WVHS outperforms state and national rescue numbers

CHELAN—Representatives from the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society (WVHS) addressed the city council on Tuesday, June 25, in the wake of Executive Director James Pumphrey's sudden departure the previous day. Pumphrey, who was listed on the council agenda as the presentation spokesman, was replaced by WVHS Board President Patrick Davidson and Director of Operations Sgt. Nomi Stunzman.

Davidson spoke about both WVHS services and how the City of Chelan figures into the case and cost ratio.

Davidson opened his address with 2023 rescue numbers, reflecting that WVHS outperformed both state and national averages for shelters with a government contract for the intake of dogs and cats. In 2023, WVHS took in 1,628 dogs compared with the national average of 1,121 and the state average of 1,071. Likewise, the number of cat intakes was 1,675 compared with 1.509 (state) and 1,194 (national).

A sobering aspect of Davidson’s report concerned the costs associated with proper animal care, beginning with the $9,310 average annual total cost to provide care for a single Chelan animal. This includes officer time and training, case time and follow-up, transportation, and maintenance expenses. WVHS received 38 animals from Chelan last year.

It costs a minimum of $400 to train an animal control officer (ACO), and with hourly pay ranging from $20.70 to $24, the monthly gross wage per ACO is from $3,588 to $4.500. 

Davidson described Stunzman, a WVHS staff member since 2016, as a “very well decorated” Director of Operations.

Stunzman is also well experienced. Among her awards is the 2021 Excellence in Animal Cruelty Investigation Award. She is a Washington Care and Control Academy graduate and TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) and Fear Free certified, among other qualifications.

Chelan animal calls

WVHS received 503 Chelan calls last year and investigated 117. By category, they involved:

• Domestic animals/Livestock at large – 60.
• Animals neglected/Injured – 30.
• Aggressive dogs/Animal bites – 22.
• Animal cruelty – 5.

There were 45 reports of lost and found animals.

Animals received from Chelan

• Strays: Dogs 15, Cats 8.
• Adoptions within the community: Dogs 12, Cats 4.
• Owner requested euthanasia: Dogs 6, Cats 4, Other 1.
• Owner surrender: Dogs 4, Cats 7.

The average 80-mile round trip to Chelan requires about two hours plus an average of one hour of case time, Davidson said. Costs for each truck trip at 19-20 mpg and $4.50/gallon fuel costs about $18. The average case follow up time before closure takes three to four days and 16-20 hours of APC desk and commute time. The average minimum cost per case is $414.

Annual truck maintenance is a minimum of $1,572.80.

As the figures document, animal control does not come cheap, and costs are increasing.

Also increasing, despite the good work, is the need.

“Cases are on the rise,” said Davidson. “As populations grow, more animals are out there…hopefully through education, we can stop some of those cases.”

The WVHS 2023 24-page annual report is available to read online at Wenatcheehumane.org.

Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483 or michael@ward.media