SLCo Animal Services

Hurry! Register to Join Us for the 2011 Doggie Olympics

2011-07-14T10:36:00.003-06:00

Join Utah FACES and SL County Animal Services for the 2011 “Doggie Olympics”

Come have fun as you and your dog compete for the gold together. To participate you will need to pre-register. Registration will be available the day of the event but on a first come first serve basis.

Date: Saturday, July 16, 2011
Place: Murray Park, Constitution Circle 5130 South State Street
Time: 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

The games will include Marathon Down, Temptation Tower, Best Trick, and 6 others! http://utahfaces.org/Doggie_Olympics.html

Utah FACES is an all volunteer 501c3 organization whose efforts support the programs and animals at Salt Lake County Animal Services!

Press Release: SL County Animal Services Wins 2011 Utah's Best of State Medal

2011-05-27T14:57:00.010-06:00

Press Release May 27, 2011

Salt Lake County Animal Services Wins 2011 Utah's Best of State Medal
Animal shelter given high regards for going the extra mile for homeless pets

Salt Lake County, UT - Salt Lake County Animal Services will be receiving a 2011 Utah’s Best of State Medal Award for work and achievements in the Community Development Category. This is the second year in a row that the agency has earned the award.

“It is an honor to receive this recognition by the Best of State committee” says Shawni Larrabee, Director of Salt Lake County Animal Services. “This is often a tough job and this type of recognition is greatly appreciated by the staff, volunteers and community partners that have dedicated themselves to changing the fate of lost and abandoned pets entering the county shelter.”

“Life saving programs for pets entering the Salt Lake County shelter has resulted in a reduction in the euthanasia rate to less than half the rate of the rest of the state” says Larrabee. These programs include FREE Cat Adoptions, the Salt Lake County Pit Crew and TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) program for community cats. “These programs have shown a significant impact on increasing the live release rate at the shelter as well as promoting proactive, long term solutions to pet related issues. We have even more exciting things coming in 2011 and 2012,” says Larrabee.

Larrabee says that SLCo Animal Services takes pride in developing strong relationships with local volunteers, shelters, groups and rescues as well as large national organizations. “These relationships are critical to our efforts, and the response from the community has been amazing.”

The Best of State Awards were created in 2003 to recognize outstanding individuals, organizations and businesses in Utah. Best of State candidates are evaluated by a panel of 100 judges based on three criteria: achievement in the field of endeavor; innovation or creativity in approaches, techniques, methods or processes; and contribution to improving the quality of life in Utah.

Salt Lake County Animal Services serves the citizens in the Unincorporated Township Areas, Salt Lake City, Herriman City and Holladay City.

Salt Lake County Animal Services
511 West 3900
Salt Lake City UT 84123

(801)559-1100

http://www.adoptutahpets.com/

FACEBOOK:
http://www.facebook.com/slcoanimalservices
http://www.facebook.com/slcoanimalservices#!/slcopitcrew

High Water Is a Danger to Pets !

2011-05-02T21:09:00.006-06:00

It is finally Spring in Utah and the potential for flooding has been a hot topic as the snow pack begins to melt. Everyone needs to be especially careful around local waterways this time of year as they are moving very fast and the water is extremely cold. The risk that the high, fast and frigid water poses to humans is just as deadly as it is to pets.

Last weekend a dog fell into the creek near Tanner Park and was swept away despite efforts to reach her. The responding officers reported that, luckily, the dog managed to make it to shore some distance downstream and was picked up by a good Samaritan. While this story ended happily, it is a reminder that our furry family members don't have an understanding of Spring run off dangers. Please spread the word that pet owners need to keep pets away from the waterways this time of year.

End of First Quarter 2011 and Another New Record Set!!

2011-04-24T18:37:00.005-06:00

April 22, 2011. Reviewing statistic reports from the upstairs office with Crash and Bindi asleep on the floor. I'm always amazed at how much a mastiff can sleep, not to mention snore... good grief!!

I promised long ago to make sure that all of our statistics were not only transparent but openly reported. I believe this is crucial if we are to truly partner with all of the citizens we serve. Everyone should know exactly what goes on behind our doors and how it impact the lost and abandoned pets in the community. So, with that said, here is the 2011, first quarter report:

October through November and January through March of 2011 are traditionally the months with the lowest pet intake figures and, therefore, the lowest pet euthanasia rates.

However, first quarter (January through March) 2011 has been yet another record breaking period for SLCoAS. Our 'e-metric', which measures the number of animals euthanized per 1,000 citizens served, was only 2.8. By comparison, in 2007, our e-metric was 9.6 which reflected the trend in the rest of the county/state.

Today, more than ever, pets entering the Salt Lake County Shelter have a very good chance at a second home and a new life. Congratulations All!!

Pets and Emergency Preparedness

2011-04-19T10:22:00.002-06:00

Emergencies and disasters come in many forms and are not always predictable. They may require anything from a few hours to several weeks away from your home. The best thing you can do for your family and your pets is to be prepared.

When developing a family emergency plan, always include your companion animals. It is recommended that you have a three to seven day supply of food and water for each pet. You should also have an emergency kit that includes a litterpan, food and water dishes, a leash and collar and familiar toys. You can also reduce stress by having a blanket or towel that smells like home to be housed with your pet during an emergency. If you have a pet on a special diet or medication, be sure that you have a 15 day supply of medications on hand. Depending on the emergency, it may be several days before you may have access to your veterinarian or pharmacy and your pet’s life may depend on getting his daily medication. Don’t forget when making and storing emergency kits that some supplies do expire. You should check your pet emergency kits every three months and rotate supplies as needed.

If you own an unusual pet such as a reptile, bird or pocket pet, an emergency kit is especially important since they require special housing and care. You may be required to leave your pet at a temporary animal shelter and having the supplies your pet needs will help reduce not only the stress your animal suffers but yours as well.

