Gratiot Animal Control sees improvement in save rate – The Morning Sun

During the past few years Gratiot County Animal Control has seen a significant uptick in the number of dogs and cats that have been saved from euthanasia.

During his annual report to the County Board of Commissioners, Animal Control Director Tom Clark noted the shelter had a save rate of 99 percent in 2021.

Our numbers were fantastic, he said. It was not too many years ago that the number was down in the 60 to 70 percent save range.

Last year the shelter took in 203 dogs, of which 62 were adopted and 137 reclaimed by owners. Only three were euthanized.

There were also 87 cats taken in with 83 adopted, three reclaimed and just one euthanized.

The biggest change for the shelter has been in the number of cats it now deals with.

In 2017, the shelter took in 496 cats with only 197 being adopted or reclaimed, while 144 had to be disposed of, according to Clark.

Cats are by far the hardest animalsto find homes for, he said. We have several organizationsin the area thatspecialize in finding homes for cats because of this reason.

Among those are Gratiot Animals in Need and Dalis to the Rescue.

Both sponsor low-cost monthly spay and neuter clinics for cats.

For the GAIN clinic the shelter contributes an average of $10 per cat to help keep the cost low. The cats also receive rabiesshots.

Last year alone we contributed through our (budget) donation line item $2,020 for the feral cat project. Clark said.

Animal Control also started a new program last year with a veterinarian from Grand Rapids who comes to the shelter once a month to spay and neuter between 50 and 60 cats each trip.

If you look at the numbers thishas dropped the total intake significantly, Clark said.

In addition, the shelter no longer accepts cages full of cats, he added.

We only take in cats that we know that we can move, Clark explained. Sometimes this can be a little controversialbut we do not have to put otherwise healthy, although maybe not adoptable cats down.

The shelter also runs a Home-to-Home program where an owner of a dog or cat cansend in a photo and descriptionof theirpet, along with a phone number.

We post it on our Facebook page where a potential adopter can call the owner directly and view the animal in a natural home setting, Clark said.

The(owners) have had tremendous success in finding (their pets) new homes. This keeps them out of the shelter environment.Clark has worked for Gratiot County Animal Control for 25 years, the past 18 as director. He has a staff of two, officer Emily OBoyle, now in her 11th year, and office manager Blair Woodgate, who has been there three years.

Like many others the shelter dealt with some difficult times the past couple ofyears during the pandemic.

Our department is small with only three people, Clark said. We had shutdowns and screenings coming into Animal Control. We had to be extra vigilant when we went out on complaints to try and not spread COVID to one another.

Despite that, animal control responded to 1,180 complaints during 2021, up from 766 in 2020, 954 in 2019, 1,074 in 2018 and 811 in 2017.

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Gratiot Animal Control sees improvement in save rate - The Morning Sun