Right on target! I’ll add one more piece of the solution: End puppy mills. This could start with banning the transport of animals from puppy mills across state lines.
MM, thank you for your spot-on addition! Ending puppy mills is an important piece of the puzzle. Banning the interstate transport of animals from these facilities would be a powerful step toward cutting off their supply chains and reducing their impact. Every effort to address this issue brings us closer to a more humane future for all animals.
NYS has a law now - effective as of 12/15/24 that bans the sale of animals in pet stores -- and also backyard breeding. The former is obvious because stores had to close - the latter is more difficult because of lack of enforcement. But it's a start.
That’s good news for the new year—what a big step forward for New York! Banning pet store sales is a clear win, and while enforcement of the backyard breeding ban may take time and effort, it’s definitely a meaningful start. Every step helps pave the way toward stronger protections for animals. Here’s to continued progress!
What I see happening in NYC - ACC- is that they get mostly pit bull mixes. People either don't want to adopt them or their buildings don't allow them so there is always a demand for small dogs. Rescues are bringing small dogs up from the south and places like Puerto Rico. Not enough people know about breed rescue
Elizabeth, your observations underscore the need for targeted spay/neuter programs. By focusing on specific breeds or areas with high intake, like pit bull mixes, we can reduce overpopulation at its source and alleviate the challenges shelters face. These programs are proven to work and could make a big difference in NYC’s shelter system. Education and outreach about their importance are key - and I know you are leading that effort in NYC! Thank you!
I seem to recall there was a push for that several years ago - spay/neuter pit bulls at no charge. It might have been the ASPCA- not sure. But I am not aware of that push anymore. The ACC publishes an Emergency Placement List of dogs at cats at risk for euthanasia - targeted to New Hope members to pull. I've seen that 28-30 dogs on that list are euthanized every month - almost no cats. (this is not for the general population) Both cats and dogs do not do well in the shelter environment. But dogs, who need to be walked, are more likely to act out - from unhappiness. They are the ones who go first.
So depressing. The NYC Animal Care Center (ACC) is contracted to take in all animals - although several times in the past few years they say they are too overcrowded to accept more dogs.
But many people don't bother taking unwanted animals to the ACC - instead dumping them in hallways, tied to park benches; thrown out from cars on the highway; left behind in apartments when they move.
The goal should be spay/neuter to have fewer animals - instead of adoptions, adoptions, adoptions.
We tried to do a public/private spay/neuter initiative between individual NYC Council Members and private veterinarians - there are about 100 in Manhattan alone with 10 Council Members. Ultimately, we had no success. Many council members never responded even after many calls and directed emails. And no vet office was interested.
We have some other ideas to try. Not giving up yet.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for sharing your thoughts and experiences. The challenges you describe highlight a systemic problem that needs urgent attention. Spay/neuter initiatives are a critical part of the solution, and while it’s frustrating that your earlier efforts didn’t gain traction, your resilience in exploring new ideas is commendable. Please don’t give up—your advocacy can make a real difference for these animals! If there’s any way I can support or brainstorm with you, let me know. You should also reach out to Esther Mechler at United Spay Alliance.
I will reach out to you by e-mail. Thanks for your offer of brainstorming. Esther thought the public-private partnership was a good idea. However, getting the Council members to respond was extremely challenging and disappointing. Yet when the election approaches, they will be at every subway stop glad-handing looking for votes.
Im so sad for the ghost animals. Since 2023, I have also written letters to city council and city managers in Southern California high kill shelter areas with no response at all. Who has oversight above the city council? Would a state audit of the 50 million dollars Gavin Newsom gave to UC Davis Koret School help? The goal of the program was a no kill state by 2025. At what cost?
We are going through this right now in Horry County South Carolina. Our county shelter is turning away SO many stray animals, mostly dogs, to be left on the streets to defend themselves and produce more and more babies. The number of hit by car animals on the side of the roads now is crazy. Of course Best Friends came in to help them reach no kill and the solution is to just not intake the animals...more Ghost Animals left to fend for themselves. Best Friends need to reevaluate their strategy to look at what is best for the animals and the communities these come from.
