Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report

Animal Intake

MCAS accepted stray dogs, sick, injured or at-risk adult cats and kittens from the public. Officers also picked up stray or lost animals. Owner-surrendered animals were accepted on a case by case basis, depending on urgent circumstances; adoption returns are also included in the total. Other intakes represent animals placed into protective custody by Animal Services officers, injured wildlife, or other Field-Services circumstances. A regional and national increase in dog intake is reflected in FY 2024 statistics.

Intake Comparisons - FY 2014 to 2024

MCAS received more dogs and puppies in 2024 than in any year since 2012, with a total dog intake of 3,158 for dogs and puppies. Cat and kitten intake has also increased to 2,677. Intakes and outcomes for other animals (rabbits, small animals) were not officially recorded in agency statistics until FY 2018, and are excluded for this comparison.

Live Outcomes Comparison - FY 1982 to 2024

In FY 2024, combined live outcomes for dogs and cats were the fourth highest in our agency’s history, at 5,311 animals. This comparison includes puppies and kittens.

Veterinary Care Provided

Animal Health and Animal Care staff provided a wide range of veterinary services to animals in care.

To keep animals healthy, Animal Health staff administered vaccinations, including rabies, DA2PP and Bordetella for dogs and puppies, and FVRCP for cats and kittens.

They provided health exams and consultations, including routine exams, wound checks, pre-surgery checkups, behavior assessments, and reviewing test results or diagnoses with foster volunteers. Due to veterinary staff availability, spay and neuter surgeries for shelter animals were limited, and many adopters were issued vouchers to complete surgeries and rabies vaccination at contracted veterinary clinics, including Oregon Humane Society.

Fostered Animals

The foster program provides specialty care for puppies, kittens, animals recovering from medical conditions or treatments, and respite for animals who are stressed in the shelter environment. Fostering animals also helps us learn more about shelter animals - most of whom arrive as found animals with no known history about their behaviors and preferences- some of which are only apparent outside of the shelter in a home environment. The majority of animals in foster care were kittens, dogs, cats, puppies, and rabbits. The MCAS foster program expanded its capacity for adult dogs in 2024. Thank you to 419 foster volunteers for your lifesaving service this year.

Animal Outcomes

Animals Returned to Owners

*RTO is calculated only for reclaimed animals with a stray intake circumstance.

Live Release Rate (Live Outcomes / Total Outcomes)

*Domestic total includes all animals except wildlife. Overall total includes wildlife.

Outcome Descriptions

2,461 or 38.5% of animals were adopted.

1,565 or 24.5% of animals were reclaimed by their owners. The majority of animals represented in these outcomes were dogs with a license and/or microchip for owner-contact.

1,650 or 25.8% of animals were transferred to another agency.

607 or 9.5% of animals were humanely euthanized, including cases of injured wildlife, injured or sick cats and kittens, and other domestic animals at the recommendation of a veterinarian, or for behavioral issues which would make an animal unsafe to place back into the community. There is decreased intake volume for cats, and an increased percentage of veterinary-recommended euthanasia for adult cats due to limited intake for sick, injured, or at-risk felines.

33 or 0.5% of animals were returned to field at the location where they were found. 61 or 1% of animals died in care. 9 or 0.1% of animals were lost in care.

Transfers

MCAS transferred 1,650 or 25.8% of shelter animals to other shelters and rescues. Thank you to our community partners for your lifesaving work in FY 2024.

Volunteers

Volunteers support the pets of our community in many different ways. A network of foster volunteers provides vital support to kittens, puppies, and other at-risk shelter animals. Volunteers walk and socialize dogs throughout the day, and support adoption meet & greets. They socialize cats and small animals. They help clean and add material enrichment to enclosures. They support the constant demand for clean laundry and dishes. They support office staff and special events, and so much more. 

Thank you volunteers for your service to the pets and people of our community!

*Unique volunteers - many volunteers serve in multiple roles. 

**FTE is the estimated equivalent number of full-time employees.

Online Resources

Many services provided by MCAS are accessible online, at multcopets.org. Members of the public can search for adoptable or lost / found pets, license their pets, and learn about other resources and news. In 2024, advertising campaigns promoting adoption significantly increased online traffic to these page categories.

MCAS website pages are translated into four languages.

Field Services

Field Services officers responded to 7,728 urgent needs of community members and their pets, investigated cases of potential cruelty or neglect, loose-aggressive animals, bites, and picked up stray, injured, abandoned, potentially dangerous, or deceased animals. Officers also responded to non-urgent calls such as barking dogs, animal trespass, and other community issues.

Pet Licensing

MCAS issued 30,208 total new or renewed licenses in FY 2024.