UPDATE MAY 15 2008




UPDATE MARCH 20 2008

Macomb Animals Victorious

by: Justine DePalma

Published on www.michanimalnews.com on March 20, 2008

Mt.Clemens, Michigan. By a unanimous voice vote the Macomb County Board of Commissioners ushered in a new era for companion animals in Macomb County. Rescue groups will be allowed to take animals from the shelter after a resolution offered by Commissioner Lund passed. The Macomb County Animal Control Shelter has been ordered to allow 501(c)(3) rescue organizations take animals without paying the $80 adoption fee currently required. Also, the resolution offered by Commissioner Carey Torrice to study making Macomb a no-kill county passed without dissent.

The stunned audience listened to animal control officers from across the county beg for change at the shelter. The Roseville Animal Control Officer spoke of animals wrongly killed by Macomb County Animal Control Shelter. Animals that had families and were expected to go back to their homes killed for no reason and illegally. He advocated major change at the shelter. Officers for the City of Warren Animal Control Department, spoke of advances like using rescue groups, the internet and spay/neuter clinics to make things better for county animals. Other animal control officers spoke asking the commissioners to immediately implement change on behalf of the animals at the shelter.

Current and former shelter employees spoke eloquently of their attempts to help animals that were rejected by current shelter management. Rescue groups offered their assistance, from supplying volunteers to helping with low cost spay/neuter. The commissioners appeared to be shocked by the outpouring of offers of assistance and even more shocked to learn that this assistance has been offered repeatedly and rejected.

Commissioner Carey Torrice was criticized by a number of her colleques for bypassing the Commission's Health Services Committee in offering her resolution. Commissioner Torrice worked tirelessly on this issue, speaking to many people, even going to neighboring Oakland County Animal Control Shelter to find out what is so different about the Oakland County operation. Torrice's refusal to accept the status quo or the promise of future changes, evidenced courage and actually political saavy that forced this issue to the attention of the commission.

There are still many things that must change in order to make a difference for the animals at Macomb Animal Control Shelter. First, we have to make certain that petfinder.com is utilized to publicize the shelter animals. When I interviewed Sue Jeroue in early February, she claimed that she was being trained on software. It's been 7 weeks, how much training is needed? Last night we heard that the county IT department has to make changes to allow for the posting of animals. How much longer will this simple change take? Even the sad City of Detroit shelter posts pets on petfinder. Can't Macomb County at least match the effort put forth by the City of Detroit?

Rescue groups and animal lovers are excited that things are finally changing. We'll keep watching and make certain that promises are kept and animals are finally given a chance by Macomb County Animal Control Shelter.

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UPDATE MARCH 10 2008
Visit our blog for the latest information on the Macomb County Animal Control Shelter controversy. 

The Story of How Macomb County Animal Control is Failing
Written by Justine DePalma
Published on February 5, 2008

In just 5 years, over 40,000 animals lost their lives at Macomb County Animal Control Shelter.  Dogs, cats, puppies and kittens were killed at a rate of 25 a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year. Expect at least 40,000 to be killed over the next 5 years because there are no plans to change the programs of Macomb County Animal Control.

The Magnitude of the Problem

About 50% of the dogs entering Macomb County Animal Control Shelter are killed.  In 2007, 3,844 dogs entered the shelter.   Just 603 were adopted; luckily 960 were strays who returned home.  However, 1,867 were killed by shelter staff and 391 died at the shelter.  Sue Jeroue, Macomb County Animal Control Director explained “sometimes you just come in and find them dead in their cages.”  

In 2007, cats fared much worse than dogs at Macomb County Animal Control Shelter.  Eighty percent of the cats that entered the shelter were exterminated. Of the 5,338 cats admitted to the shelter, only 83 went back to their homes.  Less than five hundred, 493 to be exact, found new homes.  Killing by shelter staff took the lives of 4,221 and 492 died at the shelter in their cages, before the staff could kill them. 

Although the number of animals entering the shelter dropped dramatically from 2006 to 2007, the end result did not improve.  In fact, adoptions decreased dramatically in 2007 and the percentage of animals killed remained the same. 

