DRAFT S T A T E O F M I C H I G A N BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF ALLEGAN. October 13, 2011

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1 DRAFT S T A T E O F M I C H I G A N BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF ALLEGAN October 13, 2011 HEALTH DEPARTMENT ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION FOR ANIMAL SHELTER FENCING WHEREAS, the Animal Shelter Task Force developed a building use plan for the Animal Shelter based on the original construction plans for the facility; and WHEREAS, within this building use plan a six foot chain link fence was listed to allow incoming animals to be quarantined from the general population until they have completed the standard isolation period; and WHEREAS, the fence was proposed as part of the original construction of the shelter but was dropped due to the approved construction budget; and WHEREAS, the Health Department followed the County purchasing policy and recommends award to the lowest bid for $ from Fence Consultants of West Michigan. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Allegan County Board of Commissioners hereby approves the request from the Health Department for an additional appropriation from the Animal Shelter fund balance in an amount not to exceed $1, to be used to cover this expense; and BE IT ALSO RESOLVED that the Budget and Finance Director is authorized to make the necessary budget adjustments to complete this action.

2 ALLEGAN COUNTY REQUEST FOR ACTION FORM RFA#: Date: 09/27/2011 Request Type Department Requesting Submitted By Contact Information Budget Adjustments or Transfers Select a Request Type to reveal and complete required form. Health Willam Hinz on behalf of the Allegan County Animal Shelter William Hinz Ext.4706 Revenue Expense Fund, Activity, Account: Animal Shelter Fund Balance Amount $1, Explanation / Description: Request to transfer funds from fund balance for the shelter to install a six foot chain link fence to separate a quarantine area from the main part of the dog kennel. This division was proposed as part of the original construction of the shelter but was dropped due to the construction budget for the building. The fencing is in the Allegan County Animal Shelter Medical and Building Use Plan approved by the shelter committee. The Building Use Plan was developed based on the original construction plans for the Shelter. The fencing will allow incoming animals to be quarantined from the general population until they have completed the standard isolation period. Attached are three bids for the fencing the low bid being for $ from Fence Consultants of West Michigan and a copy of the Building Use Plan. The contractor with the low bid has confirmed the bid is good through the end of November. Please provide the proper account numbers for the transfer. Thank you. FROM: Contingency Fund Balance Account:.... TO: Account:.... Amount $1, PAGE 1 of 1

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6 Allegan County Animal Shelter Medical and Building-Use Plan May 25, 2011 Prepared By Josh Mohler, ACAS Manager Wishbone Pet Rescue Saugatuck, MI ext. 400 Document no. ACAS

7 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 PURPOSE HEALTH PROGRAM Overview 3 Parasite Control 3 Incoming Animal Vaccinations 4 Heartworm FeLV Testing 5 Exit Vaccinations and Licensing BUILDING USE PLAN Overview 6 Incoming Animal Space 6 Quarantine Space 7 Main Dog Kennel 7 Outdoor Exercise Space 8 Control of Public Access 8 Hours of Operation SUMMARY 10 Wishbone Pet Rescue Document Ctrl ACAS

8 1.0 Purpose The purpose of this document is to provide detail on Wishbone s proposed health program and use of space within the Allegan County Animal Shelter. Details that follow include an overview of the need for vaccination and testing of animals, separation of animals for safety and prevention of the spread of disease, and changes to the use of specific facility areas. Costs and funding sources for the program are provided in detail. Wishbone Pet Rescue Document Ctrl ACAS

