Determining Kennel Staffing Needs
Guideline Statement
The National Animal Care and Control Association recommends that each animal care and control shelter be staffed each day with the appropriate number of kennel personnel to insure that the facility, and every animal within, is maintained at, or in excess of, minimum care standards. Animal housing facilities should be operated so that each animal is properly cared for in a safe and humane manner and a safe working environment for employees is maintained.
Basis for Guideline
Every animal housing facility should strive to meet, or exceed, the minimum care standards for animal shelter facilities. It is the responsibility of the facility to maintain a staffing level that insures that the standards are met on a daily basis and that every animal housed within is provided the highest level of care.
Formula for Determining Kennel Staffing Needs
|
____________________
(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) |
This formula is intended as a guideline. Any individual facility may require more or less kennel personnel to meet, or exceed, minimum care standards.
* 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.