Category: No-Kill

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“Team Coaching”—Transforming Aspiration to Inspiration by Ed Boks

In 2014 the Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) had already assembled a high functioning Board of Directors.  The seven member team had catapulted the organization into national prominence by effectively ending the use of euthanasia (killing) of dogs and cats as a means for controlling pet overpopulation in a region comprised of rural and urban communities. Our stats were impressive — making us the safest community in the US for dogs and cats.

The combination of success and growth was the impetus for the Board to reach out to Charas Consulting for guidance in adding two new members to the Board of Directors.  The Board needed to grow but did not want to risk degrading its effectiveness by inadvertently selecting candidates who could or would not add value to the Board’s vision, direction and accomplishments.   There were five highly qualified candidates.

Dr. Charas’ assessment was applied to the team of seven Board Directors and the five candidates.  The assessment measured perceptions of current and ideal behaviors; and found, not surprisingly, a tight alignment of current and ideal board member characteristics and values.  The survey of the five applicants identified potential misalignment in two candidates and strong reinforcing alignment in three candidates.

With Dr. Charas guidance we saw that we were a powerful Board of individuals who, because of our trust in each other, could play with the synergy we created by our openness to the whole.  This confidence, supported by our understanding of Charas’ assessment, emboldened us to enroll the three aligned candidates rather than comfortably restricting ourselves to the insecure decision to take on no more than two candidates.

The Results

Our confidence in ourselves as a Board and our relationship with our Executive Director and management team soared to new levels.  We shifted from aspiration to inspiration – we were no longer subject to exogenous growth but had become captains of our own endogenous development.

Not only did we notice this shift in ourselves, but organizations from coast to coast recently began to contact YHS to ask for help replicating our life-saving programs in their communities; even organizations in Israel asked for help.

With Dr. Charas’ assistance we were seeing a new “way of being” emerge that started to attract new and more effective Board members and employees.  One Foundation substantially increased a grant beyond what we asked stating they wanted to be seen partnering with and supporting YHS because we were a model for generously sharing expertise.

Concurrent with the above success, YHS received both Charity Navigator and Guidestar’s highest rating for transparency and fiscal responsibility, increased revenue over 30%, significantly expanded its mission to include equines, launched a capital campaign; and enrolled local municipalities into transparent contract negotiations for animal control services in a manner that transformed our relationship from service provider to partners.

In summary, YHS has shifted its focus from doing great things locally to being inspired by a Noble Cause – elevating our mission from a regional response to a local need to generously and profoundly impacting the cultures of other organizations and communities through sharing not only what we know, but who we are.

The context in which we now function has changed radically in just six months thanks to the empowering conversation, commitment and coaching of Dr. Charas.

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YHS receives Community Excellence Award by Ed Boks

This past Friday, July 10 at the Prescott Resort, the Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) was recognized by the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce at their 2015 Community Excellence Awards ceremony. YHS was honored as “The Organization of the Year.” Among the many YHS accomplishments cited by the Chamber, the impact of our no-kill ethic was particularly singled out.

The Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) celebrated its 43rd Anniversary in March, however, it was only five years ago this month that YHS first embraced its no-kill ethic.

The no-kill ethic refers to our commitment to apply the same criteria when deciding an animal’s fate that a caring pet owner or compassionate veterinarian would apply to a beloved pet. That is, healthy and treatable animals are not killed simply because of a lack of resources. Believe it or not, that was happening just five years ago.

Killing animals because of a lack of resources may be the quick, convenient and, at least from afar, the easy thing to do. But I have never, in over 30 years in this field, heard anyone argue it is the right thing to do. After all, the creatures who fill our shelters can hardly be faulted for bringing trouble upon themselves. People who excuse euthanasia in shelters often say we have to be “realistic.” But we contend such realism is best directed at the sources of the problem and at the element of human responsibility.

