I am grasping to understand why citizens are not demanding more from their municipal animal shelters.  Is it because we have coined them “Animal Control” for too long?  Does that term somehow imply a reason for control instead of care?

In the last few hours, in only my Facebook feed, I have seen 2 petitions crying for justice for animals abused in local animal control facilities.  A petition asking to improve conditions at Hesperia Animal Shelter describes these scenarios, “An animal was dragged for hundreds of feet on a leash by an employee and caught on video.  Another dog was so scared in the PTS room and manhandled until the dog bit its own tongue almost clean off and alligator rolled (this is when the dog is at the end of the catch pole and it keeps rolling and spinning). It was left to perish in its own dirt. Nobody even tried to save this helpless dog.”

The other petition for Chicago Animal Care and Control is demanding justice for Missy and describes this scenario, “On April 24, 2015, police were called to Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC) after it was discovered that an employee had left a dog in a small cage in a CACC vehicle for six days without food or water.”  As well, as two other scenarios in the last 12 months, “Nearly a year ago, a young mixed-breed dog named Chance was “accidentally” euthanized when a CACC employee failed to put a proper hold on the impounded animal. Also last year, it came to light that an employee choked a dog to death using a “catch pole” (a pole with a noose-like rope at one end that is commonly used to bring animals under control and prevent bites).”

Everyday on my Facebook feed I see pictures of dogs wrongly killed by city shelters across the states just like the one I featured in this blog.

We have paid, trained people killing and abusing animals everyday.  Yet, no one is taking action. What the officer did in Chicago, leaving a dog without food or water, locked in a cage for SIX days would warrant legal action in every possible scenario.  EXCEPT when committed by an animal control officer?  Dogs wrongly killed multiple times in a 12 month period and yet, NO action is put forth to investigate and arrest the people involved.

Dogs literally bleeding to death, surrounded by their own filth in GOVERNMENT run facilities and no one does anything?

We are no longer living in the dog catcher days.  Taxes are paying for the care of these animals.  People are trained to work with these animals.  This type of cruel and malicious behavior has to stop and it must be punishable.  If a citizen was caught leaving her dog with no food or water for six days, she would face criminal charges.  If a citizen strangled his own dog to death, he would face criminal charges.  Animal neglect and cruelty is punishable.  Why doesn’t the law apply to everyone?

Please get involved and demand justice.  As citizens, we must take a stand and stop the cruelty of animals in municipal shelters across the country.  INNOCENT dogs and cats are dying and being tortured every single day in America in the very shelters designed to protect them.  OUR tax dollars are being used to KILL dogs and cats everyday.  Is that what you want – your hard earned money used to kill your neighbor’s relinquished cat or even YOUR lost dog?

There are city shelters across the states making amazing strides at becoming No Kill.  Shelters with tiny budgets and little staff.  Don’t buy the excuses.  It isn’t all about money – it is about compassion and the desire to do better.

Try going to sleep tonight knowing that your very own tax dollars killed an innocent dog today.  He was 2 years old and relinquished because his owners had to move.  He was sweet and loving, but your shelter didn’t care, so they killed him… with your money.  YOU killed that dog because you didn’t care enough to sign a petition and take a stand.

Take a stand.  Be the voice.  It matters… they all matter.