Seattle, with over 600,000 residents, is the largest city in the Pacific northwest, and ranks 22nd among US cities in population size. The Seattle city government provides animal control and sheltering for the city through the Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS). The shelter accepts owner surrenders from any person within its jurisdiction, and from outside the jurisdiction when possible.
In addition to the city shelter, Seattle has the Humane Society for Seattle/King County (HSSKC), a private organization that also accepts owner surrenders. The humane society requires an appointment for owner surrenders.
The city shelter and the humane society report their statistics as a coalition to Maddie’s Fund. The most recent available online report for the coalition is for 2010, and it shows a 91% live release rate for the coalition as a whole. HSSKC is at 94% and SAS is at 85%.
A couple of notes about the statistics. First, there may be some overlap in intra-community transfers, as it is not clear that all of these were separated out. Second, there were 645 owner-requested euthanasias out of a total intake of 9921 animals. HSSKC offers owner-requested euthanasia for animals who are “seriously ill or suffering.” A modified live release rate for the coalition with owner-requested euthanasia and died/lost in shelter care counted in with euthanasia is 84%. It is problematic to use the figure for owner-requested euthanasia, however, since HSSKC may be receiving such requests from the larger metropolitan population of 3.5 million people.
Seattle, WA, is counted in the Running Totals as a 90%+ community.