It is gratifying to be recognized by the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce for the remarkable transformation the no-kill ethic has had on our community. In fact, YHS’ no-kill ethic is gaining attention in communities coast to coast. Organizations in Los Angeles, Mohave County, New York City and even the country of Israel have asked YHS for help embracing our no-kill ethic.

YHS is fast becoming a world class organization. This growth has required every member of the YHS team to expand their individual capacity, vision and expertise. Working for YHS is no longer just a job; it’s not even just a career – it’s a vocation. I’m proud of every member of our team for getting us to where we are today; but even more exciting is where we’re taking YHS in the years ahead. If you are not a part of this life affirming effort, I invite you to join the YHS volunteer team.

Other reasons cited by the Prescott Valley Chamber for selecting YHS as “The Organization of the Year” include our many lifesaving programs that ensure appropriate care is provided for every lost, homeless, sick and abused animal we rescue until we find them their forever home. YHS successfully “re-homes” 97 percent of the pets who come through our doors (compared to the national shelter average of about 40 percent). The 3 percent who are humanely euthanized are due to irremediable suffering resulting from disease or injury, or aggression that threatens public safety.

The Chamber also called attention to YHS humane response to the significant increase in the number of animals rescued from hoarding situations (over 70 animals in the past 12 months compared to 20-30 animals in previous years); the recent expansion of the YHS New Hope program, which enables YHS to rescue animals from kill lists in shelters across the Southwest – effectively exporting the no-kill ethic; and YHS plans to include homeless equines in its rescue mission as early as 2016.

It is gratifying to be recognized as our community’s “Organization of 2015” for providing a broad and compassionate safety-net for animals in greatest need. This award is deeply appreciated by the Board of Directors, employees and volunteers of YHS.

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No-kill: truth and consequences By Ed Boks

Ed Boks and pet hospice
Foster and Hospice Care saves lives!

I’m often asked how the Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) maintains its “no-kill” status. (“no-kill” is defined as applying the same criteria to deciding a homeless animal’s fate that a devoted pet owner or a conscientious veterinarian would apply to a beloved pet). Since embracing this ethic in July 2010, pet euthanasia in our community has declined 94 percent, and 97 percent of all the animals rescued are re-homed (compared to the national average of about 40 percent).

How do we do this? Every animal shelter has “decision points.” YHS refers to these as our “moments of truth” – junctures where we ask ourselves if we’re being true to our no-kill ethic or are we capitulating to expediency because of a perceived lack of resources.

Let me share a true story to help illustrate how YHS responds to moments of truth. On a Wednesday this past April a Good Samaritan found a severely injured four year old cat hit by a car. The Samaritan rushed the cat to YHS where we found no microchip, collar or ID. This sweet cat was clearly someone’s pet; but now she was alone and scared.

Moment of Truth 1: Euthanize or treat?

The trauma was severe. No one would have faulted YHS for humanely euthanizing this cat at that moment. In fact, it is common practice in many shelters to immediately euthanize severely injured animals at impound. Instead, the YHS medical team jumped into action and stabilized, evaluated and diagnosed the cat – finding a right femoral head fracture and gross hematuria. She was befittingly named Tuscany, defined in the Urban Dictionary as a “perfect mixture of art and wisdom.”

Moment of Truth 2: Euthanize or operate?

Tuscany’s prognosis was good so the YHS medical team performed surgery. However, weeks of recovery were now necessary – requiring prolonged use of cage space that could otherwise benefit many other cats.

Moment of Truth 3: Euthanize or Foster

To benefit the greatest number of animals, Tuscany was placed into Foster Care with a qualified YHS volunteer. While in Foster Care our volunteer discovered a lump – demonstrating the value of the individualized attention foster volunteers provide. The YHS Chief Veterinarian was consulted and confirmed three masses had acutely developed – suggesting cancer.

Moment of Truth 4: Euthanize or test?

To make an informed decision, biopsies were performed. Two tests were negative; the third discovered fibrosarcoma, a type of soft tissue cancer. Prognosis in such cases, even with surgery, projected a mean survival time of about 19 months. Recovery would take weeks and the trauma would negatively impact Tuscany’s remaining quality of life.

