1. What is Capacity for Care?

Capacity for Care is a humane capacity model that calculates how many animals a shelter can properly care for based on available staff hours and the time required to care for each animal. It helps shelters maintain high standards of animal welfare.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Capacity for Care formula:

Where:

• Staff Hours Available — Total staff hours dedicated to animal care
• Animals per Staff Hour — How many animals one staff member can properly care for in one hour
• Current Population — Current number of animals in the shelter

Explanation: This calculation determines how many additional animals the shelter can humanely accept based on current staffing levels and care standards.

3. Importance of Capacity for Care

Details: Proper capacity management ensures animals receive adequate care, reduces disease transmission, decreases staff burnout, and improves adoption outcomes. It's a key metric for animal welfare organizations.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter staff hours available, estimate how many animals one staff member can properly care for per hour (typically 2-4 animals/hour for basic care), and your current animal population. All values must be non-negative.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a typical "Animals per Staff Hour" value?
A: This varies by shelter but typically ranges from 2-4 animals per hour for basic care (feeding, cleaning, medicating). More complex medical cases require more time per animal.

Q2: What does a negative result mean?
A: A negative result indicates your shelter is over capacity and may need to reduce intake, increase staffing, or improve efficiency to maintain proper care standards.

Q3: Should volunteer hours be included?
A: Yes, include all reliable hours dedicated to animal care, whether from paid staff or trained volunteers, but be realistic about volunteer consistency.

Q4: How often should this calculation be done?
A: Regularly - at least monthly, or whenever there are significant changes in staffing, animal population, or care protocols.

Q5: What factors affect "Animals per Staff Hour"?
A: Species mix, animal health status, facility design, cleaning protocols, and enrichment requirements all impact how many animals one person can properly care for in an hour.