How to 'configure' the numbers to show various results.

By Mary Ultz


I don’t digest the labels, dead is dead. It is through this kind type of statistical manipulation that gives our communities the feeling that things are fine in the animal welfare business. We know they’re not, we are still killing by the masses! Now, don’t get me wrong, if he has his shelter killings down to 50%, that’s better than where I work. 50% is an improvement, it’s moving in the right direction. But, it’s not nearly as wonderful as he wants to make it out to be. The particular label that flies all over me is the “stressed/depressed”. You can go into anywhere USA’s shelter and 98% of them will be stressed or depressed. So that makes it OK to kill them? And what’s the difference between “medical treatable” and “medical contagious”. Everything is treatable if you have enough money! Even that label is misleading because a rich HS may have $3,000 to pour into a hip replacement but a poor HS may not have enough to buy antibiotics for kennel cough. There are no standards! And until there are, we will never really know how many we kill in this country & why they die – other than there are too many. The only way to reduce the numbers is to convince people to spay & neuter. (oh, but wouldn’t that be some of humane education?)


http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_45574.asp

Bilyeu Says Humane Society Euthanasia Rate At All Time Low
posted January 15, 2004

Humane Society executive director Guy Bilyeu said the total rate of euthanasia at the facility is at an all time low of 50%. A

He said, "Only 8% of our choices were due to space. Our shelter continues to have the lowest euthanasia rate in the state for an open-door facility.

"The hard work of our staff, volunteers and local rescue groups continues to make a difference for the animals in our community."

Mr. Bilyeu said, "Though I consider this to be significant, I know we can still do better. Currently our organization and other animal organizations in our community are working together on projects to continue to lower the numbers of animals coming into our facility and to spread the word about the need to spay and neuter unaltered animals. These collaborative efforts are extremely important to be able to continue to lower the euthanasia rate.

"I urge each of you to continue to support our efforts and the efforts of all the organizations that help animals. As you well know, for many animals we are the only hope they have."

December 2003

Total Animals Received 781
Total Animals Adopted 335 42.89%
Total Animals Reclaimed 57 7.30%
Reason for Euthanasia Percentage
Space 62 7.94%
Court Order 1 0.13%
Feral 16 2.05%
Kennel Stressed/Depressed 2 0.26%
Medical 60 7.68%
Medical /Treatable 5 0.64%
Medical/Contagious 9 1.15%
Medical/Untreatable 72 9.22%
Owner Request 109 13.96%
Physical Condition 2 0.26%
Policy Decision 12 1.54%
Temperament 22 2.82%
Temperament/Dangerous 2 0.26%
Temperament/Aggressive 13 1.66%
Temperament/Timid 3 0.38%
Unweaned 3 0.38%
Total Animals Euthanized 393 50.32%

My Response:
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_45600.asp


Figures Manipulated In Humane Society Story
posted January 15, 2004

Re: Bilyeu Says Humane Society Euthanasia Rate At All Time Low
posted January 15, 2004

I'm not sure who wrote this story.....your reporter or the Humane Society, but I believe some investigation/education should be done. Anyone in the business of Animal Welfare is laughing at the story. The numbers have been manipulated to look good.

I'm not saying that they are reporting anything that is not true. I'm just not digesting their "labels"....ALL animals at a shelter are stressed or depressed, some react differently than others.

Many of them have an illness, the majority are treatable AND contagious. I can take any shelter stats, divide them into labels like this and say the eutho rate for "space" is down, too! And how is that different from "Physical Condition"?

So, it all looks good on paper, but dead is dead and they are still euthanizing MANY unwanted animals. According to them, 50% of their animals.

Mary J. Ultz
Humane Educator
City of Huntsville
Mary.Ultz@hsvcity.com