Please sign our petition!

We, the undersigned citizens of Monroe County and outlying areas, hereby write to petition you:

To Make Monroe County a No Kill Animal Safety Zone!

1. Insure that NO shelter administration contract is signed with any entity who has a poor record of animal care and who is resistant to no-kill shelter reform;
2. Appoint a Citizen’s Advisory Committee composed of citizens and local rescues seeking reforms stated herein, who shall approve the appointment of any new shelter administrator and oversee the activities of the shelter to ensure that it is in compliance with NO KILL;
3. Guarantee that animals will receive prompt veterinary care, which includes but is not limited a veterinarian on staff at the shelter;
4. Insure the implementation of life-saving strategies such as:
(a)Thriving foster networks that can guarantee sufficient space and important socialization; (b)Free or low cost micro-chipping for all dogs and owned cats funded by private donations to unite more animals with their families;
(c)Free or low cost spay/neuter funded by private donations for all dogs and cats in Monroe County, whether or not animal is owned;
(d)Free or low cost immunizations funded by private donations for all dogs and cats in Monroe County whether or not animal is owned; (e)Listing animals on Petfinder.com, the Nation’s most effective animal adoption forum;
(f)A county sanctioned feral trap-neuter-release program that prevents suffering and death of millions of un-owned kittens and cats;
(g)Personalized placement plans for every animal commencing the day of arrival;
(h)Aggressive ongoing adoption media-blitz, using public relations and advertising;
5. Eliminate shelter operations, that are designed to exert the least possible effort, pocket the most profit, put up a smoke-screen show for the public but do little or nothing to save lives or give quality care;
6. Transform our shelter from one of the most avoided, dreaded, and deadly places in the County, into a hub of energy, enthusiasm, and joy for animals, families, volunteers, rescuers and administrators which PRESERVES LIFE and serves as a model for other communities.
7. No animal shall be killed if it can be adopted into a home, because redemption of owned pets and adoption of lost or stray animals is preferable to incurring the social and economic cost of killing animals.
8. Any dog that is impounded shall prior to the killing of that animal, be released to a nonprofit, if requested by the organization.
9. Any cat that is impounded shall prior to the killing of that animal, be released to a nonprofit if requested by the organization.
10. Shelters in Monroe County should work with animal rescuers and adoption coordinators to the fullest extent possible to promote the adoption of animals and eliminate killing.
11. Shelters should be required by law to take in lost animals and properly care for them with prompt veterinary care, adequate nutrition, shelter, exercise and water. Any animal depository who fails to perform these duties should be held liable for civil damages/asked to leave Monroe County.
12. No animal in Monroe County should be killed by anyone other than a veterinarian licensed to practice medicine in this State and all euthanasia should be administered in a humane manner only when necessary to end the suffering of a sick animal who’s life cannot be made comfortable.
13. Un-owned cats, whether feral or domestic, have a right to life.
14. Senior dogs have a right to live out their lives and not be killed for being less adoptable than puppies.