HomeMy WebLinkAboutSupplemental Attachments - 7/18/2022WOvKSesbi0v, +faho/au.f-
June 16, 2022
City of Waterloo
Sandie Greco,
The Cedar Bend Humane Society would like to continue partnering with the City to hold stray animals
from the City of Waterloo. For future budgeting ease, we would like to propose a 5-year rollover
contract with auto renewal beginning July 15c 2022.
Unfortunately, due to a 30-40% increase in our medical and housing costs we are asking for the
following fee increase;
• July 2022: 3% increase, which equals $.54 per animal per day. ($18.54 daily equaling $55.62 per
animal for three-day hold)
• July 2023 No increase
• July 2024 No increase
• July 2025: 3% increase, which equals $.56 per animal per day. ($19.10 daily equaling $57.30 per
animal for three-day hold)
• July 2026 No increase
• Stray bite quarantine will increase from $150 to $175 (Ten-day hold)
The CBHS is currently working to implement a "community cat program". We would be interested in
implementing this program in Waterloo. This program is designed to help reduce the number of cats
entering the shelter which will save lives and help reduce the free roaming cat population within the city.
This program will also reduce the resources and expenses for both the CBHS and the City.
• If the City chooses to participate in a community cat program the CBHS would charge $52 per
each cat eligible for the program opposed to the regular stray intake price per cat.
(Please see attachment for additional information pertaining to the community cat program)
Thank you for the consideration, please feel free to contact me with any questions or if the City requests
further discussion.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kristy Gardner
Executive Director
Cedar Bend Humane Society, 319-486-1797
wOK/1 &ss;ice 46thdoat
City Community Cat Program
'Community Cat means any free -roaming cat (feral or friendly) that may be cared for by one or more
residents in the area, known or unknown. Community cats that are ear -tipped indicate the animal is
sterilized and vaccinated against rabies at least one time. A community Cat may also mean a cat that
is found outside with no valid identification that is brought to the CBHS and is not yet sterilized, ear -
tipped, and rabies vaccinated. Qualified community cats are exempt from licensing and at -large
provisions of the city ordinance and may be exempt from other provisions directed toward owned
animals."
Over -view of program
• Cats brought in as "stray" that have no identification may be considered "free roaming
community cats." The CBHS will have the option to alter, vaccinate for rabies, ear tip and return
to the place where the cat was found.
• Cats that are part of community cat management programs must be sterilized, vaccinated
against rabies and ear -tipped for easy identification. If these requirements are met the
community cat is exempted from licensing, requirements, feeding bans and is eligible for
released from CBHS prior to the mandatory three-day hold period, community cats will be
returned to the location where they congregate.
• CBHS medical staff/veterinarian will make determinations if the cat is eligible for the
'community cat program" based on the health, age, and circumstances and location where the
cat was found.
• Cat's identified a5 "community cats" by an ear -tip will not be subject for stra'i pick up, and if the
cat happens to enter the CBHS it may immediately be returned to wv'here it was found.
Eligibility
Free Roaming Cats Must Meet the Following Guidelines:
• Free -Roaming and lacking a traceable microchip, collar, tattoo or obvious form of identification
• Of healthy weight (a good indicator that they have someone in their neighborhood feeding and
caring for them) and injury -free (as determined by the veterinary staff)
• Any impounded cat that is eligible for the Community Cat program v,,ill be altered, vaccinated
and ear -tipped at the expense of the CBHS and will he returned to the vicinity where the cat was
originally captured and will be exempt from the mandatory holding period. 'Eligible' means a cat
that is living outdoors, lacks discernible identification, is of sound health and possesses claws.
• Friendly free -roaming cats brought into the shelter as a stray will ideally he returned to the
place where he was found outdoors, instead of being adopted, since that place is likely the cat's
true home where he has already been living and thriving.
• Kittens four months and older should be assessed for the "Community cat Program" using the
same criteria as an adult cat. By this age, kittens are self-sustaining and, in our experience, do
well when returned to their community. (It is recommended that kittens be returned with their
littermates or another cat from the community if possible)
Cats NOT Eligible for CCP
• Sick, injured or in poor body condition (it is obvious cat is not thriving in its environment and
most likely is a lost owned cat)
• Kittens who are not thriving, who are born in the shelter or whc are brought in without the
ability to confirm their original location.
