Determining Kennel Staffing Needs
Approved: 02/08/03
Guideline Statement
NACA recommends that each shelter and animal care facility be staffed each day with the appropriate number of kennel personnel to insure that every animal is properly cared for in a safe and humane manner and to maintain a safe working environment for employees.
Basis for Guideline
Caring for sheltered animals requires daily cleaning and sanitation to reduce the spread of disease, maintain the health of the shelter population and to maintain a clean and odor free facility. Shelters and animal care facilities must maintain an appropriate daily feeding schedule for each animal in its care and insure there is adequate staff and time to complete all the other duties and responsibilities of caring for sheltered animals including but not limited to laundry, dish washing, lost and found, stocking and inventory of supplies, janitorial, and supplemental waste removal throughout the day.
It is the responsibility of every animal shelter and animal care facility to meet or exceed the minimum standards of animal care for all impounded animals by maintaining a staffing level that insures that the minimum animal care standards are adhered to on a daily basis without putting staff at risk of injury.
Formula for Determining Kennel Staffing Needs
____________________ (Human Population) |
Multiplied by 7% = |
____________________ (Incoming Animal Population Per Year) |
____________________ (Incoming Animals Per Year) |
Divided by 365 (days per year) |
____________________ (Incoming Animals Per Day) |
____________________ (Incoming Animals Per Day) |
Times Four* Day Holding Period = |
____________________ (Animals in Shelter Per Day) |
____________________ (Animals in Shelter Per Day) |
Times fifteen minutes** per animal = |
____________________ (Number of Minutes Needed) |
____________________ (Minutes Needed) |
Divided by 60 (minutes) = |
____________________ (Number of Hours Needed) |
____________________ (Number of Hours Needed) |
Divided by 3*** (hours for cleaning/feeding) = |
____________________ (Staff Needed Per Day) |
* The HSUS is using the average holding period of four days as a basis for this study. Some animals may be held for a much shorter period; however, many animals may be held for a period exceeding the four day requirement.
** This formula is based on a per-animal time of nine minutes for cleaning and six minutes for feeding.
*** These three hours are solely for the performance of these two tasks, but allowing for further time in the day to perform routine maintenance tasks such as laundry, dishes, lost and found checks, etc.