August 2020 Monthly Report

Do you want to know how many animals come to Multnomah County Animal Services each month, the care they receive, where they go, what our volunteers are doing, or the types of calls our Animal Services officers respond to in the community? View our monthly report for August 2020.

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Summary

During August 2020, all but essential services offered to the public remained suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Modifications are reflected in reporting metrics including adoption outcomes, volunteer hours, total spay & neuter surgeries performed, and licensing.

Animal Intake

MCAS continued to accept stray pets from members of the public, and officers also picked up stray or lost animals. Owner surrendered animals were accepted on a case by case basis, depending on urgent circumstances. Other intakes most commonly represent animals placed into protective custody by Animal Services officers.

Veterinary Care Provided

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

To keep animals healthy, staff administered 1,344 vaccinations, including rabies, DA2PP and Bordetella for dogs and puppies, and FVRCP for cats and kittens.

They provided 1,794 health exams and consultations, including routine exams, wound checks, pre-surgery checkups, and reviewing test results or diagnoses with foster volunteers.

Fostered Animals

In August 2020, seventy-nine (79) animals entered foster care, joining the existing one hundred and two (102) animals already in care at the beginning of the month. The majority of animals in foster care were kittens, and adult cats. MCAS foster volunteers cared for a total of one hundred and eighty-one (181) foster animals. Many of these animals left foster care for other outcomes over the course of the month, so the total number does not represent the maximum number of animals in care at one time.

Animal Outcomes

In August 2020, only one animal- a kitten- was adopted (0.3%). Due to COVID-19 physical distancing recommendations, adoptions at the Troutdale shelter remained suspended.

Thirty-three percent (33.2%) of animals were reclaimed by their owners. The majority of animals represented in these outcomes were dogs.

Forty-six percent (46%) of animals were transferred to another agency, including Oregon Humane Society and Cat Adoption Team.

Seventeen percent (16.9%) of animals were humanely euthanized, including cases of injured wildlife, or domestic animals at the recommendation of a veterinarian, or for behavioral issues which would make an animal unsafe to place back into the community.

Less than one percent (0.6%) of animals were returned to the field at the location they were found, including two community cats.

Two percent (2.5%) of animals had unassisted deaths, the majority of whom were kittens who failed to thrive, injured wildlife, and a puppy. 

Less than one percent of animals had other outcomes (0.3%).

Volunteers

With in-shelter volunteer activities suspended due to COVID-19, all volunteer hours in August were recorded by transport volunteers, and foster volunteers- whose total hourly contribution is estimated to be three (3) hours per day, per foster home.

*Setting an hourly rate for all foster homes regardless of number or type of animals is considered an industry standard by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), and has been in practice at MCAS for many years.

Online Resources

Many services provided by MCAS are accessible online, at multcopets.org. Here, pet owners can search for lost pets, try to find the owners of found pets, search for adoptable companions, license their animals, and learn about other resources available to them, such as low cost services, volunteer opportunities, and regional news.

Field Services

Field Services officers continued to respond to the urgent needs of community members and their pets, investigate cases of potential cruelty or neglect, and pick up stray animals at large.

Pet Licensing

While there is an ongoing amnesty period for pet licensing requirements due to COVID-19 related hardships, and physical distancing requirements, MCAS issued 2,694 total licenses in August.