Moment of Truth 5: Euthanize or hospice?

In many shelters, euthanasia would be the only remaining option. YHS had three: uncertain surgery, euthanasia, or keep her comfortable until the tumor metastasizes. Because Tuscany has significant quality of life, she was placed in the YHS Hospice Program – where she is thriving in a home dedicated to ensuring her remaining months are filled with tender loving care.

Multiply Tuscany’s story by 3,500 animals annually and you begin to understand the challenge. Every animal has a story – and our mission is to create as many happy endings as possible.

Tuscany’s story underscores how YHS depends on exceptional employees and compassionate volunteers and supporters. If you’d like to volunteer to provide foster or hospice care to a needy animal, contact your local shelter. If you’d like to help support lifesaving programs financially, send your tax-deductible gift to your local shelter or call for information on giving opportunities. Together we can keep this dream alive.

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FBI calls animal cruelty ‘crime against society’ By Ed Boks

Many studies over the years have demonstrated conclusively that young people who torture and kill animals are prone to violence against people later in life if it goes unchecked. Finally, this knowledge is being applied by law enforcement in an effort to identify and intervene in the lives of young animal abusers before they become serial and/or mass murderers.

For years, the FBI has filed animal abuse crimes under the label “other” – thus lumping them with a variety of lesser crimes. This makes cruelty crimes hard to find, count and track. The bureau announced this month that it will make animal cruelty a Group A felony with its own category in the same way crimes like homicide, arson and assault are listed.

This new federal category for animal cruelty crimes will help identify animal abusers before their behavior worsens. It will also encourage prosecutors and judges to take these crimes seriously.

It is hoped this new category will result in more appropriate sentences, more influence with juries, and the ability to make more meaningful plea bargains.

The special category will also help law enforcement officials identify young offenders, and hopefully help offenders realize early that with the right help they need not turn into a Jeffrey Dahmer later.

With this new category, law enforcement agencies will soon be required to report incidents and arrests in four areas: simple or gross neglect; intentional abuse and torture; organized abuse, including dogfighting and cockfighting; and animal sexual abuse.

“The immediate benefit is that it will be in front of law enforcement every month when they have to do their crime reports,” said John Thompson, interim executive director of the National Sheriffs’ Association who worked to get the new animal cruelty category instituted. “That’s something we have never seen.”

Law enforcement officials will soon understand that this data provides an important crime fighting tool, and its “not just somebody saying the ‘Son of Sam’ killed animals before he went to human victims, and 70-some percent of the school shooters abused animals prior to killing people,” said Thompson, a retired assistant sheriff from Prince George’s County, Maryland.

FBI studies show that serial killers like Dahmer impaled the heads of dogs, frogs and cats on sticks; David Berkowitz, known as the “Son of Sam,” poisoned his mother’s pet; and Albert DeSalvo, aka the “Boston Strangler,” trapped cats and dogs in wooden crates and killed them by shooting arrows through the boxes.

It will take time and money to update FBI and law enforcement databases nationwide, revise manuals and send out guidelines, Thompson said, so there won’t be any data collected until January 2016. After that, it will take several months before there are numbers to analyze.

The new animal cruelty statistics will allow police and counselors to work with children who show early signs of trouble, enabling professionals to intervene early when a preschooler is known to be hurting animals – so hopefully the urge to hurt can be mitigated before humans become targets.

The FBI’s category will track crimes nationwide and is bound to give animal cruelty laws in all 50 states more clout. Many states are seeing more of those convicted of animal cruelty being sentenced to prison in marked contrast to years past.

Whether talking about state laws or the FBI change, it is clear “that regardless of whether people care about how animals are treated, people – like legislators and judges – care about humans, and they can’t deny the data,” said Natasha Dolezal, director of the animal law program in the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon.

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Reigning or Raining Cats and Dogs? by Ed Boks

The Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) often uses a play on words to get a message across. For instance, on Saturday, Sept. 20, YHS is celebrating its 42nd anniversary at the Prescott Resort, and the event is called Reigning Cats & Dogs.

