We appreciate all of you who’ve continued to help and support our mission to save the animals from the Brownfield Animal Shelter in spite of 2020’s uncertainty and tumult.
We want to share some amazing news, but feel a little context is necessary first.
It takes a team to begin to make progress, and a huge one to make loads of progress, when it comes to rescuing animals. Our team currently consists of FBAS volunteers, Animal Control (with the PD and city too!), Terry County Vet, all of you (our supporters), fosters, and a wide net of rescue partners.We want to note right here that NOTHING happens instantly. It takes time to arrange rescue, rescue transports, and to prepare rescue tagged animals to leave. It takes a lot of energy, time, and money to save animals.
Because of our growing team, over the last few years in particular, we’ve been able to steadily increase Brownfield Animal Shelter’s save rate.
Here’s the yearly save rate of the last few years:
2017 – 50%
2018 – 63.9%
2019 – 69.6%
COVID has had a huge impact on everyone, and rescuers aren’t exempt. But it also greatly impacted shelter intake for 2020. Thanks to the Pet Pantry (and supporters who’ve helped keep it stocked), a lot of dogs kept their homes instead of being surrendered because their owners couldn’t afford to feed them anymore.
More people were home or were able to work from home, which meant less dogs were escaping to run loose, and fewer unintended litters occurred. More people were willing to foster the dogs they needed to rehome until we were able to secure rescue placement, as well, which has been a HUGE help. The P.E.T.S. clinic in Lubbock opened, offering low-cost spay/neuter in our area.
Because of all of that, we are very excited to share the Brownfield Animal Shelter’s save rate for 2020, as of the end of October: 2020 – 91.7%
Anything over a 90% save rate is considered “no-kill.” While this is absolutely a cause for celebration, we need to remind everyone that it’s not an easy thing to reach or maintain.
It takes, and puts, a LOT of work on Animal Control, FBAS volunteers, and our more local sister rescues such as Reeds Rescue Ranch and Panhandle Paws of Hope, both of which hold animals for us until they can be transported to their final rescues.
We all want to keep that save rate high, and we know our supporters want to help us do that.
We do need to remind everyone that “no-kill” doesn’t mean zero animals are put to sleep. It only means that more than 90% leave the shelter alive by being reclaimed by owners, adopted, or sent to rescue.
Animal Control professionals are beginning to prefer “socially conscious sheltering” instead of “no-kill”, which means that every healthy, adoptable animal is saved—and that has been our goal over the years.
Thank you for being part of our team and helping us achieve such a fantastic save rate! We really can’t do it without you!
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