PETITION

 

We the citizens of Broward County who are among the millions of pet owners and/or animal lovers in the United States, and who believe that it is immoral to treat a dog, puppy, cat or kitten inhumanely, hereby petition the Broward County Board of Commissioners for a change of attitude and policy at the two facilities in Broward run by the Animal Care and Regulation Divison, otherwise known as ACARD.

We herebye demand and request that permanent changes be effected at these facilities, including the following 18 steps:

  1. Move towards a no-kill policy, and transition ACARD from a killing/disposal facility, to an adoption facility.
  2. Hire a new Director of ACARD who embodies humaneness towards animals in his or her philosophy – someone committed to no-kill.  This is the linchpin element in a successful conversion, and in the implementation of the other essential elements which follow.  The Director must support a Culture of Life, someone who reflects a serious desire to lead the facility towards a no-kill policy, and who reflects a humane value system that will treat these animals with compassion, and assist in the creative strategies required to boost traffic and adoptions to the facility.  This individual needs to be more than a bureaucrat/manager, but a true animal lover as well, who can lead ACARD to more humane policies that help save lives.  He/She needs to bring caring staff people aboard who reflect the same humane view of animal life.
  3. Hire staff people who are likewise committed to humaneness, and the no-kill principle.  This would mean a review of people on staff to determine who would support the new principle, the weeding out of those who don’t, and the recruitment of those who do.
  4. Make Comprehensive Adoption Programs central to the shelter strategy.    Some examples:
    (a)  Ongoing and intensive public relations/marketing programs.  Hire a more talented and committed Director of Public Relations/Media Relations/Public Information who will aggressively, earnestly and pro-actively pursue and implement  communications strategies designed to raising public awareness about the availability of pets at ACARD, consequently boosting traffic to the facility and drastically boosting adoptions.  This individual will cultivate relationships with local television, radio and print media, and enlist the media’s support in keeping a continuous high profile of public awareness about the need to boost traffic and adoptions at ACARD.  This individual will have the ability to write and place news stories, Op-Eds, PSAs (public service spots and announcements) with tv, radio and print media – as well as work with the Director of Volunteers to raise awareness on the Internet.  This individual will also develop communications campaigns to raise the awareness about the importance of spaying/neutering by pet owners in Broward County.  This individual will also work to negotiate and make deals with pet stores, pet chains and pet food companies to work cooperatively to raise awareness about the availability and adoptability of ACARD’s resident pets – and to supply better food for ACARD’s pet population. If budget precludes a hire, enlist the support of a retired PR pro.  This individual should enlist a team of volunteer PR pros. Consultation with chapter leader of the local PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) can help pull a team together, as well as reach out to heads of local p.r. agencies.
    (b)  Outdoor or indoor adoption events.  Work with local Petsmarts, Petcos, pet supply stores, community wellness centers, festivals and carnivals to set up booths presenting live dogs and cats from shelter, and literature about the shelter.                                                                                                            
    (c)    Arrange ongoing creative vehicles: Redesign shelter website to reflect new Culture of Life, with a new name, e.g., “Friends of Best Friends”.  Conduct active search engine optimization campaign for this website.  Also:  Public Service Spots on television and radio; announcements with animal photos on major websites like Craigslist; speaking appearances by shelter officials at PTAs, Churches, Synagogues, Kiwanis and Rotary; in-studio appearances on radio/tv; announcements of off-site adoption events; effective signage allowing traffic to shelters like Broward’s ACARD. 
  5. Volunteers.  An impassioned, dedicated and large group of volunteers needs to be the lifeblood of the shelter, often complementing too few-in-number paid staff. At Broward’s ACARD, limits have been put upon numbers of volunteers recruited, and volunteers have been discouraged to photograph animals and post on sites like Craigslist, which previously had brought in hundreds of adopters.  Recruit volunteers at booths showcasing animals at festivals, carnivals and local pet supermarkets.  Heading the Volunteer Corps should be a humane, paid (or retired) Director of Volunteers. Reports from other shelters indicate that more enthusiastic volunteers will be recruited after it’s known that a transition to no-kill has occurred.
  6. Change TRAFFIC SIGNAGE on all major arteries and streets leading to ACARD.  ACARD is hard to find.  Most people end up at The Humane Society.  New, large, bold and colorful signs need to be posted ASAP.  The Director at ACARD and the Public Relations/Public Information Director at ACARD must work to implement these changes “Yesterday.”
  7. Increase Pet Retention.  The shelter must be perceived by the community as a place to turn to for advice and support on how pet owners can keep their animals at home. Advice can include everything from discipline and house breaking training programs to neutering programs to food budget saving. 
  8. Rescue Groups currently account for only a relatively small percentage of animals saved. They need to be encouraged to pull as many animals as possible from a shelter – and not get discouraged from doing so; and that includes not only purebreds but the many greater-in-number and wonderful mixed breeds as well.  Rescuers free up cage and kennel space, and reduces costs for feeding, cleaning…and killing. They need our support, not our discouragement.
  9. Feral Cat TNR Programs.  Trap, Neuter and Release programs have been effected by a number of communities across the country to reduce death rates.
  10. Proactive Redemptions.  Often overlooked: lost animal reclaims. Sadly, besides having pet owners fill out a lost pet report, very little effort is made in this area.  Becoming more proactive has proven to have a significant impact on lifesaving and allow shelters to return a large percentage of lost animals to their families.
  11. Change the food at ACARD.   Food needs to be nutritious and tasty.
  12. Commit to housing animals in spaces that allow them to move about.  Commit to NEVER confining animals in cages too small for comfort or movement.
  13. Commit to exercising animals on a daily basis outside (weather permitting) or in large spaces.  Use expanded volunteer corps to assist.
  14. Build a larger facility with more space reflecting a more humane, animal-friendly policy.
  15. Commit to an annual budget that will allow for improved conditions at ACARD.
  16. Develop a private fund that will supplement the public Broward County funding.  In addition, create a “Fund-A-Pet” fund where citizens who are not necessarily in a position to adopt a pet, can arrange funding for a sheltered animal to improve its conditions, and lengthen its stay until being physically adopted.
  17. Create a NEW consumer/animal friendly website by ACARD.  This new website would not necessarily replace the current “broward.org” website – but create a parallel site focused on adoptions exclusively.  Acquire a name like:
    www.careforafriend
    www.bestfriendcare
    www.friendsofbestfriends
    A new ACARD site would suggest that this website be an information site about the availability of adoptions at ACARD’s shelter, and contain pictures (with descriptions) of dogs and cats currently being housed (updated regularly) and an easy adoption form that people can fill out to “reserve” an animal for pickup – or to express interest in adoption.

    ACARD can also have a map on the home page with an easy illustration about how to get to Animal Care from major arteries and highways.  There would also be a welcome message from ACARD’s new director.
  18. Read animal advocate Nathan Wingrad’s book, “Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation.”   Visit George Moris’s  No Kill Nation on Facebook. 

By signing this Petition, we confirm that we are urgently requesting to the Broward County Board of Commissioners and other of our elected officials, that as their constituents, our demands be given the highest priority and serious consideration.
Reverence for life must extend to our animal friends, who come into the world to give us their unconditional love.  They deserve better treatment NOW.  Change must happen NOW.