Despite some improvement, pet overpopulation remains a problem in Orange County, as it has been for decades.
Orange County Animal Services, the only open-admission shelter in Central Florida, receives around 23,000 animals annually.
Being an open-admission shelter, Animal Services accumulates animals from multiple sources, such as strays, owner surrenders, confiscations and more. During the first five calendar months of 2012 the shelter received 9,549 animals. In 2013 that number has dropped by 7.27% to 8,855. The number of animals humanely euthanized at the shelter has declined as well, by 11.82% for the same time frame.
“In my almost 25 years of service for this shelter, I have seen the problem persist, but am happy that recent numbers have shown an improvement,” said Dil Luther, Division Manager of Orange County Animal Services.
The shelter has made multiple efforts to boost adoptions, such as monthly adoption promotions, transporting adoptable animals to local Petsmart and PETCO locations, utilizing social media and expanding the foster care and rescue partnership programs. The efforts have paid off, as the shelter has seen a 9.7% increase in adopted animals in the first five calendar months of 2013 compared to the same months in 2012.
“While seeing this kind of improvement is a blessing, pet overpopulation will continue to be a problem in Orange County until more citizens are educated in preventing unnecessary litters by spaying and neutering their pets,” said Luther. “We’d also like to encourage everyone to consider adopting a shelter pet. It truly saves the life of an animal in need and that pet will always be eternally grateful.”
