Sheltering Crisis: A “Perfect Storm” is Brewing ON THE RECORD

CAROLINA TAILS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH CHARLESTON ANIMAL SOCIETY PREISDENT AND CEO JOE ELMORE, CAWA, CFRE TO LEARN HOW STANDARDS OF CARE AT SHELTERS CAN’T IMPROVE IF THE FUNDING FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ISN’T THERE. HERE’S JOE ELMORE — ON THE RECORD:

CAROLINA TAILS: What is the current state of shelters in South Carolina?

JOE ELMORE: As we look across the state of South Carolina, there is not a single shelter that is adequate for the community it serves. When you look at animal shelters across the country, and particularly in the deep South and Midwest, animal shelters much of the time are treated like mental health facilities were treated a hundred years ago, that they don’t matter: if they’re out of sight, they’re out of mind.

CT: You also talk about a “perfect storm” brewing when it comes to sheltering, if the key issues of adequate funding and shelter standards are not addressed. What is this “perfect storm?”

JE: It’s a combination of three factors: the poor state of shelters, the national veterinary shortage, and this explosive population growth in our state – more development means more people and more animals. Shelters are increasingly struggling to try to keep their heads above water with this. It’s a train wreck that’s going to happen. It’s going to explode somewhere.

CT: Joe, you wanted to connect the dots between the funding of shelters and standards of care for shelters that the National Association of Shelter Veterinarians released in late 2022.

JE: Yes. In many states, including surrounding states of South Carolina, shelters are regulated, inspected, and have to maintain a certain level of standards of care. Statewide animal shelters and a coalition called South Carolina Animal Legislative Coalition initiated an effort a number of years ago to create minimal, just minimal standards of care for animal shelters operating in South Carolina.

But that was pushed back. It was not passed. And South Carolina remains one of the few, very few states that have no regulations for standards of care in animal shelters.

CT: Funding is a big part of this issue as far as being able to raise standards. Is it correct to say you can’t raise shelter standards, if the financial support isn’t there?

JE: That’s right. So what has got to happen is there has got to be a change in government. A lot of folks will say that, well, if we fund care of animals, then that takes money away from people. Well, no, because every animal that enters an animal shelter has a person, a constituent behind it. That’s why efforts to implement shelter standards in South Carolina were defeated before, because of special interest groups representing counties and municipalities. Their lobbying teams fought against these standards because they knew there was going to be a cost associated with it. What I hope everyone understands is that there are regulations for schools. There are regulations for daycare facilities, there are regulations for all sorts of things. There are more regulations for nail salons than for animal shelters.

CT: What can people do?

JE: The call to action is for folks to contact their local city and or county council members and advocating for the humane care of animals. Demand that standards of care, regulations, so to speak, are put in place to ensure the humane care of animals as recommended by the national Association of Shelter Veterinarians.

CT: When a constituent calls and says, “Hey, I want more money to be put towards animal shelters,” and that government representative shoots back, “Well fine. Tell me where I’m going to cut the budget. How am I going to make this happen? Where am I going to find the money for this?” What’s a good answer?

JE: A good answer is, we elected you to do a job. This is your job. That’s why we put you there. This is your job. And we’re telling you this is a priority that animals are important in the lives of your constituents.

Standards Of Care

Last year, the national Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV) published Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters. Originally published in 2010, the new guidelines have been updated to incorporate advances in science and research now used in modern sheltering.

Charleston Animal Society’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Lucy Fuller, served as president of the ASV and was on the team that wrote the guidelines. Each guideline falls into one of four categories: Unacceptable, Must, Should and Ideal. “Shelters should start by looking at ‘Unacceptable’ and ‘Must” categories and improving those, then move on to ‘Should’ and ‘Ideal,’ but doing this can cost money,” Fuller said.

The ASV says the goal of the standards are to provide:

• a set of common standards for the care and welfare of companion animals in shelters based on scientific evidence and expert consensus

• guidance that helps animal welfare organizations reduce overcrowding, stress, disease, and improve safety

• a tool for animal welfare organizations and communities to assess and improve their shelters

• references for creating regulations and statutes around sheltering, and benchmarks for organizational change

• guidance for animal housing in existing facilities and priorities for the design of new construction

• a living document that responds to developments in shelter medicine and animal care research and practice.

The new set of standards are based on the “Five Domains” model, derived from the “Five Freedoms.”

According to the ASV, “The standards illustrate how better or worse nutrition, environment, physical health, and behavioral opportunities combine to inform an animal’s mental state, which, in turn, informs their overall welfare.”

The standards of care document is broken down into 13 specific areas for review:

You can download the ASV Standards of Care at CarolinaTails.com/ASV-Standards-of-Care

LOOKING BACK :: 2022