The Pasadena Humane Society has raised almost 20 million dollars for a new building now under construction. 20 million dollars and no new or improved facilities are being built to shelter homeless animals. Since the early 90’s, when an addition was added to the existing facilities at the Pasadena Humane Society, they have expanded their coverage areas, but not their physical space to house homeless animals. This means that animals will continue to be euthanized due to a lack of space.
PHS shelters 13,000 animals every year from seven cities in Los Angeles County. It is unacceptable to not include new and/or improved facilities for the animals they take in on a daily basis. The new building boasts of the future spay/neuter clinic, retail, training, boarding and day care services for owned animals. What about the homeless animals, PHS?
The treatment of the dogs that come in to PHS is a very telling scenario. Surprisingly, the posh Pasadena Humane Society only feeds the animals once a day, rarely cleans their enclosures and will not allow any enrichment items, blankets, or beds in their kennels. Even if the dog is injured, elderly, has special needs, or is housed for an extended period of time, their kennel remains bare. These conditions violate the basics of humane animal sheltering and may cause an animal’s health and behavior to deteriorate rapidly. The Pasadena Humane Society knows this, but still refuses to allocate one bit of the 20 million dollars to alleviate this problem.
Until the Board of Directors and the administration adopt new plans that focus on the complete care of the animals, we urge the current image-obsessed parties to step down. Without reform, the completion of the new building will leave the cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, reptiles and wildlife without appropriate housing. Please don’t let this happen to them.
