DISCLAIMER: This article was originally posted to The Fresno Bee. You can read the original article on their website here: https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article291887350.html
Opinion BY MARIA REVELES SPECIAL TO THE FRESNO BEE
OCTOBER 15, 2024 10:18 AM
Tulare County is facing a severe problem affecting our pets and our community’s health, safety and quality of life. Animal shelters and rescue groups are overwhelmed, struggling to care for too many animals.
Municipal animal services agencies serve designated areas in the county. Tulare County Animal Services, which responds to rural areas, reported taking in 526 animals, including 126 cats and 398 dogs, just in the month of June (data was obtained through communication with shelter agency managers for Tulare County, Tulare City and Visalia).
Visalia Animal Services, serving Visalia, Dinuba, Farmersville and Exeter, reports that it received 10 to 15 animals each day. Tulare Animal Services averages five intakes per day from the city of Tulare. Caring for these animals is costly: Tulare County Animal Services estimates $50 per animal, Visalia Animal Services estimates $20-$50 for healthy dogs, and up to $500 for medical cases.
People don’t realize our municipal shelters are not all no-kill. When people surrender pets they can’t re-home, they assume they will remain at the shelter until they are adopted. Unfortunately, adoption rates are at an all-time low across rescues and shelters in the county.
According to Visalia Animal Services, only 28% of their animals are adopted. Tulare County Animal Services has seen a significant increase in adoptions over the last year, but despite increased adoptions, shelters cannot keep up with the continuous intake of animals. Low adoption rates and high intake means that animals are at risk for euthanasia.
Tulare County Animal Services had to euthanize 169 animals in one recent month, and Visalia Animal Services reported a 27% euthanasia rate for dogs last fiscal year. Tulare Animal Services has been able to maintain a no-kill status, with a euthanasia rate below 10%. This status is possible thanks to the nonprofit Friends of Tulare Animal Services, which organizes community support.
Different municipal shelters in our area operate under different constraints, guidelines, budgets and policies. Each agency is unique, and they cannot and should not be compared. The mention of euthanasia often sparks outrage. A quick scroll through local Facebook groups will yield countless angry comments denouncing municipal animal agencies. While the outrage is understandable, it oversimplifies a complex issue and can lead to unintended consequences, like overcrowding and strained resources and staff members.
Some municipal agencies, rescues and nonprofits like the Valley Oak SPCA and Central Valley Rescue Railroad receive many calls about healthy, stray dogs they have to decline due to a lack of space or resources. These unwanted animals often get dumped and roam the streets or countryside, or end up at other shelters. This seemingly never-ending cycle puts pressure on an already strained system, pushing it to its breaking point.
Why can’t shelters just release animals instead of euthanizing them? This question overlooks the serious problems stray animals cause. Tulare County Animal Services’ four animal control officers have responded to more than 3,500 stray animal calls this year alone. Strays threaten property, they are traffic hazards and they can spread diseases. Releasing shelter animals would worsen these issues and subject animals to hunger, exposure, injury and painful death.
So what can we do to help? First and foremost, consider responsible pet ownership before adding a pet to your household. We can also spay and neuter pets to prevent unwanted litters, and keep pet tags and microchips up to date. You can consider fostering or adopting a pet, or donating supplies, money or time — every contribution helps.
This crisis didn’t develop overnight, and we can’t solve it immediately, but we can make a difference through compassion and commitment and work toward a safer, healthier communities for people and pets.
