[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6540685,"mediaKeyId","3340466-ac26d9a059a61f336f5797ea2cee0b0b","parentId",3340466,"title","Community CATS reports surge in TNR work, urges unified data and targeted hot-spot mapping","audioSeconds",1707,"startMs",9283000,"endMs",10990000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3340466-ac26d9a059a61f336f5797ea2cee0b0b&start=9283&end=10990","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3340466-ac26d9a059a61f336f5797ea2cee0b0b/thumbnail_9283000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6540685/Washoe-County/Nevada/Community-CATS-reports-surge-in-TNR-work-urges-unified-data-and-targeted-hot-spot-mapping","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6540685-afa9b0589420d932f792a88b71172b24/orig.mp4?Expires=1770644970&Signature=XOYpeplCzQ4Bk8wKZau9TFMgu71qwi3yVm6uIKDaNaa-IhaJ-mJlWOSvf0UDVUK6N4seaPreUhl5f4tJMd1h7fE~Hs13vwFTu59SmRhI0rOqHxvEXdVgFSwRi9431xLsM1e4uR-q9f-VftAvOBry2Hru5u-Qeg6leyWJ5fWik-cDUyBQyHx3~m73ZK0PN6QtL~w7at5f5Zss-ZRvJ769AWGgEgH3hpwAMMTzIRUWdG63dgDU8sd0P03N04GOl7WQ511nr6Dq7hTz8gPYUBat4tf2AcGDi50D5KINSMzZc12Oti9ZIKYuWaOIRJ49pX12xQUzjWRwZzftr~TbBKMwAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Washoe County, NV","date","2025-05-17T07:34:22Z","article","Community CATS, the local grassroots TNR (trap-neuter-return) organization, told the advisory board on May 16 that its recent work has increased sterilizations and that coordinated data and targeted geographic mapping are needed to sustain reductions in free-roaming cat populations.

Director Tracy Dean said Community CATS helped more than 562 cats from January through April 2025 and that at a minimum 274 female cats were spayed in that period — preventing litters that would already be producing subsequent generations if left unchecked. She highlighted a December 3 expansion of county TNR clinic capacity as a major turning point that allowed volunteers to increase throughput.

Dean urged partners to unify data collection and to use targeted mapping rather than broad measures. She presented a multi-year ZIP-code chart that identifies 89502, 89433 (Sun Valley) and 89431 (Downtown Sparks) as higher-volume ZIP codes, and recommended building heat maps at finer geographic resolution to identify specific neighborhoods where TNR will be most effective.

\"TNR is the fundamental, sustainable and economic approach to preventing cat overpopulation,\" Dean said. \"We cannot adopt our way out of this.\" The organization asked for continued operational support, data sharing from partner agencies and funding so volunteers can scale targeted clinics.

Ending — Next steps: Community CATS said it will continue field operations, expand data coordination with county and shelter partners, and work with WCRAS and NHS on mapping priorities so grant funding and volunteer time can be focused where sterilizations will have the greatest effect on shelter intake.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regional Animal Services Advisory Board | May 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Community CATS told the board it helped more than 560 cats in early 2025, sterilized hundreds of females and called for coordinated data collection and ZIP-code heat mapping to make targeted TNR more effective.","taxTitle","Washoe County, Nevada","taxId",2669,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6540689,"Options Veterinary Care reports ARPA-funded spay/neuter activity and free TNR work for Washoe County residents",1452,7572000,9024000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3340466-ac26d9a059a61f336f5797ea2cee0b0b&start=7572&end=9024","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3340466-ac26d9a059a61f336f5797ea2cee0b0b/thumbnail_7572000.jpg","/articles/6540689/Washoe-County/Nevada/Options-Veterinary-Care-reports-ARPA-funded-spayneuter-activity-and-free-TNR-work-for-Washoe-County-residents","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6540689-23b1ffe4e9717711ba42304d0bf7c9ac/orig.mp4?Expires=1770644970&Signature=CtR~enaTHCuQO28lUQ81wpzDZGZQYX0Ul0Hqt4gNfSCA1aVWEwDVZUz8Rvg81IXUaN8buB5A0Mg~mHzYjsWzMivi-5c4U7HCYRccwZEbjSzVqcpEJNNXxhBMgshJku3fxBnlZQvYlIPDgwsRO4zWgk6kUoe6LOX4xF7UTjYRV21i0VGiOjNqGrXAGal5qGllETEESlDGyg-kwuDG8UneL6LBs-tjACUmIX7taKFZFTfAOL90a2Soa1n0w1RaCjBRKR1WDM-c24ZUYwGiv15bs1dZ-271KDB66XhvmjrwjWXtNrvY0K4Vv9oTN5R3OR7ZZNi-Kp8B-0RlZ-FdWKdI8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Options Veterinary Care presented its use of Washoe County ARPA funds on May 16, reporting that the nonprofit clinic performed 1,634 spay and neuter surgeries between December and April and that 623 of those procedures will be covered by the county reimbursement award.

