Reforming Animal Control

I am off to the No More Homeless Pets conference in Las Vegas. On Saturday, I will be presenting a workshop on “Reforming Animal Control.” It has been 15 years since the San Francisco SPCA launched the No Kill revolution and we should not have to wait any longer for animal control directors to willingly embrace the paradigm. If they won’t do so willingly, we are going to force them to or force them aside.

I am also sitting on a panel on adoptions where I will be discussing thoughtful adoption policies, and how shelters and rescue groups turn away good homes because of some arbitrary rule or process. As I indicate in my upcoming book, Irreconcilable Differences:

When people decide to adopt from a shelter—despite having more convenient options such as buying from a pet store or responding to a newspaper ad—they should be rewarded. We are a nation of animal lovers, and we should be treated with gratitude, not suspicion. More importantly, the animals facing death deserve the second chance that many well intentioned Americans are eager to give them, but in too many cases, are senselessly prevented from doing so.

Finally, stop by my booth at the Exhibit Hall. The first 400 people get a free copy of my book, Redemption.