Kitty hall
Long Beach is setting new record lows in impounded and euthanized animals, and new record highs for live-release rates, according to our Animal Care Services Bureau 2017 Mid-Year Report.
I’m proud of the hard-working team at Animal Care Services and the numerous volunteers, rescue groups, animal partner groups and advocates who continue to save more animal lives and push for more reforms. We still have more work to do, but I’m thankful we’ve decreased euthanasia rates every year for the past three years and will continue to do so.
Some highlights from the statistics show increasing progress at the animal shelter and the best numbers ever reported mid-year:
• 208 fewer cats and dogs placed in the shelter, a 6-percent reduction
• Euthanasia is showing another steep decline with 294 fewer dogs and cats euthanized, a reduction of 64 percent for dogs and 34 percent for cats. Compared to 2015, euthanasia is reduced 79 percent for dogs and 57 percent for cats, representing 725 fewer dogs and cats euthanized.
• Live-release rates of 95 percent for dogs and 76 percent for cats, compared to 89 percent and 63 percent, respectively.
The live-release rate is the percentage of animals that come to the shelter and leave with a positive outcome such as return to owner, adoption or transfer to a rescue organization.
These new numbers are attributed to the collective efforts of hard-working volunteers, partner groups, local rescues and the entire Long Beach community. In addition, I asked our city auditor to launch a comprehensive audit of Animal Care Services to ensure we are using best practices to save every animal possible. In the meantime, as we await the results of the audit, I’ve included two more staffing positions in the city budget for Animal Care to prepare for the changes ahead.
We are bringing back a popular event, Kitty Hall, on Aug. 11. Last year we set a record for adoption events, with 38 cats/kittens adopted. Join us at Kitty (City) Hall from 11am to 3pm Friday and help us break our record and take home a new best feline friend.
With the help of our entire community we look forward to reaching more milestones in the future and continuing to reduce pet overpopulation and find new forever homes for animals at the shelter.
Animal Care Services is located at 7700 East Spring St. in Long Beach and is open Wednesday through Friday 10am to 5:30pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm; and closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and holidays.
To help, or for more information, visit our website at longbeach.gov/acs/, follow us on Twitter @lbanimalcare and “like” us on Facebook atfacebook.com/LongBeachAnimalCare. The ACS Twitter feed, @LBLostFoundPets, serves to help reunite lost pets with their owners.
Robert Garcia
Mayor
Long Beach
