I am reaching out to address critical concerns regarding the practices of the Apple Valley Shelter and the pressing need for improved Animal Care Services within our community.
According to the 2023 shelter report, the live release rate for cats is alarmingly low. In 2023, 3469 cats were taken to Apple Valley shelter. Out of these cats 2313 were euthanized, only 7% were adopted, and only 0.003% were rescued. 0 cats were rescued from May 2023 till now.
The current approach to managing community/shelter cats in the county appears outdated, particularly in light of the growing trend among policymakers towards Trap-Neuter-VaccinateReturn (TNVR), Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and No-Kill. Many factors may contribute to the current situation. In seeking resolution, we request the adoption of no-kill goals within the community and within shelter cat management protocols.
We recommend the following to be considered: AVAS should make the information of each animal under their care available to the public. Currently the shelter does not provide a comprehensive list of animals under their care to the community. Let's take January 2024 as an example - of the shelter total intake of 173 cats, less than 20 cats are listed on the AVAS website, leaving concerned citizens in the dark about the status of other cats within the facility.
Furthermore, there is no regular distribution of euthanasia lists for shelter cats to Rescue Solutions - we urge the city council to take immediate action to improve animal care service provided to the community by Apple Valley Animal Shelter by:
• Disclosure of all animals in the shelter with photos and basic information on the website, allowing the community to track their status and facilitate rescue and adoptions.
• Distribution of daily euthanasia lists for both cats and dogs to rescues and the community.
• Granting volunteers access to the shelter to capture photos and videos of animals to increase their visibility and chances of adoption.
The community urges the City of Apple Valley to enact a shift from the current trap and killing practice to a Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR/TNR) centered approach for community and shelter cat management.
What is desperately needed in Apple Valley City is free spay and neuter appointments for community cats. The low-cost spay-neuter service on a mobile clinic should be available to the under-served community. Through the TNVR/TNR program friendly cats will be taken to the shelter for adoption and others will be released back to the community where they come from.
Sterilizing rather than killing community cats is simply less expensive in the long-term, with exponential savings in terms of reducing births. The annual budget of AVAS is $2.4M in 2023 with around 8k animal intake, the cost for each animal is around $300. The cost of TNVR/TNR is approximately $100 per cat.
The current practice of impounding and euthanizing feral cats has proven ineffective in reducing cat populations, with cats continuously trapped and impounded from the same areas.
The same trap and kill repeat year after year has been proven to be a waste of money and resources. Trapping and killing has been going on for more than 10 years and the intake amount of community cats has not decreased.
On the other hand, TNVR/TNR returns the existing cats to their territory which they will occupy without reproducing, and these cats will then prevent other unfixed cats from coming in and breeding. TNVR/TNR has been proven to be effective and adopted by counties nationwide and nearby counties including Riverside, Los Angeles and San Diego. Surveys investigating the public's preference for managing free-roaming cats consistently indicate much stronger support for TNVR/TNR in the U.S. than trap and kill. Investigations show that 81% of respondents indicated they prefer leaving the cat alone, compared to 14% who would opt to have the cat impounded and "put down"
Solutions:
• Work with volunteers and NGO to establish the TNVR/TNR programs in Apple Valley City.
• Expand the existing Voucher Program to include Community Cats. Currently there are vouchers for dogs however, no vouchers for cats are available. • Invite reputable organizations and veterinary clinics that offer low cost spay and neuter (S&N) to participate, such as:
a. Humane Society of San Bernardino
b. Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center
c. Inland Valley Humane Society & SPCA
d. Loma Linda Animal Hospital
e. Samaritan Animal Hospital
• Utilize the Mobile clinic to provide low-cost S&N. The city can utilize Paw Mission, Animal Action League and Stray Paws to provide mobile clinic services while trying to source a veterinarian to operate the mobile clinic truck. • Proper medical care should be provided to AVAS animals - a permanent on-site veterinarian is urgently needed. This could be a part time position (two days/ half-days per week) OR established partnerships with local veterinary clinics for expert assistance before a qualified on-site veterinarian becomes available. • Transparent Euthanasia Policies: A publicly-funded shelter should be transparent about their euthanasia policies and decision process, including clear and publicly available criteria for euthanizing animals. This will help to ensure that euthanasia is only considered as a last resort and is carried out ethically and responsibly.
The urgency of the situation demands immediate action to improve the animal services.
We appreciate your immediate attention to these urgent matters and look forward to positive actions from the city council to improve the welfare of animals in our community.
Melina Riebling-Glasson