San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
ACS looks to community in dogged pursuit to save pets
Dogs of all shapes and sizes, ages and breeds take up residence at San Antonio's Animal Care Services facility off Texas 151 on the Southwest Side.
For many, too many, once they arrive at ACS their days are numbered.
Upon arrival, it is a race against the clock. Even if a dog or cat is healthy and has a great temperament, if ACS reaches capacity and there are no placement options, the animal will be euthanized.
“We want to save as many animals as possible,” Lisa Norwood, public relations manager for the city of San Antonio's Animal Care Services, told me during a visit in September.
But since the pandemic this noble goal has proven challenging. Last month's live-release rate, a measure of returning animals to the community, was just below 82%, a far cry from 2018 when ACS experienced its “golden year.” Then, ACS had a live release rate of about 97%, said Bethany Colonnese, chief operations officer for ACS.
That 97% mark put an official stamp on dramatic improvement from 2011, when the live-release rate was 32%. To have lost ground due to the pandemic is disheartening.
Colonnese said a lack of outreach, including spay/neuter events, coupled with an eviction moratorium during the pandemic meant that some housing situations went unchecked. As life normalized from the pandemic and the eviction moratorium ended, ACS received an influx of animals, creating “an impossible situation,” Colonnese said.
There simply wasn't enough room. Each day, ACS staff weighed saving animals, capacity and quality of life. The live release rate fell — and with it came harsh criticism. But, thankfully, it has held above 80%. Now, the goal is to return above 90%.
The goal can't be 100%. Given the health and the behavior of some animals, “that would be irresponsible,” Norwood said.
And there will always be the possibility of euthanasia if the facility, which serves about 30,000 animals each year, reaches capacity.
ACS' capacity euthanasia list includes the photos, names, and length of stay of dogs and cats in line for euthanasia. A snapshot at 1:10 p.m. Sept. 26 showed ACS was taking care of 550 dogs and 277 cats. These numbers change by the day, even the hour.
The euthanasia list may spur emotions and inspire people to adopt, but getting to a higher live-release rate will require a concerted community effort, Norwood said.
Found animals wearing fancy collars and leashes are caught and dropped off. Some have painted toenails. This may reflect their owners' affection and attention, but “you do not love your dog if you let them off your property,” Norwood said. “That's just the basics. The problem was created by people who are irresponsible.”
To help control the animal population, and, in turn, increase the live-release rate, the city has budgeted $1.8 million for free and low-cost spay/ neuter programs through its partners. The goal is 44,000 procedures, an increase from this past fiscal year's 26,000.
Kenny, believed to be a black mouth cur mix, is one of the lucky ones that had a brief stint at ACS, and his adoption story reflects responsible pet ownership. Jennifer Tobias came along in the nick of time to spare him from being euthanized.
“It blew my mind how he interacted with my kids,” she said as Kenny playfully ran around her sons, Manny and Mateo. “I thought, ‘It has to be this dog.'”
A recent play date at ACS allowed Kenny to meet Tobias' dog Ame. Although the short shiba inu was guarded, an ACS trainer said she was pleased with the interaction.
As for cats, ACS offers adoption of barn cats or working cats that otherwise wouldn't be suitable for indoor living. These working felines help control the rodent and pest population at warehouses and ranches. There is no adoption fee, and the cats are spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. They do need to be provided shelter, food, water and care.
Additionally, community cats can be trapped, neutered and returned to the neighborhood. This is a long-term solution and way to humanely control cat populations. Even so, cats are on the euthanasia list.
Norwood and other ACS employees reiterated that would-be pet owners need to “do their homework” before adopting a pet.
“Take personal responsibility; educate yourself,” Norwood said.
Responsibility is empowerment. How can we live with an 82 percent live-release rate?