CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Montgomery County Animal Care and Control (MCACC) was busy in 2022, with 4,883 animal impounds, a significant increase over 2021. This week, MCACC Director Dave Kaske shared with the County Commission the shelter’s 2022 annual report, which detailed accolades and challenges the shelter faced.
According to the report, in 2022, 4,990 animals left the shelter through adoption, foster care, transfer to rescue, or euthanasia. 35% of all animals were adopted, 18% were reclaimed by their owners, 17% were transferred to rescue, 19% were euthanized and 5% were fostered.
Challenges at the shelter
Kaske shared that they experienced a drastic increase in animal intake, up 22% from 2021, and service calls were up 32% since 2020. 80% of all calls came from within the city of Clarksville, and 14% were in the unincorporated areas of Montgomery County. The other 16% came from Fort Campbell.
A lack of viable veterinary services for spaying or neutering adopted pets caused longer stays and increased costs.
Kaske said fewer clinics are accepting vouchers and costs are increasing for the clinics to stay competitive. For example, the number of veterinarians that take vouchers from MCACC dropped from 10 in 2018 to only 2 in 2022.
He also shared that changes to housing are one reason more people are turning in their pets at the shelter. Renters find themselves in a different situation when new individuals or corporate owners no longer allow pets.
Due to increased intake and a lack of housing, their live release rate fell from 86% in 2021 to 80% in 2022.
Surrenders and adoptions
Animals are usually impounded in one of two ways: over the counter (OTC) or in the field by officers. When members of the community bring in stray animals that their owners have surrendered to the shelter, OTC impounds are created.
In 2022, 21% of intakes were generated from field impounds, and 79% came in over the counter at our shelter.
In October of 2018, the shelter changed their owner surrender policy to deter the flow of unwanted pets. In 2022, the most prevalent reason for owner surrender was too many pets, followed by housing, cost, and behavior issues, among others.
According to the report, the shelter adopted out 1,754 of those animals in 2022, an increase of 10% from 2021. There were various species of animals that were adopted from MCACC, ranging from dogs and cats to pigs and ferrets. Most adopters reside in the 37042 and 37040 zip codes.
Dogs and puppies made up 57% of all adoptions, while cats and kittens accounted for 41%. The other 2% consisted of birds, chickens, pigs, ferrets, rabbits and Guinea pigs.
Euthanasia
Nearly 1,000 animals were euthanized in 2022 at the shelter, with the leading cause due to illness. Only three animals were euthanized for overcrowding and lack of space, according to the report.
The report said that of the 477 dogs euthanized, 82% were for behavior or aggression problems that were deemed unadoptable or unsuitable for rescue. Those problems were identified through owner reports, staff experience and interaction with the dog, shelter temperament testing and previous bite or aggression histories, the report said.
11% of dogs at the shelter were euthanized due to medical issues, and 6% were euthanized at the request of the owner. Only 1% of dogs euthanized were due to overcrowding, and there were no available rescues or facilities to accept the overflow.
When it comes to cats, 21% of intakes were euthanized, which was a 6% decrease from 2021. 63% were euthanized due to being either sick or injured; 23% were euthanized for being feral; and 14% were euthanized for other reasons such as owner request or behavior-related reasons.
The report noted that the live release rate for cats increased to 77% last year and that there was a 10% reduction in the number of sick cats that required euthanasia.
Looking ahead
“We accomplished more than ever before in 2022. That would not be possible without my amazing staff members,” said Kaske on Monday.
He spoke about the new animal shelter, to be built off Purple Heart Highway by early 2025, which will offer more than 22,000 square feet of space and an in-house clinic for most of the veterinarian services currently outsourced.
“Our county’s chief engineer, Nick Powell, is working with Shelter Planners of America to get the best use out of the facility for our community and the animals we care for,” added Kaske.
Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden also highlighted the efforts of the team, and noted he looks forward to the new shelter.
“The work done by Dave (Kaske) and his team is often overlooked and unappreciated. They provide the best service possible with limited space and personnel and are truly concerned about the animals in their care. I’m thankful they will have relief with the new facility,” the mayor said.
To view the full report, click mcgtn.org/animal-control/reports-and-statistics. For more information about the shelter, including a list of adoptable animals, visit the MCACC website.