Stop the needless killing at the Shenandoah County Animal Shelter

In 2010, 530 animals were killed at the Shenandoah County Animal Shelter in Edinburg. That’s a 59.4 % live release rate, once an animal enters through that door, they don’t even have a sixty percent of leaving alive. Though a small amount might have been due to severe injuries, in turn the humane thing to do, the vast majority were animals that were perfectly adoptable and only killed due to lack of space. With such a low intake rate at only 1304 in 2010, caring citizens are forced to ask- why are so many animals being killed?
The ‘no kill equation’ is made up of 11 steps:
1. Feral Cat TNR program
2. High volume, low cost spay neuter services
3. Cooperation with Rescue Groups
4. Foster Care
5. Comprehensive adoption program
6. Pet retention
7. Medical and behaviour rehabilitation
8. Public Relations/ Community Involvement
9. Volunteers
10. Proactive Redemptions
11. A compassionate director
Sadly, only three of these programs exist at our local shelter, for people to better understand I am going to explain each step and its existence or non-existence at our shelter.
1. Feral Cat TNR program-
Though there is a feral cat TNR program in the area, it is not through the shelter and not well known of. Most people have to call local rescues to inquire about what do about feral cats because info is so hard to find. The TNR program is through the Humane Society of Shenandoah, not only does it have no affiliation with the shelter, but the shelter will readily take in yearly catches from landowners with stray cats. Feral cats are then put to death if they are not kittens or social with people. The shelter makes no effort to help the person TNR their cats.
2. High Volume, Low Cost Spay and Neuter
Our shelter does not offer spay and neuter nor does it promote it. Fixing can either be done at a vets office or there is a spay and neuter clinic in Harrisonburg, Va that provides free transport from the animal shelter to the clinic. Spaying and neutering costs vary at the clinic, Cats; Female, $50, Male, $35. Dogs; Females, $65, Males, $55 (plus an additional fee of 50 for dogs over 50 pounds). If the animal is not vaccinated it will be vaccinated at the clinic for a fee of $10. Besides letting the Clinic use there parking lot, the shelter has does nothing to encourage people to spay and neuter their pets.
3. Rescue Groups
Though the Shenandoah county animal shelter claims to be ‘Rescue and adopter friendly’ there numbers are incredibly low.  Only 34 animals went to rescue groups.  This is because of the lack of communication between the shelter, the rescues, and the public. I have never heard an outcry for help, in fact no effort is ever provided to find another alternative to killing an animal when the shelter is full.
4. Foster Care
Though our shelter does have a foster care program, it is not promoted and fosters are never looked for when an animal life is in danger. In addition, on their petfinder webpage they do not indicate which animals are at the shelter or in a foster home, making it much more complicated for a person to meet an animal. Most people are not aware of the foster program at our shelter and this again reminds us that communication with the public can save lives.
5. Comprehensive Adoption Program
Adoption fees are low at $10 per cat and $15 per dog, though when the animal is not spayed or neutered there is an additional fee of $35 for cats and $45 for dogs which in turn you are given a voucher that will allow you to have that amount taken off of your bill. A Comprehensive Adoption program doesn’t just include affordable fees though; it includes shelter hours that fit the public needs. Most people get off work around 4, the animals shelter closes at 4 on weekdays, open only six hours a day. On Saturdays their hours are even more restricted, being open only four hours from 10 to 2 and completely closed on Sundays. In contrast- successful lifesaving shelters have hours that fit a families or working persons; 11 am to 6:30 pm Monday through Friday, 10 am to 6:30 pm on Saturdays, and 11 am – 6:30 pm on Sundays. If during the time most people are available the shelter is closed, how can you expect any adoptions?
6. Pet Retention
A large part of the animals at the shelter are those who have been surrendered. Especially with our economy in the state that it is many people are having to give up their pets as they are not able to afford them. Our animal shelter provides no help with finances, from a fund of their own or even suggesting organizations that could help. It takes absolutely none of the shelters money to find out what organizations provide financial assistance to pet owners. Instead, the animals are taken from their families, and placed in a cage for weeks if not months. Things like these are easily preventable, I see no reason why the shelter doesn’t set up a fund of their own to help those in need, keep animals with their families, there is no reason to place animals in a cage and in turn risk their lives by being there, when there is a home for them already.
7. Medical and Behaviour Rehabilitation
Our shelter has neither program. Puppies growing up at the shelter receive no training, even basic, and they are all victims of kennel confinement, a situation that no dog is either healthy in or happy with.
8. Public Relations/Community Involvement
Out of the ten steps, I find this to be the most important, for even if they did have a low cost spay and neuter program, if nobody knew about it what good would it do? Only 262 dogs and 202 cats were adopted in 2010, a lot less than one per day. The shelter has absolutely no community involvement; it does not attend any events in which it could promote available animals or promote spaying and neutering. The most successful shelters are the ones with the most community outreach. Reno, Nevada has a very large intake number at 15,000 animals a year, yet they manage to find homes for more than 90% of their animals. The population in Reno was 216,830 according to the 2010 Census, for Shenandoah County it was only 41,993. In Reno about one of fourteen people would have to adopt one animal, here, it would be one out of thirty two, that’s less than half Reno’s number! With Reno’s 90% live release rate it’s hard not to ask how the hell they do it. Community Outreach of course! The Nevada Humane Society is always there at community events to promote adoption and spay and neuter. When the road in front of the shelter was closed for repairs, making it impossible for people to see and get to the shelter over the weekend, staff did not resign themselves to losing all those adopters. Shelter Director Bonney Brown enlisted the help of the construction company, who agreed to put a half-page ad in the local newspaper to promote adoptions, and Brown and staff set up tents and cages in an empty lot in full view of the street and had a weekend adoption event, complete with people dressed as animals holding signs on the other side of the street. This event resulted in over 200 adoptions—over two times a typical weekend! It just goes to show, all it takes is a little effort and someone who cares.
In addition, though the location of the Shelter building is not exactly prime space for advertising being across from the Edinburg dump and Landfill, attractive, eye catching signs could still be placed at the intersection of the road in which the shelter is off of. The Shelter is right off of route 11, in which many people travel every day, why is there not more promotion of the Shelter? Currently there is a small black and white sign hanging amongst many other advertisements for the flea market which occupies the land adjacent to the animal shelter.
9. Volunteers
The heart of a successful lifesaving animal shelter is with a good director and the volunteers. Volunteers have been turned down to come and help when they have offered. Often, they are simply tolerated, not being shown appreciated, viewed as a inconvenience for workers more than anything.
10. Proactive Redemptions
Due to the large area the Shenandoah County Shelter provides ‘animal care and control’ services for, we have had what I believe to be a minimal problem with this. When a pet runs off, people know to call the shelter, and the shelter will call back if a pet matching the lost animals’ description comes in. This is a much larger problem in cities and more heavily populated areas.
11.  A Compassionate Director
Here; we are simply forced to be honest. A compassionate director that cared about animals would do everything in their power to keep animals from being killed needlessly, yet it happens. Why doesn’t our director do something? Who knows, but if the current staff and director will not do anything, then we must hire new, caring, staff. They are paid with our tax dollars, we DO NOT pay them to do the bare minimum.