this is animal care in control, but we're really we're proud to service our community in a humane public safety capacity.

You make this possible by donating, fostering, adopting, and spaying and neutering your pets.

hi and welcome back to Pet Life .

I'm Emilie Henry and we're so glad you're joining us today.

We are talking about animal welfare in our community including why pets enter shelters, the challenges facing pet owners today and what resources are available to help keep pets and families together .

As always, we want to hear from you too.

So give us a call or send us a text with your questions during the show and be sure to stick around until the end when we'll meet another adoptable pet.

Last week we met Joey Arthur and I'm thrilled to say he found his forever home to help us better understand how our community can work together to support animals, we are joined by Amy Jo Seitz, the director of Animal Care and Control.

>> Thank you for being here.

Well, thank you for having me.

This is such a big topic overall and really I guess I knew that but it wasn't until I started kind of digging in to prepare for this interview that I thought oh wow, we have a lot to cover when we hear pet welfare.

>> What does that mean from the perspective of the animal care and control organization?

So the first factor that we always have to look at for an animal control organization is the safety.

OK, so not only the safety of the pets but the safety of the community as well.

>> So we want to make sure that pets are obviously properly taken care of but we also want to make sure that our community is safe from maybe animals that aren't necessarily the most friendliest.

>> Yes.

Yes.

OK, so it's more than just making sure that animals are safe and fed.

>> You've got a hole.

It runs the gamut in terms of what you guys are concerned about.

Absolutely.

>> How much of pet welfare is about the animal versus supporting the person who owns that animal?

>> It actually goes hand in hand.

So not only are we looking out for the welfare of the pet itself but sometimes humans don't necessarily know exactly what they need to do so we're there to help guide them.

>> We are we obviously want to make sure that nothing was maliciously intent so we try to educate or provide resources, et cetera to make sure that we have harmonious relationships between humans and animals, which is sometimes easier said than done.

>> I'm sure you know better than anyone.

What are some of the most common reasons that pets come in to shelters or to animal care and control?

>> So that's actually a really great question because it does depend on what type of shelter it is.

So for an animal control organization mostly they are municipally ran which means that they're open admission they can't say no right.

>> So that means they have to take in everything that comes through their doors.

So as a municipal shelter, the number one reason why they get pets is usually because they're running stray which means they got away from their owners are off their own property.

Right.

The second reason is because owners have surrendered them.

>> Now if you're looking at a limited mission shelter there is a little bit different.

So they're usually looking at either owner surrenders or transfer ins from places like municipal shelters.

>> Right.

So it kind of goes hand in hand and it always depends on what type of shelter that you're talking about.

>> Yeah.

How often is the situation that the owner simply can't provide what the pet needs?

>> So what they're seeing nationally is actually an increase of people surrendering their pets because they can't meet the basic care needs that pets have.

We all know that there's rising costs in everything so and pet care is no different.

So that is generally the number one reason why people are surrendering their pets.

I want to talk some more about resources but before we get to that, are there circumstances where the owner wants to keep their pet but just feels like there aren't any options?

>> Absolutely.

And they don't know where to go.

So what most organizations do, whether it's a nonprofit or a municipal shelter, they try to do pet retention services so they provide them some opportunities to say hey, are you willing and then they provide them the resources that they can.

>> Nice.

OK, we talked about rising prices but what are some of the other challenges that pet owners face when they are kind of grappling with that decision ?

>> They want to keep their pet but don't know if they can it can actually range whether it's from access to vet care.

>> It can be pet friendly housing and it can also be behavior challenges.

Yes, those are all factors that people are like I don't know if I can keep this pet.

>> Have you seen any of those challenges of change or evolve over the years or do they stay pretty much the same?

>> No, actually we have seen nationally of course different statistics and a lot of it is those behavioral challenges that they're just like I don't know how to deal with X, Y, Z. Yes.

And so we try to provide different training opportunities or resources for them to get what they need in order to work through those issues.

>> I don't at least for my limited knowledge it seems to me like there is maybe a stigma around asking for help for a pet.

>> Why is it so important for pet owners to reach out before it gets to crisis stage?

>> Nobody wants to be judged right and I think that a lot of individuals don't want to ask for help because they're afraid that they're going to be either looked down upon or talked in a condescending tone, et cetera when honestly majority of shelter employees want to help people.

They don't want your animals at the shelter.

They really don't.

>> Yeah, they actually want you to keep your pets.

So if we can navigate those concerns, those issues, we're going to try to give them the resources possible.

>> So what happens if someone if a pet owner waits until it is an emergency situation then what are you dealing with?

