Animals Aren't Recession Proof

Tails of theCity The Newsletter of the San Francisco Department of Animal Care and Control Fall / Winter c 2009 Arthur was left behind when his owner/ Rachel was surrendered to the shelter because her Brat and Smoke were left at the shelter when guardian had to move away. owner/guardian could no longer afford to care for her. their owner/guardian could not afford veterinary care to treat a mild eye infection. d Animals aren’t recession proof Kat Brown, Deputy Director The recession—it doesn’t just affect us humans. With But, beginning in August of 2008, the exception of the period following Bay Area’s Dot Com the banks started to fail and shortly thereafter, Americans began to bust, over the years Animal Care & Control noticed a slow experience the symptoms of the decline in the numbers of animals that San Francisco’s economic downturn—job loss, home Animal Control Officers picked up as strays, and a decrease loss, tighter budgets. In turn, Animal in the amount of animals coming through the shelter’s Care & Control started to see an increase in the number of animals front doors as lost or owner surrendered pets. arriving at the shelter. Especially troubling was the number of owner Spaying and neutering was working. Companion animals were gaining value surrendered animals. in our culture. The public sought other options to re-home their animals when necessary, using the municipal shelter as a last resort for surrenders. c d e q The Newsletter of the San Francisco Department of Animal Care and Control Fall / Winter c 2009 Tails of theCity Fall / Winter c 2009 In This Issue Animals Aren’t Recession Proof..Cover–2 Helping Animals.................................3 Carl Friedman Farewell....................4–5 New Interim Director...........................6 MickaCoo.................................. .......7 Monkeying Around..........................8–9 ACC Remodel..............................10-11 Jane Tobin, President of The Friends of Animal Care & Control, at a microchip clinic at ACC. Dogs licensed in San Francisco and cats living in the city can get free microchips implanted 1200 15th Street at the ‘Friends’ sponsored clinics held several times a year at ACC. San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 554-6364 www.animalshelter.sfgov.org To date, the number of owner And yet, thanks to the tireless surrendered animals has not stabilized. efforts of our staff and volunteers, Editor in Chief In fact, it has continued to increase. the wonderful animal rescue groups Interim Director of ACC We thought January of 2009 was and our long-time partners, the San Rebecca Katz going to be one of the worst months Francisco SPCA, our live release with a 35% increase in the number rate (the rate of animals that find Managing Editor of owned animals coming to ACC. In placement) has gone up 3% to 86% Volunteer Services & Community June 2009, however, the number of for cats and dogs during our last fiscal Outreach Coordinator owned animals coming into the shelter year (compared to a national average Deb Campbell went up a stunning 50% over what it that hovers around 30–40%). We also was in June of 2008. That meant, for have an 80% live release rate for all Shelter Veterinarian of ACC just that one month, 99 more animals animals—cats, dogs, small and exotic Dr. Bing Dilts needed homes compared to this time animals, reptiles, fish and birds. But, last year. Our staff consistently hears in the summer of ‘09, we’ve found it Graphic Design & Printing from people that they have been necessary to euthanize more animals City and County of San Francisco forced to give up their animals as than during the same period last year. Repromail they look for work or because they The math is clear: higher intake of don’t have enough money to pay their animals results in a higher number of Photos Alexandra Amaya pet’s medical bills. We’ve taken in animals facing euthanasia, regardless Sharon Beals animals from people who have lost of percentiles. Deb Campbell their homes and are forced to move Lynn Cuny where they can’t take their pets—it is All of us have been following these Paul Fitzgerald heartbreaking. Rescue groups report recession-related events: job losses, Deb Mindel that foster families and adoptive homes foreclosures and work furloughs…even Elizabeth Young are harder to find. In 8 of the last 12 in San Francisco. We’ve all seen empty months, people have been surrendering storefronts, more apartments for rent, their animals at an alarming rate. the retail stores not as crowded and This, at a time, when people need the businesses closing. Let’s remember, comfort of companion animals more a poor economic climate impacts than ever! The devastation of this everyone, whether they have two separation affects both humans and legs, or