Community cats (aka stray or free-roaming cats) risk losing their lives simply because they've made a home in the outdoors. In many cases, they are brought to local shelters where they are at risk of being killed. Many of these cats are thriving living outdoors because someone in their community cares for them. That's where community cat programs come in. These programs use trap-neuter-return (TNR) to save cats. The process is simple: Community cats are trapped, evaluated by veterinarians, vaccinated, spayed or neutered, ear-tipped, and returned to their outdoor homes, unable to have kittens. Lifesaving programs like these are proven to be the most cost-effective, veterinarian-approved, and animal-friendly solutions for controlling and reducing free-roaming cat populations. Your voice is a critical part of ensuring that pets and people in Lawrence County have access to these resources. Become part of a driven and diverse group of people who believe that all pets and people deserve compassion, and that -- when we work together -- we can create real change for pets in need. Reference the facts: Community cats and public health: https://www.felineresearch.org/post/issue-brief-feral-cats-and-public-health TNR and population management: https://www.felineresearch.org/post/issue-brief-what-to-do-with-feral-cats-examining-tnr Cat health and welfare with TNR: https://www.felineresearch.org/post/issue-brief-feral-cat-health

Tulsa is working hard to ensure access to programs that save animals lives and create a healthier community for people and pets but community support is needed to advocate for programs that are proven to help communities across the nation. Community cat programming and why Tulsa residents should have access: Community cats (aka outdoor cats) risk losing their lives when they are brought to local shelters by well meaning residents who are trying to help them. Many of these cats are thriving living outdoors because someone in their community cares for them. Allowing these cats to return to their outdoor homes frees up shelter resources that can be utilized for cats and dogs truly in need of shelter support. That's where community cat programs come in. These programs use trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR) to save cats and reunite them with the people who care for them. The process is simple: Community cats are trapped, evaluated by veterinarians, vaccinated, spayed or neutered, ear-tipped, and returned to their outdoor homes, unable to have kittens. Your voice is a critical part of ensuring that pets and people in Tulsa have access to these resources. Become part of a driven and diverse group of people who believe that all pets and people deserve compassion, and that -- when we work together -- we can create real change for pets in need. Thank you for supporting community cats in your neighborhood, and for everything that you do for the animals! Reference the facts: Community cats and public health: https://www.felineresearch.org/post/issue-brief-feral-cats-and-public-health TNR and population management: https://www.felineresearch.org/post/issue-brief-what-to-do-with-feral-cats-examining-tnr Cat health and welfare with TNR: https://www.felineresearch.org/post/issue-brief-feral-cat-health

Because it saves dogs lives and encourages responsibility!! Numerous times I have seen dogs "hanging" over the sides of pickup beds, dangerously close to falling out. My sister told me that once she had actually seen a tethered dog fall out and get hung. I have seen numerous dead dogs on the sides of freeways and the only way this could happen is if they had fallen out of a pickup truck bed. That many loose dogs would not wander onto a freeway. People need to be less cavalier and more careful with their supposed treasured pets.

Two-thirds of American households include at least one cat or dog, which makes having a pet-inclusive place to call home essential for most Americans. Given the huge demand, one might think there would be enough pet-inclusive housing for renters. Unfortunately, housing-related issues are the second most common reason that families surrender a pet to an animal shelter. These housing issues may pertain to insurance issues, landlord restrictions, or limitations placed on the physical animal. Many rental and government-subsidized housing make it difficult to own a pet. Even properties that are "pet-friendly" might have pet weight limits, such as "no dogs over 25 lbs" or breed restrictions. When families are forced to choose between securing a place to live and keeping their family pets, they may see surrender as a last resort. As a trillion-dollar industry, the housing sector can be a positive influence in creating an inclusive and humane community. Additionally, more than 90% of housing providers and residents agree that pets are an important part of families. Welcoming all pets is good for business because residents stay significantly longer in housing that is pet inclusive (2). Expanding affordable and accessible pet-inclusive housing is necessary to ensure that families don’t have to choose between housing and valued members of their family. Let’s work together to end housing restrictions for pets and their families.

