Dog Population and Health Costs

  1. Number of Dogs: The Verde Valley has about 28,000 to 30,000 dogs.

  2. Dogs Needing Tumor Removal: Each year, 1,750 to 3,750 dogs might need surgery to remove tumors. Tumor surgery costs between $1,000 and $3,000 each. So, the total yearly cost could be $1.75 million to $11.25 million.

  3. Teeth Cleaning Costs: Cleaning dogs' teeth every three years costs about $300 to $700 per dog. For around 14,000 dogs, the total yearly cost is $1.4 million to $3.3 million.

  4. Ultrasound Costs: An ultrasound for a dog costs $250 to $500. For around 17,000 adult dogs, this would be $4.25 million to $8.5 million each year.

Addressing Health Problems

  • Tumors: Tumor removal can help with about 20-25% of serious health problems in older dogs.

  • Dental Issues: Regular cleaning might prevent 10-15% of serious late-life problems.

  • Ultrasounds: Regular ultrasounds could catch 10-20% of potential health issues.

Overall: These efforts could address about 40-60% of serious health problems in older dogs.

Uncovered Health Issues

  1. Heart Disease: Could affect 10-15% of dogs, costing $1.4 million to $9 million yearly.

  2. Kidney Disease: Affects about 10% of dogs, costing $2.8 million to $6 million annually.

  3. Liver Disease: Affects 5% of dogs, costing $700,000 to $2.25 million per year.

  4. Diabetes: Affects 5% of dogs, costing $1.12 million to $3.6 million annually.

  5. Other Serious Conditions: Like aggressive cancers, could cost $5.6 million to $45 million yearly.

Total Annual Cost for Uncovered Issues: $11.62 million to $65.85 million.

Real Estate Impact

  1. Increased Property Values: A good canine healthcare plan could raise property values by $60 million to $600 million. Adding new veterinarians might boost this by an extra $20 million to $120 million.

  2. Equity Increase Per Household:

    • For households earning below $60,000: $6,000 to $60,000.

    • For households earning $60,000 to $100,000: $6,000 to $60,000.

    • For households earning over $100,000: $6,000 to $60,000.

Employment and Economic Impact

  1. Veterinarian Jobs: The plan could create 59 to 125 new veterinarian jobs.

  2. Economic Growth: This could lead to more housing demand and higher property values.

Animal Abuse and Neglect

  • Serious Abuse or Neglect: Estimated at 280 to 600 cases annually.

  • Irresponsible Breeding: Estimated at 840 to 1,500 cases annually.

Combined Total: 1,120 to 2,100 cases each year.

This plan aims to improve dog health and the community's overall quality of life, boosting real estate values and creating more job opportunities.