Planning ahead and having an emergency kit in place for your companion animals is one way you can ensure that when disasters strikes, you are prepared.

(By: April Harris, Associate Director)

The FAQ's About Cat Licensing

2011-04-06T17:43:00.008-06:00

Approximately 16,000 cats will enter shelters in the Salt Lake Valley each year and only 3%- 4% are successfully reunited with owners. We have worked very hard to change the fate of the animals that enter the county shelter but so few cats going home puts enormous burden on our programs. We don’t believe that a 4% return to owner rate on the 4,000 to 5,000 cats that we care for each year represents success and we believe that together we can do a better job at getting these cats home.

Q: Why should I license my cat?

A: There are many reasons to license a family pet. The same reasons that apply to dogs apply to cats as well. a. A license enables us to find you and bring your pet home. Dog licensing has been required for a many years and we are able to return a significant percentage of dogs to their owners within a few days. We also have goals set around driving more pets home rather than bringing them to the shelter, however, without licensing information your pet cat cannot benefit from this initiative. b. A license indicates to animal control agencies that an animal has an owner who is looking for it. If we find your pet injured, perhaps hit by a car, a license ensures that we will seek prompt medical attention for your furry family member. c. Part of the licensing process is confirming that rabies vaccinations are up to date. Rabies is a deadly but preventable disease and ensuring that all pets are properly vaccinated is in the best interest of the community. d. To reunite pets with their owners, we have to first determine who the owners are. Cats in particular are quite adept at escaping collars and other methods of identification. The best chance of properly identifying your animal is obtained through the use of microchipping. A microchip is a permanent method of identification for your animal. As part of this initiative we are offering FREE microchips with your license to ensure that your pet can take advantage of this amazing identification system. A microchip plus a license virtually guarantees that your lost pet, if found, will be returned to you.

Q: Why make licensing mandatory?

A: Cat licensing has been available on a voluntary basis for many years. In that time, very few cats have been licensed and consequently very few ever find their way back home. In Salt Lake County, we are currently only able to reunite around 3-4% of all lost cats with their owners. Dogs, who are more likely licensed, are 10 times more likely to find their way home.

Q: What about the outdoor cats I am feeding but don’t actually own?

A: Cats that are free roaming, wild, or untamed are considered “Feral Cats” (or “community cats”) and are not considered owned. For these community cats, licensing is strongly encouraged but not required. If they have any access into your home then we consider them owned and they will need to be licensed. If you are feeding cats please obtain a colony permit (no charge) and take advantage of the information and resources to ensure all colony cats are sterilized and vaccinated.

Q: Can I license “Feral” (“Community”) cats?

A: We are supportive of community cat programs and work very closely with the community and rescue groups on Trap/Neuter/Return initiatives including providing resources and education. While it isn't required, we strongly encourage the licensing of these cats since they would then also benefit from being returned directly to their neighborhood instead of coming to the shelter.

Q: Who will this legislation effect?

A: Only residents of the unincorporated areas of Salt Lake County are affected by the ordinance change. These are citizens in the canyon areas, Kearns, Copperton, Magna, Millcreek, and Sandy Islands as well as any other land in the valley not located inside of an incorporated city. Each city in the valley has its own ordinances and regulations that its citizens must abide by.

Q. I am over the limit on the number of pets but I'm a good owner and have never had any complaints. Is this a way for the County to try and make me give up my pets?

A: Absolutely not. As part of this initiative we are also proposing that pet limits be eliminated under the premise that limits don't solve the problems but that they are a barrier to compliance since people then have to 'hide' from our agency. Since this proposal went public I've heard from several citizens (almost all anonymous, of course) that have stated they can't wait to come into compliance. We have other ordinances and tools to address issues around noise, odor or quality of care and we will continue to utilize those as we work with citizens. (You can find more detail about our new "Responsible Pet Owner Pact" posted on this site on March 22, 2011.)

Introducing the "Responsible Pet Owner Pact"

2011-03-22T22:26:00.003-06:00

Nothing is as constant as change.

We've become pretty good at change at Salt Lake County Animal Services ("SLCoAS"). Two years of change have resulted in a shelter euthanasia rate now less than half the state average and amazing community support. I am very thankful for employees, volunteers, partner agencies and the community for helping us achieve our goals.

However, we are far from finished. As an agency committed to constant improvement, we are always looking ahead to see where we still have opportunity for improvement.

In the Fall of 2010, SLCoAS management began studying the outstanding results that Calgary Animal Control has achieved in terms of creating a safe, humane and pet friendly community. A core element of the Calgary philosophy is the premise that we don't have a pet overpopulation, stray animal, nuisance or vicious animal problem - we have an irresponsible pet owner problem. To address this ‘people problem’ we need to be focused on education and communication with a goal of compliance to improve the lives of both people and pets in the community.

The statistics below clearly outline how much opportunity there is for Salt Lake County communities to improve in these measures:

Dogs reunited with owners: SLCoAS - 44% Calgary - 90%

Cats reunite with owners: SLCoAS - 4% Calgary - 54%*

Dog bites/population: SLCoAS - 658/381,000 Calgary - 58/1,100,000

*Cat licensing has only been in place for 3 years.

To achieve results similar to Calgary, SLCoAS will need to make changes in philosophy and daily operations as well as propose the adoption of ordinance changes. Proposed changes include eliminating pet limits, improving facilities, ramping up safety and education programs and focusing on dog and cat licensing to ensure lost pets can be taken home. Animal control officers would need to begin focusing on mediation and education instead of traditional enforcement with goals set around identifying solutions that don't involve enforcement (ie citations).

