To: Navajo Nation Council, Legislative/ Executive Branches/ Supporting community:

 

My name is Kelly De Jesus, and I am a Public Health graduate. If you recognize my name, it is because myself and constituents brought forth to your attention the need for criminal laws against irresponsible owners and the stray dog/ bite issue on the rez, which has been successful.  At the time I was focused on community safety, now I am coming to you as an animal advocate and with animal welfare, safety, and health in mind with the goal of live outcomes for the animals. 

My platform as an advocate is Animal Welfare & Health as Public Health on The Navajo Nation.

The Navajo Nation, with its rich cultural heritage and respect for all living beings, needs to take a step forward in protecting animal welfare and recognizing it as an integral part of public health.

Currently, there is a lack of comprehensive legislation addressing these issues within the community. This absence not only affects the well-being of animals but also poses potential risks to public health. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), there's a strong link between animal health and human health (One Health initiative). Moreover, research from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that over 60% of known infectious diseases in people are spread from animals. By introducing such legislation on the Navajo Nation, we can ensure better living conditions for animals while simultaneously safeguarding our community's health.

Additionally, The Navajo Nation, home to over 300,000 peopleand countless animals, This absence of law not only jeopardizes the well-being of animals but also poses a significant risk to public health. Furthermore, studies have shown that animal abuse is strongly correlated with domestic violence and child abuse. Therefore, reinstating anti-animal cruelty laws can serve as a crucial step towards ensuring safety within our homes.

 

As Dine, it is under Navajo Law that we treat our animals humanely and with respect as we all reside on mother earth. However, I see a lot of animal abuse, neglect, and suffering, and now with animal round ups happening on other reservations, possibly here too. We need anotheralternative than a mass killing of animals, whom did not bear any responsibilities of being here except—from irresponsible animal ownership; including breeding, selling, dumping, and bartering.

 

1.     I am asking to re-instate the Title 17 anti- animal cruelty (or state clear indication) which has been brought to the attention of Navajo Nation Council and Former President Jonathan Nez but had no clear resolutions, and has been ‘tabled’ due to budget constraints or other concerns. It is unclear in legislation. IT IS ALWAYS SAID that those who inflict horrendous acts of violence against humanity often have started with animals FIRST. It is apparent with the increase in crimes on Navajo that animal welfare is made an ISSUE and anti-cruelty measures put into legislation. 

2.Animal advocates, rescues, and border town shelters are inundated with Navajo Animals with No help from the Navajo Nation. The tribe costs the border town thousands of dollars for them to take our animals for them to have a chance at life, and at the same time treat our animalvolunteers and rez vets with a harsh hand leaving volunteers and rescues with burn out, causing them to quit and walk away, or closing down their organizations. Communities and tribal members refuse to listen to education and awareness, and with rescues closing this leaves the tribe with fewer resources for their animals.

We need aid and incentives for volunteers and rescuers to continue helping.  

4. We ask council to aid in the restructure their animal control program and officers and provide education on assisting the public with their animals humanely and with empathy, not traumatize and

overtly destroy lives. Education, Humane treatment of animals and resources should be the goal. For example: If a 3- day hold is the ordinance then owners should be honored the 3-day hold without worrying their animals will be destroyed before that time.

5. There is an immense NEED for animal shelters, animal control officers who CARE about animals, public education, awareness and duty to animal welfare and health, and incentives for volunteers and rescue organizations.

6. Recognition and incentives for animal rescue volunteers on the rez who work with reputable rescues to save lives and help their communities—often times volunteers are at the constraints of housing rules when fostering.

 

We urge our leaders in Window Rock, AZ to take

immediate action on this matter.

 

V/R, 

 

Kelly DeJesus, Public Health graduate student/ Animal Advocate 

kellydejesus@icloud.com

Lost and Found Pets of the Navajo Nation (FB GROUP)

 

 

Additionally, 

The public and I ask the council to look into the situation that occurred with Rez Vet Dr Ruby and her animals that were confiscated by Navajo Animal Control whom were fully vaccinated, and rounded up without ‘warning’ and taken from her property. The handling of the situation towards a respected member of the Navajo community and the animal community, can be perceived as a gross abuse of power, and a questionable reflection of the Navajo nation animal control program towards the animals residing on Navajo. 

 

 

 

CONTACTS FOR NAVAJO COUNCIL/ NN PRESIDENT AND OFFICE OF THE VP:

 

Navajo Nation Council 

steven.arviso@navajo-nsn.gov (Law and Order)

lomardo.aseret@navajo-nsn.gov (Budget & Finance)

helena.begay@navajo-nsn.gov (Health education & Human Services)

norman.begay@navajo-nsn.gov (Budget & Finance)

shawna.claw@navajo-nsn.gov (Resources & Development)n 

echarles-newton@navajo-nsn.gov (Law and Order)

acrotty@navajo-nsn.gov (Budget and Finance)

crystalyne.curley@navajo-nsn.gov

hdaniels@navajo-nsn.gov (Law and Order)

vincejames@navajo-nsn.gov (Health, education and Human Services)

brenda.jesus@navajo-nsn.gov (Resources & Development) 

casey.johnson@navajo-nsn.gov (Resources & Development)

andy.nez@navajo-nsn.gov (Health, Education and Human Services)

rickienez@navajo-nsn.gov (Resources & Development) 

nathan.notah@navajo-nsn.gov (Law and Order)

sp.parrish@navajo-nsn.gov (Budget and Finance)

germaine.simonson@navajo-nsn.gov (Health Education and Human Services)

danny.simpson@navajo-nsn.gov (Resources and Development)

carlslater@navajo-nsn.gov (Budget and Finance)

george.tolth@navajo-nsn.gov (Health, Education and Human Services)

otso@navajo-nsn.gov (Resource and Development)

curtis.yanito@navajo-nsn.gov    (Health, Education and Human Services)

cherilyn.yazzie@navajo-nsn.gov (Law and Order Committee)

lesteryazzie@navajo-nsn.gov (Budget and Finance).

 

Office of the President and OVP

Mailing Address

PO Box 7440

Window Rock, AZ

86515

 

Phone Number

(928) 871-7000

 

Fax Number

(928) 871-4025

 

To reach NAVAJO NATION PRESIDENT: BUU NYGREN 

alray.nelson@navajo-nsn.gov 

To reach First Lady Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren:

daryn.sells@navajo-nsn.gov 

To reach VP Richelle Montoya 

josie.bowman@navajo-nsn.gov