Bonnie Brown, executive director of Options, said the clinic — a nonprofit full-service veterinary practice since 2020 — focuses its services on owners who cannot otherwise afford care. \"Our mission is to provide care to pets who would otherwise suffer without it when owners cannot afford care,\" Brown said.

Options said its ARPA-funded program will provide free TNR spay/neuter surgeries for cats trapped within Washoe County, free surgeries for rescue groups pulling from county animal services, and affordable or subsidized surgery for county pet owners with financial need. Brown described a collaborative February campaign that targeted spay/neuter awareness and set a 500-surgery target; the campaign surpassed that goal with 542 surgeries in February alone, provided across partners and clinics.

The clinic also described sliding-scale and case-by-case pricing. Brown said the clinic works with grant support, partner vouchers and donations to cover costs for people who cannot pay. Options reported about 20–24 staff and several part-time veterinarians; the organization is also recruiting for additional full-time clinical staff to sustain expanded capacity.

Ending — Next steps and reporting: Options said it will submit the county reimbursement invoice and provide more detailed breakdowns of surgery origin (TNR, owner-owned, rescue) at future updates. The clinic asked the board to note that TNR work and partner collaborations make the county program more effective at reducing shelter intake.
","Options Veterinary Care described how county ARPA funds support free TNR and rescue surgeries, reported 1,634 spay/neuter surgeries performed since the award period began and said 623 of those will be reimbursed under the county grant.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6540694,"Nevada Humane Society reports rising owner surrenders and expands spay/neuter services under ARPA grant",2356,4926000,7282000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3340466-ac26d9a059a61f336f5797ea2cee0b0b&start=4926&end=7282","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3340466-ac26d9a059a61f336f5797ea2cee0b0b/thumbnail_4926000.jpg","/articles/6540694/Washoe-County/Nevada/Nevada-Humane-Society-reports-rising-owner-surrenders-and-expands-spayneuter-services-under-ARPA-grant","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6540694-e014e572f3858d1726169a230eb46180/orig.mp4?Expires=1770644970&Signature=e9ID9tIMPz6wcb3Al54xDHHGOPBpSlSTRaMUtE1NGkREzOFG5Zd00g19LDkcCJTlJCRzK1pO4bs96QBux~Al6gK13sWIJfiDh2~K4w8IUVwejCWzLuP-irO0eQnj9nxhRCmMQVfQA6ky9wdvMx3rnvXRq7VIARRGeKhmYasXQgPtEN6zC3hUsZGLaHUSh6PfgvHGo2~aLNdOzA1GE9aBQAVJglxzYiJkq7ctyvX43MgrJCOfUCtUouduFkkuSdzu~QOrUJHcur3jMufHcd7F7D~YEET8MPRrV4ijS5QE4oRSZaLMImuEO-0~eWFIdcljo1jO8b~bGZ~fShfeDyvLYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Nevada Humane Society (NHS) told the Washoe County advisory board on May 16 that the organization continues to take in a large share of unclaimed animals from Washoe County and is expanding community spay/neuter services after winning a county-administered ARPA reimbursement grant.

