The Future of A look back, around and forward

Roger Haston, Ph.D. CAO A Cattle ’s Dilemma Realistic Optimism The World is Complex A Brief History of Animal Welfare The Beginning

Cruelty, Abuse & Suffering

Henry Bergh The First SPCA’s

 ASPCA, 1866

 Erie County, 1867

 San Francisco, 1868

 Massachusetts, 1868

 Pennsylvania, 1868 1939 Newsletter History of the Five Freedoms

1964

o Release of Ruth Harrison’s “Animal Machines” book which highlighted the abysmal conditions for agricultural animals in Britain 1965

o UK government commissioned an investigation, led by Professor Roger Brambell, into the welfare of intensively farmed animals

o From this, the Five Freedoms were developed The Five Freedoms

 Freedom from hunger and thirst

 Freedom from discomfort

 Freedom from pain, injury, and disease

 Freedom to express normal behavior

 Freedom from fear and distress 1970’s: Public Awareness Grows The Humane Movement Grows

 First low cost spay and neuter clinics opened

o 1969 in Los Angeles was the first

 Focus on euthanasia methodology

o Elimination of cruel and painful methods begin

 Involvement of veterinary community

o Importance of disease control and animal condition recognized

 Growth of adoptions from shelters

o Humane organizations begin promoting the rescuing of animals from shelters Early Pioneers

 Dennis Moore, Animal Care and Control Division Palm Beach County, FL

 Donald Anthony, Humane Society of Missouri, St  Julie Morris, Michigan Humane Society & Louis ASPCA

 Martha Armstrong, Massachusetts SPCA & HSUS  Bob Rush, City of LA Animal Control, CA

 James Bandow, Animal Control Services, Toronto  Bob Sheen, Arizona Humane Society

 Eric Blow, Jefferson County , Louisville,  Art Slade, Animal Rescue League, Boston KY  John Snyder, Alachua County Office of  Michael Burgwin, Seattle Animal Control, WA Animal Control, FL  Pam Burney, City of North Richland Hills, TX  Gary Tiscornia, Michigan Humane Society,  Pam Burns, Hawaiian Humane Society, Honolulu Auburn Mills

 Harry Dates, Hamilton County SPCA, Cincinnati  Laura Thompson, Honolulu, HI  William Garrett, Atlanta Humane Society, GA  Ruth “Alex” Wade, Hawaiian Humane  Dr. John Kullberg, American SPCA, NY Society, Honolulu

 Fred Lee, San Diego Humane Society, CA  Jeanne Werner, Tacoma-Pierce Co

 Carter Luke, Massachusetts SPCA Humane Society, WA

 Jan McHugh-Smith, Boulder, San Francisco,  Dennis White, American Humane Colorado Springs Association, Denver

 Phillis Wright, HSUS  Phillis Wright, HSUS 1990’s: Focus on Live Outcomes

 First appearance of the “no kill” movement

 Large well funded shelters developed

 Growth of low cost spay neuter begin to impact intake

 Public awareness around the value of adoption grew 2000’s A Common Framework

 In 2004, a group was convened in Asilomar to:

o Build a bridge across varying philosophies

o Develop relationships and create goals focused on significantly reducing the euthanasia of healthy and treatable companion animals

 Developed some guiding principles and a common metric for success.

o Live Release Rate

 A push for metrics and transparency Laws and Cruelty

 Before 1986, only four states had felony animal cruelty laws: Massachusetts (1804), Oklahoma (1887), Rhode Island (1896) and Michigan (1931).

 Three states enacted felony laws in the 1980s, 19 in the 1990s and 25 more since 2000 (including the District of Columbia)

 50 states currently include felony provisions in their animal cruelty laws. Changing Attitudes Toward

1940

1980

From the back yard to the bedroom

2010 Growth of Animal Welfare vs. Animal Rights

Animal Welfare ( -- Consequentialism )

o Concerned with choosing the action that will bring about the greatest good for the greatest number of individuals.

o Prevention of unnecessary suffering

o Ensure a good quality of life and humane death.

Animal Rights (Tom Reagan, Gary Francione -- Kantian Theories)

o Assumes all subjects-of-a life possess inherent value and must be treated as ends-in-themselves, never as a means to an end

o A right may not be sacrificed even if the consequences of doing so are appealing or negative. Colliding Frameworks 2010’s Rising Conflict and Confusion ? Animal Welfare Metrics

A Quick Review Why Do We Measure?

