I remember the first time I visited Fort Wayne Animal Control in 2017, how hopeful I was that the agency could improve lifesaving rates. What prevented this was the policies and procedures controlled by the director.
For example, a major barrier was that shelters were not accepting adoptions on weekends, which leaders blamed on a lack of sufficient funding. I recommended suspending humane education and community programs and instead focusing resources on efforts directly related to eliminating the killing of shelter dogs and cats.
In 2017, the savings rate was 65%. Appropriate end-of-life decisions are typically made for less than 10% of dogs and cats with irreversible medical or behavioral problems that compromise their quality of life. That means 25 percent of the dogs and cats that come into the hospital are killed at the Fort Wayne shelter.
Six years later, Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control has an impressive rescue rate of 61.7%, and last year ranked as one of the shelters in the nation with the highest increase in pet kills. Of the 9,723 pets admitted to the shelter, 2,751 were killed.
The adoption lobby is still closed on weekends (except for three hours once a month on Saturday) and only open from 12pm to 6pm on weekdays. If living outcomes are a serious goal, making dogs and cats accessible to the public should be a priority.
If staffing levels are an issue, you should immediately consider changing your weekday opening hours to later hours, closing on your busiest weekdays, and opening adoptions on weekends. Similarly, welcoming volunteers as capable partners in expanded roles such as guides, adoption counselors, and facilitators can be a force multiplier.
Over the past six years, the agency has received approximately $58,000 in grants, training, and custom practice support from Best Friends Animal Society across most areas of the organization, none of which has been implemented well or improved. It's frustrating that I can't see it. .
For context, the percentage of domestic shelters with rescue rates of 90% or higher has doubled in the past seven years. Approximately 57% of U.S. animal shelters currently have dog and cat adoption rates of 90% or higher.
A good first step is to achieve a goal of a 90% save rate. Transparency is the first step to accountability. Setting a 90% goal and engaging the entire community in adoption, pet fostering, volunteering, donations, and general support is fundamental to our success. Notifying the community that a shelter is at capacity and calling for emergency foster homes is essential to expanding care capacity beyond the four walls of a shelter.
At Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control, we have what you need to make your no-kill experience a success. It's the public who cares and wants to help, and strong nonprofit partners like Humane Fort Wayne. Achieving this requires consistent communication, coordination, and collaboration with all stakeholders.
The City of Fort Wayne needs an animal rescue organization that prioritizes saving the lives of pets and their people. There are proven policies and programs that build lifesaving systems, but leaders must be committed to implementing and rigorously managing lifesaving changes, and city officials must hold shelters accountable to clear performance metrics. I have to do it.
tawny hammond I am the No Kill Leadership Promotion Director for Best Friends Animal Society.
