Transcript The Tennessee Story - Massachusetts Animal Coalition

Julie Jacobson
866-355-SPAY (7729)
[email protected]
spaytennessee.org
facebook.com/SpayTennessee
Certified Animal Control Agencies
• A dot is a city facility, shaded is county-wide
• Certified by Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners
• 95 counties, only 42 have county-wide animal control
MOST do not alter before adoption and violate state law by not collecting
deposit and/or not using the forfeited deposits for s/n
Tenn S/N Law 44-17-502
• Animals should be altered before adoption
– If not fixed or if not sexually mature, and no vet in area will do
pediatrics, can go out on deposit
MINIMUM of a $25 deposit
– Forfeited deposits to be used for s/n of animals in the community
where shelter/group is located
• Not shelter/rescue animals or shelter operating budget
– Hawkins County exception
• There is no enforcement authority and no penalty for noncompliance
In addition, nearly all
counties are covered
by a s/n assistance program.
Visit spaytennessee.org
Spay/Neuter Clinics in Tennessee
Rover
Sumner S/N
Alliance
HSPC Clinic
Young-Williams
Fixed (public access)
Mobile (Knox Co only)
McPherson
Clinic
BARC
UCHS Clinic
Pet Community
Center
Fix Foundation
MBM
Planned Pethood
Paws of Hope
FixAPet
Animal Works
PPAW
Beesley Clinic
N MS Clinic
Mid-South S/N
Southern
Alliance SN
N AL Clinic
PAUL’s Clinic
Two Summers
Wally’s Friends
Animal Aid
Middle TN SN
Spay Tennessee/866-355-7729
Sept 2014
McKamey Animal
Center
Dixie Day Spay
Mobiles – Middle TN – Spay Station
East TN – Prevent-a-Litter
FIDO Fixer (2014/15 only)
Spay/Neuter Programs
• 23 s/n clinics in Tenn
– Plus near in VA, KY, AL and MS
• Five private vets offer low-cost surgery
without an assistance programs subsidizing
• Over 80 s/n assistance programs
– Programs vary widely in scope and size
– Use s/n clinics, mobiles, and private vets
• 93 of the 95 counties are covered
Pet Ownership and S/N
The Experts Say
• 91% of all owned cats are already s/n
• 83% of all owned dogs are already s/n
Our Rural Reality
• Pet population is likely 90% of human pop
– Double national estimates
• Already fixed figure closer to 30% overall
My Own Story
• I am a foster home and dog exporter
• Our county has no animal control, no shelter, and
no veterinarian
• I did not want “job security”
• Have gone from staying full to 1-2 litters/year
• Most rescues in TN do not take in animals not
facing shelter euthanasia
• We have fixed 3x as many pets as should be here
This is the face of pet
overpopulation in
counties without
shelters and without
animal control. She
lived outdoors on a
chain with no
protection from the
weather.
She was “free to good
home” at Tractor
Supply.
She is why I will never
criticize shelter
euthanasia.
This is the same dog
three months later.
We were able to treat
her mange, get her
spayed and adopted
locally.
She did have a happy
home but in the end
terrible arthritis
shortened her life.
Some Tennessee Reality
• Our animal control facilities are our biggest
problem in most of the state
• Shelters here have no incentive to obey the law
and/or alter before adoption
• Some rescues pull pg dogs from shelters to send
puppies where they are “needed”
– Both often allow dogs to get pg while in their care
• Many foster homes could be mistaken for puppy
mills…20-30 dogs or more
Some Tennessee Reality
• Some rescues seem to only want to feel good about
themselves and not actually solve the problem
• Areas with aggressive spay/neuter programs do see a
decline in strays/fosters
– Grant funding is not for adopted animals
• Animal welfare not setting a good example
– We blame “Bubba” but release intact pets!
An animal is not “rescued” until it’s been fixed
Our Partnership
• Massachusetts protocols work!
– The very shady look elsewhere for outlets…and find
them
• Most TN counties do not have animal control
– Many have very strong spay/neuter programs
– Still need help to place puppies and dogs
– Some have strong foster programs as well
We appreciate your continued support!
Food for Thought
• We’ve made the story about shelter euthanasia
– The mission becomes “rescue”
– There are worse things than death
– Most of the insanity here is done in the name of
saving lives…and it’s not working!
• We need to make the story about intake
– Make the mission prevention…it works!
• Need to be taking long-term view
– Goal should be less suffering in five years
How You Can Help
• Fix momma and daddy of the puppy litters
• Ask if the shelters/rescues you support are
adding to their own problem by not altering
before adoption
– KNOW your partners
• Consider guidelines/policies to help us!
• Write to ACAT
P.O. Box 20214, Knoxville, TN 37940
[email protected]
You Don’t Alter Before Adoption?
Julie Jacobson
866-355-SPAY (7729)
[email protected]
spaytennessee.org
facebook.com/SpayTennessee