Miami-Dade County Animal Services achieved a combined save rate for cats and dogs of 81.5 percent in 2014, bringing the shelter and the community closer than ever to realizing the 90 percent save rate that has become the benchmark of “no kill” success.
Since adopting “no kill” policies in 2014 as the guiding principle for providing care and refuge for over 27,000 unwanted dogs and cats, Animal Service’s save rate has continued to grow at unprecedented rates.
The save rate for dogs increased from 61 percent in 2010 to 82 percent in 2014, while the save rate for cats increased from 18 percent in 2010 to 81 percent in 2014. Becoming a “no kill” shelter requires the live release of 90 percent of the animals through adoptions, returns to owners or transfers to other no-kill facilities.
A $4 million increase in the Animals Services budget, approved by the Board of County Commissioners in 2013, has enabled the shelter to implement life-saving programs and services that include, but are not limited to, a strong focus on adoptions, an increase in off-site adoption events, Trap-Neuter-Return services for community cats, low cost spay/neuter services, volunteer and foster care training and recruitment, pet retention counseling, improved intake vaccination protocols, on-staff supervisory and treatment veterinarians and transport to guaranteed adoption facilities.
Animal Services also enhanced its lost and found services, and currently partners with over 70 local rescue organizations and offers funding to qualified rescue groups who take in at-risk shelter pets.