Legislation to ban continuous chaining of dogs (and cats) has been introduced in Florida. The rate of adoption and fostering across the country has increased dramatically; consequently, deaths are at an all-time low. A dog who spent nearly two years in a Phoenix shelter has found a home. At least 28 and as many as 40 dogs have died after eating contaminated pet food; we can stop this from happening again. A District Attorney announced that he will no longer allow a particular judge to hear animal cruelty cases for betraying “the community’s ongoing efforts to seek justice against those who victimize animals.” Gumdrop is “the first pit bull adopted out by the Denver Animal Shelter in more than 30 years.” And almost 20 million dogs and cats live in a home that is not current on their rent or mortgage payments; here’s what we can do to protect them from losing their homes and their lives.
In case you missed it:
- Legislation to ban continuous chaining of dogs (and cats) has been introduced in Florida.
- With more people at home in 2020, the rate of adoption and fostering across the country has increased dramatically. Consequently, deaths are at an all-time low. In South Carolina, for example, “The rate of cats being… [killed] has dropped from 22 percent of those brought in to 13 percent, while the rate of dogs has declined from 11 percent to 7 percent.”.
- Sarge, a dog who spent nearly two years in a Phoenix shelter, has found a home. What do we owe the animals who arrive in our shelters looking for a second chance? We owe them safe harbor — no matter how many there are and no matter how long it takes to find them a home.
- At least 28 and as many as 40 dogs have died after eating contaminated pet food. Here’s why this keeps occurring and what we can and should do to stop it from happening again.
- A District Attorney announced that he will no longer allow a particular judge to hear animal cruelty cases. In issuing his directive, the District Attorney accused the judge of having, “betrayed community standards and community trust. He has made it abundantly clear that he has no use for, does not value, and is biased against… the community’s ongoing efforts to seek justice against those who victimize animals…”
- Gumdrop is “the first pit bull adopted out by the Denver Animal Shelter in more than 30 years.” His adoption was made possible after Denver residents voted to repeal the city’s three-decade “breed” ban in the last election.
And, finally, almost 20 million dogs and cats live in a home that is not current on their rent or mortgage payments according to a recent survey. And with a moratorium on eviction set to expire at the end of this month, we may be on the verge of a crisis. As we face the worst public health crisis since 1918 and the worst economic crisis since 1933, animals are completely reliant on us for their welfare. We must rise to the challenge according to the gravity of what the occasion demands. Our fellow non-human Americans should be protected from ending up on the street or worse, on death row at a pound that does not take its obligations seriously. Here’s what we can and must do.
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