This new initiative even has it's own name:

“Salt Lake County Responsible Pet Owner Pact”

A Commitment To:

RESPONSIBLE Pet Ownership

EDUCATION, TRAINING and SOLUTIONS

SAFE Community for People and Pets

We used the term 'Pact' because the goal is to build a stronger partnership with our animal loving community and together move toward a safer, more humane and much more pet friendly community. I will be sharing much more information over the coming months but essentially this new initiative is centered around the idea that we need the community to focus on what it means to be a responsible pet owner and that our agency needs to be a source of education, resources and solutions.

So get ready everyone, the next few years look to be even more exciting than the last!

Keep Your Pet's Rabies Vaccination Current!!

2011-02-27T16:43:00.001-07:00

http://slcoanimalservices.blogspot.com/2011/02/keep-your-pets-rabies-vaccination.html

Keep your pet's rabies vaccination current!!!

2011-02-27T16:40:00.001-07:00

Don’t Forget to Keep Your Pet’s Rabies Vaccinations Current!

Rabies is a deadly but preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The vast majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year occur in wild animals like raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes. Ensuring that your dogs, cats and ferrets are appropriately vaccinated is important for the safety of our community and can prevent heartbreaking decisions about your pet in the future.

Not long ago a local resident had a scary encounter when two raccoons entered her home through the dog door. Her small dog loyally defended his home and owner and after a short squabble he managed to chase the raccoons back out of the house. The dog had some cuts and bites so his owner took him straight to the veterinarian for treatment. However, while at the clinic the doctor had bad news for the owner when it was discovered that the dog’s rabies vaccination had lapsed.

A possible rabies exposure for a pet that is not current on its rabies vaccination can mean six months of strict, isolated quarantine. Six months in isolated quarantine would be very difficult and traumatic for a family pet and extremely expensive for the owners. Please take a moment to check that your dog, cat or ferret has a current rabies vaccination. Rabies vaccinations are available through your veterinarian or at the Salt Lake County Shelter for $15 (3900 South 511 West, 801-559-1100) https://owa.slco.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=7db26286fcd44d438044049eda40dfc9&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.adoptutahpets.com%2f. For more information on rabies visit https://owa.slco.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=7db26286fcd44d438044049eda40dfc9&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.health.utah.gov.

It's Official!!

2011-02-12T08:33:00.001-07:00

I haven't seen the press release yet but it is official....

Salt Lake County Animal Services has been named the recipient of American Dog Rescue’s 2010 National Animal Welfare & Protection Award. Presentation of the award will be on Tuesday, February 15th at the 4pm council meeting at 21st South State, North building.

What a great recognition for the tremendous efforts of staff, volunteers, community partners and citizens!

SL County Announces 2010 as Another Record Breaking Year!

2011-01-07T13:53:00.000-07:00

2010 was another amazing year for our agency. No, wait. 2010 was another amazing year for lost and abandoned pets that found their way to the SL County Shelter.

New programs and a dedicated effort to find lifesaving solutions for the lost and abandoned pets in our care have yielded significant results. Dog adoptions increased by over 62% and cat adoptions increased by over 45% this year compared to 2009. Our euthanasia rates are now less than half of the state average.

We cared for approximately 10,500 lost and abandoned animals in 2010. For those pets that we were unable to reunite with owners, we proved that a municipal shelter can also be as successful as any other shelter in finding positive outcomes for the pets in its care.

Congratulations to all employees, volunteers, and community partners whose absolute dedication made everything and anything possible!

Bring it on 2011!

Last few hours of 2010

2010-12-31T02:03:00.001-07:00

I am staying with my daughter tonight, so instead of a mastiff on my feet, I have a Chihuahua named "Jack" demanding that I move over and let him under the blanket. I am here to attest that 4 pounds of Chihuahua attitude will outweigh 200+ pounds of English Mastiff "mush" any day.

Anyway, as we close in on the last few hours of 2010, I can't help but find myself thinking back over the past 12 months. Once again, I am amazed at what can be accomplished with committed staff, dedicated volunteers, a supportive community and a Mayor and Council that understand the importance of our role in serving the pets and people of our community.

I will be sharing details with you in the next two weeks but I will tell you now that 2010 was another record breaking year for Salt Lake County Animal Services. Many more pet lives were saved through a focused commitment to life saving programs and humane solutions for lost and abandoned pets in our community. As I begin to write our first "Year in Review" report, I am overwhelmed at the number of faces and stories that come to mind. It was truly a great year.

In roughly two short years we have gone from an agency that was doing 'okay' to one that is receiving calls from shelters around the nation asking how they can make similar changes. The answer to that question is always complicated. However, if you boil it down to the very basic message it would be: "be brave and get started". That may seem overly simple but it really isn't.

We didn't wait until we had a perfect roadmap that would lead us to our current level. We simply began identifying problems and working to solve them. Since every community and every shelter is different, I would argue that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. I absolutely believe in transparency and will share information on any program that we are developing but each agency has to look at their current status and determine what might work best for them. The key is not to wait but to begin addressing issues directly.

I've had a few say that they don't have the additional funding for these ideas and programs. That isn't a reason to not get started. SL County Animal Services has accomplished amazing change in the same two years of an historically bad economy. We had to answer calls for budget cuts and acknowledge hiring freezes but we managed to become more efficient and find ways to reallocate resources to lifesaving programs, all at the same time. Simply stated: If we can do it during the past two years, any dedicated shelter should be able to at least make some changes.

The Salt Lake County Pit Crew officially launched in July 2009 but had actually begun to take form several months prior. It was the simple acknowledgement that this popular breed was representing a large portion of our shelter population but was dying in rates disproportionate to other breeds. In approximately 18 months, we have taken the saved rate of this breed from approximately 57% to over 71%. We have much more to do but this time of year it is important to celebrate our success and I will state that the Salt Lake County Pit Crew Program is an unequivocal success!

In late 2010, the County adopted a new Trap/Neuter/Return program for community cats. This program, in addition to the existing "feral cat colony permit" was responsible for saving over 150 lives this year. Our cat intake averages around 5,500 so in comparison 150 may not sound like a lot but when I review the photos and faces of those 150, in my opinion, it was well worth the effort.