 Assess the current state

 Track progress toward success

 Create awareness and focus

 Keep us grounded

 Keep us aligned to our mission

 Motivate our donors & constituents Risks In Metrics

 Measuring the Wrong Thing

 Drawing the Wrong Conclusion

 Destructive Incentives

 Myopia Sheltering Has Been Focused On

 Responding to a problem: Overpopulation

 Tools we have been using:

o Spay/Neuter

o Sheltering

o Adoption

 The scope of the problem forced us into a reactive strategy Traditional Measurements

 Live Release Rate  Intake  Euthanasia  Adoptions  Lives Saved

Most of our measurement have been shelter-centric and organizationally focused

We have migrated away from overpopulation focus and onto a euthanasia focus Tremendous Progress

30 120

25 100

20 80

15 60

10 40

Euthanasias Euthanasias (in millions) (in Euthanasias

5 20 Euthanasias per 1000

residents Euthanasias per 1000 Residents 1000 per Euthanasias 0 0 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year

Source: July/Aug 2008 Animal People The Rise and Fall of Live Release Rate Live Release Rate Limitations

 Only looks at one aspect of animal welfare

 Loses all information about scale

 Achieving a high live release rate is not necessarily a measure of a successful operation

 It is highly dependent on the input population Impact of LLR on Shelter Outcomes

100% Intakes Adoptions Euthanasia 80% Turned Away

60%

40%

20% Percent of Maximum Potential Animals Potential Maximum of Percent

0% 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 Live Release Rate

* Mean over 100 realizations Impact of Limiting Admission

Increasing intake restrictions 100 90 80 70 Class 6 60 Class 5 50 Limited Admission Class 4 40 Shelter Class 3 30 Policy: No Euthanasia Class 2

20 Class 1 Inventory Percent Percent of Animal 10 0 Class 6 Class 5 100 90 80 Class 6 70 Class 5 60 Open Admission Class 4 50 Shelter Class 3 40 Policy: Only Euthanize Class 6 Class 2 30

Class 1 Inventory Percent Percent of Animal 20 10 0 It a Community Problem

100%

95%

90%

85%

80%

75%

70% Open 65% Limited 60% 100 95 90 85 80 A Growing Inventory Problem?

We are running out of that people want…...... but not everywhere Intake is Declining Why the Decline?

 Years of Spay/Neuter efforts are finally impacting population

 More public awareness about overpopulation

 Different approach to being deployed; many municipalities no longer pick up cats

 Public fear of shelters

 Shelters are not reaching the need

 Shelters are limiting admission The Explosion of Transfers

778,385 dogs

From Woodruff & Smith, 2017 Transfer at a Large Scale

Percent of Dogs Adopted in Colorado that Came from Out of State 50.0%

45.0%

40.0%

35.0%

30.0%

25.0%

20.0%

15.0%

10.0%

5.0%

0.0% 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Highly Adoptable Gets Transferred

4000

3500

3000

2500 UU 2000 TM TR 1500 Healthy 1000

500

0 Public Coalition Outside A Stark Comparison

Org 1 Org 2

Total Dog Intakes 4388 1494 Puppy Intakes 1153 1482 Intakes from Community 2812 12 % operating revenue from transfers ≈ 15% ≈ 95%

Services provided Owner surrenders Yes No Requires S/N Yes No Medical services Yes No Behavior capabilities Yes No Community programs Yes No Advocacy programs Yes No Court & Cruelty Yes No Dog-o-nomics

 $25 to $50 at Source

 $300 to $450 at Destination

 40,000 in Colorado in 2016

($400 - $50) * 40,000 = $14,000,000

This amount of money can attract some bad actors and create problems in both the source and destination communities if not managed holistically Rescue or Hoarder?

The rescue world is largely unregulated and has exploded in number How People Adopt is Changing

There is strong competition for adoptable animals Animal Welfare Organizations

PetSmart Charities AWOs Growth of Retail Adoptions

Over 1,000,000 in 2016

This is changing the dynamics of the sheltering community Shelters Don’t Have What People Want

4500

4000 Intake

Outflows 3500

3000

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0 Pitbull/Mix Chihuahua German Shep Mix Lab/Lab Mix Boxer Sib Husky/Mix Poodle Toy Blocky Headed Whatevers The System is Bypassing Large Segments

We are very successful with the people that we are very successful with Socio-Economic Distribution

Animal Incident Reports from Dallas Pets-For-Life Data

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% No Vet Experience No Shelter of AC Contact Where People Get Their Pets