>> So depending on the community that you're in, if you have an open admission shelter majority of the time they can just take in your pet.

So if there are no other options, that's why open admission shelters exist because they are your last option.

Yeah, yeah.

But you want it you don't want to get to that point.

Is there a point where a problem that could have been solved relatively easily kind of turned sideways and becomes much harder?

>> Yes, absolutely.

>> So think of individuals that are struggling with providing basic nutrition for their pets and they're doing the best that they can.

They're going to the pet food pantries and maybe they just stop feeding their pets.

Then it becomes something a little bit more intentional.

>> Yeah.

And then we as animal control agencies have to look at was this intentional?

>> Was this accidental?

Could there have been intervention?

Did they know better et cetera?

Yes.

So yes, but you don't want to get to that point.

So actually to that end, let's talk about responsible pet ownership.

What should someone think about before they get down the road of adopting or hopefully adopting a pet?

>> One of the things that I think we as humans sometimes forget is that animals are 100 percent reliant on you for everything, for everything and forever for their entire lives.

>> You are their whole world for their entire life .

So from basic nutrition, proper housing, even learning how to be that pet you want them to be I mean dogs and cats don't come out and go Oh I know what I'm supposed to do.

>> That's us as humans.

That's our responsibility to help guide them.

>> Yes.

So how should people kind of think about that commitment ?

>> I mean it's a marriage you can't get out of .

I mean again you can but nobody wants right turn it right.

>> So just like those challenging relationships that anyone has ever been in in a human side with a pet, there's going to be some challenges and you have to be able to navigate them, learn when to ask for help, not be afraid to ask for help and understand that it will pass.

>> So puppy stages oh they're so fun and they're so cute but when they're having trouble training or they're chewing up everything or you just didn't realize the time commitment because it's been 15 years since you've had a puppy.

>> So it's a lot and it's that commitment I mean you're looking at anywhere from 10 to 20 years depending on the type of pet you get.

Yes, What should families with children consider?

>> So when you were looking to adopt and you're like wow, you know, I really like this type of dog researcher breeds even if it's a mixed breed you should be researching that primary breed to try to figure out is it the best family dog?

>> Maybe it's not in your lifestyle.

Are you a travel sports family or are you more sedentary?

>> You're going to want to make sure that you're matching yourself with the proper pet to match your lifestyle.

And I'm imagining that when people come to adopt a pet that is something that you guys specialize in you can help when it comes to matching someone's lifestyle with with especially because you've likely had a little bit of time getting to know that that pet absolutely.

>> So what we try to do is we actually have those conversations where we're getting to know the people.

>> What do you think that you want?

Right.

And let's say that you are not necessarily a very active family.

Right.

You like to watch movie nights and you like to make sure that you're in the car and not necessarily hiking five miles a day.

>> You don't want a high energy Australian shepherd.

>> So it's one of those beautiful.

I know.

Yeah.

Yes.

And and looks isn't always the best component to look at.

>> Yes.

What about adopting a pet with behavioral needs?

I think we all you know, our hubris says we can handle that.

>> How do how do we navigate that get help right right up the gate.

OK, so when most shelters are adopting pets especially with behavioral concerns or things that they want you to watch out for , they're going to guide you to either a trainer or they're going to provide you a resource to help navigate those concerns to make sure that you're setting up the adapter and the pet for success because the last thing a shelter wants is for the animal to be returned because they didn't educate or they didn't properly prepare the adapter for what they were getting themselves into.

>> Sure.

OK, let's go upstream a little bit and talk about spay and neuter programs when it comes to reducing the number of homeless pets in our community, what impact can can one pet or one litter have on a shelter population?

>> So I'm going to give you an example of a cat.

OK, so one cat can have anywhere from six to eight kittens in a litter twice a year or so and they can get pregnant as early as four months of age.

>> You're kidding.

No, and they do not care about the family tree of course.

>> So our biggest thing is prevention.

If if people are concerned with the volume of animals that are at a shelter, it starts in the community.

So making sure that we're all being proactive, we're getting our own pet spayed or neutered if you're feeding outdoor, maybe stray or uncaused cats, you're getting them spayed or neutered because that all adds to the population problem.

>> So we want to make sure that we're all doing our part because it's it's not necessarily the shelter.

We're the end result.

>> Right, of what humans have done.

Yes.

OK, so what resources are available to us humans who are not always the brightest bulbs?

What if they can't afford these procedures?

>> I mean that's a real thing.

What do we do?

So you're actually very lucky with a community such as ours you have a lot of resources between the shelters so you can ask do you have low low cost spay neuter?

Do you have assistance for low cost spay neuter or are you offering free spay neuter?