Utah FACES, our 501c3 all volunteer non-profit also had a great year. I look forward to sharing their year end report and their plans for the future as part of the 2010 Year in Review report.

So I will sign off for now since apparently my typing is irritating Jack, but watch for our year end results in the next few weeks. I know you will all be as proud as I am of what we accomplished together. Happy New Year Salt Lake County!

Don't Forget To Vote Today! Only 5 Days Left!

2010-10-27T07:14:00.001-06:00

VOTE VOTE VOTE!

http://challenge.aspcapro.org/page/vote-for-your-shelter

Newspaper Pets of the Week

2010-10-26T21:40:00.001-06:00

Honey Bear A343659

Honey Bear is a 4 year-old Pit Bull. She has been at the Shelter since October 8^th. This sweet girl certainly lives up to her name! She is a very calm and loving girl and loves to be with people. She appears to be housebroken and walks well on a leash. She knows how to sit and knows how to catch treats mid-air! She would make a great pet for a first-time dog owner or anybody looking for a calmer dog. Come on down and meet her today!

Violet A343659

Violet is a 3 year-old Domestic Shorthaired Cat. She has been at the Shelter since July 22^nd! She is very calm and prefers to be held and petted. Violet also is litterbox trained and gets along great with kids and other cats. Any cat lover would be very lucky to have her in their family! If you think that Violet would make a great addition to your home, come on down and meet her today!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Aurora

2010-09-25T03:07:00.000-06:00

More often than not, the dogs we send to foster are those that are overlooked at the shelter. It’s a difficult and stressful environment for every dog and because the stigma associated with these breeds is hard to shake, Pit Bull type dogs are with us longer than most. For that reason, our talented group of foster parents is a welcome reprieve, offering these long time residents a break from the difficult shelter setting.

Cyndi T. is a foster we consistently lean on for help and in this case more than once for the same dog; Aurora. This sweet young girl first came into the shelter last winter and spent her first 6-7 weeks in the kennels before Cyndi scooped her up. Cyndi quickly began grooming her to be a model Pit Crew girl, as they became regulars at Saturday afternoon CGC classes. Her soft kisses and sweet demeanor became her trademark at events. She joined us at Cat Whitehill’s Animal Welfare/ youth soccer promo, Earth Jam, and finally Spring Super Adoption where she found her first chance to be part of a family. We all said our goodbyes, knowing we had done our job, having faith she would be a good match for this young family.

Fast forward to May 25: I remember Officer Todd bringing Aurora in from the field as a stray with kid’s marker all over her face. Good with kids? She must be. Aurora sat in the shelter for the next week or so, waiting to be redeemed and never was. Fortunately for us the timing couldn’t have been better. Cyndi had just adopted out Magnolia, the foster she had in the interim and although she desperately needed a break, she didn’t hesitate to take Aurora in once again.

True to her reputation, Cyndi helped Aurora earn her CGC certification by late June and diligently worked to help her develop better doggy social skills with Heather Beck at K9 Life-line almost every Sat morning. All their hard work paid off 2 weeks ago when Aurora was introduced to her new family: Mom, Dad, 2 kids, and 2 Rotti mixes. It sounds like she’s settling in nicely, living and loving the good life.

We’re grateful to have the support of so many committed people in helping us successfully place our Pit Crew dogs. Thanks to all of our fosters for their dedication and sacrifice. Here are some pics of our latest foster class: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dog-pile/sets/72157625029135220/

County Mayor's Message

2010-09-18T12:12:00.000-06:00

County Mayor's message
By Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon

I just attached an 8"X12" magnet to the side of my dusty car. It's not the sort of thing I normally do. I did it because this magnet reads "Please Adopt Today."

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is sponsoring a competition that will award $100,000 to the shelter that ends up with the largest increase in adoptions over the last year.

More than 700 shelters expressed interest in the challenge, with 50 chosen to take part. Salt Lake County Animal Services is the only animal shelter in Utah participating.

The best part of this competition is that with every animal adopted, one less faces euthanasia. We love our domestic pets, but there are many dogs and cats being put to sleep in area shelters. This isn't just a Salt Lake problem, Wasatch Front problem or Utah problem. It exists nationwide.

And that is why our Division of Animal Services has pursued creative programs and events to emphasize pet adoption. We work every day in Salt Lake County to provide a high quality of life for our residents. Among our priorities for more than five years has been to increase adoption and reduce euthanasia of healthy domestic pets. The results we have seen in the past two years have been so positive that we began to wonder if we could eliminate all unnecessary euthanasia in the shelter.

In an unusual move for a government-run animal facility, we have set ourselves the goal of becoming a 'No-Kill' facility. We hope to accomplish this status through discount adoption initiatives, increased rescue efforts, and trap-neuter-return programs for feral cats.

As with almost everything, it takes a collaborative effort to get positive results. We have developed strong relationships with local rescues and volunteers as well as partnering with groups such as Best Friends Animal Society and No More Homeless Pets in Utah.

Besides adoption, our shelter has pet licensing, offers free humane education for schools in our area and investigates complaints of animal cruelty, abuse and neglect.

There is still a great deal to do.

And so I'm asking our great Salt Lake County residents to consider adopting a shelter pet. If you want to bring a new pet into your family, consider Salt Lake County's Animal Shelter. It's located at 511 West 3900 South.

For complete information on the ASPCA $100,000 challenge and all animal services provided by Salt Lake County, you can visit us on the web at AdoptUtahPets.com.

And be sure to look for those car stickers and magnets advertising this great program.

50% Off Dog Adoptions Through October

2010-08-25T22:15:00.000-06:00

I was writing the press release to announce our new 50% dog adoption promotion and out of curiousity, pulled the adoption statistics for this year compared to last year. I know everyone has been working incredibly hard but I do have to admit that I was still surprised when I saw the statistics.