\"In the first quarter of 2025, Nevada Humane Society transferred in 90% of unclaimed dogs and an astounding 96% of unclaimed cats from WCRAS,\" CEO Jerlene Bryant said. She described NHS as a donor-funded public-surrender facility that handles owned-animal relinquishments and Good Samaritan intakes; NHS does not receive city or county taxpayer funding for this work, she said.

NHS reported a shift in intake patterns: the organization saw a large rise in owner relinquishments in Q1 2025 — 272 owner surrenders in the quarter — a 64% increase versus the same quarter last year, Bryant said. NHS said kitten season was already well under way and that foster resources were supporting hundreds of kittens; at the time of the presentation NHS reported about 350 kittens in foster care that morning.

On outcomes, NHS described progress lowering length of stay: the organization reported an 8.4-day average for cats in March and a 14.7-day average for dogs, metrics Bryant said are used to measure operational efficiency and support adoptions. NHS noted high public demand for adoptable cats and dogs and said shorter length of stay helps move more animals through the system.

NHS also described a client-case example it used to illustrate foster and medical support: \"Nightshade,\" a critically ill newborn kitten that received emergency foster and clinical support and was later adopted, was presented as an example of the cradle-to-adoption support NHS provides.

Spay/neuter expansion: Bryant described the ARPA-funded spay-and-neuter expansion, which NHS began staffing and equipping in early 2025. NHS hired Dr. Jennifer Fitzpatrick to lead community medicine and surgery, repaired a mobile surgical van, purchased medical equipment and increased scheduling capacity. Bryant reported that NHS had completed 677 sterilizations to date as part of the initiative and is targeting 4,000 additional surgeries under the two-year grant. The grant is a county-administered reimbursement award; Hospice said NHS has not yet received reimbursement and that the organization is covering startup costs while the county grant reimbursement process continues.

Bryant said the spay/neuter expansion will increase affordable access to surgery, vaccines and microchipping for owned pets and support rescue and TNR partners. She said the new surgery capacity will be used for public appointments, foster support and partnership surgeries to reduce community intake.

Ending — Financial note and next steps: NHS said the ARPA award is a reimbursement grant; the organization is advancing program costs and will submit invoices to Washoe County. NHS pledged to report back to the advisory board with updated surgery volumes and data that separate TNR, owner-surrender and other sources of surgery demand.
","NHS reported increased owner surrenders and kitten intake in early 2025, described operational gains in length-of-stay and adoptions, and outlined a spay/neuter expansion backed by an American Rescue Plan Act reimbursement grant with a 4,000-surgery goal.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6540699,"Washoe County, Nevada Humane Society adopt shared protocol to keep dangerous dogs out of the community",1258,2890000,4148000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3340466-ac26d9a059a61f336f5797ea2cee0b0b&start=2890&end=4148","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3340466-ac26d9a059a61f336f5797ea2cee0b0b/thumbnail_2890000.jpg","/articles/6540699/Washoe-County/Nevada/Washoe-County-Nevada-Humane-Society-adopt-shared-protocol-to-keep-dangerous-dogs-out-of-the-community","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6540699-d250bed366725d0b2f86d436dd0a37b0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770644970&Signature=FM~0OALrgSCJkZQ2lM2DCoo0ou08zHyfPcKiJs~9aiodG644PhCjFmpE0sdoyCwjtpCGNvfLDCtV2N243TzBmfi5nPTAlXwzPT3NGZ91GzhMzSw0gr9wSD1P92SQ01XHIORtLcyAY7uT1LM801kGUVCMvOAdyY2CLtDuWgOe5AshB390zLYDqwrg8rIxqmBfwQxxsrCPvICGNh7RRUimmtyUGBoyv1pBf7cvDNwnGpmZinngFETHDrHXXE6GKOxHucLwbZUeAcouF104dz~y~sRBjWqmWgJCVJb0oFpIvfWwMFEvzS6Uuore0v37ydAcLFpjtOyAF9uLX0L1cpIriw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Behavior consultants for Washoe County and the Nevada Humane Society presented a joint dog-behavior protocol on May 16 that outlines how both organizations will identify dogs with dangerous levels of aggressive behavior and set euthanasia as the humane outcome when public safety and animal welfare require it.