120% Underserved 100%

80% Petstore Rescue/Shelter 60% Breeder Offspring 40% Friend/Relative Stray 20%

0% APPA Pets ForLife Strong Socio-Economic Variability Spay/Neuter Rates

100% 93% 90% 80% 70% 60% 51% 49% 50% Altered 40% Unaltered 30% 20% 10% 7% 0% < $35k Income > $35k Income Why Free is Too Expensive

How do I need I catch time off this work for thing? my Cat carrier $20

4 hrs * $15/hr = $60

Can I $50 to $100 borrow your car? X

Uber $20 Leaving Behind Rural America The Current Model is not Financially Viable

For most organizations….others will thrive Skyrocketing Cost of Sheltering

300%

250%

200%

150%

100%

Inflation Adjusted) Inflation (

50% Increase in Expenses since 2000 2000 since Expenses in Increase

0% 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

-50%

Average of all shelters The Cost of Doing More

$1,000

$750

total expenditures

per animal Per animal $500 total program services per animal total veterinary $250 services per animal

$0 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 Cost in Non-Profit Shelters

$4,000

$3,500

$3,000

$2,500

$2,000

$1,500 Costper Animal $1,000

$500

$- 0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000 18000 20000 Number of Animal Intakes Municipal Spending Disparity

Jacksonville $3.91

Dallas $7.29

Fort Worth $7.67

San Antonio $8.19

San Francisco $8.45

Austin $11.32

$- $2.00 $4.00 $6.00 $8.00 $10.00 $12.00 Per Resident Spending

Per head count based on population and the average budget from the last three years

SOURCE: Dallas Morning News Scope of the Problem

$10,000,000,000 per year

(if nothing changes) Attitude Polarization

The Growing Divide Attitude Polarization

Following a general trend in our society, animal welfare is polarizing and getting more extreme Are We In an Echo Chamber? A Growing Disconnect?

US

THEM A Loss of Perspective

 “Memphis -- Director Receives Death Threats”

 “Bomb, death threats beset Lindon animal Shelter”

 “Clarksville crying dog video, petition spur death threats”

 “Augusta animal director receives death threats over euthanasia” Real People

Jace Valdez Ryan Maxwell Howard Nicholson, Jr. Daxton Borchardt Dorothy Hamilton Norberto Legarda Diane Jansen Monica Renee Laminack John Harvard Joshua Strother Dylan Andres Tyler Jett Katie Morrison Annie Williams Kylar Johnson Claudia Gallardo Jessica Norman Carolyn Lamp James Hurst Jordyn Arndt Kasii Haith Max Gracia Aiden McGrew Beau Rutledge Holden Garrison Porsche Cartee Jeremiah Eskew-Shahan Rachael Honabarger Craig Sytsma Cathy H. Wheatcraft Clifford Wright Carlton Freeman Logan Shepard Barbara McCormick Jazilyn Mesa Pamela Marie Devitt Johnathan Quarles Jr. Emilio Rios Makayla Darnell Ayden Evans Cindy Whisman Carmen Reigada Eugene Cameron Nephi Selu Joel Chirieleison Lamarkus Hicks Ja'Marr Tiller Arianna Jolee Merrbach Deriah Solem Tanner Smith Jack Redin Linda Oliver Javon Dade Jr Edgar Brown Tyzhel McWilliams Jordan Reed David Glass Sr Amiyah Dunston Ronnel Brown Daniel Teubner Alice Payne Anthony Riggs Rebecca Carey Samuel Eli Zamudio Logan Meyer Carter Hartle Charles Hagerman Jordan Ryan Alameaner Dial Xavier Strickland Dawn Jurgens Terry Douglass Jose Cruz Cazares Robles Rebecca Hardy Bryton Cason Katherine Atkins Deanne Lynn Coando Nyjah Espinosa Debra Renee Wilson-Roberts Nga Woodhead Stella Antanaitis Tyler Trammell-Huston James Hudson Levi Watson Jayla Rodriguez Payton Sawyers Donald Thomas Joan Kappen Edward Cahill Talan West Rayden Bruce Jah'Niyah White Christopher Joaquin Camejo Aiden Grim Nellie Davis Mia Gibson Eugene Smith Suzanne Story Mary Jo Hunt Michal Nelson Declan Moss Bessie Flowers Tarilyn Bowles Betty Clark Malaki Mildward Sonda Tyson Dixie Jennings Tom J. Vick Fredrick Crutchfield Sebastian Caban Remedios Romeros-Solares Christine Bell TayLynn DeVaughn Adonis Reddick Dawn Brown Kara Hartrich Roy Higgenbotham Jr. Earl Wayne Stephens Jr. Esteban Alavez Annabell Martin Betty Wood Hunter Bragg Unknown woman Klonda S. Richey Julia Charging Whirlwind Erin McCleskey Savannah Edwards Je'vaeh Mayes De'Trick Johnson Jocelyn Winfrey Tomas Henio Braelynn Rayne Coulter Neta Lee AdamsKenneth Ford Susie Kirby Betty Ann Chapman Todd Summer Sears Brayden Wilson Christopher Malone Christian Gormanous Kenneth Santilla Gaege Ramirez Elsie Grace Raymane Robinson Jr. James Nevils III Isaiah Aguilar Mia DeRouen Jordan Collins-Tyson Divergent Whys