We have adopted out 1,604 pets as of the close of business yesterday compared to the 1,087 pets adopted during the same period last year.

That is an absolutely amazing increase! And that is JUST adoptions! When you add in fosters. TNR, rescues and return to owners, we are having an absolutely steller year for animals coming into the County Shelter.

To ensure we maintain our momentum, all of our dog adoption fees will be reduced by 50% through October 31st!

What a difference a day can make......

2010-08-19T20:55:00.000-06:00

Beethoven, a 6 week old Russian Blue polydactyl kitten, arrived at the shelter early on August 19th with a degloved lower jaw, an infected eye and lots of extra toes. The toes weren't the problem, it was the injury to his jaw and his eye. We were unsure if he was able to eat and appeared to be in a substantial amount of pain. Dr Kirsten Doub went to work on little Beethoven just hours after he arrived and was able to perform surgery on his jaw as well as start him on antiobiotics to help with his eye infection. He is now feeling much better and is feeling so well he is grooming himself and purring almost nonstop. What a difference one day made in the life of this little kitty.

Shelter dog proves he was a hero all along!

2010-08-19T16:55:00.000-06:00

Toby came into our shelter last January. He was very sweet but for some reason this cut pup just wasn't finding the right adopter. Despite the efforts of our volunteers he had a ton of energy and after several weeks was clearly not doing well in the kennels. Best Friends agreed to rescue him from our shelter and the rest is now history! We are so excited to hear his amazing story and to know that he finally found his home. He is now a service dog for a disable young lady! Quite a story!

http://news.bestfriends.org/index.cfm?page=news&mode=entry&entry=AC1E1D5F-E998-4AE8-F84BE971D319D50D

"Torrey" Beats the Odds and Finds a Home!

2010-08-18T10:49:00.000-06:00

Sometimes we run through our days focused only the next task or hurdle. "How can I better market the older dog in K15?" "What rescue is likely to take that fearful dog in intake?" "Are all of the surgeries lined up for tomorrow?" "Are there any other clues that we can explore to find the owner of the cat with the deadend microchip?" "What ARE we going to do with the Emu that just arrived?"

Every once in a while it is important to stop and reflect on how what we do every day makes such a difference. This email came in yesterday from a citizen that had picked up a severely injured puppy from the side of the road and had reluctantly brought her in to the shelter, thinking that euthansia was inevitable.

True story:

"I took a beautiful puppy to the County Animal shelter for her final days; she had been thrown out of a truck in southern Utah just outside of Torrey Utah. On a hot highway road, we picked her up and took her to a 24 hour animal hospital. Her injuries were more than what a 12 week puppy could sustain, so on advice and consultation with my vet, I decided to take her to the county animal shelter to be euthanatized.

Calmly, the staff person explained to me that by law they had to wait three days, Torrey (puppy name) was to stay in their clinic since she had been on pain medications and then her fateful day would arrive. Much to my surprise and joy did I learn of her leg (with three fractures) being amputated and gloriously adopted. What a great ending to a horrible story all because of the patience and excellent care given to Torrey and all animals who find their way to the County Animal Shelter. The staff, board and county deserve our thanks and admiration. What they do day in and day out few of us could handle, yet their professionalism and stalwart behavior adds humanity in our everyday life.

I thank them from the bottom of my heart and will support them today and in the future. "

Maria

Adoptions, Vaccinations and.... Firefighters!

2010-08-16T20:55:00.000-06:00

Saturday was a very busy day for

staff and volunteers!!

Utah FACES (our affiliated non-profit) sponsored and Salt Lake County Animal Services hosted a free vaccination and $5 microchip event at the shelter. In addition to the heavy Saturday traffic we usually see, we had people lined up with their pets to get vaccinations and/or microchips before we even opened! With a steady stream of people and pets coming through the auditorium, it was a great success!

Meanwhile the Salt Lake County Pit Crew headed to a local PetSmart where our Pit Crew shelter dogs and fosters worked the crowds and stole some hearts. A few members of Unified Fire Authority happened to be in the area and stopped to see what was happening. The dogs were amazing and one mini pit pup in particular made a big enough impression to get to pose inside the fire truck. I've attached a few photos here but there are a bunch of great picts at the Facebook link. (If the link doesn't work then copy and paste into your address window). http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=196564&id=239864514619&ref=mf

ASPCA Update: Day 14 - 328 pets saved, 84 more than last year!

'2-1-1 Info' Includes SLCoAS and the ASPCA Challenge

2010-08-11T19:11:00.000-06:00

Go check out the link! We need to show community engagement. We know how much you support our efforts but we need to prove it by having you log into the ASPCA site and comment about Salt Lake County there!
C'mon Utah!!!

(when you sign up it will ask you for the organization you are affiliated with, which is 'Salt Lake County Animal Services' and your title. If you are not an employee of the agency simply put "fan or citizen".

http://challenge.aspcapro.org/profiles/blogs/211-info-includes-salt-lake

SL County Kuranda Dog Bed Party - In Review

2010-08-05T12:42:00.000-06:00

A few days ago, a group of dedicated staff and amazing volunteers gathered at the County Shelter auditorium to put together 76 Kuranda beds to be used in our dog kennels! These beds were made possible by a generous Mecham Grant through American Humane.

When I made it to the auditorium the assembly line was already in full swing with April Harris, our Operations Manager, Melissa Lipani, our Best Friends Pit Crew liaison, and several staff and volunteers busily manning the assembly line.

I realized quickly that my competence would be tested since I'm not particularly skilled with anything that requires screw drivers and wrenches so I recruited Captain Jim Strong to come lend a hand. With Jim's help, our table finished a respectable number of beds (okay, Jim really finished most of them).

