Earlier this week Utah-based Best Friends Animal Society stated in a press release "about 17,400 healthy and treatable dogs and cats were killed in 2011. Launching the NKLA Initiative in conjunction with the City of Los Angeles, the number of shelter deaths decreased to 13,400 in 2012 and then 9,075 in 2013." I have been trying to verify this statement.
As I look at the shelter statistics for cats and dogs I see New Hope adoptions, returned to owner are the same. The main change is a decrease in intake with an increase in adoptions which caused a decrease in euthanasia. We are still impounding and euthanizing more animals than in 2008. The recession hit the real estate market starting in late 2007. Impounds, euth had been going down for years, adoptions were increasing. Numbers taken from sheltertrak.com which is based on Department reports. They are July to June because the last report he did was end of June 2013. It still shows the trend.
The chart below is year, number cats and dogs euthanized, number cats and dogs total intake into shelter, % euthanized, Best Friends "healthy and treatable" cats, dogs that were euthanized. Intake and euthanasia in 2013 is still higher than in 2008. In 2013 we finally see a decrease in number euthanized and intake.
Best Friends uses the term "healthy and treatable." The aren't counting all the cats and dogs euthanized. I have noticed that the percent they deem "healthy and treatable" has been decreasing. Originally in 2011 they said 79% were "healthy, treatable." It then went down to 61% and then 53%. Most shelters state that 95% should be "healthy, treatable, adoptable." 95% is supposedly the "nokill" goal. While there has indeed been progress in 2013 over 2012, the main difference in the Best Friend's numbers if the percentage that are deemed "healthy, treatable." That gives us misleading results. 2011 and 2012 were flat yet Best Friends shows improvement. We should all just be happy that things seem to be improving in 2013. I really don't know how much of this is due to Best Friends or the Department by itself. Things have been steadily improving since 1975. I'm not knocking Best Friends. LA can use all the help they can get. I'm glad they are helping. They just seem to be taking all the credit.
2008 16,648 48492 34%
2009 20,619 54404 37%
2010 19,460 51943 37%
2011 21,784 55093 39% 17,400 79% of euth were "healthy, treatable"
2012 21,620 55243 39% 13,400 61% of euth were "healthy, treatable" no actual change 11-12
2013 17,064 52937 32% 9,075 53% of euth were "healthy, treatable"
I just went to their website. They state "The NKLA Initiative reportedly resulted in a 48 percent drop in animal shelter deaths between January 2012 and December 2013." The math is correct but the formula i.e. "healthy, treatable" is misleading. Things have improved. The euth rate went from 39% to 32% in 2013 though was flat in 2012 when they started. Actual euth numbers are down 21%, not 48%. I don't think there is a need to juggle things. Of course it makes me wonder if there is any other juggling.
Here are numbers from the Department for the full years 2010-2013. Year, number cats/dogs euthanized, number cats/dogs intake, percent euthanized, BF number euthanized, % of euth that were "healthy, treatable." The Dept stats online don't go back to 2008, 2009 though I may have them around here somewhere. I really haven't cared about the stats or department since I was forced to sue them and received a settlement. Based on the numbers there is improvement. Actual euth numbers are down 38%, not 48%.
2010 = 18,222 58,505 = 31%
2011 = 23,014 57,932 = 39% BF 17,400 75% of euth were "healthy, treatable"
2012 = 18,798 56,088 = 33% BF 13,400 71% of euth were "healthy, treatable"
2013 = 14,089 51,860 = 27% BF 9,075 64% of euth were "healthy, treatable"
Brenda Barnette just released a similar press release to Best Friends. Earlier I stated that there was a decrease in intake and increase in adoptions. The decrease in intake is probably the economy improving and spay neuter. The approximately 3,000 in increased adoptions turns out to be from the cat, dog transports across the country. "During the past two years several thousand LA Animal Services dogs and cats were delivered to guaranteed adoption rescue partners across the country." I really hope those animals ended up in good homes. I personally don't like these transports. It takes a lot of money and effort to move these stressed animals across the country. I really think there are plenty of pets that need homes in the destination states. I've seen too many of these transport turn out poorly. A group with raise money to bail and transport animals. They publicize the bail, transport, arrival, take donations and that's the last you see.
Here are numbers from the Department for the full years 2010-2013. Year, number cats/dogs euthanized, number cats/dogs intake, percent euthanized, BF number euthanized, % of euth that were "healthy, treatable." The Dept stats online don't go back to 2008, 2009 though I may have them around here somewhere. I really haven't cared about the stats or department since I was forced to sue them and received a settlement. Based on the numbers there is improvement. Actual euth numbers are down 38%, not 48%.
2010 = 18,222 58,505 = 31%
2011 = 23,014 57,932 = 39% BF 17,400 75% of euth were "healthy, treatable"
2012 = 18,798 56,088 = 33% BF 13,400 71% of euth were "healthy, treatable"
2013 = 14,089 51,860 = 27% BF 9,075 64% of euth were "healthy, treatable"
Brenda Barnette just released a similar press release to Best Friends. Earlier I stated that there was a decrease in intake and increase in adoptions. The decrease in intake is probably the economy improving and spay neuter. The approximately 3,000 in increased adoptions turns out to be from the cat, dog transports across the country. "During the past two years several thousand LA Animal Services dogs and cats were delivered to guaranteed adoption rescue partners across the country." I really hope those animals ended up in good homes. I personally don't like these transports. It takes a lot of money and effort to move these stressed animals across the country. I really think there are plenty of pets that need homes in the destination states. I've seen too many of these transport turn out poorly. A group with raise money to bail and transport animals. They publicize the bail, transport, arrival, take donations and that's the last you see.
Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.
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