OER:

Raquel Lujan
Stray Pet Overpopulation
Workplace concept:
Shelter employee
Domestic and Worldwide.
• There are over 200 million stray dogs in the world according to the
World Health Organization
• Approximately 6.5 million pets enter shelters each year nationwide
and nearly 3.3 million are dogs and 3.2 million are cats according to
the ASPCA.
• Each year, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized
(670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats). The number of euthanized dogs and
cats has declined from 2.6 million in the U.S. since 2011.
• About 710,000 animals who enter shelters as strays are returned to
their owners. Of those, 620,000 are dogs and only 90,000 are cats.
El Paso Community
• As the 19th largest city in the United States, El Paso has one of the highest
animal intake censuses in the entire nation.
• Recent reports indicate that in the month of October of 2018, a total of
2,422 animals (canine and feline) were taken into the shelter. This number
includes stray, relinquished, intended euthanasia and transferred animals.
751 animals were adopted, and 329 were euthanized.
• There was an 80.83% live-release rate, and a 13.58% euthanasia rate.
• By the end of the month (10/31/2018) the shelter count was 1,510 shelter
animals. Almost half of the shelter animals were adult dogs (636).
• https://www.elpasotexas.gov/~/media/files/coep/animal%20services/reports/10%20october%202018.ashx?la=en
Issues concerning stray pet overpopulation
faced by shelter employees
• Early summer of 2015 citizens and
organizations complained of the high “kill
rate” the El Paso Animal Service shelter
had.
• Owner Surrender Policy: “Convenience”
Euthanasia
➢ Change in policy
➢ Owners no longer have a say in the
animal’s final disposition
• Low number of spayed/neutered animals
• High number of animals coming into the
shelter
Changes and Improvement

PARTICIPATION IN BEDS AND TOWELS SOOTHING KENNEL DIRECT PHONE NUTRITION

PROFESSIONAL MUSIC ACCESS FOR AREA
AFFILIATIONS VETENARIANSS

CHANGE IN OWNER STREAMLINE

SURRENDER POLICY ADOPTIONS
El Paso Animal Shelter’s adopted Best
Practice guidelines
1. Community cat/Feral Cat TNR Program
2. High-volume, Low-cost spay/neuter
3. Rescue groups
4. Foster Care
5. Comprehensive adoption programs
6. Pet retention
7. Medical and Behavior programs
8. Public/community relations
9. Volunteers
10. Proactive redemptions
11. Dynamic Leadership
How stray pet overpopulation affects other
communities and their approaches to alleviate the issue.
• San Jose, Costa Rica: More
than 2 million stray
dogs/mutts roam the streets
of Costa Rica.
• Territorio de Zaguates is non-
profit organization that
shelters, feeds and maintain
hundreds of healthy dogs for
adoption or permanent
residence at the no-kill Video by Dan Giannopoulos, National Geographic

shelter.
Questions?
Sources
• https://www.npr.org/2017/12/29/574598877/no-easy-answer-to-growing-
number-of-stray-dogs-in-the-u-s-advocate-says?ft=nprml&f=574598877
• https://www.elpasotexas.gov/~/media/files/coep/animal%20services/reports/
animal%20services%20shelter%20review%20-%20final.ashx?la=en
• https://www.aspca.org/animal-homelessness/shelter-intake-and-
surrender/pet-statistics
• https://www.elpasotexas.gov/~/media/files/coep/animal%20services/reports/
10%20october%202018.ashx?la=en
• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/proof/2017/11/land-of-
strays/
• https://www.territoriodezaguates.com/index/
• Interview from anonymous EPAS employee done 20181105 through email..