Good news as SP Animal Rescue
Center releases 2014 stats
March 18, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
The bad news is the animals just keeping showing up at the Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center but the good news is most of them go home with a new owner according to 2014 statistics released by the no-kill animal shelter.
And that even includes Buddha, a gentle 10-year-old pit bull found in January lying by the side of the road by a Santa Paula police officer, who took the dog — unable to use his paralyzed hind legs — to SPARC.
Shelter personnel took the dog, whose legs were scraped raw likely from dragging himself to the spot where he was found, to a pet emergency hospital where his condition was diagnosed.
Named Buddha because of his gentle nature and sweet smile, was gifted with a $600 set of Eddie’s Wheels, donated by the manufacturer of custom-made carts for dogs unable to use their hind legs.
Eventually, Buddha will find a loving home, just one of the thousands of success stories started at SPARC, which became the county’s first no-kill shelter when it opened in Santa Paula in June 2012.
Last year they took in 504 cats and 605 dogs: of those, 80 cats and 113 dogs (193 total) were owner surrenders, 16 cats and 41 dogs were returned adoptions (57 animals), 307 cats and 424 dogs were strays turned in by the public (731 total) and 134 cats and 202 dogs were brought SPARC by the city’s animal control officer. Two dogs were transferred to the facility for a total intake of 1,319 animals, 537 cats and 782 dogs.
The outcome was very good for most animals that came to SPARC.
When it came to adoptions 439 cats and 451 dogs found new homes (890 animals) and 1 cat and 130 dogs were returned to their owners (131 total). Transferred to other rescue partners were 16 cats and 178 dogs (194 animals) and 55 cats and 10 dogs died in care (65 total). There were 37 cats and 12 dogs (49 animals) that were dead when they reached SPARC and only 20 animals (12 cats and 8 dogs) had to be humanely euthanized for severe medical reasons and none were euthanized due to behavior, time or space.
The live release rate for SPARC, which contracts with the City of Santa Paula for animal shelter services, was 98.5 percent.
According to SPARC, by comparison the final year the city contracted with Ventura County Animal Services, of the 561 Santa Paula dogs and cats impounded at the county shelter only 71 were returned to owners ... 243 were adopted or sent to rescue partners and 259 of them were euthanized.
A SPARC statement noted the nonprofit organization is touting its programs meant to lower the populations of dogs and cats that create an overabundance of animals: “We’re also excited that through our services hundreds of local dogs and cats have been vaccinated and spayed or neutered ... we’re PROUD to be the contracted animal services provider for Santa Paula ... and PROUD to have expanded and improved the life of animals here.”
For more information, visit www.santapaulaarc.org
