Dear Apple Valley Town Council Members,
Did you know that In 2023, 3469 cats were taken to Apple Valley shelter, -- 2313 were euthanized. -- 7% were adopted, -- 0.003% rescued. Those are horrifying statistics.
High euthanization rates are not the answer to the overpopulation of cats and dogs in this town.
I'm writing to address urgent concerns about the animal care services provided in Apple Valley City that resonates deeply with many members of our community. While efforts have been made to increase cat visibility on the shelter's website, recent observations have revealed serious flaws in the shelter cat management process that demand immediate attention to protect these vulnerable animals.
1. Website Listing Removal: instead of changing state to “pending euthanasia “ and still listing them on the website, cats pending euthanasia are removed one day or earlier from the website, making it difficult for rescuers to identify cats in urgent need. This affects not only the cats but also the concerned citizens who want to help. 2. Extremely Short Rescue Window: Despite the shelter's state-of-the-art facility and larger capacity for cats, cats outside the adoption room face euthanasia either on the same day or within a day of becoming available, which is concerning to the residents who care deeply about animal welfare.
2.1 On May 2nd, 8 cats were euthanized, and 5 out of 8 were euthanized the next day they were available.
2.2 As of May 3rd, there are 31 cats in the non-adoption room and 25 cats in the adoption room/green room.
3. The current trap-and-kill approach the city adopted to control community cats population is neither effective nor economically efficient
3.1 economically efficiency: Sterilizing rather than killing community cats, is simply less expensive in the long-term, with exponential savings in terms of reducing births. --
3.2 The annual budget of AVAS is 2.4M in 2023 with around 8k animal intake, the cost for each animal is around $300 with around 7% live release rate for cats in 2023 in the shelter. - 3.3 The cost of TNVR is around $100 per cat on average (please inquire nearby city/county for details) with cats released back to the community they come from. The approach of impounding and euthanizing feral cats has proven ineffective in reducing cat populations, with cats continuously trapped and impounded from the same areas. -- finally, the same trap and kill repeat year after year and is proved to be just a waste of money. Not to mention emotionally taxing in the residents of this town who are learning how this shelter operates. Trapping and killing has been going on for over more than 10 years and the intake amount of community cats has not decreased.
TNVR, on the other hand, returns the existing cats to their territory which they will occupy without reproducing, and they prevent other unfixed cats from coming in and breeding. Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) has been proven to be effective and adopted by counties nationwide and nearby counties including Riverside, Los Angeles and San Diego.
Community preference: Surveys investigating the public's preference for managing freeroaming cats consistently indicate much stronger support for TNVR in the U.S. than trap and kill.
Here are some proposed solutions:
1. A daily euth lists of both cats and dogs to be sent out to the community , including those pending euthanasia ones.
2. Volunteer Access: Granting volunteers access to the shelter to capture photos and videos of the animals will greatly enhance the visibility of these animals and provide rescuers with valuable information about their personalities and current status.
3. TNVR and low- cost spay and neuter services to be provided to the caregivers and pet owners. In short term, expanding Current Voucher Program to Include Community Cats. Currently there are vouchers for dogs, however no vouchers for cats are available. The current voucher program should include community cats, and invite reputable organizations and veterinary clinics that offer low cost S&N to participate. In the middle term, 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 try to nail down a vet to operate the mobile clinic truck. Continuous efforts working with volunteers and nonprofit organizations to implement the TNVR programs in Apple Valley City. Through the TNVR program friendly cats will be taken to the shelter for adoption and others will be released back to the community where they come from.
In light of these concerns, I urge you to prioritize the welfare of these animals and take immediate action to improve the rescue process at the Apple Valley City Shelter. By doing so, you not only uphold the values of compassion and responsibility but also demonstrate your commitment to serving the needs of our residents AND this community that strives for a better way of life for not just the people but also the animals.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I trust that you will listen to the voices of our community and take decisive steps to address these pressing issues.
Sincerely,
Kelley Curd