Brandi, thank you for sharing this—it’s a heartbreaking situation, and it highlights the unintended consequences of some no-kill strategies. Turning animals away only shifts the problem to the streets, where they face even greater dangers like starvation, injury, or contributing to overpopulation. Targeted spay/neuter programs and community support are essential to address the root causes and prevent these "ghost animals" from being left to fend for themselves. Best Friends and other organizations should reevaluate their approach to truly prioritize both animal welfare and community needs. Your advocacy is so important—keep speaking up! If you or anyone in your community would like this situation further explored, contact me at ed@edboks.com
Having spent 15 years running a spay/neuter program, it was devastating when the national organizations moved from spay/neuter as a priority both in terms of awareness and education and funding. Bissell is leading the way with spay/neuter, but we need the other large organizations to follow Bissell's lead.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Carol—it’s clear how much dedication you’ve poured into spay/neuter efforts over the years. It’s disheartening to see national organizations shift focus away from such a vital solution, but I agree that Bissell is setting a great example for others to follow. Prevention through spay/neuter is the cornerstone of sustainable animal welfare, and with advocates like you continuing to push for change, there’s hope that more organizations will recommit to this critical work. Keep up the amazing efforts—you’re making a difference!
Ghost animals really are invisible. There’s no way to count them even if a shelter would tell you how many and who they turned away. No one is going to admit they dumped their animals. One barometer for how many are out there is the number of dead dogs you see on the side of the road in the south. With every tour we’ve taken to shelters in southern states over the last two years, we’ve seen more and more of them. It’s heartbreaking. Rescues can manage their intake but Municipal shelters should by default be open intake.
Thank you for your feedback, Cara! What heartbreaking evidence of the toll these regressive policies are having on animals. This is the saddest thing I've heard in a while.
Right on target! I’ll add one more piece of the solution: End puppy mills. This could start with banning the transport of animals from puppy mills across state lines.
MM, thank you for your spot-on addition! Ending puppy mills is an important piece of the puzzle. Banning the interstate transport of animals from these facilities would be a powerful step toward cutting off their supply chains and reducing their impact. Every effort to address this issue brings us closer to a more humane future for all animals.
Puppy mills are a persistant problem and play a big role in all of this.
NYS has a law now - effective as of 12/15/24 that bans the sale of animals in pet stores -- and also backyard breeding. The former is obvious because stores had to close - the latter is more difficult because of lack of enforcement. But it's a start.
That’s good news for the new year—what a big step forward for New York! Banning pet store sales is a clear win, and while enforcement of the backyard breeding ban may take time and effort, it’s definitely a meaningful start. Every step helps pave the way toward stronger protections for animals. Here’s to continued progress!
What I see happening in NYC - ACC- is that they get mostly pit bull mixes. People either don't want to adopt them or their buildings don't allow them so there is always a demand for small dogs. Rescues are bringing small dogs up from the south and places like Puerto Rico. Not enough people know about breed rescue
Elizabeth, your observations underscore the need for targeted spay/neuter programs. By focusing on specific breeds or areas with high intake, like pit bull mixes, we can reduce overpopulation at its source and alleviate the challenges shelters face. These programs are proven to work and could make a big difference in NYC’s shelter system. Education and outreach about their importance are key - and I know you are leading that effort in NYC! Thank you!
I seem to recall there was a push for that several years ago - spay/neuter pit bulls at no charge. It might have been the ASPCA- not sure. But I am not aware of that push anymore. The ACC publishes an Emergency Placement List of dogs at cats at risk for euthanasia - targeted to New Hope members to pull. I've seen that 28-30 dogs on that list are euthanized every month - almost no cats. (this is not for the general population) Both cats and dogs do not do well in the shelter environment. But dogs, who need to be walked, are more likely to act out - from unhappiness. They are the ones who go first.
