Getting every veterinarian in a community together to form and then keep a humane society going without barking or sniping at each other is a rare phenomenon.
Phil Morgan has been in enough communities in his day to say with authority just how unusual that is.
“These guys,” said Morgan, Auburn Valley Humane Society director, indicating the animal doctors arrayed behind him on a recent night at Auburn City Hall, “are the single reason this organization is as successful as it is.”
What brought the animal control folks to City Hall was their presentation of a check for $102,548 to the City of Auburn, paying off debt to the City one year ahead of time.
Tangible success with fur or feathers on it, as the numbers from the animal shelter’s opening day on Jan. 1, 2013 to Nov. 30 2015 show:
• Incoming animals: 2,309 dogs and puppies, 2,495 cats and kittens, 129 bunnies, birds and other beasts, and 73 injured or displaced wildlife.
• Outgoing animals: 3,125 animals adopted, 717 animals returned to owner, 250 transferred to rescue, 129 euthanized for medical reasons, 59 animals euthanized for behavior, 168 animals euthanized by request, 103 animals have died in the shelter, and 242 were dead on arrival.
Also of interest are the following statistics:
• Live release rate: 95.7 percent
• Dog return to owner rate: 51.98 percent
• Cat return to owner rate: 4.14 percent
• Dog adoption rate: 61.9 percent
• Cat adoption rate: 78.93 percent
• Adoptable animals euthanized: 0 percent.
“I think the most important one to realize is 2,204 animals (came in via) the public stray drop box, and 766 were brought in by (Animal Control Officer) George Winner,” Morgan said.
“Almost 96 percent of the animals that come into our building leave alive,” Morgan added. “That’s a big number. King County just a few years ago wasn’t even half of that, about 60 percent.”
None of the success would have been possible, Morgan noted, without the 76,887 hours volunteers have put in cleaning kennels and cages, feeding and caring for cats, walking and training dogs, greeting customers, answering phones, providing foster care, doing mobile and off-site adoptions, helping at the AVHS Thrift Store that opened a year and a half ago, and helping at fundraisers and other events.
None of this was true just a few short years ago.
For decades, Auburn contracted with the King County Animal Shelter to shelter its homeless animal population:
In 2010, however, budget shortfalls forced KCAC to substantially jack up the contract cost and cut services to the City. Auburn residents were on the verge of losing community animal control services and control of their financial future and the quality of care for pets.
Local veterinarians and residents formed the humane society to address the needs of the local animal population and shelter management. For the next several decades, it would partner with the City to provide licensing services, a shelter facility, and an animal control officer.
The AVHS became a recognized 501c3, nonprofit organization in March 2011.
All Auburn veterinary clinics and 17 members of the community put it together. A building was found at 4910 A St. SE and a remodeling plan was secured with the City.
Operational budgets were established and endorsed by the partnering humane society. On Sept. 19, 2011, the City entered into a professional service agreement with the AVHS. The City agreed to pay the AVHS $240,000 a year — to provide sheltering and licensing sales for the lost and abandoned animals for the City. The agreement runs until Dec. 31, 2019 and has a seven-year option to continue the services.
“We’re looking very happily forward to continuing our relationship,” Morgan said.
