The Clovis Animal Shelter found a silver lining in the pandemic crisis — a 40% drop in strays.

It’s even better at the Central California SPCA, which contracts services with the city of Fresno. They say they are down 44% in strays.

“Clovis community members have recently taken great initiative to help keep their pets from roaming loose, and have also helped foster homeless pets in need and reunite countless lost pets with their owners,” the Clovis Animal Shelter said in a news release.

“The sharp reduction of homeless pets in Clovis demonstrates the capability of the community to care for and keep more animals in homes, which means fewer animals in need of being taken to a shelter.”

Tips for Keeping Shelter Empty

The shelter is asking the public to keep up the good work, with a new initiative called Building a Model Community for Animal Care. The model calls for the following:

— prevention methods such as vaccinations and spaying/neutering.

— Fix broken fencing, using collars and leashes for walks fixed with a name tag to contact the owner, and microchipping.

— Work with neighbors to help find lost pets.

“As owners, neighbors, and friends of animals, we all know that animals belong in homes, not shelters,”  Clovis Animal Services Supervisor Erin Ford-Horio said. “Together, we can be a proactive, prevention-oriented and responsive community for our pets. Together, we can build a model community for animal care.”

New Shelter Coming to Fresno

On Thursday, the Fresno City Council approved going forward on a new animal services shelter near the airport. The 34,500 square-foot facility would focus on being a no-kill shelter by emphasizing adoption.

The $15 million building is scheduled to open in July 2021.

The city’s contract for animal services with CCSPCA expires at the end of June.