I have to also mention that the heat in the auditorium was a problem. It was really uncomfortable! With the heat in the mid 90's outside, opening the outside door was not a help and it was a relief when we finally managed to find a fan.

At around 8:30 pm, despite the heat and after a full day of work for most people, all of the beds were finished!!

John Coulter, our Pit Crew Coordinator, played photographer to a hilarious photo shoot that involved two puppies, ‘Chase’ (a blue eyed Doberman) and Quinn, a gorgeous pit bull pup that was very excited to be out of his kennel. With help from April (who held large slices of pizza in an attempt to hold Quinn’s attention) John kept the camera clicking! (Check out more photos on http://www.flickr.com/photos/slcoanimalservices/sets/72157624619286316/)

I am forever in the debt of our volunteers and staff that dedicate hours of time to benefit the lost and abandoned pets in our care. We are making a difference, setting an example, and dispelling the myth that shelter euthanasia is unavoidable.

Thank you American Humane, thank you staff and amazing volunteers! Most of all thank you to the patience dogs and cats whose fate relies on us and who make our job worthwhile, every single day (and who love you even if you aren't proficient with a wrench!).

Salt Lake County Animal Services Answers the ASPCA $100,000 Challenge!

2010-07-31T08:54:00.000-06:00

We are very excited to join the 50 other shelters across the nation that are participating in this challenge to save more pet lives in our communities. With all of the changes and new programs at the County shelter, combined with all of the amazing pet loving citizens in our community, we believe we have a very good chance of winning this challenge.

The ASPCA $100,000 Challenge runs from August 1st through October 31st and the shelter that has the greatest increase in the number of animals adopted, reunited with owners or trapped, neutered and returned (TNR program for feral cats) compared to the number completed last year will win the challenge and the award.

In addition to the main award, there is also a $25,000 Community Engagement award that will go either to the challenge winner or a runner up.

Getting the word out about the challenge is half of the battle and the community's involvement will make all of the difference. How you can help:

1. ADOPT, ADOPT, ADOPT!!!

2. Find out if any of your neighbors, family or friends are thinking about adopting a cat or dog and encourage them to stop by the shelter.

3. Follow us on this Blog and on our Facebook pages to keep up on our progress, activities and promotions.

4. Promote the Challenge and our adoption animals on your Facebook or Twitter page.

5. Stop by the shelter and pick up a car window cling to help us advertise and get the word out.

6. Help a lost pet find its owner. Check the lost pet section of online sites like KSL.com and then check our lost/found section of our website.

7. Get involved in the discussion directly on our ASPCA Challenge Page.

8. If you have other ideas let us know!

To kick off the challenge we are offering $50.00 discounts and a free box of treats with all dog adoptions from August 2nd through August 7th. Cat and kitten adoptions are still absolutely free and, of course all adoptions include sterilization, microchip, vaccinations and a bag of food.

For more information on the challenge visit: http://challenge.aspcapro.org

Let's Talk Cats

2010-07-24T08:21:00.000-06:00

Every single day approximately 100 cats enter shelters around Utah. Programs like TNR and attention on shelter adoptions have begun to make an impact but today only about 30-35 of those 100 cats, on average, will make it back out of Utah shelters.

Up until last year, our statistics for cats reflected the same pattern that was seen all over the state. Many cats coming in, few adoptions, fewer redemptions and unless there was a trap, neuter, return program in place, very few options. SLCoAS takes in approximately 4,500 cats each year and before the launch of new programs, the average live release rate for cats in our shelter was only 24%.

The picture has recently changed for cats entering the SL County Shelter and the live release rate as of June 30th 2010 is over 55%. As of June 2010 we have adopted and rescued out almost as many cats this year as we did in an entire year before the new programs.

Two initiatives are directly responsible for the doubling of our saved rates and we fully expect for these programs to bring the live release rates for cats up to the live release rate for dogs.... which is 88%!

Trap, Neuter and Return for feral and 'community' cats is an important tool that identifies caregivers, tracks colony numbers and provides spay and neuter for cats living in colonies in our communities. The SLC TNR program is now a few years old and not only are we saving lives, we are on track for a 20% decrease in the number cats coming into the shelter from the city in 2010 (way to go No More Homeless Pets in Utah)! We are launching a TNR program for the unincorporated county areas in the next few weeks so stay tuned for more information!

The second program that is saving more lives at the shelter is the FREE Cat Adoption Program. This program is pretty straightforward and based on the following premises:

Cats and kittens are available for free throughout our communities (online ads, store parking lots and from neighbors),
From the number of unsterilized cats entering the shelter we know that despite any best intentions, most new cat owners never follow through with getting their cats spayed or neutered,
We see many pets coming into the shelter that are purebreds that someone likely paid a significant amount of money to purchase. Given how many of these pets sit and wait for owners that never come or the poor condition they are in when the arrive, clearly the idea that people put more value on what they pay for is not necessarily true when it comes to pets,
All of our adoptions, even free adoptions, include sterilization, microchip and vaccination and all adopters are screened using the same standards we have always used. After all, we want this adoption to be permanent for the pet,
A cat or kitten adopted from the shelter is always sterilized before going home so that cat will not be contributing to the next generation of kittens,
"Free" is a great way to get people's attention. We want people to start thinking about shelters as a great place to look for their next pet.

We have been offering cats at no cost for over a year now and thanks to a generous donation we are launching a billboard campaign in August to draw more attention to the program.

We are dedicated to our commitment of finding creative and positive solutions for lost and abandoned pets in our community and we will continue to look for new and innovative ways to save lives.

Extension of July Adoption Promotion

2010-07-17T13:51:00.000-06:00

The 1776 Independence Day Adoption promotion has been such a success that we will continue the promotion through the end of July. We have more than doubled the number of pets that found new homes from June 28 through July 16th and we want to keep the momentum going.

All dog adoptions are just $17.76 and all Cat and Kittens are absolutely FREE!!!

