BREAKING NEWS

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The good news: The number of dogs impounded by the Orange County animal shelter dropped 5.3 percent last year, and the total number euthanized fell 5.4 percent.

But the shelter’s kill rate for dogs remained steady at 25 percent, as it has for years. Translated, that means one out of every four dogs taken in doesn’t get out alive.

The odds of survival are a heck of a lot better for pooches than for cats: Three out of every four felines was euthanized at the shelter, due to an overwhelming tide of feral cats and underage kittens.

Overall, about half of the animals taken in by the Orange County shelter are euthanized. It is the county’s largest shelter by far, serving 22 cities and the unincorporated areas.

Between 2010 and 2011, according to shelter statistics:

The total number of dogs impounded dropped from 15,134 to 14,333 (the aforementioned 5.3 percent);
The total number of dogs adopted dropped much less than one might expect statistically, from 6,168 to 6,124 (0.7 percent);
The total euthanized dropped from 3,771 to 3,567 (the aforementioned 5.4 percent);
But the total returned to their owners dropped from 3,376 to 3,054 (9.5 percent).

That last part is an area of special concern.

Only 11 percent of dogs – 1,786 – came into the shelter with any sort of identification last year, be it license, microchip, tag with name and phone number, or anything else, said director Ryan Drabek. That’s a lot better than it was for cats — only 1 percent of cats had ID — but it’s something Drabek really wants to stress.

Of the animals that come into the shelter with some sort of identification, 57 percent are returned to their owners, and only 17 percent are euthanized.

It’s a much bleaker picture for animals that come in without identification. For them, only 8 percent are returned to their owners, and 57 percent are euthanized.

Another trend is the sort of dogs that are winding up in the shelter: Nearly half of them – 40 percent of them — are Chihuahuas and pit bulls. Drabek isn’t willing to say that this is a result of backyard breeding — our theory — but something’s going on out there.

“We’re not really certain of the sources, but it is an interesting statistic,” Drabek said. “It may be more the popularity of the breeds, but ultimately they are both breeds that need special attention and training and can be difficult to manage without the right amount of both.”

In the big picture, the number of animals of all kinds impounded by the Orange County animal shelter fell by 4.2 percent (from 32,390 to 31,044); and the number euthanized fell by 3 percent (from 15,093 to 14,634), perhaps reflecting a pick-up in the economy.

Drabek wants to concentrate this year on getting more animals licensed, and hopes to secure funding for a trap-neuter-release program to impact the large number of feral and underage kittens that meet their end at the shelter.

SPECIAL NEWS UPDATES:

Keeping Our Supporters In The Know...

See our Adoption Success Stories page to read about how the Pet Rescue Center continues "Creating Families!"

Read about us in COAST Magazine!

A Day in the Life of... Casey Oliver

The operations director of The Pet Rescue Center spends her days making sure pets find happy homes.

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Dr. Wheaton shares his advice for tackling common allergies seen in dogs.
Allergies, for both dogs and their humans, can be triggered by food and in the environment surrounding them.

Read Interview with Dr. Wheaton: Itching for a Solution

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Want to know all about our Medical Needs Program and our latest rescue "Chaya"?

Meet CHAYA - Thanks for helping us brighten the LIFE of this sweet, starved and negected wanderer.  The doctors and staff of Alicia Pet Care Center and Volunteers of The PRC have been instrumental in her rehabilitation.

As of May 15, 2011 Chaya went home to her new family! Click to read our blog about her "A Dog's Journey To Happiness"

Read the OC Register Article about Chaya!!!
Starved dog rescued near death is now walking

I would like to Donate towards Pets like Chaya, who need rehabilitation.

October 2009 - AZURE - the sweet blue nose pit bull - is now in our care and available for adoption immediately! We need your help to find her a qualified new family and to fund raise for her care while we carefully find her a new home. >>Click to download Press Release about Azure. Click to view: OC Register Article

May 2009 - We Proudly Introduce Our New Cat Adoption Partner: Pet Country - The Health Food Pet Store in Lake Forest, CA- featuring kitty condos housing PRCs Rescue Cats & Kittens available for your in store meet & greets during store hours! Come meet your new family member at Pet Country!

1/20/09 - Dr. Wheaton, Alicia Pet Care Center, and The Pet Rescue Center are all over the news regarding an 8th month old Pit-Bull Pup named "Azure" that was stabbed 7 times. You can read about the story HERE. If you would like to donate to help "Azure" and others like her, please click on the donate button on the left.

1/17/09 - We rescued 16 dogs from the Merced County Shelter today..10 of them are just little baby pups! Thanks to New Beginnings for helping to transport them down to us.

12/8/08 - The Pet Rescue Center and the Alicia Pet Care Center's HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE was a huge success and raised almost $10,000 for the Pet Rescue Center.

10/16/08 - We have our first participant in our "Queen of Spays" program. We will be getting 4 kittens to adopt out in exchange for spaying the momma cat for free.

10/15/08 - The Pet Rescue Center rescues 6 dogs from the Orange County Shelter including two 8 week old lab/pit mix puppies.

9/29/08 - We get 2 Pit-Bull puppies from Nanette and Loving Grace Rescue.   They should be up for adoption real soon!   Keep checking back to see them.

9/23/08 - Dr. Wheaton, The Pet Rescue Center, and Affordable Spay and Neuter of Orange County all featured on KOCE TV's Real Orange Television Show. Click HERE to view the show.

9/21/08 - The Pet Rescue Center and Affordable Spay and Neuter of Orange County featured in the Orange County Register! Click HERE to read the story.

9/5/08 - "Juliette" featured as Pet of the Week on KDOC's Daybreak OC morning news.

9/3/08 - The Pet Rescue Center is featured on Newport Beach Tv's "Pick a Pet" Show. Click HERE for link to show.

8/22/08 - "Oreo" featured as Pet of the Week on KDOC's Daybreak OC morning news.

8/8/08 - We rescued 4 more dogs from the Merced County Shelter. Check them out today and help us get them new homes. Thanks to Diane Klein from New Beginnings for transporting them to us.

7/15/08 - Our founder, Dr. Wheaton, opens a Spay & Neuter Clinic. All net proceeds will benefit The Pet Rescue Center.

7/2/08 - We had our first pet adoption!! "Sawyer," a cattledog mix now has a new home thanks to the Christy Family.

5/24/08 - We move into our temporary new home... sharing Alicia Pet Care Center brand new state of the art facility.

5/17/08 - We've rescued our 1st pet - We call her Pickle! This happy Labrador mix needs a warm loving family.

5/7/08 - After hearing about an overwhelming need in Orange County we have decided to open a low cost spay/neuter clinic... "Affordable Spay & Neuter"

4/11-13/08 - PET EXPO 2008 @ OC FAIRGROUNDS

4/5/08 - Our Inaugural event PROVIDING SHELTER BENEFIT was a huge success!

3/5/08 - The Pet Place Radio Show (KGIL1260 FM/540AM) Interview with PRC Co Founder Blythe Wheaton

2/27/08 - Laguna Beach Board of Realtor's Meeting - Guest Speaker Founders of The PRC

12/2/07 - BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS Event in Laguna Beach, CA

11/07 - Dr. Matthew & Blythe Wheaton Founded The Pet Rescue Center of Orange County