21st Century Companion Animal
Best Practices with
Sustainable Business Models
for
Welfare and Sheltering
America’s changed attitude about pets

In the 20th century

dogs were relegated to the yard with a dog-house and occasionally
let in when the weather was bad.

Cats were allowed to roam free.

They ate table scraps.

Toys were a ball or a sock, and

Average American would not think to take their pet on vacation.
America’s changed attitude about pets

Today:

93.7 million cats as pets

77.5 million dogs as pets

73 million households or 65% have a dog or cat

In 1994 American’s spent $17 billion on their Pets.
In 2013 they spent $61 billion – one of
the largest growing retail segments in the economy

Pet insurance, holistic pet food, pet-friendly hotels, petfriendly restaurants, doggie daycare, specialty
veterinarian care – oncology to dentistry
A
recent AP/Petside poll shows (50%) of American pet owners
consider their pets

a part of the family as any person in the household

50% of dog owners take their dog on vacation with them
American’s
LOVE their dogs and cats. The value proposition they
expect for their tax dollars and animal welfare charitable
contributions =

Take loving care, (a safety net system for their family member)

Save lives,

Find homes for the homeless
Quality
of life issue and linked to economic development
Sheltering and Animal Control

Out of pace with American’s values – but catching up

Undergoing Transformation

Paradigm shift from reaction to action

Shelter medicine & research = 21 century approach

Best practices evolving – Webinars, industry
publications, workshops, conferences – a MUST to keep
educated and informed of change.
Nationally 39% of households own 1.6 dog(s) and
33% of households own 2.2 cat(s) per household.
Michigan has 3,872,508 households.
• 2,416,445 total Canine Pets in Michigan
• 2,811,441 total Feline Pets in Michigan
For a total of:
5,227,886 total Canine and Feline Michigan Pets
In 2013,172,645 Cats and Dogs entered shelters or
about, 3.3% of the total cats and dogs in Michigan.
This is what happened to those 3%
80,959 Adopted (47%)
44,675 Euthanized (26%)
18,949 Return to Owner (11%)
13,304 Transfers (8%)
0 Sold
2011
2012
2013
Almost 30% of Michigan’s 83 Counties
are saving 90% or more
The process to improve =
implement Best Practices
What is your value proposition?
Public
Safety
Life
Saving
Customer
Service
Respect
for all
Life
Humane
Community
Got your vision and your mission
Now know your clients…
Keep them out of the shelter
Pet Retention

Manage admissions

Resources – pet friendly housing, food bank, meals on
wheels, low-cost spay/neuter and wellness

Home to Home match
Proactive Redemptions

Field return/match

Comprehensive On-line Found Stray

Pet Detective

Counseling – Pet behavior/where to look – other shelters
and resources
Keep them out of the shelter
continued…
High-Volume, Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Program

Prevent unwanted births
Rescue Groups

Stray hold/medical/behavior
Cat TNR Program

Shelter, Neuter Release
Once in the shelter
Medical and Behavior Rehabilitation

Shelter medicine has been key not just to medical
treatment of the treatables, but also to reducing shelter
stress through housing and enrichment, fixing behavior
problems, preventing disease, designing shelter buildings,
and developing programs for shelter flow-through and
capacity control.
Spay/Neuter
Comprehensive Adoption Programs
Volunteers
Public Relations/Community Involvement
Client Data + Proven Formula of Best
Practices + Plan of Action +
Transformational Leadership = Saving
90% or more
Best Practices = Humane
Approach = What charitable
givers and tax-payers want
and expect.