• Owner surrenders that live indoors
• Kittens under the age of 12 weeks, unless they come from a known/established colony in which
their care -taker requests their return. (In this case kittens must be of ample size to be able to be
altered)
• Any type of identification such as a collar, license, name tag, microchip, or tattoo.
• Deciawed cats
• Cats with suspected owners (information conveyed by public or AC)
• Cats unable to be altered
Any cat not eligible for the "community cat program" will be held as a stray for the designated three
consecutive days. The CBHS will hold any cat for the stray period upon request from the city Animal
Control regardless if the cat meets requirements for the CCP.
Benefits- A Community Cat Program typically offer a range of positive outcomes regardless of whether a
cat was trapped in the field or brought to the shelter as a stray. A friendly cat brought into the shelter as
a stray, for example, would ideally be returned to the place where he was found outdoors, instead of
Deil3g ;;;;opted, since. that place is the cat's true home where he hOS a.ready been ;wing and thriving, We
know front experience that such cats are community cots in the. most literal sense, with multiple
caregivers providing for the cat's needs and concerned for his well-being.
• The national average of owners reclaiming their cats is a;oproximateh,, 2%, and most community
cats are not; in fact; owned, these cats are very rare!v „er After e stray hold has expired,
unclaimed community cats often are euthanized due tc end up getting ill which
required additional resources. Many of these cats strugg:e to gee adopted due to litter box and
behavior issues. The impoundment of community cats tends to be more harmful to the cats, but
it is also expensive for the city and the CBHS to capture, hold and disposition these cats.
According to our records since 2018 only 2% of cats are reunited with owners (with the
exception of 2021 when we had 3% of cats reunited with their owners.)
• increase shelter space and reduce resources
• Reduced intake of cats and kittens and increase in positive outcomes. Less euthanasia, less
medical expense treating cats that end up sick during holding period. The risks of shelter
impoundment often outweigh significantly those associated with life on the streets. Community
Cats are well -suited to living outdoors and are able to thrive in a variety of locations and
climates. CBHS staff will no longer be required to dispense with large numbers of healthy cats.
• Since there will be fewer cats held at the shelter CBHS can focus efforts on saving even more
lives by finding placement for all cats that are candidates for adoptions, rescue, or relocation to
barn homes, hopefully increasing our save rate. (Euthanasia may still be the right outcome to
relieve a cat's irremediable suffering or unacceptable quality of life).
• Reduced number of young kittens brought to the shelter. (an indication that the population of
community cats is being stabilized or reduced)
AC Benefits
• The benefits of a CCP may not be immediately obvious to field services officers. However,
eventually there will he a decrease in the number of cats picked up in the field and/or
impounded via through intake, thereby reducing workload.
• Resources once allocated to impounding community cats may be re -allocated to other tasks
•
Workload is further reduced because healthy ear -tipped cats are only rarely impounded
There is a reduced risk of scratches and bites because officers aren't required to trap or catch
healthy outdoor cats
Reduction of community cat numbers in particular locations. Removal of cats in a community
often creates a "vacuum effect." Which means other unsterilized cats move into the now -
available area. This likely result is more complaint calls in the future.
Recommendations
• Six-month trial prior to changing city ordinances to accommodate community cats.
• Option to amend the CBHS/CITY contract for animal services to accommodate any challenges
regarding the CCP.
• Provide low cost microchip opportunities for cat owners who live in the cities
Cost Saving Statistics
2021-2022 (Ending mc)nth April)
Stray and trapped cats: 2197 @ $54 = increase ($56.70) $124,570
With Community Cat Program
Trapped Cats 224 @ $52=$11,648
Stray held cats 986.5 @$54 = $53.271
Community cats 986.5 @ $52=ti5" 2?3
Total=$116,217
Cost savings with current prices would estimate 32421
Cost savings as fees increase would estimate $8353
I predict cost savings to continue to increase as cat intake numbers decrease over time.
Our euthanasia numbers were 341, which 263 were chic., to illness. I predict with the community cat
program those additional 78 cats would have been able to have been saved opposed to euthanized.
