Animal Control FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions about Animal Control Policies:
Q: If you’ve been undercharging for years, why did you decide to change the fee all of a sudden?
A: There are a number of factors involved in the timing of the change:
1. We were dealing with some pretty old systems that made it difficult to extract and analyze all the data we needed to assess the situation accurately. It took time to complete our study.
2. The economic downturn has hurt us badly, as it has most nonprofit organizations. While we might have been able to let our practice of undercharging the municipalities slip in the past, the stark realities of the recession have forced us to examine all of our financial operations, including the fees we charge to cover the true costs of our services.
3. The Board of Directors, which has turned over almost completely in the past couple of years, has undertaken a frank assessment of the long-term viability of the Delco SPCA. While the Board, management and staff have instituted a host of improvements, they are not enough to overcome the discrepancy between the cost of caring for stray animals and what we were actually charging.
4. Our study showed that we would have to eliminate a number of services entirely or even close our doors in 2010 if we did not increase our fees so that we could break even on animal control. While we do believe the municipalities should pay for these services, we would not have instituted the change so rapidly if the situation at the shelter were not so dire.
5. Experienced animal shelter experts that we have consulted have emphasized that animal control is a municipal function. As a private, non-profit organization, the Delco SPCA should not be subsidizing a government function. This is a national issue and many shelters across the country are facing the same challenges as the Delco SPCA and are likewise instituting significant fee increases for animal control services.
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Q: Do the municipalities HAVE to bring stray animals to Delco SPCA?
A: No, the municipalities are under no obligation to bring their stray animals to us. They are free to explore other options for animal control, which is—by law—a municipal responsibility.
Some animal control officers may have the capability to temporarily hold animals, or the municipalities may be able to pay to board animals with local veterinarians or other boarding facilities. They may also (as we do) work with various rescue agencies that help to place stray and unwanted animals.
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Q: Isn’t Delco SPCA obligated to take in all stray animals from Delaware County?
A: No, Delco SPCA is a private nonprofit organization and under no legal obligation to accept stray animals at all. Animal control is a service we offer at our own discretion. We are only obligated to accept animals from the municipalities in our county that have entered into a contractual agreement with us for those services. We cannot offer services to municipalities that do not sign and abide by the terms of that contract.
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Q: Doesn’t Delco SPCA have a large reserve fund? Can’t you use that to fix your financial situation?
A: We do have a reserve fund, the use of which is largely restricted, although the fund does provide income to help with our operations. We are permitted to withdraw up to 7% of the fund’s value averaged over the most recent three-year period, which we have been doing. However, as the overall value of our reserve fund has declined with the dropping financial markets, the amount we may take from the fund has also declined, and we have been hard pressed to meet our expenses.
We should point out that using the principal of the reserve fund to cover normal operating expenses is a dangerous practice for any organization that wants to be around for the long haul (as we do). The reserve fund’s income may augment operating expenses, but the principal should be used only for major improvement projects (like helping to fund a new facility) or in case of dire emergency.
You could say that our current financial situation constitutes a dire emergency, and we are indeed drawing principal from the fund to keep the organization afloat. The point is that we can’t continue to do this forever; eventually the fund will dry up. Continuing to use the principal in the reserve fund to pay operating expenses is like taking a home equity loan to pay your monthly electric bill. While a home equity loan may be appropriate for an addition or renovations to your home – investments with a long-term value – using it for monthly expenses becomes a problem when the equity runs out.
We have to address the underlying operating issues and policies that make it necessary for us to rely on the principal of that reserve fund. Ideally, we should be able to cover the cost of our operations through donations and fees for services that we provide to the community. Changing our animal control fees so we can break even on that service is just one step we’re taking to build healthier, more sustainable financial practices.
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Q: Why is the Delco SPCA in such a dire financial situation?
A: Our current financial state is the product of a number of factors. The recession has certainly made matters more difficult for us, but that’s only part of the problem.
Delco SPCA is a small shelter with limited capacity. Unfortunately, the growing animal population of Delaware County is stretching us beyond our limits. According to shelter professionals, a reasonable intake volume for the size of our building and staff is about 5,000 animals per year. We received over 7,500 animals in 2008 and are on track to receive well over 7,000 animals in 2009. That puts us at least forty percent over capacity. Our building, staff and systems are overwhelmed.
Mike Arms, a nationally recognized animal welfare and sheltering expert, visited us recently to offer his advice on how we might improve our organization. He noted that the organization started out as something of a mom-and-pop operation, and that we were still thinking and acting like a mom-and-pop operation despite the overwhelming volume of needy animals that come through our doors. Our job now is to recalibrate our thinking and our operation.
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Q: Wasn’t Delco SPCA planning to build a new facility?
A: We were. Plans were drawn up several years ago and money set aside from the reserve fund to help to fund the building of a new facility. Upon closer examination by the new Board, however, it became clear that the planned facility wasn’t entirely appropriate for our needs. Nor did it appear certain that we could raise the additional funds necessary to complete the project. The bottom line is that we will likely need to build a new facility. We will not, however, engage in such a complex undertaking until we’re a more stable organization.
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Q: What progress has the Delco SPCA made toward becoming a more stable organization?
A: In spite of the significant challenges we face, we’ve experienced some noted successes this year.
· We filled our open Executive Director position with a highly-qualified shelter expert, Kerry Flanagan. She begins her work with us on January 4, 2010. Click to read the Delaware County Daily Times article for more details.
· Given that we must continue to operate in our current facility for the time being, we’ve made a number of upgrades to the kennel and cat areas, as well as the reception area and office space. Our goal was to provide a healthier environment for the animals, staff and visitors for a minimal investment.
· We’ve added some critical staff members and all staff is receiving training on a regular basis.
· Working with volunteers and the Board, the staff has been reviewing processes and procedures to ensure that we are as efficient as possible. Operational and administrative cost reduction efforts are taking hold.
· Adoption rates are up thirty-two percent for the period 1 June 2009 through 12 August 2009, compared to the same period in 2008.
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Q: May I visit the shelter and look around?
A: We invite any county resident who is interested in animal welfare to come and see the improvements we’ve made, as well as the remaining challenges. We hope more people will join our ranks of dedicated advocates and volunteers.
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