The name Reigning Cats & Dogs is an attempt to humorously convey the role our pets play in our lives. In many ways, and for many of us, our pets take on a central, or if you will, a “reigning” role in our lives. It is in this fun spirit that we are inviting animal lovers to a royal celebration of the relationship we share with our pets.

The phrase “Reigning Cats & Dogs” is a play on the term “raining cats and dogs.”

It is ironic, even tragic, that in a community that celebrates Reigning Cats & Dogs we also experience the incessant raining of lost and homeless cats and dogs pouring into YHS every day.

So dire was the situation this past summer that YHS had to announce a state of emergency twice in response to the sheer number of lost and homeless pets finding their way into our shelters – and most were found without a license, identification tag, or microchip. Worse, pet owners did not come to YHS to identify their lost pets in a timely manner, which is a costly delay for both YHS and frantic pet owners. YHS is the central location where all lost pets are taken by local animal control and good Samaritans who rescue lost pets from the streets.

When you lose your pet, please visit the YHS Lost & Found Pet Center every three days – and more often when possible. If your pet does not have a microchip, you can purchase one at the YHS Lost & Found Pet Center Monday through Friday or at the YHS Wellness Clinic on any Friday. In the effort to reunite more lost pets with their owners, YHS is offering microchips for just $15. A microchip will help YHS reunite you with your lost pet in the shortest amount of time.

YHS is also hosting a Kitten-Palooza Adoption Special through the end of September. Kittens are available for just $50 or you can adopt two for the price of one. Every adoption (dog or cat) includes spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations and a microchip. This is over a $400 value per adoption. If you are considering adding a pet to your family, now is the time. YHS has the largest selection of quality pets available for adoption at the most affordable prices. When you adopt a pet from YHS you save two lives; the one you adopt and the one your adoption makes room for.

Another way you can help YHS is by participating in the Reigning Cats & Dogs auction, which is open online until Thursday, Sept. 18. Auction items range from luxurious vacation getaways to having your pet featured in the 2015 Yava-Paw Calendar. So tell your friends and family and let the bidding begin!  You can also purchase your tickets to the Reigning Cats & Dogs Gala scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 20 at the Prescott Resort on-line. All proceeds go to help fund YHS’s many life-saving programs. I hope to see you there!

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Pets provide the best therapy By Ed Boks

Ed Boks and cat
Homer is a sage 10-year-old domestic longhair with the very rare and exotic trait called heterochromia (two different-colored eyes). He is a staff favorite with a very therapeutic personality. June is Adopt-a-Cat month at YHS, and all cats 5 years of age and older are free!

Science continues to prove what most of us know intuitively. For instance, few of us would deny pets help make us healthier by reducing stress. In fact, interacting with animals helps produce the feel-good hormone known as oxytocin, which reduces stress and helps heart attack patients live longer.

It’s been found that cats in particular can help lower the risk of heart attack and stroke by reducing spikes in our blood pressure caused by stress.

In a study of 48 men and women stockbrokers in high-paying, high-stress jobs, each was prescribed a drug for high blood pressure. Half were selected to get a cat as a pet at home. Six months later, the blood pressure of those without pets continued to rise at higher rates than those with pets.

People who care for cats are found to cope better with their own stress by tending to a cat’s needs – dealing with their own feelings later when they’re more relaxed and their minds are clearer. Cats are living, breathing companions who are always on our side, always caring and non-judgmental. Even the most supportive spouse or partner will sometimes point out our flaws, making us feel judged – which, warranted or not, causes stress.

Playing with a cat also increases serotonin and dopamine production in our brains, which explains why companion animals help reduce the symptoms of stress and depression. Pets help our overall psychological health by helping us maintain a better balance of these two chemicals. When these chemicals are out of whack, many different “negative” moods can develop, worsening existing depression and anxiety.

