Members Present: Kristy Anderson, Vicci Carter, Ramona Christensen, Dolores Crock, Donna Crock, Lesley Espinosa, Ann Halter and Wendy Kinkade

Guests Present: Gil Sanchez, Environmental Health

Patsy Flores, Weed and Pest Control

Deana Widauf, Housing and Community Development

Kim Sutton, State Engineers Office

Speaker: Bill Hein, Director of the Cheyenne Animal Shelter

Donna Crock opened the meeting by welcoming everyone in attendance. Each person introduced himself or herself. Donna introduced the guest speaker, Bill Hein.

Bill noted that the Cheyenne Animal Shelter takes in over 500 pets per month or approximately 6,000 per year. The animals include dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, iguanas, birds, a tame raccoon and a 7-foot python. To keep track of the animals in the shelter, they use the Petware software tracking system. The animal shelter received this software program free of charge. However, the ASPCA was hired to redo the system to standardize the software and hardware to update the system to work more efficiently. With the recent fire at the shelter, they want to design the program to be prepared for disasters in the future. The Cheyenne Animal Shelter is a non profit organization which was started in 1979. Prior to 1979, the facility was the Municipal Pound.

Bill stressed several key questions for adopting a pet. Among them were: Where are you going to be in 6 years? Many people move to other places and can’t have pets. Bill mentioned a story on a python that the shelter acquired. The calico python was finally given to Reptile Gardens in Rapid City, South Dakota. It has grown to 20 feet long now. The primary goal for the shelter is to save lives. If the pet stays healthy, they try to keep the pet until it is adopted. The shelter has approximately 150 adoptions a month. There are a few dozen for breed rescue groups in cities in the area including Denver and Loveland that take the animals to the veterinarian and try to find homes for the pets. Only 3 to 5 pets have tags out of the 200 pets brought to the shelter each month. Bill mentioned that the shelter has a scanner for chips for pets, which can identify the owner and their address. The cost for the chip installation is $25.00 and another $25.00 for registration. Certain companies have this service. However, you must remember to update the registration with the company when you move. Bill announced that the shelter is now in the process of implementing a national recovery system tag with an 800 number for $5.00.

The shelter euthanizes approximately 150 animals per month. The shelter interacts with the pets. The staff and volunteers will take the pets for walks. The majority of the animals are 1 to 3 years old. Many pets are turned in to the shelter because they became a nuisance for the owner. The primary issues for the shelter are to preserve the health, to socialize with the animals and overcrowding is the last issue. Bill stressed the importance of spaying or neutering your pet. An animal is 3 times more likely to bite if it is not fixed. In addition, the presence of tumors is more likely. The animals will also get along better with children if they are fixed.

The animal shelter receives over 400 complaints per month on animal problems. The shelter has hired an animal behaviorist to help with behavioral problems with pets, including biting. The shelter educates the grade school children through programs at the schools, which include how to approach a dog. The shelter currently has 18 members on staff with generally on 12 at the shelter each day. They serve 75 customers a day and receive over 150 call a day. The current facility is too small (approximately 4,500 square feet).

Since the shelter is a non profit organization, they depend largely on donations. They are funded mainly by operational funds on a day-to-day basis. They also have contracts with the City and County. They have many fund-raisers such as Pets with Santa and Dog Jog. The SNIP (Spay Neuter Incentive Program) will give anyone with a pet $25.00 coupon off at a Laramie County Veterinarian to spay or neuter their pet. The TNR (Trap Neuter Return) Program sets live traps to capture cat colonies. Once the cats are captured, they are fixed, given shots and returned to the area where they came from. This program is now out of funding at this time. Cats can live 5 years in the wild, 10 years indoor/outdoor and 20 years indoors. Without this program, a cat can produce several thousand offspring in a period of 7 years.

The shelter is considering offsite adoptions in the future. Their goal is to take 5-6 healthy pets from the shelter and take them out in the community and try to adopt them to prospective families. The shelter also has a Pet Therapy Program. The pets are taken to the local nursing homes to visit. The elderly can enjoy the company of a dog to pet.

The shelter plans to break ground for a new facility in March, 2002 and finish in November, 2002. The shelter has a site located on Southwest Drive with 10 acres, which was donated to them. The new shelter will have over 20,000 square feet. The shelter is approximately $250,000 short of their goal for the facility. They received a check yesterday for $50,000.00. They have over $800,000.000 so far.

Bill expressed many thanks to all that donated items and cash today at the meeting. There will be more fund-raisers in the future including the Cajun Fest to be held March 9, 2002.

Submitted by,

Ramona Christensen

Chapter Secretary