TNR program helps save furry friends

The West Valley City Animal Shelter and No More Homeless Pets in Utah partnership has produced phenomenal results in terms of saving lives.
Prior to joining forces in 2002, roughly 70 percent of all the animals entering the shelter were being euthanized; now, that number is down to 34 percent.
Elaine Dean of Sandy has played an important part in that success. Dean has volunteered at the shelter for nearly a year, driving from her home to the shelter twice each week to put in an eight- to 10-hour day - this from a busy mother of teenagers, who also works and has gone back to school to become a veterinary technician.
"I was a CPA in my former life," she laughs.
Dean donates her time at the shelter because she says the work of the partnership is "inspiring."
"The staff is insightful, innovative and they think outside the box," she says. "They are committed to what they do and are really trying to make a difference."
The alliance between the shelter and No More Homeless Pets allows employees from the outside agency to work at and access to the shelter and focuses on two key issues: conducting outreach adoptions and a Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR) program for feral cats.
"While the outreach adoption program produced a big positive impact for dogs," explains Holly Sizemore, spokeswoman for NMHPU, "we were seeing only marginal success in
saving more cats. We then implemented the TNR program and boy, what a difference."
The number of cats entering the shelter that are euthanized has been reduced from 82 percent in 2002 to 45 percent today. This figure compares to a current statewide average of 63 percent.
The shelter's partnership with NMHPU was the impetus for it becoming a model in the state. While by all standards their success rate is something to be reckoned with, no one involved with the program is ready to rest.
"There is much work still to be done," Sizemore says. There were over 800 animals euthanized at the shelter in 2006.
Karen Bird, shelter supervisor, notes, "We have a small staff to do a big job, so we are grateful for our partnership with NMHPU and for the help of our volunteers. We all work together to meet our number one goal of saving lives."
The most important message Bird wants to convey to pet owners is to "be responsible" by having animals spayed or neutered and identifying them with microchips or collars.
The shelter holds clinics on the second and fourth Mondays of each month and offers many low-cost services, including vaccinations and microchips. NMHPU also sponsors other low-cost programs and provides free pit bull or pit bull mix sterilization for West Valley City residents. Bird explains that 20 percent of all dogs taken into the shelter are pit bulls, and there are five to 10 in the kennels on any given day.
Dean manages the shelter's Web site and is proud of the fact that 70 percent of the dogs featured for adoption find a new home. "That's an incredible success rate," she says.
Among other things, Dean can be found walking, socializing, grooming and playing ball with the dogs. "The dogs can get kennel crazy and they are happy when they have a chance to get out for a bit. A happy dog makes for a more adoptable dog," she says.
While Dean realizes she can't save all the animals, she knows she can do something to make a difference. Often her volunteer work allows her to spend time with the animals that must be euthanized. "It makes me feel like I've helped them leave this world with dignity and grace," she explains.
Bird says of Dean, "There are days that we wouldn't eat if it weren't for Elaine. We love her and very much appreciate her dedication to our shelter."
The shelter is always looking for more adult volunteers who are self-starters, self-motivated and realistic about what their roles will be. "It takes a lot of the shelter's resources to train volunteers and once they find out they have to do other things in addition to playing with the animals, they don't come back," says Bird. Volunteers are also asked to help scoop kennels and the play yard, clean litter boxes, wash dishes and do laundry.
Dean adds, "Even if you can't adopt an animal, you can do something to make a difference for them by volunteering, even if it's only for a few hours a week."
Sizemore is hopeful that NMHPU will be able to expand their ability to partner with more shelters and cities or help them implement similar programs that they can run internally. "The West Valley City model has shown that such programs generate more revenue for the shelters, help reduce animal intake numbers, help gain community trust and save taxpayer dollars," she says.
The West Valley City Animal Shelter is located at 4063 S. 7200 West. Call 801-965-5800 regarding animals at the shelter, services provided or volunteer opportunities. The Web site address is www.wvc-ut.gov/comdev/ animalcontrol/animal.cfm.


For information on No More Homeless Pets in Utah, visit www.utahpets.org.