MANATEE — A dog or cat that found itself in a Manatee County animal shelter last year stood barely more than a 50 percent chance of ever finding its way out, according to a community assessment released Wednesday by the local Humane Society.
Of the 9,117 dogs and cats accepted in 2008 by the county’s three shelters — Manatee County Animal Services, Bishop SPCA and the Humane Society of Manatee County — 4,294 were euthanized.
That represents a 47.1 percent euthanasia rate, a far cry from the local Humane Society’s goal of putting an end to killing adoptable dogs and cats within five years.
“This is completely unacceptable in this day and age,” Humane Society of Manatee County Executive Director Denise Deisler said. “Euthanasia is neither an effective nor humane means to control pet overpopulation, and adoption alone will not solve the problem either.
“I honestly think there hasn’t been enough focus on targeted prevention programs.”
The news is worst for cats. They were killed more often and adopted less often than dogs. More than 58 percent of the 4,673 cats in the county’s shelters were euthanized in 2008, compared to 35 percent of the 4,444 dogs, the assessment said.
Seventy-five percent of the 3,507 cats that entered the county’s animal services department were euthanized, compared to 46 percent of dogs.
“Because cats are so plentiful, cats are discarded more easily. And more people seem to come to shelters looking to adopt dogs,” Deisler said.
Rates of euthanasia were much lower at Bishop SPCA and the Humane Society than at the animal services department, which is responsible for rounding up strays and taking custody of dangerous and mistreated animals. The Humane Society killed just five of 722 animals it took in, while Bishop’s euthanasia rate was 11 percent of 1,668 animals.
According to the assessment, Manatee County’s rate of 13.6 animal euthanasias per 1,000 residents is just below the national average of 13.8. Broward County is at 7.3 euthanasias per 1,000 residents, while Mobile, Ala., is at 30.1, the assessment said.
To lower the county’s euthanasia rates, Deisler said the Humane Society is focusing its effort on spaying and neutering the most at-risk animals, which are stray and abandoned cats, and pit bulls and pit bull mixes.
According to the assessment, there are more than 52,000 feral cats in Manatee. Deisler said pit bulls and pit bull mixes are at risk because they were once-popular pets that often wind up in shelters and rarely get adopted.
The Humane Society and animal services collaborated on new ordinances that increase transfers of animals out of the county agency and provided more resources for low-cost spaying and neutering.
“The only way our citizens of Manatee County can help us with a humane community is through responsible pet ownership,” said Kris Weiskopf, animal services chief. “Help reduce the pet overpopulation problem by spaying and neutering your dogs and cats to prevent unwanted puppies and kittens.”
The Humane Society also is committed to offering free and low-cost spay and neutering to pet owners who need financial assistance and helping owners keep their pets with behavior and training assistance and free food, Deisler said.
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