>> And the answer to those three questions is yes, yes and yes.

>> So so there researched the shelters.

There is an option OK when we talk about reducing pet homelessness it's easy, as you mentioned to think that that responsibility lies with the shelter.

>> But how is the rest of the community at play?

So with anything we want to make sure that we're communicating effectively.

OK, so having your part doing your part with the spay neuter component, that's not just the only thing also promoting what the shelters are doing or what the shelters need whether it's social media engagement, OK, maybe going to their events, fostering, volunteering it's all of those things.

There's pet food pantries out there.

There's ways that the community can always be involved and also helping other people home their pets so they don't go to the shelter.

>> Yes, OK, so there's a lot of things lost animals there's always social media posts about those sharing them, keeping a lookout.

>> No, your neighbors know their pets.

Yeah.

Amy Jo, it looks like we have a text so let's see what question we have coming in.

>> Let me see has it come up?

>> I don't see it.

There it is.

We are thinking of getting another dog.

How do I introduce a new dog to my dog?

>> Oh that's that's a tricky one.

So that is actually a really great question.

>> So depending on where you're going which I'm hoping that you're going to a local shelter you're going to want to take your pet in so then you can have a conversation with those adoption counselors to make sure that that dog that you're interested in is tolerant of your dog and vice versa.

>> Yeah, sure.

So it's all of those components.

So making sure that you're educating yourself and know your dog know sometimes we actually have to be very self aware of what my dog struggles with, where it strives at and what it needs.

>> And not every dog is tolerant of other dogs.

Yeah.

And it's it's like with our kids we have blind spots.

We want to think that they're all great all the time but they they struggle in different ways.

So to be aware of that OK, before we took a question we you mentioned briefly fostering the potential to to foster an animal.

Give me a little bit more detail about that so that people know how they can help in that way.

>> Sure.

So normally with fostering the shelter will supply you with all the resources you need and you were a temporary shelter for that adoptable pet maybe it needs to gain weight.

>> Maybe it's recovering from a surgery, maybe it's just not quite old enough or maybe the shelter is full and needs animals temporarily out of their shelter to continue bringing in others.

>> Yeah.

So we want to keep those doors open and by fostering your helping those animals continue to have an opportunity to find their forever home.

>> Yeah let's say that I'm a pet owner watching and I'm struggling.

>> Maybe it's that I can't afford to feed my pets or maybe it's a behavioral issue.

>> Maybe my housing situation has changed.

>> What should I do before we reach that emergency point or that point where we are considering surrender, please contact your local shelters.

>> You'd be surprised at the resources that they have, the programs that are available, whether it's pointing you in the right direction of a pet friendly housing unit or landlord etc.

or assistance with spay neuter assistance with behavior guidance to a pet food pantry.

We don't want you to wait to the last minute and if you're struggling there are resources out there.

>> It can be vaccine clinics.

It can be some assistance for medical care depending on on the need of the pet.

So but don't be afraid to ask and look at your shelters.

>> They've got a lot of programs available and can we say one more time it's a judgment free zone and these people want to help you.

They want you to be able to keep your pet.

>> So we have to you know, put put your pride aside and think about what's best for that pet.

>> Let's say someone finds a stray animal.

What is the right thing to do?

Do they immediately bring them to you?

>> Do they get on social media?

What are what do we do?

So they file a found report that can be done online and actually you can submit a picture of the pet that you have.

OK, there's also social media components.

Facebook has lost dogs of like for instance ah Fort Wayne or lost dogs at Fort Wayne Lost lost Katsof Fort Wayne and you can submit that information immediately.

>> The goal is to obviously try to keep the pet out of the shelter.

>> Now if you are not able to keep that pet at your home because you have to keep it there for 30 days.

>> Oh I didn't know yeah.

Now but any point in time if you can't that's why we're here.

>> Yes but the goal is to try to get it connected with the owner before it even has to come to the shelter.

>> Sure.

But public safety is first we don't want you to risk your pet your kids yourself.

>> Right by keeping an unknown animal in your home.

That's why we're here.

OK, that makes perfect sense.

Amy Jo, I feel I'm so glad that I know you're going be coming back in subsequent weeks because I know we have so much more to talk about.

Real quickly before we go to adoption corner, if you do find a stray that appears to be injured.

Yes.

What do you do you need to contact animal care and control.

>> OK, we have officers on the streets from seven a.m.

to one a.m.

seven days a week.

>> Wow.

Yeah.

You guys are angels.

We drive.

Yeah.

And what if you find a litter of kittens or puppies?

>> Is it the same thing you want to so there's actually some information on our website called Do Not Kidnap.