9 2.0 Health Program Overview In order to provide for the health of the homeless dogs and cats that are entrusted to the Allegan County Animal Shelter for care, a three-fold wellness plan is recommended. This wellness plan focuses on the prevention and treatment of internal and external parasites, testing for common viruses and diseases that afflict dogs and cats, and prevention of common viruses through vaccinating. This approach not only helps prevent the spread of disease and parasites within the shelter, but also ensures that healthy animals are being released back into the community. Fiscally, this plan is to be self-perpetuating, in that the wellness fee charged for adopted and transferred animals will cover the cost of future wellness supplies. The proposed wellness fees are $25 for dogs, and $15 for cats. Parasite Control Deworming both cats and dogs, with a broad spectrum dewormer to treat internal parasites is recommended by the AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) prior to placement in the general population. The AAHA further recommends immediate treatment for fleas as fleas carry disease and aid in the spread of parasites such as tapeworms. Though many products exist on the market to address these problems in animals, complete internal and external parasite control can quickly become cost-prohibitive. A cost-effective solution we propose is two-fold: treat cats with Revolution, a Pfizer product containing selamectin, and treat dogs with Iverhart Max, a Virbac product containing ivermectin, pyrantel pamoate, and praziquantel. Revolution is a topical solution applied to the back of the cat and is effective in killing fleas, preventing flea eggs from hatching, preventing heartworms, treating ear mites, and treating roundworms and hookworms. Iverhart Max is a flavored, chewable product that prevents heartworms, treats roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms. Although a costeffective solution to treating fleas in dogs is not currently available, the option we offer does prevent the spread of tapeworms, which can be directly attributed to fleas a dog may be carrying. Both of the above-mentioned products can be safely used in animals greater than 8 weeks of age. Incoming animals between the ages of 3 weeks and 8 weeks will be given an oral dose of pyrantel pamoate (effective in treating roundworms and hookworms), since most neonates acquire these parasites from their mothers. Once these animals reach the age of 8 weeks, the parasite control measures outlined above will be followed. Estimated costs for parasite control: $1.70/cat - Revolution $3.00/dog - Iverhart Max $.10/pediatric - Pyrantel Pamoate Estimated number of non-feral cats received by ACAS in 2010: 1095 Total cost to treat all incoming cats for parasites: $1,860 Number of dogs received by ACAS in 2010: 969 Total cost to treat all incoming dogs for parasites: $2,907 Wishbone Pet Rescue Document Ctrl ACAS

10 Incoming Vaccinations Due to the high cost, only vaccines that demonstrate a clear benefit against common and significant shelter disease should be used. Adopters should be encouraged to discuss an individual or customized vaccination program for their new pet with their veterinarian. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), in its revised 2006 vaccination guidelines, addressed the specific case of recommended vaccines and use for animal shelters: It is strongly recommended that immediate vaccination on entry be made a priority in all shelters. Delaying vaccinations by even a few hours may increase the risk of infection subsequent to exposure. Failing to immediately vaccinate an animal on entry could compromise an effective disease prevention program and possibly lead to sustained shelter wide outbreaks of an infectious disease AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines The following core vaccinations are recommended for all healthy animals immediately upon intake: Dogs (2 vaccines) 1. Distemper, adenovirus type 2(and hepatitis), parainfluenza, and parvovirus. Vaccination for all dogs/puppies 6 weeks of age or older. 2. Bordetella bronchispetica, intranasal. Cost per vaccine: $1.80/Distemper, $1.70 Bordatella Total cost to vaccinate all incoming dogs: $3,392 Cats (1 vaccine) Feline rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia (distemper) and chlamydia psittaci. Vaccination for all cats/kittens 10 weeks of age or older. Cost per vaccine: $1.80 Total cost to vaccinate all incoming cats: $1,971 Wishbone Pet Rescue Document Ctrl ACAS

11 Heartworm FeLV Testing The rate of heartworm infestation among dogs in Allegan County increased by an estimated 300% in Adopting potentially infected animals to the public results in a significant financial burden to the family ($300-$700 for treatment), frequently resulting in the return of the animal and considerable ill will toward the shelter and county. All healthy dogs in the general population with favorable behavior assessments, available for adoption, and garnering interest from the public or a rescue group, will receive a heartworm test. Total dogs adopted or transferred in 2010: 418 Cost per heartworm test: $3.75 Total cost to test all adopted/transferred dogs for heartworms: $1,568 Similarly Feline Leukemia (FeLv) is an incurable, contagious, disease in cats and kittens. Adopting an infected animal to the public may result in the spread of disease, particularly among other cats within the family. All healthy cats in the general population with favorable behavior assessments, available for adoption, and garnering interest from the public or a rescue group, will receive a FeLv test. Total cats adopted or transferred in 2010: 269 Cost per FeLv test: $8.40 Total cost to test all adopted/transferred cats for FeLv: $2,260 Exit Vaccinations and Licensing Upon adoption, all animals will receive a 1-year rabies vaccination, administered by the shelter veterinarian as required by law. All dogs will receive a 1-year county license. Cost per Rabies vaccine: $1.00 Total cost to vaccinate all adopted/transferred animals: $ Fee per license: $5.00 Dogs adopted in 2010: 368 Total revenue from dog licenses: $1, Wishbone Pet Rescue Document Ctrl ACAS

