Spay/Neuter By The Numbers

Spay/Neuter By The Numbers
Could the end of the cat crisis be in sight?
Humane Alliance
• Ontario SPCA clinics based on the gold standard Humane Alliance
model
• First HA clinic was opened in Ashville, North Carolina in 1994
• Goal of controlling pet overpopulation
– Decreased shelter intake and euthanasia by 70%
• Over 130 clinics have since opened across North America (Ontario
SPCA opened 1st two outside U.S.)
www.humanealliance.org
Ontario SPCA clinics
• Ontario SPCA has tried various approaches in the past
• February 2009 – Newmarket opened
– Over 100 calls per day without any advertising; unable to meet demand
• September 2009 – Barrie full-service clinic modified to spay/neuter
• April 2012 – Newmarket doubled clinic size
• December 2012 – St. Catharines means-tested spay/neuter (Lincoln
County Humane Society) modified to non-means-tested spay/neuter
(Ontario SPCA)
Efficiency is Key
• All procedures designed for optimal efficiency to maximize productivity
and minimize cost, with quality being first priority (HQHVSN)
• Clinic flow
– Group admission (8:00 a.m.) and discharge (4:00 or 5:00 p.m.), 5 days per week
– All animals examined by DVM and surgery begins by 9:00 a.m., completed around 1:00
p.m., allowing for several hours of recovery and monitoring
• Vet techs do all prep and recovery
• DVM focuses solely on surgery with one animal being operated on while the next
is being prepped (2 tables per vet)
• Staffing for a base-model clinic
– One DVM, 2 Veterinary Technicians, 2 Receptionists/Booking Agents, 1 VT-Receptionist,
1 Clinic Manager (recommended 2 part-time vets on staff )
Business Model
Designed to break-even financially
– Based on small staff and astute purchasing
– Based on fast surgical times, flow and very efficient
practices
– Open to all demographic/income levels (very
cumbersome to evaluate income and eligibility)
– Recommended to have a human population of
250,000 within 70km of clinic
Financials
• Most items are more expensive in
Canada; however, higher surgical
fees can be charged than in
comparable U.S. cities
• Break-even point is estimated at 25
surgeries per day
– Approximately $500-600K revenue/year
Services and Fees
Average total fee charged per animal $103
• Cats $88
• Dogs $134
Surgical fees (2014)
• Cat spay/neuter $65
• Dog neuter $80-$140
• Dog spay $105-$165
Extras
• Vaccines $15
• Microchips $20
• Hernia repairs $20
• Cryptorchid surgery surcharge $20
• Pregnancy termination surcharge $10-$40
Services and Fees
• All appointments require prepayment equivalent to surgical fee
– Due to high no-show rate
– Cash / credit / debit
• Animals declined for surgery due to
weight, health concerns, age and
other factors that increase risk
College of Veterinarians
of Ontario
• Who can open a clinic
– Vet, humane society or municipality
• Spay/Neuter versus full-service
licensing
– Spay/Neuter easier/cheaper to open, run
– Full-service allows additional services, such
as vaccines, micro-chipping, hernia repairs,
etc. (more for SPCA animals)
• Mobile Spay/Neuter clinic
– Designation does not exist
• Regulations/protocols
– Emphasis on adhering to all CVO regulations
Client-Vet History
• All clients are asked if their pet has been to a vet previously
–
Consistently, 50% of publically-owned animals have never been to a
regular vet
• Ways in which to encourage an rDVM relationship
– Recommend pre-anesthetic blood-work prior to surgery
– Recommend animals be up to date on vaccines prior to surgery
– Clients directed to seek veterinary care for any and all non-surgically
related concerns recognized while in our care
– Vaccines are not boostered after surgery; clients are directed to rDVM
for all follow-up vaccines
Local Veterinarians
• One-time visit only
• Of 50% of clients with vets, many who have not had spay/neuter done
with their own vet to-date likely never will
• Fear of the unknown
– U.S. stats show no loss of business over time
• enough animals/procedures to keep everyone busy
– Some vets now send us their lower-income clients for surgery, and keep track of our
waiting list times
• Spay/Neuter clinics send full-service clinics business
– New clients created by our promotion of wellness programs
– Vaccine boosters
– Health concerns before surgery or noted during s/n appointment
• Requesting medical records before surgery and forwarding our medical
records after surgery helps build positive relationships and confidence
with local vets
Public Support
• Huge demand for the service
–
–
–
–
Waitlist times range from 1 month to 6 months
Number of animals currently waiting for surgery = 6000
Public very supportive, want less expensive option and trust Ontario SPCA
Increasing interest from other rescues, Municipalities, shelters, etc.
