I am an animal lover who had a special connection with my pet dog and cat while growing up, and since then, dogs and cats have been an integral part of my life. Ever since my childhood interactions with these wonderful creatures, I have realized they deserve our protection and a voice to articulate their sufferings.

Unfortunately, many shelters resort to euthanasia when there is overpopulation or when animals are not adopted in time. It’s a heartbreaking reality that in the United States, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized each year (ASPCA). Among these, the majority are cats and dogs who have done no wrong except to be born into a world where they are unwanted.

No dog, cat, or any other animal for that matter should have to undergo such a fate simply to make room for more animals. Overcrowding in shelters is a significant problem, but euthanizing animals who didn’t find a home promptly is not the humane solution we should seek. We need to encourage adoption, foster care, neuter and spay programs, and responsible pet ownership instead.

Looking at the vastness of this issue is overwhelming, but it starts with us raising awareness and demanding change. Please join me, an individual whose life has been touched so drastically by these animals, in urging policymakers and animal welfare organizations to end the practice of euthanizing healthy, adoptable cats and dogs in animal shelters. This is the voice our cats and dogs need us to be. Sign the petition.