Another reason why cats are such great therapeutic companions is that they fulfill a basic human need for touch, especially if they’re cuddle cats. A friendly cat likes to be in physical contact with its person, lying quietly in your lap or right next to you while you’re sitting on the sofa or lying in bed, enjoying the stroking and scratching that comes with simply being there. Touch is comforting for people, and cats provide that comfort.

Cats are used as therapeutic aides in psychiatric hospitals as well. Patients who are severely depressed, anxious or having other problems are put on a couch with a calm cat in their laps, and many report feeling calmer after petting the cat.

A cat’s antics can make us laugh, even when we’re feeling at our lowest. Who doesn’t get a chuckle out of their feline friend walking nonchalantly into the room with a toy mouse or a hair tie in its mouth? Who hasn’t laughed at a cat who suddenly arches its back, puffs up its tail, and does the sideways dance at its own shadow or mirror reflection? What cat owner has never cracked a smile at their cat randomly pouncing at some invisible dust mote, only to charge off down the hallway as though the dust mote is in hot pursuit a moment later?

Laughter is a great stress-reducer, and a cat can make you laugh even when you’re feeling your lowest. Laughter has been shown to boost immunity, reduce stress and its effects), and even reduce pain. It also can relax your entire body and when you’re more relaxed you’re better able to look at your situation with a clear head and better handle problems.

If you want to take advantage of the many health benefits provided by cats, including the reduction of stress, depression, and anxiety adopt a cat from your local shelter.

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YHS needs your help for blood analysis equipment By Ed Boks

The Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) is celebrating its 42nd anniversary, and we hope to further expand our “no-kill” ethic in 2014.  Many still ask what no-kill means, while others ask if it is even possible.

I define “no-kill” as applying the same criteria to deciding a shelter animal’s fate that a devoted pet owner or conscientious veterinarian would apply to a beloved pet.  That is, healthy and treatable animals are not killed simply because we lack the resources to care for them.

YHS is not a no-kill shelter; however, since the YHS Board of Directors and management team embraced the “no-kill ethic” in July 2010, we achieved a 93 percent decrease in shelter killing.  If no-kill were an Olympic event we would no doubt rejoice in our success.  However, while achieving no-kill is similar to an Olympic moment, sustaining no-kill is a marathon – and each day presents many life-and-death challenges to continue to hold the line.

YHS is the largest animal rescue organization in northern Arizona. We are increasingly known for our many life-saving programs, which are responsible for making central and western Yavapai County the safest region for pets in the United States.

So effective are our life-saving programs that often the only animals most at risk of euthanasia or delayed care are those with medical issues we are challenged to diagnose because we lack the necessary blood analysis equipment.

Consequently, YHS must rely on local labs to provide these services at considerable cost.  Often YHS just can’t afford these lifesaving services, and when we can it requires YHS staff or volunteers to spend precious time transporting samples to the lab and awaiting results.  Many times an animal doesn’t have the time it takes to get those results.

Historically, YHS euthanized suffering animals when we were unable to determine the full extent of an illness.  If YHS had a blood analysis machine the likelihood of a rescued sick pet’s survival would increase exponentially.

To ensure every ill animal that YHS rescues has a fighting chance at quality life requires this equipment on-site. This vital equipment will allow YHS to treat these critical needs animals efficiently and humanely – and it will save more lives.

In just the first quarter of 2014, YHS submitted 55 samples to local labs for analysis at an average cost of about $65. The cost for this equipment is about $20,000. If YHS had this equipment on site it would pay for itself 18 months.

This is YHS’s 42nd Anniversary. If 42 individuals could find it in their heart to give $475, YHS could secure this equipment this year. What a 42 Anniversary present for our community’s neediest animals!

If you are able to help in this life-saving effort, please mail your donation to the Yavapai Humane Society’s STAR (Special Treatment And Recovery) Program.

If you can’t afford $475, any gift towards this essential need will be greatly appreciated. Any monies above the $20,000 will go to the STAR program which provides critical medical care to sick and injured homeless animals.