So depressing. The NYC Animal Care Center (ACC) is contracted to take in all animals - although several times in the past few years they say they are too overcrowded to accept more dogs.
But many people don't bother taking unwanted animals to the ACC - instead dumping them in hallways, tied to park benches; thrown out from cars on the highway; left behind in apartments when they move.
The goal should be spay/neuter to have fewer animals - instead of adoptions, adoptions, adoptions.
We tried to do a public/private spay/neuter initiative between individual NYC Council Members and private veterinarians - there are about 100 in Manhattan alone with 10 Council Members. Ultimately, we had no success. Many council members never responded even after many calls and directed emails. And no vet office was interested.
We have some other ideas to try. Not giving up yet.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for sharing your thoughts and experiences. The challenges you describe highlight a systemic problem that needs urgent attention. Spay/neuter initiatives are a critical part of the solution, and while it’s frustrating that your earlier efforts didn’t gain traction, your resilience in exploring new ideas is commendable. Please don’t give up—your advocacy can make a real difference for these animals! If there’s any way I can support or brainstorm with you, let me know. You should also reach out to Esther Mechler at United Spay Alliance.
I will reach out to you by e-mail. Thanks for your offer of brainstorming. Esther thought the public-private partnership was a good idea. However, getting the Council members to respond was extremely challenging and disappointing. Yet when the election approaches, they will be at every subway stop glad-handing looking for votes.
Im so sad for the ghost animals. Since 2023, I have also written letters to city council and city managers in Southern California high kill shelter areas with no response at all. Who has oversight above the city council? Would a state audit of the 50 million dollars Gavin Newsom gave to UC Davis Koret School help? The goal of the program was a no kill state by 2025. At what cost?
Yes, I have called for an independent audit: https://open.substack.com/pub/animalpolitics/p/californias-50-million-shelter-initiative
We are going through this right now in Horry County South Carolina. Our county shelter is turning away SO many stray animals, mostly dogs, to be left on the streets to defend themselves and produce more and more babies. The number of hit by car animals on the side of the roads now is crazy. Of course Best Friends came in to help them reach no kill and the solution is to just not intake the animals...more Ghost Animals left to fend for themselves. Best Friends need to reevaluate their strategy to look at what is best for the animals and the communities these come from.
Brandi, thank you for sharing this—it’s a heartbreaking situation, and it highlights the unintended consequences of some no-kill strategies. Turning animals away only shifts the problem to the streets, where they face even greater dangers like starvation, injury, or contributing to overpopulation. Targeted spay/neuter programs and community support are essential to address the root causes and prevent these "ghost animals" from being left to fend for themselves. Best Friends and other organizations should reevaluate their approach to truly prioritize both animal welfare and community needs. Your advocacy is so important—keep speaking up! If you or anyone in your community would like this situation further explored, contact me at ed@edboks.com
Having spent 15 years running a spay/neuter program, it was devastating when the national organizations moved from spay/neuter as a priority both in terms of awareness and education and funding. Bissell is leading the way with spay/neuter, but we need the other large organizations to follow Bissell's lead.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Carol—it’s clear how much dedication you’ve poured into spay/neuter efforts over the years. It’s disheartening to see national organizations shift focus away from such a vital solution, but I agree that Bissell is setting a great example for others to follow. Prevention through spay/neuter is the cornerstone of sustainable animal welfare, and with advocates like you continuing to push for change, there’s hope that more organizations will recommit to this critical work. Keep up the amazing efforts—you’re making a difference!
Ghost animals really are invisible. There’s no way to count them even if a shelter would tell you how many and who they turned away. No one is going to admit they dumped their animals. One barometer for how many are out there is the number of dead dogs you see on the side of the road in the south. With every tour we’ve taken to shelters in southern states over the last two years, we’ve seen more and more of them. It’s heartbreaking. Rescues can manage their intake but Municipal shelters should by default be open intake.
Thank you for your feedback, Cara! What heartbreaking evidence of the toll these regressive policies are having on animals. This is the saddest thing I've heard in a while.