On September 27, 2011 the Talk About It! Campaign, hosted an event called “Reno Achieved No Kill: San Antonio CAN too!” featuring , an open community conversation at the Norris Conference Center from 6PM to about 9PM.
In attendance were two No Kill experts from Washoe County in Reno, Nevada. Our featured experts were Bonney Brown, executive director of the Nevada Humane Society, and Mitch Schneider, the current manager of the Washoe County Regional Animal Services. They both shared multiple strategies on how Reno became a No Kill community. It is our goal, San Antonio, to duplicate their success in our own community deep in the heart of Texas. There are eight different topics to be covered in our blog, so there will be a total of eight posts to browse through!
These questions were submitted by community members that were in attendance at the event through their registration, a written submission during our conversation, or there was unfortunately not enough time for these questions to be answered at the event.
Here we go San Antonio: Questions regarding Animal Control are answered below!
Q: How have you been able to strike a healthy balance between enforcement and care?
A: Reno has a contract between Washoe County RAS and the Nevada Humane Society.
- Reno and Sparks have a small tax that was used to build their joint facility.
- There is a business relationship between the agencies.
- As partners, they look at the big picture and look for ways to solve problems together.
They understand and have respect for each other’s roles.
Q: Does Reno use microchips or license tags?
A: Reno uses microchips and license tags are optional. Reno has its own database for the microchips, which it updates upon adoption.
Q: In Reno, do you euthanize based on the time an animal is in the shelter or only if the kennel space is needed?
A: Neither. The live release rate between the Washoe County RAS and the Nevada Humane Society is 91%. Only irremediably sick, injured, or aggressive animals are euthanized.
Q: In Reno, do you euthanize puppies and kittens?
A: Not unless they are sick or injured.
Q: Please talk about pet limits. What should city governments do to make sure people don’t turn into hoarders?
A: Washoe County has a limit of 3 dogs and 7 cats per residence. More than that requires a kennel or cattery permit.
There are eight different topics so there will be a total of eight posts to browse through! Make sure to enrich our blog with feedback! Our next blog post will feature Q & A regarding San Antonio/Bexar County Specifics!
