CONTRA COSTA ANIMAL SERVICES
Animal Services Update
Hercules City Council
July 11, 2023
Beth Ward
Animal Services Director
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Department Summary
Shelter Operations & Medical Services
Provides basic daily care and necessary medical care to animals Public low-cost and targeted spay and neuter services for owned animals and unowned cats through a no-cost Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program Public low-cost vaccination clinic
Administration
Provides administrative oversight of departmental functions other support such as customer services and dispatch 2 Community Services
Supports adoption, lost and found, public events, humane education, and volunteer services Field Services
Provides enforcement and community services to support administrative hearings for dangerous animals and noise violations
CCAS Serving Hercules
3 CCAS Serving Hercules
4 Shelter Services
200 Animals Taken in from Hercules
23 Adoptions to Hercules Residents
8 Animals from Hercules Reunited with Owners
1 Community Microchip Clinic
Stray
Deceased
Investigation
Assist
Other
112
110
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6 2022 Hercules Field Activities
CONTRA COSTA ANIMAL SERVICES
CHALLENGES
5 National Trends in Animal Sheltering
6 Comparing CCAS vs National Trends
7 Here is how CCAS measures against those national trends:
National Trend: 4% more animals entered shelters than left in 2022.
CCAS: 3% more animals entered the shelter than left in 2022.
National Trend: The number of animals entering the shelter continues to increase each year since the pandemic but are still less than 2019.
CCAS: Intakes increased by 28% from 2021 to 2022 but are 35% lower than 2019.
National Trend: Dog adoptions remained consistent from 2021 to 2022.
CCAS: Dog adoptions increased by 42% from 2021 to 2022.
National Trend: The percentage of dogs being transferred continued to be the lowest rate in four years.
CCAS: Dog transfers in 2022 (738) were higher than 2021 (673). 2022 represented the third lowest rate of dog transfers over the most recent four-year period.
Capacity for Care
Capacity for Care means meeting the needs of every animal admitted to a shelter, regardless of how they came in, when they came in, their age, health status, or personality.
Intakes & Outcomes
In 2022, CCAS’s annual intake was 6,426 animals. Our adoption, transfer, and return to owner outcomes totaled 4,072. Divided by 365, that results in an average daily intake of 17 animals per day, and an average daily output of 11 animals per day. *Animal intake occurs 7 days/week whereas adoption, transfer, and RTO services (ie outputs) occur 5 days/week.
Visual Kennel
8 Recent Bay Area News Coverage
Animal shelters become overcrowded again after pandemic adoptions dwindle Jan. 25, 2023 PLEASANTON – Stroll into any animal shelter and your heart melts. At the Valley Humane Center in Pleasanton, they are at capacity.
Overcrowding crisis has Oakland Animal Services asking for urgent adoptions Jan 31, 2023 OAKLAND – Oakland Animal Services is holding a special adoption event as the shelter tries to alleviate overcrowding at its shelter.
South Bay animal shelter critically overcrowded, seeking help June 2, 2023
SAN JOSE – The San Jose Animal Services and Care Center is currently facing a critical situation as it has reached its capacity to care for animals – some pets are even being turned away due to overcrowding. 9 Recent Bay Area News Coverage
Contra Costa Animal Services waiving adoption fees amid crowded shelter June 5, 2023
MARTINEZ – All animals at Contra Costa Animal Services will be free to adopt during the month of June as the county’s shelter is near capacity.
San Jose animal shelter looking for homes for hundreds of dogs, cats and other pets May 31, 2023 San Jose – With so many animals at the shelter, the San Jose Animal Care and Services Center is pleading with the community to help out.
Officials plead for help with LA animal shelters overcrowded, dog kennels overflowing into hallways June 14, 2023 LOS ANGELES – All six Los Angeles Animal Services shelters are overcrowded with pets. The San Pedro location posted on social media that they have 186 dogs and only 80 kennels. 10 CONTRA COSTA ANIMAL SERVICES
ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES
11 Decreasing Intake
12 Implement Programs & Services to Keep Pets Out of the Shelter Policies to limit intake to animals mandated by law, including sick, injured, and those that pose a risk to public health and safety.
Increase resources and support for pet owners at risk of surrendering their pets.
Humane Education
Expand humane education efforts through grant-funded community outreach contractor.
Increase awareness of responsible pet ownership using CCAS communication channels.
Utilize Technology & CCAS Partnerships to Reduce Intake New lost pet services through CCAS website/24PetConnect, Docupet lost pet amber alert, etc.
Provide microchip scanners to local police departments so they can return lost pets they encounter.
Increase staffing to support capacity to care and community programs Staff programs appropriately based on animal volume, housing, animal needs and community programs Explore the expansion of service hours to include Sundays for public access and Mondays for rescue partners.
CCAS officers bringing in a stray dog.
13 Increase Outcomes & Foster Capacity
CCAS volunteer providing enrichment for shelter dog Colby.
Increase Adoptions, Transfers & RTOs
Increase offsite mobile adoptions through formation of community partnerships.
Re-institute Sunday adoptions at Martinez shelter.
Increase transfers by exploring ways to assist our local rescue partners to pull animals into their programs sooner and identify onsite potential adoption venue opportunities.
Explore expanding service hours to include Sundays and Mondays for rescue partners.
New Enrichment Coordinator will allow for better information on rescue preferred dogs.
Increase RTOs through use of technology (i.e. Docupet lost pet services, Postmaster lost pet alerts, etc.).
Develop CCAS adoption program, create a team to focus on expanding our lifesaving opportunities through adoption, foster to adopt, doggie day out/field trips/sleepovers, etc.
Increase Foster Capacity
Strengthen current neo-natal kitten foster program.
Increase capacity of current dog foster program.
Build on existing collaborative partnerships to strengthen our existing programs to help our at-risk populations.
New Foster Coordinator
CONTRA COSTA ANIMAL SERVICES
SUCCESSES
14 Successes
15 New Positions Hired
Kitten Foster Coordinator
Dog Enrichment Coordinator
Center Operations Coordinator
Resumed Offsite Adoption Events in 2022
West County Offsite Adoptions Every Other Month Beginning in July at Pinole PFE.
Increased Spay/Neuter for the Public and Community Cats Spay/Neuter surgeries have increased progressively over the last three years.
Lifesaving Efforts Have Proven Effective
Euthanasia has been at a historical low over the last three years.
CCAS Euthanasia Year-Over-Year
16 CCAS Euthanasia Reasons
17 Next Steps
18 Complete Strategic Plan
Focus on Targeted Zip Codes to Close Lifesaving Gaps
Provide Staffing Proposal for Increased Service Hours and Lifesaving Programs Continue to Explore Methods to Increase Onsite S/N Opportunities Through Collaborative Partnerships and Shelter Remodel Project Continue to meet with our city partners to ensure service levels are adequate and to explore additional services needed Explore Developing Grant Program to Support Rescues in Pulling At-Risk Animals
Thank You!
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