SPCA Tampa Bay’s Embellished Animal Stats for June, 2024

August 23, 2025 / Important update to this posting:

Since exposing the SPCA Tampa Bay’s deceptive reporting of its animal data, the agency has changed its reporting format. Consequently (and as if by magic) many of the hyperlinks in our posts referencing the SPCATB data have disappeared and now go to their new page entitled: “Transparency with Purpose: Our Community Impact.”

However, when we analyzed the SPCATB reporting we copied and retained their original reports and have those available for law enforcement upon request.

SPCA Tampa Bay (SPCATB) continues the habitual false reporting of its “LIVE RELEASE RATE” with its recently posted June, 2024 Animal Statistics Report

https://spcatampabay.org/wp-content/uploads/2024-Stats-June.pdf

The calculating deception was initially exposed here:

https://indysvoice4animals.org/2024/03/06/spca-tampa-bay-falsely-inflates-its-live-release-rate/

REVIEW: CALCULATING THE “LIVE RELEASE RATE”

The SPCATB claims to use the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) formula but it clearly does not. The ASPCA formula for calculating a live release rate is “Live Outcomes” divided by “Live Intakes.” See page 5 in this report by the National Federation of Humane Societies March 2011 Metrics and Measurement Committee:

https://www.aspcapro.org/sites/default/files/What%20is%20your%20Rate%2010_2013.pdf

The SPCATB misleading formula to produce its inflated “LIVE RELEASE RATE” is:

“Live Outcomes” divided by (“Live Intakes” minus “Owner Requested Euthanasia”).

The “Owner Requested Euthanasia” is a category of animals who come to the facility alive and the person relinquishing the animal signs a release

(v) In the event OWNER fails to physically reclaim the animal within the forty-eight (48) hour reclamation period, and the animal has been determined to be unadoptable, then SPCA Tampa Bay shall then be authorized to humanly euthanize the animal.

Here is the SPCATB’s misleading and embellished “LIVE RELEASE RATE ” for June. The agency falsely claiming to use the ASPCA calculation, but does not:

Canines Felines All

103% 85% 67%

Here is the true “Live Release Rate” if using the actual ASPCA calculation

Canines Felines All

66% 76% 60%

The percent inflation by SPCATB reporting for canines is 37%, for felines 9% and total is 7%

Imagine a 103% Live Release Rate. Darn amazing, isn’t it? But a sad reflection of the dishonesty in reporting that permeates the agency’s administration

By tolerating this dishonest reporting, the SPCA Tampa Bay board of directors are complicit in this scheme by the administration to deceive the public. These individuals can be found at https://spcatampabay.org/about-us/