We haven’t come to grips that we aren’t all working for the same thing

 Right to Life

 Humane Treatment

 Promote Pet Ownership

 Eliminate Breeding

 Eliminate Suffering

 Reduce Population

 No More Homeless Pets

 Celebrate the Human Animal Bond Looking Outside Our World

Where can we look to understand the future? The Extremes of Policies Addressing a Problem

 Education

 Early Interdiction

 Strict and Severe Enforcement

o Up to $10,000 fine for aggressive dog attack

o Potential court ordered euthanasia The Future of Animal Welfare

Pets, people, preserving the bond, professionalization and a whole new set of metrics Forward to Our Roots

 We started around eliminating cruelty and suffering and reducing pet homelessness

 Adoption and life saving are tactics, not ends

 Its about being humane; it’s the currency that brings us together

 Building and maintaining the bond is key Honest Risk Assessment

 We have no formal risk assessment methodology

 Community data on public safety issues is sparse and often flawed

 Every time a person has a negative experience with an animal, it sets us back

 We have to come to grips and be honest about the consequence of aggression

Our relationship with animals has been built up over 50,000 years. We can not afford to risk jeopardizing that bond for short-term benefit. Focusing on the Welfare Deserts Rebuilding Our Metrics

Highest Community Impact

Good Community Impact Refocus on Maintaining the Bond

70%

60%

50%

40%

30% Euthanasia Rate

20%

10%

0% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Return-to-Owner Rate

Source: California Department of Public Health Too Many Organizations

 San Diego

 Washington

 Minneapolis

 …......

 Like in the Arts, our space needs to consolidate in order to better serve those who need it Professionalization

 We risk marginalizing ourselves in society

 We need professional certifications and qualifications

 Passion is not enough

 We serve people and pets, not just pets Cats: One Big Complex …...???

 We need to deal with all the cats in the community beyond just having cats in the community

 The new approaches to cats have rendered traditional measurements like “intake” woefully insufficient

 No agreed upon goal or measure of success

 A mash-up of interests – it’s bigger than the cats Difficult Road Ahead

Many of the messages that have made us successful are starting to get in our way

 Animals should only be adopted

 “Adoptable”

 Save them All

 No Kill

 Everyone Should Have a Pet

 Donate to save this poor sad creature locked away in a dirty, dank, stinky shelter where no one cares (backed by sad music)

 People want to kill adoptable pets Where We Can Be

Celebrating the human animal bond No more homeless pets Safe Pet-friendly Compassionate to people and animals Community engaged A Cattle Dog’s Dilemma Thank you for listening!

Questions? Early Pioneers

 Dennis Moore, Animal Care and Control Division Palm Beach County, FL

 Julie Morris, Michigan Humane Society &  Donald Anthony ASPCA  Martha Armstrong,  Bob Rush, City of LA Animal Control, CA  James Bandow,  Bob Sheen, Arizona Humane Society  Eric Blow, Jefferson County Animal Shelter, Louisville, KY  Art Slade, Animal Rescue League, Boston

 Michael Burgwin, Seattle Animal Control, WA  John Snyder, Alachua County Office of Animal Control, FL  Pam Burney, City of North Richland Hills, TX   Pam Burns, Hawaiian Humane Society, Honolulu Gary Tiscornia, Michigan Humane Society, Auburn Mills  Harry Dates, Hamilton County SPCA, Cincinnati  Laura Thompson, Honolulu, HI  William Garrett, Atlanta Humane Society, GA  Ruth “Alex” Wade, Hawaiian Humane  Dr. John Kullberg, American SPCA, NY Society, Honolulu  Fred Lee, San Diego Humane Society, CA  Jeanne Werner, Tacoma-Pierce Co  Carter Luke, Massachusetts SPCA Humane Society, WA

 Jan McHugh-Smith, Boulder, San Francisco,  Dennis White, American Humane Colorado Springs Association, Denver  Phillis Wright, HSUS  Phillis Wright, HSUS