01-30-06 Special Called City Council Retreat Meeting of La Porte City Council

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0 • BASIC MANAGEMENT OF ANIMAI. HOUSING AREAS The design of the animal shelter and how the agency manages the animals being cared for is critical to the overall operation and efficiency of the agency. For instance, without the ability to separate animals within the facility, a disease prevention plan and adoption plan is almost impossible to develop. One of the basic goals should be to reduce stress and disease transission. Seperation of the animals in the care of the facility in the following manner is critical: • dogs from cats • sick or injured animals from healthy animals • puppies and kittens from adult animals (unless the puppies and kittens are nursing) • males from females (especially those in season) • aggressive animals from all others • nursing mothers and their young from all others The concept of isolation and separation allows an agency to manage the animal population more effectively, and in the process protects the public and insures a healthier environment for the animals. Even the smallest shelters can provide isolation and separation if the shelter is designed correctly. The isolation and separation concept consists of five animal holding areas for each species as follows: The isolation and separation concept of managing the population provides staff the space flexibility they need, protects the public from potential bites, protects the agency from unnecessary liability issues, allows staff to make better euthanasia decisions, and allows the agency to present adoptable animals to the public instead of every animal regardless of its adoptability. In order for the isolation and separation concept to work, it must be strictly adhered to. Some organizations make the mistake of not using space as it is designed and designated. The quality and design of animal housing is one of the most important aspects of preventative health care and disease control. Unfortunately animals in a shelter environment will experience some level of stress. Shelter animals must be housed in a way that minimizes stress, provides for their special needs, affords protection from the elements, provides adequate ventilation, and minimizes the spread of disease and parasites. In addition to separating animals by species, efforts should be made to house them in "life -stage groups" keeping animals with different stages of immunity, such as young animals, nursing mothers, sick or injured animals, and fully vaccinated adults, well separated within the shelter.