FRUIT HEIGHTS — Over the years, the Davis County Animal Shelter has gone from euthanizing nearly 30 percent of stray and lost pets turned in there to saving almost all the animals' lives.
But that higher than 90 percent save rate may be hanging in the balance as the facility conducts a national search for a new director.
"It's important for the community to look at what they want for their pets should they end up at the shelter when you're on vacation or otherwise not able to be with them," said Christine Everill, who has been actively calling out the shelter and county commissioners on various social media sites.
Everill said she's worried that common, life-saving policies and procedures have changed under the direction of transition administration at the shelter, 1422 E. 600 North.
Davis County Commissioner Randy Elliott, however, said "nothing has changed."
"Davis County and (Davis County Animal Care and Control) remain fully committed to operating a no-kill animal shelter," Elliott said Wednesday, adding that the save rate has increased substantially in recent years.
The "unchanged commitment to the community" and the animals the shelter serves is demonstrated by the ongoing renovation to accommodate more animals more safely, as well as an adoption promotion that waives all fees for cats and lowers them to $50 for dogs, he said.
"We make every effort to reach out to all of our organizations if we have animals that can be adopted," Elliott said, adding that he's irritated by the onslaught of what he says are unfounded complaints.
The Davis County Animal Shelter is one of more than 30 that have partnered with Best Friends Animal Society to achieve a 90 percent save rate throughout the state by 2019.
The organization reports that Davis County increased its save rate from 73 percent in 2014 to 93 percent so far this year, making it "a valuable partner" in the effort toward no more homeless pets in Utah, said Temma Martin, public relations specialist with Best Friends Animal Society.
"While recent changes at the shelter have caused some to question their commitment to a no-kill philosophy, county leadership has assured us they will continue to strive to save every healthy and treatable animal that enters their facility," she said. "Davis County Animal Service remains a 'No-Kill Utah Coalition' member, and Best Friends will continue to partner and engage with the shelter to achieve our mutual goals."
Some animals are too sick or too aggressive to be safely placed for adoption, which makes up the remaining 10 percent of animals who end up euthanized, Martin said.
Everill said that if it weren't for the exceptional care given to a cat called Lucifer at the Davis County shelter years ago, she wouldn't have him in her home today. Everill adopted the once-beastly stray and renamed him Galileo, she said, "because he's really not mean at all."
"I've felt the effects of their life-saving work," she said. "I wouldn't have this cat if the employees there hadn't done what they did to save his life."
In addition to Galileo, Everill is sheltering 20 kittens in her Herriman home until they are old enough and healthy enough to be adopted through various agencies.
She wants other Utahns, specifically in Davis County, to have the same privilege of knowing that their animals will be lovingly cared for if they end up at the shelter.
"I want the shelter to be a safe place for the animals who end up there, whether they are lost pets or surrendered pets," Everill said.
And she believes that when shelters have a good attitude about healthily controlling pet populations, the public will, too.
"It's more than just procedure. It becomes an attitude of the employees and the director, and the community eventually gets involved in the no-kill idea, spaying and neutering their own pets," Everill said.
She humanely traps cats all over the state when caregivers express an interest in controlling the feline population in their area. Mostly, however, Everill teaches and encourages property owners and animal caregivers to do it themselves. She helps to get those sick or feral cats to a vet, and works with various partners to spay or neuter them before returning them to where they were found.
"I rarely take the kittens to the shelter because I know I could overburden the shelter on my own," Everill said, adding that she never considered owning or adopting a cat until she saw the overwhelming need to help.
"They populate really quickly," she said.
Kitten season, which typically runs from March to October, is winding down, which could also be the reason so many cats are showing up at shelters around the state. Elliott said he believes the sheer numbers could be what is clouding the shelter's efforts.
Employees are still working to save as many animal lives as possible, he said, and they will continue to do so.
Everill said she hopes Davis County residents become actively concerned in who's hired to fill the director position at the shelter.
"I want the new director to continue the amazing work that Davis County has been doing for several years," she said. "I want it to go back to the way the shelter was years ago or continue the direction they were going.
"I think it is really worthwhile to the community."