A Feline Population Management System for Increasing Kitten Live Release in an Open Intake Shelter: "Foster-On-Deck"

About the Program

Category: County Administration and Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

The Wake County Animal Center has increased kitten live release rate (LRR) from 55% in 2013 to 60% in 2014. Live release rate is a meaningful parameter to indicate a community's progress toward improving outcomes for its animals. LRR is the percent of animals leaving the sheltering system for a positive outcome, such as adoption, transfer, or return to owner. Improvements in feline population management were implemented within the Animal Center that led to a 5% increase in kitten live release. In 2014 the Animal Center launched an innovative kitten foster program for rapid placement of underage kittens which resulted in a 42% increase of kittens leaving the shelter for foster homes. This “Foster-On-Deck Program” specifically targeted and trained Wake County citizens who were willing to be on call and arrive at the shelter when kittens entered. This efficient foster system allows shelter staff to medically process kittens and immediately send them into the home environment where there is less risk of infectious disease. The increased focus on kitten health and kitten placement enabled the Animal Center to recruit new transfer partners leading to the overall 60% LRR for kittens in 2014.