four. their animal companions. c d e q 2 The Newsletter of the San Francisco Department of Animal Care and Control Fall / Winter c 2009 Here’s how you can help animals in the community during (and after) the recession Adopt! Donate! Foster! Volunteer! Animal Care & Control and the following groups help animals in many ways— and you can help them. You can be part of the solution during these tough economic times: Many of these dogs need medical Mickaboo attention that Grateful Dogs Rescue Mickaboo provides at their own expense. Companion This group has taken hundreds of Bird Rescue—and MickaCoo Dove needy dogs from Animal Care & & Pigeon Rescue—have saved Control and placed them in loving hundreds of birds facing euthanasia homes. Adopters, foster homes at Animal Care & Control. This and donations are always needed. group takes ill or injured birds— To learn more and donate: www. and birds that are at risk due to gratefuldogsrescue.org over-crowding at the shelter. To learn more and donate: www. Rocket Dog Rescue mickaboo.org Rocket Dog Rescue works daily with The SF SPCA, Animal Care & Control Muttville, The Friends of San to take dogs facing The Urban Francisco euthanasia. Rocket Dog Rescue has Cat Project, Animal Care taken hundreds of dogs, many with Rattie Ratz, The & Control behavior or medical issues that they Wonder Dog FSFACC provides valuable services solve at their own expense. Adopters, Rescue, A Leg to the animal community by holding foster homes and donations are Up Rescue, free microchipping clinics several always needed. To learn more and Home At Last, times a year, providing grants donate: www.rocketdogrescue.org Hopalong to animal rescue groups and by Animal Rescue, funding programs that directly Give Me California help the animals at Animal Care & Shelter Chins—plus many more—are all Control. To learn more and donate: Give Me regular visitors to Animal Care www.helpacc.org Shelter & Control and have all helped to gives a second chance at life to make a tremendous difference for Toni’s Kitty Rescue cats facing euthanasia at Animal San Francisco’s animals in need. Toni’s Kitty Rescue Care & Control. They work with the Questions about finding species works in partnership shelter daily to rescue cats, some specific rescue groups can be with Animal Care with medical or behavior issues that directed to [email protected] & Control to save Give Me Shelter works on at their underage, abandoned own expense. Give Me Shelter has If you would like to help animals and orphaned kittens by managing rescued hundreds of cats and placed and volunteer at Animal Care & a network of foster homes. The them into loving homes. Control, please call 415-554-9414 volunteers of Toni’s Kitty Rescue To learn more and donate: for information and to sign up for a care for kittens in their homes until www.givemesheltersf.org new volunteer orientation. they can be returned and adopted from Animal Care & Control. During Save A Bunny Animal Care & Control works with the 2008 kitten season this group Save A Bunny’s many other rescue groups, including saved over 900 kittens who were work has given purebred dog and cat rescues. facing euthanasia. To learn more hundreds of rabbits a second chance Please consider learning more about and donate: www.toniskittyrescue. at a happy life. This group works animal rescue groups and helping in org with Animal Care & Control to take any way possible. Working together rabbits facing euthanasia because of as a community will give more Grateful shelter overcrowding and for health animals a chance at life during Dogs Rescue or behavior problems. To learn more these challenging times—and Grateful Dogs and donate: www.saveabunny.com beyond. Rescue takes numerous dogs each year from Animal Care & Control. ı S Z N 3 The Newsletter of the San Francisco Department of Animal Care and Control Fall / Winter c 2009 c Farewell after 20 years of service to animals and the community Carl Friedman It was the early 1970s and unbeknownst to me at the time, an event happened that suddenly brought me into the animal welfare world. As I was sitting in the Donut Hole at the corner of California and Fillmore, drinking my morning cup of coffee and waiting to catch my bus to my job at Yellow Cab when I saw a little St. Bernard puppy running in and out of traffic. I quickly whisked the puppy up and brought him into the café. I contacted the SPCA, who at that time contracted with the City to perform animal care and control services, and told them about the puppy and asked them to pick him up. They said that they did not provide a transport service and that I would have to bring him to them. This posed a dilemma since I would be late for work and I had to take the bus, which at that time, did not allow animals.

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