understanding of the
contradictory missions of both animal control, (to protect the public
from animals) and humane organizations (protect the animals from the
public).
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Underfunding of animal control
programs and capital improvements for animal facilities by local
governments.
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Failure to recognize that 70%
of the cat
overpopulation problem is
caused by unowned, intact, feral, freeroaming cats and developing an
effective humane population control program.
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Failure to recognize the
importance of trap/vaccinate/neuter/release as a humane way to lower
impound rates and instead recommend the "round em up and kill'em"
method (that has proven to be ineffective).
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Distrust in government animal
control by nonprofits
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Politically appointed directors of
animal control instead of professional career pathing
from within the profession
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Failure to recognize the number one
reason why pets are euthanized in shelters, LACK OF IDENTIFICATION and
develop a corrective program
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Total reliance on dog (and
sometimes cat) licensing and ID tags as a means of returning lost pets
home. This system is a FAILURE (avg
15% of dogs and 2% cats returned to owner.
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Failure to implement microchip
programs and understand it's benefits
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Failure to develop low-cost or free
transfer agreements between animal control and nonprofit/rescue
organizations
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Failure of shelters to use breed
rescue.
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The assumption that anti -breeding
legislation will solve everything.
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The assumption that spay/neuter
will solve everything.
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The liberal interpretation of the
word euthanasia to include "lack of space" and "time ran
out." True euthanasia means taking a life for reasons of health or
temperament and is a true act of mercy. Shelters are not to blame, but
by not calling it what it is, we fail to galvanize enough force in the
community to stop it.
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Lack of understanding and funding
for pet retention programs
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Failure to set goals, monitor and
measure performance to those goals and adjust programs accordingly.
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Failure by nonprofits to develop
animal social services targeted at low income owners
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Nonprofits that assume government
contracts and:
fail to allocate a large portion of their revenue towards proactive
programs
and
do so to alleviate fund raising responsibilities and pressures
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The assumption by nonprofits that sheltering and adopting animals is
enough
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Failure of nonprofits to
professionally market their animals for adoption and spend money to do
so.
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Failure of No-kill shelters to
advance beyond sheltering and aggressively fundraise then channel those
funds into proactive programs
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Government animal control forming
nonprofit 501 C3 organizations to raise money (competing with
nonprofits) instead of having the money come from the community tax
base.
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Tendency by boards to accumulate
reserves greater than 2 times their annual budget and use these excess
funds for investment that supplants annual fundraising activity. (excess
reserves should be used for animal programs
if good, healthy, adoptable animals are being
euthanized)
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Failure to use professional
fundraising principles and develop charitable trusts.
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Failure of shelters to recognize
most people don't visit shelters because they become "emotionally
overwhelmed" and to extend adoption services into the community
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Shelters closed after 5 pm on
weekdays and on Saturdays and Sundays, the days when most people have
the time to look for a pet.
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Failure of the veterinarian
community to recognize the importance of training during the critical
first year of ownership and intervene to solve behavior problems and
help people bond.
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Failure of purebred organizations
to certify and sanction breeding practices and strongly censure,
discipline and ban poor performers.
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Failure to recognize the benefits
of mobile spay/neuter units that are able to go to problem areas with
vital services.
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Failure of governments to initiate
a subsidized voucher spay/neuter program and realize a dollar spent
today will save seven next year.
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