Press Room

Contact:
Rich Avanzino
President, Maddie's Fund
(510) 337-8979

Second Year Results Are in for Maddie's Pet Rescue Project in Lodi

LODI ADOPTIONS UP 50%

SPAY/NEUTER UP 153%

DEATHS OF HEALTHY PETS DOWN 77%

(Alameda – February 2003). The second year results from Maddie's Pet Rescue Project in Lodi are so good, the Project will likely reach its goal of saving all of the community's healthy, adoptable shelter dogs and cats by the end of its third year -- two years ahead of schedule.

Adoptions: Over the past two years, adoptions in Lodi have gone up a staggering 50%. In the baseline year of 1999, 1,032 cats and dogs found loving new homes in Lodi. In the Project's first year, 1,368 animals were placed in new homes. Last year, the number increased to 1,558.

Shelter deaths: Deaths of healthy, shelter dogs and cats have declined by 77% since 1999. In that year, 559 healthy animals were euthanized in the Lodi shelter. In the Project's second year, the number plummeted to 131.

Shelter deaths of animals in all categories have declined 46% over the past two years. In 1999, 1,464 dogs and cats were killed in the shelter. Last year the number dropped to 790, a reduction in deaths of 674.

Spay/Neuter: Spay/neuter surgeries have increased by 153% over the past two years. In 1999, 3,061 dogs and cats were spayed and neutered in Lodi, both in animal shelters and by private practice veterinarians. The figure rose to 8,801 in the first year of Maddie's Pet Rescue Project and to 7,742 in the second year. In the past two years, 16,543 spay/neuter surgeries have been performed.

For a detailed report on this Project, go to http://www.maddies.org/projects/lodi/lodi_proj.html.