Proposed budget cut -Kill shelter animals much sooner-What you can do

June 13, 2009

Hi. Some of you probably already know that one of the governor's proposals for saving Calif money is to kill animals in shelters faster. As the below letter from the Humane Society says, this will save approximately 0.1% of the budget deficit. Surely they can find this 0.1% elsewhere besides killing dogs, cats and other companion animals sooner. This is really tragic. Perhaps I was naive, but I would have expected better from Schwarzenegger.

Thanks everyone and warmest regards,

Stephanie

Urge California Lawmakers Not to Make Sheltered Dogs and Cats Victims of Budget Crisis

Dear Stephanie,

As California faces a $24 billion budget deficit, state leaders have only days to figure out which critical services and programs will be sacrificed to make up the difference. We need to make sure animals are protected.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has again proposed to suspend the " animal adoption mandate, " which would reduce the holding period for stray dogs and cats in the state's municipal animal shelters by three days. The savings generated by suspending this mandate is a paltry 0.1 percent of the $24 billion deficit. These funds are the only state dollars that presently go to assisting local governments with the costly problem of pet overpopulation.

This holding period is critical to give pet owners more time to locate lost animals and to give unclaimed animals more time to either be adopted or transferred to an animal rescue group.

TAKE ACTIONPlease take two minutes to make a brief, polite phone call to Governor Schwarzenegger's office at (916) 445-2841. You can say: " My name is [your name] and I live in [your town]. I know the budget situation is dire, but I'm calling to express my concern with the Governor's proposal to suspend the animal adoption mandate. "

After you make your call, send a follow-up message to the governor and your state legislators, and tell your friends and family in California how they can take action too.

We're working the halls of the Capitol hard on this one, but we need your help. As California struggles to come to terms with the current economic downturn, we must ensure that animals do not bear the brunt.

Thank you for all you do for animals.

Sincerely,

Mike MarkarianExecutive Vice President and Chief Operating OfficerThe Humane Society of the United States-- " Our task must be to widen our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. " Albert Einstein

" The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the ways its animals are treated. " Mahatma Gandhi