Ed Boks is the executive director of the Yavapai Humane Society.

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Time to solve our feral cat problem by Ed Boks

In a perfect world, all cats would have a loving home.  Unfortunately, unaltered cats permitted to roam freely either become feral or produce feral offspring. Feral means wild, meaning these cats are unsuitable as pets.  Rather than kill feral cats I promote reducing their numbers through a process called TNR (Trap/Neuter/Return). This process is managed through an Ed Boks program called Operation FELIX (Feral Education and Love Instead of X-termination). Ed Boks and Cat

Why not just kill feral cats?  Besides being inhumane, these felines serve a valuable community purpose.  Feral cats keep rodents in check; and they do this without the use of pest control chemicals that are toxic to the environment and dangerous to pets, wildlife and children.  By reducing rodent populations, feral cats also help reduce the incidence of many diseases carried by rodents, including the Plague, Leptospirosis and Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome..

Feral cats are how a community controls rodent infestation and disease; TNR is how a community controls its feral cat population.

Leonardo Fibonacci, a preeminent mathematician during the Middle Ages, created a formula relating to agriculture productivity.  Six centuries later, Louis Pasteur, used this model to accurately predict that 70 percent of a susceptible population has to be vaccinated to prevent an epidemic of a contagious disease.  This discovery came to be known as Fibonacci’s 70 percent Rule which is recognized today by the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control.

If we consider sterilization as a method of “vaccinating” feral cats against the “disease” of overpopulation then, according to the Fibonacci Rule, 70 percent of the susceptible feral cat population in your community must be sterile to affect a population decrease.  Once the 70 percent rate is achieved, the transmission odds (successful breeding encounters) of the remaining 30 percent will only be enough to replace normal attrition.

Municipal leaders are well advised to help this effort by allocating monies to help fund Operation FELIX type programs in their local community.

Every community can choose to pay the modest costs of funding targeted spay/neuter programs designed to fix the problem or they can continue to pay the ever increasing costs of catching and killing animals.  I promote proactive solutions and hope you’ll support this effort by implementing an “Operation FELIX” program in your community.  For more information contact me.

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Spay/neuter donations reduce animal homelessness by Ed Boks

Ed Boks and the Big Fix
The YHS Spay/Neuter Clinic staff are ready to serve you and your pets!

The Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic in Prescott, will celebrate its fourth anniversary on Sept. 17 – and this facility has given our entire community tremendous cause to celebrate.

During the decades before opening this clinic, our community rounded up nearly 6,000 lost and homeless animals annually – and then struggled to “re-home” them. We were often forced to euthanize nearly half just to make space for the constant flow of incoming animals.

In less than three years, the number of lost and homeless animals rescued annually in our community declined 45 percent (from 5,887 to 3,254), and the number of animals euthanized each year plummeted 92 percent, from 1,602 to 133.

The importance of the YHS Spay/Neuter Clinic may be better understood by drawing on the following analogy. Imagine a large broken water pipe flooding your basement. It would be silly to run down into the basement to start mopping up the mess without first turning off the water. However, that was precisely what our community did for decades prior to September 2009.

From the day the YHS Spay/Neuter Clinic opened its doors, it has been turning the water off and helping establish our community among the safest in the nation for pets.

The quality care provided by the YHS Spay/Neuter Clinic is second to none and was nationally recognized with the prestigious Humane Alliance Certification in February.

In celebration of its fourth anniversary, the YHS Spay/Neuter Clinic is making a commitment through its Big Fix program to deny no pet spay/neuter services just because the pet’s guardian can’t afford it.

The YHS Big Fix program provides free and low-cost spay/neuter services to pets belonging to owners who meet certain income criteria. In addition, pets belonging to active-duty military and all military veterans pre-qualify for free spay/neuter services.

This is an enormous commitment, and YHS will need your help to keep it. The good news is we are not alone. Petsmart Charities recently committed to help YHS by granting YHS enough funds to offset the cost of 1,200 spay/neuter surgeries. The grant is restricted to dogs residing in Prescott Valley, Dewey/Humboldt and Mayer, and dog owners must meet certain income eligibility criteria. Call the YHS Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic to see if you qualify.