12 3.0 Building Use Plan Overview The original shelter design called for forty eight (48) concrete kennels in the main dog ward, and a combined fifty six (56) stainless steel cages in the main cat room, puppy rooms, and incoming animal spaces. However budget constraints during construction reduced the main dog ward to just 24 concrete kennels and no new stainless steel caging for other animal spaces. The updates we propose to the current building-plan allow for an increased capacity of animals with improved animal handling safety and disease control. Incoming Animal Space An obvious constraint found in the current building-plan is the limited space to house incoming and quarantined animals. The room currently used to house incoming dogs has the capacity to house 3 large dogs and 3 small dogs, in separate wire crates stacked on top of one another. The crates are becoming a hazard to the dogs they contain and compromise safety to staff, as some crates are coming apart due to repeated attempts of escape. A more practical solution is to replace the wire crates with stainless steel cages. These would allow for both a safer, more secure containment and also allow for more thorough disinfection than the wire crates allow. Similar problems are encountered with the cat population. Currently, incoming cats are forced to share a room with cats being isolated (usually because of contagious respiratory infections). As a result, incoming cats have a high risk of developing these same respiratory infections via airborne pathogens. A more effective solution is to house the unhealthy cats separately. We propose the following changes to create separate isolation space for cats and dogs. 1. A new Cat Isolation Room will be created in the room currently utilized for incoming dogs, and equipped with a new 10ft stainless steel cage assembly containing ten (10) housing units ( Figure 2 ). 2. Healthy Incoming Cats will continue to be housed in the current Incoming Cat Room. 3. Incoming dogs will be housed temporarily in two 6ft portable stainless steel cage units containing three (3) housing units each (Figure 3). These portable units would act as temporary holding for dogs received from road patrol after hours and Animal Control during operating hours. The units would be located against the east and west walls (the current location of the chest freezers). The chest freezers would be relocated within the garage. The portable stainless steel units are much easier to disinfect and provide greater security for the animals and staff. Wishbone Pet Rescue Document Ctrl ACAS

13 Quarantine Space In a shelter environment to quarantine an animal has a different purpose than to isolate one. Aggressive animals, and those with an unknown health status are quarantined from the general population and public access for safety. Documented unhealthy animals are isolated from the general population to prevent the spread of disease. The current dog Quarantine Room has been used as isolation space and has the ability to house 3 small dogs and 3 large dogs. We propose to continue using this space for isolation of unhealthy dogs and designate it as Adult Dog Isolation. A new quarantine space will be created in the main dog kennel and designated Adult Dog Quarantine. Figure 1 illustrates the proposed layout of these new spaces. Estimated Costs For Incoming and Isolation Space Changes: Cat Isolation Room Assembly $6,200 (4) 48 W x 29 L x 30 H Double Doors W/ Shelves (2) 24 W x 29 L x 30 H w/shelf Mobile Dog Intake Units, $5,312 (2) 72 W x 29 L x 26 H Double Doors (4) 36 W x 29 L x 32 H A Existing stainless steel caging will be repurposed for use for the Incoming Cat Room, no hardware changes are required for the Adult Dog Isolation Room. Main Dog Kennel Given the recent problems encountered while battling Parvovirus in the dog population at the shelter, and witnessing its extremely contagious and fatal nature, a need to quarantine all incoming dogs has been established. All incoming dogs, whether apparently healthy or not, will be housed on the south side of the dog kennel room for a quarantine period of ten (10) days. During this period access by staff and public will be strictly regulated. After ten (10) days the incubation period for the virus will essentially be over, and dogs showing no symptoms can then be moved to the north side of the kennel room to be viewed by the public. Existing chain link kennel panels will be re-purposed to form a barrier to physically separate the two halves of the room ( Figure 1). Creating a physical barrier reduces the opportunity for visitors or staff to track contagions or parasites (on their hands or soles of their shoes) throughout the building or into their homes. Wishbone Pet Rescue Document Ctrl ACAS

