Nearly four million animals are killed in U.S. shelters every year. In fact, shelter killing is the leading cause of death for healthy dogs and cats in the United States. For far too long, we have been led to believe there is no other way. But there is hope. In the last several years, shelters in numerous communities have comprehensively implemented a bold series of programs and services to reduce birthrates, increase adoptions and redemptions, and keep animals with their responsible caretakers. As a result, they are achieving unprecedented results, saving upwards of 95 percent of all impounded animals in open admission animal controlfacilities,reserving “euthanasia” for hopelessly ill or injured and irremediably suffering animals, and truly vicious dogs with a poor prognosis for rehabilitation. Not only are they saving lives, but they are saving taxpayer money as well. Corpus Christi City Animal Control, 4 of the last 5 years, has had a kill rate over 80%-even with an adoption program. We the citizens of Corpus Christi petition to implement part, if not all of CAPA, ( Companion Animal Protection Act) Model legislation that many communities are following, such as Austin Texas . CAPA was drafted by Nathan Winograd, the Director of the No Kill Advocacy center. CAPA is modeled after a similar law which has been in effect in California since 1999. An analysis of that law found that sending animals to non-profit animal rescue organizations saved the City and County of San Francisco $486,480 in publicly funded animal control costs. CAPA saves taxpayer money by mandating public-private partnerships that not only reduce expenses associated with having to care for, then kill and dispose of an animal, but which transfers expenses from taxpayers to private philanthropy. Under CAPA, shelters can also charge the cost of an adoption to those groups, thereby bringing in needed revenues and defraying any costs associated with implementation. "Animal Friendly" accounts can be created to store funds from citations etc. to go back into the Animal Control budget therfore creating funding for added services/officers. It is time for change. It is time the killing stopped. THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DIE BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN EASIER TO KILL THAN TO CLEAN UP. Please sign and pass so we can prove to our city council that we demand and support change! For more info on CAPA email codymarierice@yahoo.com.