If you or someone you know is thinking about adopting a pet this summer NOW is the time!

To help keep our shelter population down and avoid euthanizing adoptable pets during the buys summer months we are offering all dog adoptions for $17.76 and all cat/kitten adoptions at no cost!!

All adoptions include sterilization, microchip and vaccinations.

These special promotions are made available through donations to our adoption and medical accounts.

Salt Lake County Animal Services

3900 South 511 West
Hours: M, W, F, S 9:30 to 5:30 T & Th 11:30 - 7:30

County Mayor's Report, June 2010

2010-07-09T14:30:00.000-06:00

Salt Lake County is experiencing what you might call a paradigm shift or, more informally refer to as an “aha!” moment.

In Salt Lake County’s Division of Animal Services we have a small group of individuals who are committed to providing high quality service through enlightened programs that are designed to increase adoption and decrease the euthanasia of healthy domestic pets that are lost or abandon. The Division handles more than 10,000 animals each year.

The County ‘Pit Crew’ is a ground breaking program that focuses on responsible ownership and changing the image of pit bull type dogs in the community. The program has blossomed into a very successful partnership with Best Friends Society and balances enforcement, education, training and spay/neuter resources for dogs in the community.

The County Free Cat Adoption and Trap/Neuter/Return programs have been tremendously successful in lowering the cat euthanasia rates from traditional rates of 80-90% at some shelters to 40% for County Animal Services.

Strong relationships with the community, local rescues, volunteers and groups like Best Friends Animal Society and No More Homeless Pets in Utah is critical to the agency’s efforts and success.

New programs and initiatives have produced amazing results for our agency and each month seems to bring a new success story or broken record. The first quarter of 2010 turned out to be the lowest first quarter euthanasia rates ever for Animal Services and far below the state averages. That trend appears to be holding true for second quarter as well. With a live release rate of over 88% for dogs and over 60% for cats, County Animal Services is proving that euthanasia simply does not have to be the outcome for lost and abandoned pets in our community.

Shawni Larrabee’s leadership of the division and the amazing work done by the staff at Animal Services is drawing national attention to the positive things happening in Salt Lake County.

Just this spring the Division of Animal Services was recognized in Utah with a Best Of State award. You can read more at http://www.bestofstate.org/. The programs and staff at Animal Services and their programs have also received national recognition with articles in USA Today and NACA News (National Animal Control Association).

The first priority for any animal entering the shelter is to try to find the owner. A pet with a microchip and a license has the best chance of being returned to its owner. To make pet licensing as convenient as possible Animal Services has also just made pet licensing available online. Everything you need to know about the licensing process can be found at the Animal Services’ website http://www.slcoanimalservices.org/.

Salt Lake County is a great place to live, for humans and their best friends.

Celebrate 1776 Independence Day with $17.76 Adoptions!

2010-06-29T10:32:00.000-06:00

Salt Lake County Animal Services is celebrating 1776 Independence Day with $17.76 dog adoptions June 29th through July 17th!

If you or someone you know is thinking about adopting a pet this summer NOW is the time! To help keep our shelter population down and avoid euthanizing adoptable pets, we are offering all dog adoptions for $17.76 and of course all cat adoptions are still FREE!!

All adoptions include sterilization, microchip and vaccinations. These special promotions are made available through donations to our adoption and medical accounts.

Salt Lake County Animal Services
3900 South 511 West

Hours: M, W, F, S 9:30 to 5:30
T & Th 11:30 - 7:30

Preparing for Firework Month - Special Adoption Promotion

2010-06-26T09:37:00.001-06:00

It is hard to believe that June is already coming to a close!

As we look forward to the next few weeks the July 4th and 24th holidays are just around the corner. What are great family focused holidays for most can be stressful for pets and their owners and are definitely viewed with more than a little trepidation for shelters. Holidays involving fireworks can be extremely frightening for pets and if not properly contained even pets that don't normally roam will bolt and can quickly become lost.

In one holiday weekend last July approximately 140 pets were brought into the SL County Animal Shelter! That is an overwhelming number of dogs and cats.

Please remember to take extra caution to ensure your pets are properly contained for the entire month of July. Don't forget that it isn't just the big firework displays that are a problem. Neighbors may be lighting off smaller, but just as scary fireworks, in their driveways the days leading up to and following the 4th and 24th.

To help us avoid overcrowding and/or space related euthanasia we will be running a new adoption promotion in July. We are very excited about the promotion and hopeful that it will be a resounding success for our community pets.

Watch for more details in the next few days!!

May 2010 County Shelter Statistics

2010-06-12T07:58:00.001-06:00

It is a rainy Saturday morning and with Gage and Tanker keeping my feet warm and Bindi's head in my lap, it is the perfect time to review May statistics. I'm getting quite good at balancing my laptop on a mastiff head while I type but you may have to forgive typos if she starts snoring!

Overall our May stats continue to be very good. However, it is definitely kitten season with 461 cats entering the shelter in May as compared to 339 in April. We saw a slight drop in the number of dogs entering the shelter in May -358 as compared to 398 in April.

Our staff and volunteers were rockstars this month and despite the overall increase in animals and organizing and participating in several community events, our year to date saved/live release rates remain at record highs:

Dogs: 88%
Cats: 59%
e-metric: 4.3 ('no kill' status is 5.0)

The involvement and support of the community is critical to our success. Shelters like the County shelter exist to serve the citizens and pets in the community. We are committed to the idea that euthanizing a lost or abandoned pet for any other reason than unsafe temperament or severe illness is certainly not in the best interest of the pet and not what our animal loving citizens want from their shelter.

We want the community to know exactly what is happening so watch for monthly statistics updates going forward. For those that want more detail, we will be posting our historical and current statistics on our website in the next few weeks (http://www.slcoanimalservices.org/).