El programa de vales proporciona a los miembros de la comunidad local y las mascotas los recursos que tanto necesitan. También reduce la cantidad de animales que ingresan al refugio y también disminuye la cantidad de mascotas que matan por esa razón. A través de este programa, los miembros de la comunidad de Midland tienen acceso a esterilización / castración asequible para sus perros y gatos. Esto les permite conservar la propiedad de sus mascotas mientras brindan atención médica y, en última instancia, mantienen baja la población animal callejera. Cortar estos fondos limita drásticamente las opciones para manejar poblaciones de animales callejeros en Midland, TX. Esto podría llevar a un aumento en la ingesta de refugios creando condiciones de hacinamiento y mayores tasas de eutanasia. Esto afectaría al personal del refugio y a los residentes locales que ya no tendrían acceso a los recursos para ayudar a crear soluciones a nivel comunitario.

A veces, cuando desea generar un cambio en su comunidad, es difícil saber por dónde empezar. Trabajamos con defensores locales como usted para realizar cambios sostenibles que salven vidas mientras creamos un marco de apoyo para las mascotas de Odessa y las personas que se preocupan por ellas. Al unirse, se convierte en parte de un grupo motivado de personas que creen que todas las mascotas y las personas merecen compasión y que, cuando trabajamos juntos, podemos crear un cambio real para los perros y gatos necesitados.

People lose their homes for having certain breeds of dogs. Some of these dogs have to go to homes where they aren’t properly cared for. It’s important to understand that it isn’t the breed of dog that makes it vicious, it’s the owner. Just like children, all dogs are born into this world only learning what is taught to them. Dogs suffer too. They have no voice & can’t speak for themselves. It’s also important to realize that if the dog is in a loving home, that he or she is in a safe environment. People shouldn’t have to be discriminated against, because of their preference of dog. We should be able to live in peace with our beloved animals without fear of “conditioned leasing” and eviction.

Around two-thirds of the animals being killed in shelters nationwide are cats. Community cats (aka stray or free-roaming cats) risk losing their lives simply because they've made a home in the outdoors. In many cases, they are brought to local shelters, where they are unlikely to get adopted because many of them aren't socialized to people. Many of these cats are thriving living outdoors because someone in their community cares for them. We, the people of Pasadena, can help these cats and our community with trap-neuter-return (TNR) methods. Community cat programs utilize TNR and the process is simple: Community cats are trapped, evaluated by veterinarians, vaccinated, spayed or neutered, ear-tipped, and returned to their outdoor homes, unable to have kittens. This is an animal-friendly, veterinarian-approved, and cost-effective method for keeping free-roaming cats safe, healthy, and out of shelters — while reducing their numbers over time. Sign here to show that we, the people of Pasadena, support this method for managing the cats living in our communities. **************************************************************************** ACTUALIZACIÓN JUNIO 2023: Por favor, ayuda a correr la voz para mostrar tu apoyo a los programas comunitarios para gatos en Pasadena, TX. Es imperativo que nuestra comunidad tenga acceso a este recurso esencial como tantas otras comunidades de Texas. Necesitamos tu ayuda y tu voz para liderar el esfuerzo y mostrar al consejo municipal que quieres recursos que ayudan a la gente con animales en Pasadena. Por favor, firme y comparta esta petición para demostrar que apoyas un cambio seguro, humanitario y positivo para los gatos de su comunidad y para quienes los cuidan. ¿Por qué es importante? Alrededor de dos tercios de los animales que son sacrificados en los albergues de todo el país son gatos. Los gatos de la comunidad (también conocidos como gatos callejeros) corren el riesgo de perder la vida simplemente porque han encontrado un hogar en la comunidad. En muchos casos, son llevados a los albergues locales, donde es poco probable que sean adoptados porque muchos de ellos no están socializados con las personas. Muchos de estos gatos prosperan viviendo al aire libre porque alguien de su comunidad los cuida. Nosotros, los habitantes de Pasadena, podemos ayudar a estos gatos (¡mientras mantenemos nuestras comunidades seguras!) con la técnica de Atrapar, Vacunar, Esterilizar, Regresar (AVER). Los programas comunitarios para gatos utilizan el AVER, que incluye un proceso sencillo: Los gatos de la comunidad son atrapados, evaluados por veterinarios, vacunados, esterilizados o castrados, con las orejas tapadas y devueltos a sus hogares al aire libre, sin poder tener gatitos. Se trata de un método respetuoso con los animales, aprobado por los veterinarios y económico para mantener a los gatos callejeros seguros, sanos y fuera de los albergues, al mismo tiempo que se reduce su número con el tiempo. Firme aquí para demostrar que nosotros, la gente de Pasadena, apoyamos este método para gestionar los gatos que viven en nuestras comunidades.