If this program proves successful, Petsmart Charities may include cats in future grants.

What about all the pets residing in the many other regions of our community, including the City of Prescott? To meet this need, YHS is partnering with another foundation that wishes to remain anonymous. This foundation is challenging our community to match a $15,000 gift to the YHS Big Fix spay/neuter program.

This challenge gift means your tax-deductible donation will be twice as effective in helping YHS turn the supply of unwanted pets off once and for all. If we can meet this challenge, YHS will have $30,000 to help our community’s most at-risk pets’ access this life-saving service.

YHS envisions the day when every pet born has a good home and is well cared for all its life.

When you make a donation of any size to the YHS Big Fix program during this challenge, you can double your impact in making this future vision our reality today.

Big Fix donations can be made online or by mail.

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It takes a village to sustain No-Kill by Ed Boks

Ed Boks and no killIn July 2010, the Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) implemented a “no-kill” ethic. YHS applies this “ethic” by using the same criteria for deciding a homeless animal’s fate that a loving pet owner or conscientious veterinarian would apply. That is, healthy and treatable animals are not killed simply because we lack the room or resources to care for them.

The “no-kill” ethic embodies our commitment that for every animal who comes through YHS’ doors there is a kind and loving person or family – and it is our mission to bring them together.

Each July, I report on our progress towards achieving “no-kill.” There are three statistics animal shelters use to measure their success, or failure, in reducing pet euthanasia (or killing). These numbers help tell the whole story:

The Live Release Rate (LRR) refers to the number of animals who get out of a shelter alive. It includes adoptions, transfers to rescue organizations, and lost pets returned to owners. Some shelter experts claim a 90 percent LRR is the threshold to “no-kill.” Since July 2010, YHS has maintained a 91 percent LRR (and a 95 percent LLR in 2012 and a 97 percent LLR in 2013 YTD).

The Euthanasia Rate reports the actual number of animals euthanized. In the first year implementing the no-kill ethic, YHS achieved a 63 percent reduction in killing, followed by a 64 percent reduction in year two, and a 40 percent reduction in year three; for an overall reduction of 92 percent over the past three years. This translates into four additional lives saved every day of the year.

The Per Capita Kill Rate refers to the number of animals killed per 1,000 residents. Prior to implementing the no-kill ethic, YHS was killing 17.25 animals per 1,000 residents; one of the worst kill rates in the state. However, in the 12 months ending June 30, the YHS kill rate was 0.8; the lowest in the nation! This rate is calculated by using the 2010 U.S. Census population estimate for central and western Yavapai County of 154,482 (131 animals killed / 154 = 0.8).

There are many ways everyone can help maintain our status as the safest community in the United States.

1. Spay/neuter your pets: Pets should be spay/neutered before sexual maturity. Call the YHS Spay/Neuter Clinic (771-0547) to make an appointment today!

2. Microchip your pets: YHS has one of the highest “Return to Owner” rates in the nation (50 percent). When your pet comes to YHS with an up-to-date microchip, he has a guaranteed ticket home. For a limited time, microchips can be purchased for just $15 at the YHS Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic any Friday without an appointment (2989 Centerpointe East, Prescott). For an additional $9.95, you can register your pet for life!

3. Support YHS by becoming a PAWS (Planned Automatic Withdrawal Service) donor.   By joining PAWS, an automatic monthly donation of your choice comes to YHS without the hassle of sending in a check. Each month our secure system automatically processes your donation. You choose an amount that feels comfortable and you can change or cancel your participation at any time.

4. Include YHS in your planned giving: Attend a free YHS Planned Giving Seminar on Aug. 1 at the Prescott Lakes Country Club at 7:30 a.m. A complimentary deluxe breakfast will be provided. The seminar is entitled “Reduce Taxes and Save Lives: Tax Reduction and Planned Giving Strategies.