Kelly Bolen, the county-contracted behavior consultant, said the document is intended to create shared, objective standards for assessing risk and to avoid returning dogs to the community when they pose a danger. \"Dangerous dogs should not be returned to the community,\" Bolen told the advisory board. \"This shelter recognizes that dogs that exhibit dangerous levels of aggressive behavior to humans and other animals must not be made available for adoption or rescue, but must be humanely euthanized.\" The protocol is the product of joint work between WCRAS and NHS behavior staff.

The policy defines criteria and assessment steps: review of any behavioral history, medical exam findings, standardized in-shelter behavior documentation, formal behavior evaluation (when safe), and documented behavior observed in foster or adoptive homes. Bolen told the board that the Dunbar bite scale will be used to classify bites: level 1 (air snap) through level 6 (fatality).

The agreed euthanasia threshold in the protocol is explicit: any dog with a history of a level 4 through 6 bite that broke skin with severe damage, or a dog with multiple level 3 bites across incidents, will not be returned to the community. Bolen said the scale and thresholds are intended to create objective, shelter-wide criteria for dangerous bites and repeated biting.

The policy also lists other situations where euthanasia may be the safest or most ethical outcome, including dogs that kill another dog or large livestock, those that show dangerous behavior in custody or in a foster/adoptive setting, and animals whose welfare is irretrievably compromised. The protocol recognizes the welfare risks to animals and to staff from retaining dangerous dogs in shelter care.

Dr. Shelley Volsche, who leads behavior and transfer assessment at Nevada Humane Society, described cross-department checks and forensic review of bite evidence. \"In times when there's uncertainty about the scoring of a bite, we will actually...show a photo and have staff score it blind,\" Volsche said, describing an internal practice the organization uses to ensure scoring consistency.

Board members asked about training, follow-up and consistent application. Bolen and Volsche said they will train staff on body-language observation, safe handling, documentation and formal behavior evaluations; Bolen also said she consults on difficult cases. Bolen agreed to the board chair’s suggestion to pursue periodic cross-organization review and additional job aids (visuals showing bite-depth for scoring) to keep interpretations aligned.

Ending — Implementation notes: The shared protocol is in effect as a statement of practice between WCRAS and NHS; staff training and development of supporting job aids were discussed as immediate next steps. The policy establishes a clear threshold for when both organizations will not make dogs available for adoption or transfer because of public-safety risk.
","Behavior consultants for Washoe County and Nevada Humane Society presented a joint protocol that sets assessment steps and euthanasia criteria for dogs that show dangerous levels of aggression, using the Dunbar bite scale to define risk thresholds.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6540704,"WCRAS reports lower intake but more field calls, staffing strains; transfer agreement still pending",2281,611000,2892000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3340466-ac26d9a059a61f336f5797ea2cee0b0b&start=611&end=2892","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3340466-ac26d9a059a61f336f5797ea2cee0b0b/thumbnail_611000.jpg","/articles/6540704/Washoe-County/Nevada/WCRAS-reports-lower-intake-but-more-field-calls-staffing-strains-transfer-agreement-still-pending","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6540704-1513e199448e1b3faefcdab8524318c8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770644970&Signature=AsWItQYrG4TEmpzjaVygiw6TUOcTz6pPzkGnmmudNh~CBFeFldj9ObuB5fRhbpxZrjbXN-IyufYpaO-ezc~6ldQaVde~J0x26fvzKAcInm~t-sAd18ucGYMpAc2C8kimn7ox1pY896EXv7oZK1gxscLlwa3mflz4~s0IziWPkgqIe~eA9Aa~Q3UBt9H~IPMe5cVqbNjuwHKoxRIKh0Z-IHM8GjOaDalA5mfqYnlWW-qOkiY834gY2Ux5Jc4SrMtbDlpOnzyvc1zZuHMh3hIVDgwKqmqpDf8yY3ZzLGA8vzwcp-QPPkyl-EUpwQ6Et9B9go3jRaGN4OZocGJTAmD3ag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Washoe County Regional Animal Services (WCRAS) told its advisory board on May 16 that animal intake fell in the third quarter of fiscal 2025 even as field service calls and bite investigations increased, and that staffing gaps are affecting coverage and response times.