>> Oh gosh because it happens.

It is it is.

You'd be surprised the mama cats probably around but we can help guide you doing a field the foster program so you can help foster and then once they're of age we can help you with the spay neuter vaccinations etc get them into our adoption program and call it a day .

>> Yes OK what is one thing you would say to a pet owner who is struggling?

What what is the the biggest take away.

They are obviously maybe embarrassed.

They are they are struggling in in their own ways.

>> What's the biggest takeaway don't weight ask.

There are so many resources and we don't want anyone to get themselves into a predicament where either the animal gets harmed or becomes ill or sick etc.

Ask ask for help.

There's a lot resources out there.

>> OK, Amy Jo, we are going to get ready to head over to Adoption Corner.

I can't wait to see who we have today.

From what I understand she's a cutie.

She is a cutie.

>> All right, let's head over >> All right, let's head over OK?

We are joined by I was not wrong.

She is so precious.

>> This is Zoe.

Oh, I'm in trouble.

I know she is.

No it's not a good time.

I would not be OK.

It's OK but boy is she sweet.

Zoe is seven years old.

>> Yeah looks a little bit more about her.

Yes so Zoe came to us as an owner surrender which means that her owner could no longer provide the care that she needed and basically Zoe's got a lot of curious energy.

>> OK, so the perfect home is going to have a fenced in yard and or the ability to take her on a lot of different walks so she can get that curiosity satisfied.

>> She wants to explore.

She does she wants to explore even at seven.

Yeah I love that for her.

Yeah OK what about other pets?

So she is dog tolerant and what we mean by that is she's like I can coexist with other dogs but really my favorite but loves people ok yeah she's not a huge fan even though she's a small dog of being carried and held.

Yep.

Which is fine yeah.

>> So we have always respect their boundaries of course yeah.

And what about kids because they're not always great at respecting correct sound so we would always recommend that you bring in your kids so she can tell you whether or not this is going to be a good match but humans were good but you know unfortunately we don't have like a plethora of children just hanging around at the shelter so we kind of have to take that into consideration.

>> Why are you hiding your cute face?

You are so sweet.

OK, we want to remind you as always that if you are interested in adopting Zoe or any of the other pets that you saw this evening, you want to be sure to call animal care and control or you can scan the QR code on your screen.

Don't call us here at PBSC because we can't help you but they can help you at Animal Care and Control and they can hopefully get you matched up.

>> Remember it's first come first serve so you have to jump on it if you are interested.

Amy Jo, what else should we about Zoe or any other of the adoptable pets that you have at Animal Care and Control right.

So what we would recommend strongly is going ahead and applying online.

So that's one less step you have to do at the shelter especially because like you said, it is first come first serve if you do have other dogs we always suggest that you bring them in and small children what is the application process like is am I going to set aside a half an hour to do that or it takes less than ten minutes.

>> OK, it really does.

Yeah.

>> Yeah.

And what what are some of the things that I'm going to need to take into consideration?

We want to make sure that people obviously have their history of their pets like you know what pets you had in the past.

>> What pets do you have currently?

>> You know what kind of kids do you have in the house?

What's your lifestyle like all of the fun things.

Yes, all the good stuff.

All the good stuff again, it's those they're not even Nuance's really they're they're big components of whether or not it's going to be a good match.

>> Right this Zoe hi.

to you.

>> So cute.

She's sweet as can be now art are there adoptable pets other than cats and dogs at the moment?

Yes, a little bit yes.

So we do have smallpox pets so I know we have rabbits and I know we have guinea pigs available.

So these are all things that we see on The Daily Show.

>> So you just never know our website changes every day.

OK, so because we had animals in every so it's constantly changing.

So what you see today may not necessarily be there tomorrow because it's been adopted same day send homes is what we do.

I had to stop looking because it was just like I'm in love with Zola and it's just not a perfect stage of life but we're going to get there and when we do oh I can't wait.

So if Zoe looks like she might be perfect for you or any of the other adoptable pets that you saw this evening, again scan that QR code or go to an animal here and controls website at the very least fill out an application so that you are ready when you do find that pet that feels like it might be a perfect fit.

Amy Jo, thank you so much for being with me.

>> Like I said, I'm thrilled that you're going to be back more so that we can talk about all of the things animals.

>> Yes.

There's so much to cover .

Lot to cover .

Yes.

I appreciate it, Miss Zoe.

I hope you find your forever home.

>> Thank you all for being here and we will see you next time on Pet this is animal care in control, but we're really we're proud to service our community in a humane public safety capacity.

You make this possible by donating, fostering, adopting, and spaying and neutering your pets.