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Community cats and their caregivers
In some communities, the greatest risk to cats is the local shelter,
especially during "kitten season," when resources are stretched
even thinner than usual. Return -to -field (RTF) programs (sometimes
called shelter -neuter -return, or SNR) reduce overcrowding and do so
quickly [1-3]. Eligible cats (e.g., those brought in as "stray," lacking
identification, etc.) are sterilized, vaccinated, and returned to where
they were originally found. Removing friendly cats from neighborhoods
diverts scarce resources —including tax dollars —that could be used to
provide positive outcomes for the cats most at risk: shelter cats.
Pet cats and their owners
Lost cats brought to the shelter might be euthanized or adopted to
someone else during their "stray hold." Unfortunately, the rate of cats
reclaimed from shelters is very low —typically Tess than 5% [4-6]. In
fact, research shows that the most common method by which lost
cats are reunited with their owners is when cats return home on their
own or when owners search their neighborhoods [7,8]. By returning
"friendlies," we're actually improving the chances that lost pets will be
reunited with their families.
Residents struggling economically are less likely to be reunited with
their missing cats than more affluent residents. One research study
found that residents earning less than $30,000/year were reunited with
their cats only 39% of the time compared to 94% for residents earning
between $50,000 and $100,000 annually [7].
Health and welfare concerns
The evidence shows that nearly all of the cats brought to shelters
as "strays" are healthy. In fact, multiple peer -reviewed studies have
found that only about 0.5% of these cats needed to be euthanized
for serious health concerns [1, 9,10]. This is hardly surprising —
community cats are friendly because they have humans looking out
for them (often more than one caregiver.) The results of a national
survey show that 14% of residents feed "stray" cats [11]. By sterilizing,
vaccinating, and returning community cats, we are acknowledging the
human -animal bond as well as providing a service (sterilization and
vaccination) that benefits the entire community.
[1] Spehar, D.D.; Wolf, P.J. Integrated Return -to -Field and Targeted Trap -Neuter -Vaccinate -Return Programs Result in Reductions of Feline Intake and Euthanasia at Six
Municipal Animal Shelters. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2019, 6; [2] Spehar, D.D.; Wolf, P.J. The Impact of Return -to -Feld and Targeted Trap-Neuter-Retum on Feline
Intake and Euthanasia at a Municipal Animal Shelter in Jefferson County, Kentucky. Animals 2020, 10, 1395; [3] Johnson, K.L.; Cicirelli, J. Study of the Effect on Shelter Cat
Intakes and Euthanasia from a Shelter Neuter Return Project of 10,080 Cats from March 2010 to June 2014. PeerJ 2014, 2, e646; [4] Bartlett, P.C.; Bartlett, A.; Walshaw, S.;
Halstead, S. Rates of Euthanasia and Adoption for Dogs and Cats in Michigan Animal Shelters. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 2005. 8, 97-104; [5] The State
of U.S. Animal Sheltering, 2020; Best Friends Animal Society: Kanab, UT, 2021; [6] QI-Q4 Analysis 2019-2020-2021; Shelter Animals Count, 2022; [7] Weiss, E.; Slater, M.;
Lord, L. Frequency of Lost Dogs and Cats in the United States and the Methods Used to Locate Them. Animals 2012, 2, 301-315; [8] Lord, L.K.; Wittum, TE.; Ferketich,
A.K.; Funk, J.A.; Rajala-Schultz, P.J. Search and Identification Methods That Owners Use to Find a Lost Cat. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 2007,
230, 217-220; [9] Wallace, J.L.; Levy, J.K. Population Characteristics of Feral Cats Admitted to Seven Trap -Neuter Programs in the United States. Journal of Feline Medicine
& Surgery 2006, 8, 279-284; [10] Levy, J.K.; Isa,a. N M ' Scott, K.C. Effect of High -Impact Targeted Trap -Neuter -Return and Adoption of Community Cats on Cat Intake to a
Shelter. The Veterinary Journal 2014, 201, 269-274; [11] 2019-2020 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, American Pet Products Association: Stamford, CT, 2019.
bestfriends.org/resources