Too many cats and kittens is currently a major concern to the shelter community. Data shows that 70,179 cats and kittens entered Colorado shelters in 2008, with 34,619 being adopted, a mere 5,175 reunited with owners and 24,619 euthanized. Only by working together can we improve these statistics. Clearly, there is a lot to do. This blog describes some efforts to attack the problem. Your feedback is welcomed.
First, let me say that it helps the Dumb Friends League (DFL) and the shelter community to have positive working relationships with Banfield, The Pet Hospital, as well as other large practices. Locally, it helps that we have a strong partnership with the Denver Area Veterinary Medical Society. All of us working together benefits the pets and people we serve. Here are a few examples:
Have you noticed the beginning of an advertising shift related to the image of the cat? This is no accident. Two years ago, the DFL and the Hawaiian Humane Society brought together a group of about 50 stakeholders that included industry, academia, marketing, other nonprofit leaders and the veterinary community. They came from all over the country for two days of brainstorming on how to “rebrand Felix”—in other words, to change the perceived value of the cat from negative to positive in everyone’s minds. The intended result is that more cats will receive regular veterinary care, better quality food and be kept safely indoors—plus more will be adopted from shelters. A similar effort started about the same time in California. Shortly thereafter, the two groups formed the national CATalyst Council. Jane Brundt, DVM, is its chair. I am a member. Syndicated columnist and radio host Steve Dale is a member, as are others with national clout.
Two years ago, the DFL worked with our partners in the Colorado Federation of Animal Welfare Agencies to pass legislation that requires mandatory spay/neuters at all Colorado shelters and rescues. Because few shelters have in-house veterinary staff, most are working with local veterinarians to comply with the law, which took effect last January.
The DFL tried another legislative tactic last year—a bill that would have required urban-area cat owners to ID their cats with a tag or microchip. The purpose was to reduce the number of unidentified cats in shelters, thus reducing costs to municipalities of maintaining, adopting or euthanizing these pets. Some lawmakers thought it was frivolous. The bill never made it out of committee—but we are undeterred. We plan to introduce the bill again in 2010.
Last year, the DFL and the DAVMS spearheaded the CHIP YOUR CAT campaign. With 100,000 donated microchips from Bayer resQ and HomeAgain, we offered cat owners a year-long opportunity for free microchip implants and wellness exams at shelters and participating veterinary clinics in our six-county area. While only about 20,000 cat owners took advantage of it, it still represents quite a number of potentially new clients for the veterinarians and thousands of cats that now have identification, making their return home a lot more likely, if they get lost.
Together, we are making inroads. None of us could do this alone. This will be a long-distance marathon, not a sprint. It will take years, but I believe we’re on the right path to addressing our cat/kitten concerns.