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- King County, WA
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- Population: 1,507,300
-
- Background
-
-
- The King County Council facilitated the development of this
model
- program when it passed a comprehensive Animal Control
Ordinance #10423,
- in 1992. The ordinance mandated solutions to limit pet
overpopulation
- with increased license fees for unaltered pets and subsidies
for
- spay/neuter programs. It sought a reduction in euthanasia
rates and set
- target reduction rates. The Council also directed the
development of new
- programs to increase public awareness, and identified revenues
to
- support these programs.
- Response
-
-
- Animal Control staff set out to exceed the goals set by the
Council by
- developing a major educational campaign. This awareness
campaign sought
- to educate the public on the responsibility of pet ownership,
pet
- adoptions and the benefits of spay/neuter programs. The key to
success
- was seen in the increasing of pet licensing and
identification.
-
- The campaign included:
-
- 1)The first ever county-wide door-to-door canvassing campaign
to license
- pets;
-
- 2)The establishment of rotating licensing sites at major
grocery stores
- throughout the County;
-
- 3)Summer and Winter direct mail campaigns identifying the
rotating
- sites; and
-
- 4)An "Animal Community Education Summit."
-
- As a direct result of the Education Summit, a partnership
between King
- County Animal Control, the Progressive Animal Welfare Society
(PAWS),
- the Humane Society, and dozens of other animal welfare
organizations was
- formed. These groups, along with a private sector advertising
firm,
- coordinated a Cat Licensing Program. Program partners worked
in
- collaboration to produce high quality handouts, billboards,
and radio
- spots that emphasize the community's legal requirement to
license cats.
-
- Over a three year period, the educational campaign, along with
the Cat
- Licensing Project, produced a 60% increase in licensed and
identified
- pets; a 36% decrease in the number of euthanized animals; and
a 30%
- increase in the number of animals leaving the shelters alive.
- Cost
-
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- Pet licensing sales, along with the budget provided by the
County
- Council, provide adequate revenue to fund this program.
- Contact
-
- Vicki Schmitz, Assistant Manager, LARS
- King County Executive Administration
- 500 Fourth Avenue, Room 411
- Seattle, WA 98104
- 206/296-4015
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