There is a wide range of dogs falling within the category of “risk” breeds according to some insurance companies including Boxers, Giant Schnauzers, German Shepherds, Chows, Great Danes, Alaskan Malamutes, American Staffordshire Terriers, Akitas, Cane Corsos, American Bulldogs, Belgian Malinois, Keeshonds, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Ovtcharkas, Siberian Huskies, Dobermans, Pit Bulls, Dalmatians, Rottweilers, Australian Cattle dogs and more. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners [NAIC] should protect pet-owning consumers. Insurance companies should focus on the behavior of the dog. Dogs with aggressive behavior should not be protected by any moratorium. This is important because dogs are viewed by the vast majority of Americans as part of the family, and the ability for people to keep families together should be protected. Breed-restrictive insurance practices can force responsible pet owners to give up their pets and increase the number of pets in shelters. The likelihood a dog will bite is based on many factors such as socialization of the dog, obedience training, supervision provided by the owner, and how the victim interacts with the dog. It has not been proven by scientific evidence that aggressive behavior is present in any particular breed of dog. Insurance companies that want to reduce risk should focus solely on behavior of the dog and the behavior of the owner.

Currently, responsible pet owners of particular breeds or mixes of dog get charged extra premiums, get denied insurance coverage, or may be dropped from their insurance company. These policies are all based upon the breed, or what breed the dog APPEARS to be. The practice of using breed as a predictor of risk is unsupported by reliable data. There is a wide range of dogs falling within the category of “risk” breeds including Boxers, Giant Schnauzers, German Shepherds, Chows, Great Danes, Alaskan Malamutes, American Staffordshire Terriers, Akitas,Cane Corsos, American Bulldogs, Belgian Malinois, Keeshonds, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Ovtcharkas, Siberian Huskies, Dobermans, Pit Bulls, Dalmatians, Rottweilers, Australian Cattle dogs and more. The NAIC should protect pet-owning consumers. Insurance companies should focus on the behavior of the dog. Dogs with aggressive behavior should not be protected by any moratorium. This is important because dogs are viewed by the vast majority of Americans as part of the family, and the ability for people to keep families together should be protected. Breed discriminatory insurance practices can cause responsible pet owners to be unable to keep their dogs, and cause an increase in the amount of pets in shelters. The likelihood a dog will bite is based on many factors such as socialization of the dog, obedience training, supervision provided by the owner, and how the victim interacts with the dog. It has not been proven by scientific evidence that aggressive behavior is present in any particular breed of dog. Insurance companies that want to reduce risk should focus solely on behavior.

Trap-Neuter-Return is an animal-friendly, veterinarian-approved, and cost-effective method for keeping free-roaming cats safe, healthy, and out of shelters while reducing their numbers over time. The cats are humanely trapped then sterilized and vaccinated before being returned to the place where they were found. And these programs are already working around the country. Community cat programs utilize trap-neuter-return (TNR) which is an animal-friendly, veterinarian-approved, and cost-effective method for keeping free-roaming cats safe, healthy, and out of shelters — while reducing their numbers over time. The cats are humanely trapped then sterilized and vaccinated before being returned to the place where they were found. Lifesaving programs like these are proven to be the most cost-effective, veterinarian-approved, and animal-friendly solution for controlling and reducing free-roaming cat populations. Rally your community to expand resources to keep people and pets safe and healthy by advocating for lifesaving programs throughout your state. Your voice is a critical part of ensuring that pets and people have access to positive programs and resources. Become part of a driven and diverse group of people who believe that all pets and people deserve compassion, and that -- when we work together -- we can create real change for pets in need.

The voucher program provides local community members and pets with much-needed resources. It also reduces the number of animals coming into the shelter and decreases the number of pets euthanized, too. Through this program, Midland community members have access to affordable spay/neuter for their dogs and cats. This allows them to retain ownership of their pets while providing medical care and ultimately keeping the stray population down. Continuing this funding at full capacity based on current needs is critical for managing stray populations in Midland, TX. This could lead to a rise in shelter intake creating overcrowded conditions and higher euthanasia rates. This would take a toll on shelter staff and local residents who would no longer have access to resources to help create solutions at a community level. UPDATES: In July 2021, the city council approved the funding of the vouchers through the end of FY 2021. Budget discussions took place in August and September and the voucher program was approved by the council for a similar amount for FY22. We continue to be attentive to the needs of the community in Midland and stand ready to assist with potential policy change needs, shelter and field staff assistance and community outreach. Going into this FY 22, it will be imperative for citizens in Midland to stay abreast of happenings at the newly opened shelter facility and the use of the voucher program as well.