• Rescues/Shelters as clients = 20% of patients (and growing)
– Increasing number of free-roaming and feral cats
• Value of s/n surgery is often less than full-service price
• Affordability is a significant barrier (elderly, on disability,
unemployed, students, etc.)
– Will wait months for an appointment and scrape together what money they can
– Will take the bus, taxi, bicycle or get someone to drive them to their appointment
• Mistrust of regular veterinary clinic prices
– Made worse when rDVM “trash talks” our services
Dispelling Myths
MYTH
• We use vet students
or unlicensed vets
• Animals do not
receive pain
medication
• Animals are not
monitored after
surgery
FACT
• FALSE – all vets fully licensed,
highly experienced and skilled
surgeons (low post-op rate)
• FALSE – full sedation is provided for
surgery; pain medication is
administered for surgery and
provided for the following 2 days
• FALSE – registered veterinary
technicians, the vet and volunteers
all monitor animals until discharge
Dispelling Myths
MYTH
• Post-surgical
concerns are not
addressed
• Animals are not
anesthetized
• Surgery is
performed as an
assembly-line
FACT
• FALSE – clients are encouraged to
call with all questions/concerns, all
addressed immediately
• FALSE – all animals are fully
anesthetized for all surgeries
• TRUE –clinics are highly efficient,
while providing high-quality
services, to be as productive as
possible… to reduce the
overpopulation as soon as possible!
# Surgeries To-Date
Newmarket
29,500
Barrie
23,100
St. Catharines
7,100
GRAND TOTAL 59,700
Cats and More Cats!
• Of the 59,700 animals
sterilized since 2009
– 61% are cats = 36,400 cats
– 1200+ pregnant at the time of
surgery
Free-Roaming Cats
• Free-roaming (un-owned, outdoor)
– Approximately 2500 have been sterilized since 2009
– All are ear-tipped and released or rehomed
• Feral (included in free-roaming)
– Approximately 1300 have been sterilized since 2009
– All are ear-tipped and released
Progress in Barrie
• Barrie adoption centre (next door)
–
2010 to 2011 - 14% decline in cat intake
–
2011 to 2012 - 31% decline in cat intake
–
2012 to 2013 - 20% decline in cat intake
–
Overall decline of 52%
(16% decline in dog intake 2010-2013)
• Orillia adoption centre (40km)
– 2010 to 2013 overall 33% decline in cat intake
• Midland adoption centre (50km)
– 2010 to 2013 overall 47% decline
Progress in York
• PEAC adoption centre (on location with clinic)
–
–
–
–
2010 to 2011 - 6% decline in cat intake
2011 to 2012 - 6% decline in cat intake
2012 to 2013 - 1% decline in cat intake
Overall decline of 13%
• Orangeville adoption centre (50km)
– 2010 to 2013 - 18% decline in cat intake
Without Access
• Compare to adoption centres
without access to high-volume
spay/neuter services (2010-2013)
– Kent County saw 6% decline in cat
intake
– Lennox & Addington saw 11% increase
in cat intake
– Renfrew 1% increase
Overall Trend
• Province-wide, cat intake is down 19% (dog intake down 8%)
– Adoption centres closest to spay/neuter clinics are demonstrating a higher than
average decrease
– Adoption centres without access are experiencing less of a decrease, no change
or an increase in cat intake
• Could the province-wide decline be connected to spay/neuter
clinics?
– Majority of clients come
from outside the cities
that contain the clinics
– Many clients come from
cities/towns 1 to 4 hours
away, even further is
associated with a rescue
group
Looking Forward
•
More time is needed to confirm the
positive impact on cat intake
numbers
– Trend has already started to form
•
More spay/neuter clinics are opening,
more are still needed along the Great
Lakes and in the North where access
is limited and travel is difficult
•
Mobile spay/neuter clinic would
enable access to remote areas and
spread the impact further
•
Ontario SPCA pilot project – “Neuter
Scooter” accessing SPCA branches
throughout Ontario
The Goal
To end the problem of
pet overpopulation!
Thank You!
Tanya Firmage tfirmage@ospca.on.ca
Director of Animal Welfare & Operations
Ontario SPCA
Judith Aubin jaubin@ospca.on.ca
Regional Manager of Spay/Neuter Services
Ontario SPCA