Cheyenne Schul, director of WCRAS, said the department took in 635 cats in the quarter (a 17% decrease) and 1,298 dogs (a 5% decrease), and that dogs now leave the shelter on average in 7.4 days while cats average 5.6 days. \"We welcome the decreases in animal intake,\" Schul said during the presentation of routine quarterly statistics.

Those declines came alongside several operational notes the board discussed. Field officers picked up 621 animals and reunited 271 of those in the field — about 44% — saving intake and care costs, Schul said. Of animals brought to the shelter by good Samaritans, 755 were logged and 237 (31%) were reunited after impound. WCRAS also reported that many transfers out of the shelter continue to go to the Nevada Humane Society (NHS); Schul said NHS received the lion’s share of transfers in the quarter.

The board reviewed outcomes and euthanasia statistics. Schul said 35 cats were euthanized in the quarter (34 for poor quality of life and one for severe aggressive behavior) and 50 dogs were euthanized (42 for behavior, seven for poor quality of life and one for lack of rescue resources). She explained that \"no rescue resources\" in some cases means there were not partner resources available to provide the extended rehabilitation a dog would need, not that a dog was necessarily otherwise healthy and adoptable.

Field services staffing and call volume were a focus. WCRAS said it has 14 animal service officers and four supervisors; with one officer on maternity leave, one on modified duty and one recent hire, shifts sometimes fall to three officers, the department said. The report said the quarter produced a significant jump in bite investigations; Schul said the department could not point to a single cause for the increase and noted that each bite investigation requires significant follow-up, quarantine and paperwork.

The board also heard updates on WCRAS operations and partnerships. Schul said she and Nevada Humane Society leadership have been revising a transfer agreement and that assistant county manager Dave Solero and NHS board president Nancy Wenzel are working on the document. Chair Naomi Duer told staff the transfer agreement \"has been hanging over us for several years\" and urged those working on it to finalize it quickly: \"Don't know that we can go past another 3 months without having that finalized.\"

Medical and outreach updates were included in the director’s report. WCRAS said it now has an in-house veterinarian, Dr. Slayton, added lab equipment (microscope, centrifuge, chemistry and hematology analyzers and a SNAP test reader) and installed a new X-ray machine. Assistant director Tammy Wines Jennings described services that include return-to-field surgeries and rescue partner surgeries; Quinn Sweet, program coordinator, reported outreach efforts including 553 vaccinations given and several pet-food distribution events. Sweet also described a partnership that repackages donated pet food into smaller bags and places them in community \"karma boxes.\"

Votes at a glance: The advisory board unanimously approved the minutes of its Feb. 21, 2025 meeting. The motion to approve was made by Miss Angiola and seconded by Miss Broussard; the clerk recorded the motion as passing unanimously.

Board members asked staff to continue refining staffing and response metrics, to share the status of the transfer agreement when revisions are ready, and to return with more detailed breakdowns of outreach and microchip/licensing impacts.

Ending — Next steps: WCRAS staff said they will bring the revised transfer agreement to the board when it is ready and continue to provide quarterly statistics. The advisory board tentatively scheduled its next meeting for Aug. 1 at 9 a.m.
","Washoe County Regional Animal Services reported decreases in animal intake for the quarter but a rise in field calls and bite investigations, cited staffing shortages that affect response times and reiterated that a transfer agreement with the Nevada Humane Society remains under revision.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Community CATS reports surge in TNR work, urges unified data and targeted hot-spot mapping

Options Veterinary Care reports ARPA-funded spay/neuter activity and free TNR work for Washoe County residents

Nevada Humane Society reports rising owner surrenders and expands spay/neuter services under ARPA grant

Washoe County, Nevada Humane Society adopt shared protocol to keep dangerous dogs out of the community

WCRAS reports lower intake but more field calls, staffing strains; transfer agreement still pending