While it may seem that the shelter actually did better in 2007 because it killed 1373 fewer companion animals than in 2006, essentially, the same percentage of animals was killed each year.  In 2006, 67% of the animals entering the shelter were killed.  In 2006, 66% of the animals entering the shelter were killed by staff. 

Animal control director Sue Jeroue offered little explanation for the decrease in adoptions other than “the economy”.  When asked why there was such a large decrease in the number of animals entering the shelter Jeroue stated “maybe spay neuter is working or maybe people are using rescue groups”.  In reality, the numbers have been decreasing over the last 5 years.  Intake and adoptions dramatically declining, while the same percentage of animals being killed. 

Failure is the Only Option

With admissions declining, it would seem rational to expect the number of animals killed to decrease also.  However, Macomb County Animal Control has squandered opportunities to reduce the killing of companion animals. Simple solutions like sending animals to rescue groups or getting all of the shelter animals listed on internet pet adoption sites like www.petfinder.com or www.pets911.org are rejected out of hand, with no rational excuse for not pursuing the option.  When asked why the shelter animals are not available through one of the online adoption sites, Jeroue stated that she hasn't had time to learn the software.  Since there are nearly 500 Michigan shelters and rescue groups showcasing adoptable animals on petfinder.com, it seems that the software isn't all that difficult. 

Volunteering is not an option either.  No one is allowed to volunteer at the shelter.  When asked why not, Jeroue claimed there were problems with a volunteer program for high school students.  She had no reason for preventing adult volunteers. 

It appears that instead of looking for innovations that could reduce the number of animals being killed, the Macomb County Animal Control Shelter is looking for ways to avoid changing. 

Money is Not the Root of the Problem 

Funding is not falling in proportion to the decrease in admissions.   

During the same period funding was increasing, admissions and adoptions fell and per animal expenditures soared.

Despite a dramatic increase in the amount of money spent per animal, a dog or cat entering Macomb County Animal Control Shelter has no better chance for a life than he did in 2004.  The only improvement is the number of animals entering the shelter which has little to do with the shelter or it's staff. 

How to Stop the Killing  

Other Michigan Animal Control Shelters have dramatically reduced the killing of healthy adoptable animals by concentrating on adoptions.  The same can be accomplished by Macomb County Animal Control. 

Internet Adoptions

There are free internet animal listing services, such as petfinder.com and pets911 that help bring adoptable animals to the public. Millions of dogs and cats find homes through these services.  They are very easy to use, basically, all the shelter would need is a camera and computer and the shelter has both.  Oakland County Animals Control, Detroit Animal Control Shelter, Ingham County Animal Control, Monroe Animal Control and all three Michigan Humane Society Shelters list adoptable animals on petfinder.com. 

Of course if staff claims they are too busy to take pictures and put them online, then volunteers could fulfill that function. 

Volunteer Program

Many large shelters use volunteers.  Macomb County Animal Control shuns volunteers, turning them away.  A well run volunteer program would greatly increase the number of animals adopted and decrease the number killed.  Volunteers could assist in fostering, walking the animals to keep them happy and socialized, taking pictures and keeping a petfinder.com site up to date and even raising money. 

Reasonable Shelter Hours

More stray animals would return to their homes and more would be adopted if shelter hours changed. Most people work from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday. The latest the  shelter is open is 6pm.  Remaining open until 8 pm a couple of days a week would allow working families the opportunity to adopt or reclaim a stray animal. 

How You Can Help

The Macomb County Board of Commissioners is the elected body responsible for oversight and funding of county departments.  The Animal Control Shelter is part of the Health Department.  Contact the commissioners and let them know your feelings on the subject.  Things will not change unless good people become involved. 

This is the first article in a series about programs for animals in southeastern Michigan.  The next article will discuss of low cost spay/neuter programs, the lynchpin of any successful effort to stop killing homeless companion animals. 

Failure is not an Option

We have an obligation to care for animals that end up in shelters. Our obligation is not met by throwing our hands up and killing the animal as merely excess. Each animal deserves a better effort; they deserve dedication to life, not instant meaningless death.  Killing is not the answer to Macomb County's homeless pet problem.  Innovation, dedication and effort will lead to a shelter and animal control programs the county and its residents can be proud of.