14 The new Quarantine Area will be outfitted with an additional six (6) "double-decked" cages with side transfer doors (Figure 4), allowing dogs to be moved between kennels without exiting the cage or interacting with staff. Currently all dogs must physically be removed from their kennels for cleaning, greatly increasing the risk of injury to staff by an aggressive dog. This also contains any virus to two adjacent kennels, as opposed to having virus potentially tracked out of the kennel during cleaning. The Main Dog Kennel will be located on the north side of the existing kennel room and will receive six (6) new raised-kennels to increase capacity (Figure 5) and accommodate larger dog breeds. No additional drainage will need to be installed as each kennel can be plumbed to the nearest drain hole with PVC (as opposed to digging a new drain for each kennel). Estimated Costs For Quarantine and Dog Kennel Improvements (6) 48 W x 48 L x 82 H Double Decked Kennels w/slide Transfer Door $14,105 (6) 72 W x 72 L x 82 H Single Kennel w/raised Floor & Drains $13,333 Existing chain link kennel panels and gates will be used to create barriers to the Quarantine area. Labor costs for installation is not included in this estimate. Outdoor Exercise Pens Regular exercise for dogs is critical to maintain their health and temperament. Currently the only exercise provided is sporadic walks by volunteers. The time requirement to walk 24+ dogs makes it impractical, at this time, to insure each dog has regular exercise. To increase exercise time utilizing our current volunteer resources, we propose to construct 10ft x 20ft dog pens. These pens can be used for extended exercise by multiple dogs under the supervision of fewer volunteers, and can serve as a meeting space for families interested in a specific dog. The pens could be located behind the old animal control facility where the ground is solid, level, and hidden from view from the road side. Estimated Costs For Dog Pens: Pea Gravel & Sand Base $180/Pen Pens would be constructed from chain link fencing panels already available at no cost. The cost of labor to prepare the grounds and assemble the pens has not been included in this estimate. Wishbone Pet Rescue Document Ctrl ACAS

15 Control of Public Access To maintain the health of the population and for the safety of the public, we must control access to the kennel areas. Currently there is no barrier to entry to any of the main kennel areas from the office lobby area, allowing visitors to wander from one kennel to the next with an escort. We propose to install Cypher Locks ( keyless push button ) on entry doors off the lobby area to the following rooms: Main Dog Kennel Puppy Room Main Cat Room Cypher Locks can be manually programmed, do not require the distribution of electronic pass cards, and can be keyed for a master key for emergency purposes. We also propose to add a key lock to the medical room to secure drugs and vaccine stored within that space. Esimated Costs for Cypher Locks $450/Per Room Hours of Operation Given the difficulty of coordinating the six-hour workday of the shelter manager with the transportation of the inmate workers to arrive early enough to clean the main animal housing rooms before opening to the public, we propose changing the hours of the shelter from 12 pm to 4 pm. This will allow for the shelter manager to be present from the time the trustees arrive (10 am) to closing time (4 pm). We further propose to offer public hours each Saturday from 12pm to 4pm. Being the day of the week most people are not working, we believe public hours on Saturdays would greatly increase the number of potential adopters visiting the shelter. We would offset weekend hours by closing to the public one day during the week and use this period for extensive cleaning of the facility. Wishbone Pet Rescue Document Ctrl ACAS

16 4.0 Summary As the official county holding facility for stray and unwanted pets, it is our duty to not only protect the health and welfare of resident animals but also the safety and well-being of owned pets and people alike in the community. Our proposed changes to the procedures and layout of the current animal shelter aim to do just that. By controlling internal and external parasites and vaccinating all incoming animals, combined with testing for common diseases, we are not only providing for their health, but also contributing to the overall health of pets in the community by limiting the potential for spread of disease. Furthermore, we can more predictably provide for the health of the shelter's resident animals by physically separating the healthy from the unhealthy, and our proposed building-use changes address that issue. These changes also aim to provide for the safety of shelter staff and potential adopters visiting the shelter by restricting access and accommodating aggressive animals, reducing the potential for unwanted interaction. The following is a summary of the material costs for these proposals; Estimated Annual Medical Costs Dog vaccines: $3,392 Cat vaccines: $1,971 Rabies: $687 Testing: $3,827 Parasites: $4,767 Medical supplies: $661 Total: $15,305 Annual Revenue Generated from Health Fees: $14,485 Annual Revenue Generated from Dog Licenses: $1,840 Building-Use Change Costs Caging: $11,512 Kennels: $27,438 Outdoor pens: $360 Door Locks: $1,350 Total (less labor): $40,660 We propose that costs for new caging and access control be paid from the Special Fund consisting of donations from the public for improvement of the shelter. Costs for the vaccine and testing program would be recovered in its entirety through fees charged for adoptions or transfer of animals. However, initial seed funds are required to start the program. We therefore propose that the initial six (6) months of the program be funded through the Special Fund, i.e. approximately $7,000. Thereafter the program will be self sustaining. Wishbone Pet Rescue Document Ctrl ACAS

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