These are the facts:

Each December, statistics from Rutherford County Animal Control are compiled into a summary which highlights the progress being made for the animals in the County.

 The accompanying chart dates to Jan.1 2007.  In 2006 the total intake of dogs and cats was down 3553  from 4225 in 2005. This is a decrease of 15 % or 672 animals. The overall destruction rate over the past three years has been reduced to 70% of intake  - down from almost 88% in 2003. This is still too many deaths at a total of 2532 animals for this year down 428 from the total in 2005 which was 2960. This year’s results confirm trends from 2004 and 2005 indicating that both intake and destruction numbers are moving downward.

Spay/neuter programs have gained strength in the past year with the issuing of 500 vouchers to qualifying pet owners. This program, initially stepped up to cover the shortfall of Senate bill 1184 funding, has surpassed this program in terms of the number of people we have been able to assist. Recently, the Senate bill program has been re-instated so that the combined reach of these programs should push the intake numbers down even farther.

The results to date especially highlight the impact of the efforts being made by so many. It will continue to require constant work, education and pressure in the form of increased sterilization surgeries and increased rescue efforts to maintain this kind of progress and to continue to move all of these numbers downward.

We are gratified by these results and appreciate the community support that has allowed it to happen. We encourage pet owners in need to contact the volunteer office at 287-7738 for assistance and we invite our community affiliates to continue to support our programs.

We rely on local interest in our work and ongoing financial support from both private and corporate donors to help us to reach our overall goal of not having to destroy any adoptable pet.

The latest summary doesn’t simply reflect progress for the animals. It also represents:

 * a significant decrease in taxpayer dollars spent yearly to handle the volume of animals that come to the Animal Control facility and

 * financial relief for the people who own pets that keep breeding so that owners end up with animals they can’t afford to care for properly.

Intake and Destruction Summary from 1998 through 2006

	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Intake	5307	5116	4210	4360	5418	5506	4351	4225	3553
Destruction	4168	4592	3694	3856	4555	4823	3226	2960	2532

Community Pet Center Mission Statement

Our mission is to work with individuals, businesses, and county officials to build, fund, and operate a new Community Pet Center in a public/private partnership. The CPC will provide the displaced pets in our community adequate temporary housing and veterinary care during adoption and rescue efforts, and offer to the citizens of Rutherford County a centralized location for information and educational resources for themselves and their pets.