Volunteering and fostering are great ways to get involved but support comes in many forms. Simply following us on Facebook and letting your friends and family know about programs and events is a great way to support the work at the shelter. If you like what we are doing or have suggestions on how we can be even better please let us know.

We are after all, YOUR shelter!

Utah Faces, Salt Lake County Animal Services and Goldman Sachs work together to create a usable space for the shelter’s canine residents.

2010-05-29T01:16:00.000-06:00

Friday morning started with 2000 square feet of weeds, a 25 ton mound of pea gravel and sunny skies. Thanks to 10 volunteers from Goldman Sachs and numerous staff from Salt Lake County Animal Services, the yard was cleared of the weeds and replaced with 3 inches of pea gravel. The volunteers and staff were divided into two groups so that not only could the yard project be completed but every adoptable dog received plenty of playtime out in the ideal weather. What was once an unusable space can now be utilized for exercise time, canine playgroups, and Behavior Assessments.
The project was finished in less than 6 hours and just before the storm clouds moved in. SLCoAS would like to thank Utah Faces and Goldman Sachs for making this project a success!

Volunteer Spotlight- our Heroes

2010-05-19T02:22:00.000-06:00

Cyndi Tadehara is one of many indispensible Pit Crew volunteers. While walking through a Petsmart over a year and a half ago with her rescued pit bull terrier Cedar, Cyndi stumbled upon a No More Homeless Pets in Utah adoption event, and noticed a sweet, yet scared little pit bull terrier named Anya in a crate. There was a sign on the crate that said "I need a foster home." A year and a half later, Cyndi has fostered six pit bull terriers, and one lab for both NMPHU and the County Pit Crew. Cyndi has been an important fixture of the Pit Crew program since it began last summer. She has been one of our biggest supporters, helping us network the dogs, being one of our most consistent and dedicated foster providers, attending events, trainings, and workshops, and always lending her sense of humor and calm demeanor when we need it the most. Together with her husband Curtis, and Cedar, they have been directly involved in saving many dogs lives and opening their home to pit bulls in need.

Typically, Cyndi allows Cedar to choose her next foster siblings by coming into the shelter to see where the need is and who will fit best into the highly coveted spot. Cedar herself was one of the first County Canine Good Citizen training class graduates, and Cyndi has since taken two of her foster dogs Melindy (now Lucy, living happily in Idaho, and Aurora, also now adopted) through the CGC training, helping them live up to their full potential in their forever homes.

Cyndi has been drawn to helping pit bull type dogs since her first experience with the dogs came when she adopted two beautiful black and white sisters in the mid 90's, one of whom was deaf, and communicated via sign language. She says her favorite part about fostering is not only giving her own dog Cedar canine companionship, but "watching the fosters go from stressed out shelter dogs to calm and ready for permanent forever homes."

Foster homes like the Tadehara's are so important for dogs that have been in the shelter and those who may have never had consistent patience and training. Dogs that are in foster homes get a chance to practice their skills with other animals, children, attending events, and brushing up on their training, providing invaluable skills that they can carry on into their permanent homes. Many dogs start to experience kennel stress and given the opportunity in a calm home, can show a whole other side to their personality.

Cyndi will often juggle her work schedule to help the dogs get adopted and help the staff of Best Friends and the County Pit Crew at important tabling and community events. She is ever patient and willing to talk with potential adopters and give her foster dogs the opportunity to practice their socialization and training at events.

Ever humble, Cyndi says, "I think anyone could have done the same for any of these dogs. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and have a level of commitment that worked." We're not so sure Cyndi, it takes a special person to continue fostering and CGC training shelter pups and preparing them to succeed in their permanent homes. We appreciate you Cyndi! Thanks for everything you do!

Congratulations Animal Services

2010-05-16T23:28:00.000-06:00

Spring is here and in true Utah fashion, the weather is changing from moment to moment but it is shaping up to be a great season for Animal Services.

First quarter of 2010 turned out to be the lowest first quarter euthanasia rates ever for Animal Services. "No Kill" status is defined in terms of an "e-metric" of less than 5 dogs and cats euthanized per 1,000 citizens served. During first quarter of 2010 our e-metric measure was an astounding 3.9. This focus on exploring every possible option before considering euthanasia reflects the very core of our mission to find the best possible solution for the pets in our care. I am very proud of the work that is being done every day by each and every employee and volunteer.

This focus on new programs, innovative initiatives, and a true dedication to be the best has continued to open doors and reveal opportunities as the community responds to our efforts. We have received additional funding from American Dog Rescue to support adoptions and thanks to Utah FACES, we continue to benefit from grants such as the Animal Farm Foundation Grant that reimburses the agency for free pit bull spay and neuters for the community. In addition, I am very excited to announce that Animal Services has received a gift of $750,000 from the Coral and Ronald Boyce Trust. The funds have been used to create an endowment and the proceeds are to be used to support adoption and rescue programs.

Soon all of our dogs will be comfortable on beds in the kennels. A big thanks to American Humane who has approved a grant in the amount of $3500 for us to buy Kurunda Dog beds for all of the kennels.

Last month we were accepted as one of 50 shelters nationwide to compete in the ASPCA $100K "Saving More Lives" Challenge. The actual competition runs from August 1st through October 31st of this year so watch for more information. http://challenge.aspcapro.org.

Despite wet, windy and snowy conditions, the spring Super Adoption was a huge success. Thanks to all of the staff and volunteers that committed their time to making this a great event. In the end we placed 63 animals (46 dogs and 13 cats were adopted, 4 dogs were rescued and 1 dog went to foster). Congratulations team!!

I am also excited to announce that Salt Lake County Animal Services has been named as a 2010 Medal Winner for Utah's Best of State awards! You can read more at www.bestofstate.org.

There is much happening and great things underway! Happy Spring and congratulations to all our staff and volunteers on all of your achievements to date!