I’ve been compiling the impound rates of Council pounds across the country. Some councils are very forthcoming with these numbers, others less so and some seem to have no idea at all because they’re outsourcing their animal management and seem to consider it no longer their problem.
But I wanted to put out a few results* in the face of claims from a high-kill facility, that ‘open admission’ council pounds, cant be low, or No Kill.
The council pounds below are all ‘open admission’ pounds who are responsible for their community’s animal management and must take in all stray pets as required by local laws. Many have great return to owner rates, some adopt pets directly from the pound, and other use community rescue groups to assist them in saving lives.
In 2013, the notion that pounds and shelters who are ‘open admission’ have no choice but to kill the majority of intakes, is an outright lie.
In addition, the current trend towards taking many small council pounds and consolidating them into a ‘mega pound’ can and does drive up kill rates.
51 – Dogs reclaimed by owners
3 – Adopted from pound
1 – Released to community rescue
0 – Euthanised
———————————-
55 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 0%
77 – Dogs reclaimed by owners
15 – Adopted from pound
16 – Released to community rescue
0 – Euthanised
———————————-
108 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 0%
386 – Dogs reclaimed by owners
42 – Adopted from pound
10 – Euthanised
———————————-
438 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 2%
Cats (go to Blue Cross – stats unavailable)
431 – Dogs reclaimed by owners
70 – Adopted from pound
69 – Released to community rescue
7 – Held over
128 – Euthanised
———————————-
705 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 18%
19 – Cats reclaimed by owners
96 – Adopted from pound
196 – Euthanised
40 – Released to community rescue
8 – Held over
———————————-
359 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 55%
294 – Dogs reclaimed by owners
17 – Adopted from pound
30 – Released to community rescue
13 – Euthanised
———————————-
354 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 4%
67 – Dogs reclaimed by owners
4 – Adopted from pound
2 – Euthanised
———————————-
73 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 3%
9 – Cats reclaimed by owners
2 – Adopted from pound
12 – Euthanised
1 – Held over
———————————-
24 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 50%
20 – Dogs reclaimed by owners
5 – Released to community rescue
2 – Other
2 – Euthanised
———————————-
29 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 7%
4 – Cats released to community rescue
2 – Other
2 – Euthanised
———————————-
8 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 25%
391 – Dogs reclaimed by owners
95 – Adopted from pound
21 – Euthanised
———————————-
507 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 4%
40 – Dogs reclaimed by owners
3 – Adopted from pound
4 – Euthanised
———————————-
40 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 10%
621 – Dogs reclaimed by owners
192 – Released to community rescue
2 – Held over/remaining
99 – Euthanised
———————————-
914 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 11%
90 – Dogs reclaimed by owners
11 – Released to community rescue
4 – Euthanised
———————————-
105 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 4%
5 – Cats released to community rescue
1 – Adopted from pound
5 – Released to community rescue
1 – Died
1 – Euthanised
———————————-
13 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 8%
141 – Dogs reclaimed by owners
28 – Released to community rescue
4 – Euthanised
———————————-
173 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 2%
3 – Cats reclaimed by owners
26 – Released to community rescue
0 – Euthanised
———————————-
29 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 0%
299 – Dogs reclaimed by owners
84 – Adopted from pound
48 – Released to community rescue
8 – Held over
41 – Euthanised
———————————-
480 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 9%
3 – Cats reclaimed by owners
15 – Adopted from pound
26 – Released to community rescue
2 – Held over
2 – Euthanised
———————————-
48 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 4%
306 – Dogs reclaimed by owners
101 – Adopted from pound
64 – Released to community rescue
12 – Held over
55 – Euthanised
———————————-
538 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 10%
32 – Cats reclaimed by owners
82 – Adopted from pound
119 – Released to community rescue
23 – Held over
76 – Euthanised
———————————-
332 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 23%
820 – Dogs reclaimed by owners
188 – Adopted from pound
205 – Released to community rescue
68 – Euthanised
———————————-
1,281 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 5%
378 – Dogs reclaimed by owners
180 – Adopted from pound
314 – Released to community rescue
20 – Held over
31 – Other
71 – Euthanised
———————————-
994 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 7%
30 – Cats reclaimed by owners
20 – Adopted from pound
104 – Released to community rescue
25 – Held over
134 – Other (not specified)
389 – Euthanised
———————————-
702 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 56%
79 – Dogs reclaimed by owners
7 – Adopted from pound
8 – Euthanised
———————————-
94 = Total
‘Kill rate’ – 9%
*If cats aren’t included in a council’s listing, it is because this pound is not currently processing cats
The Manningham Council have an agreement in place with the Blue Cross to take any rehomeable cats. The agreement gives them the right to euthanaise as they see fit. However, I am unable to accertain the ‘kill rate’ of the Blue Cross. Nor is it clear from the Council stats if the claimed rehoming rate is actually a reflection of those transfered to Blue Cross (and potentially not actually rehomed but also euthanised).
Samantha Mckernan
Maneki Neko Cat Rescue Inc