The Issue:

For decades, the City of Delray Beach and Palm Beach County have failed to address the critical issue of pet overpopulation, leaving community cats to suffer from starvation, untreated illnesses, injuries, and uncontrolled reproducing that further exacerbates the crisis. They have not only neglected to provide sufficient funding but also failed to fulfill commitments like the C2Z initiative (2014-2024) between Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control and Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League, which aimed to double spay/neuter surgeries from 18,000 to 36,000 annually, enhance public outreach, and make these surgeries more accessible—but fell short on all fronts. While some minimal support exists, such as limited funding for TNVR (Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return) programs, it is far from enough to meet the scale of the crisis. As a result, community cat caregivers—who dedicate their own time, finances, and emotional energy to perform TNVR (where the surgery is free) and provide ongoing care for years—have been left to shoulder this burden with inadequate resources. Additionally, Palm Beach County Ordinance 98-22, Chapter 4, Section 4-35 mandates that caregivers provide necessities like proper nutrition, clean water, and medical care to each community cat they care for—sometimes numbering in the hundreds—but provides no resources to meet these requirements. This leaves resource-limited caregivers struggling to comply, underscoring the urgent need for an Animal Trust Fund to support their efforts and align with legal expectations.

Why We Need an Animal Trust Fund:

Caregivers play a vital role in Delray Beach and Palm Beach County by controlling disease and preventing overpopulation, directly contributing to public health and safety, yet they receive no acknowledgment and only minimal, insufficient resources. An Animal Trust Fund would provide the dedicated financial support needed to:
• Expand Spay/Neuter Programs: Reduce overpopulation and prevent future suffering by making surgeries more accessible and convenient.
• Ensure Medical Care: Provide necessary treatment to keep community cats healthy in the years following TNVR, including aftercare such as emergency or ongoing care for injuries, illnesses, or chronic conditions.
• Guarantee Food Security: Establish feeding programs to prevent malnutrition and starvation.
• Support Caregivers and Community Education: Assist caregivers who work in hazardous conditions, late at night, with some dedicating 1,200–1,500 hours annually to daily caregiving plus additional hours for TNVR—all without institutional backing—while funding public outreach to educate the community about TNVR and responsible pet ownership.
• Facilitate Collaboration with Nonprofits: Partner with local organizations to expand TNVR events, educational programs, and resources for community cats, amplifying the fund’s impact.

Call to Action:

We urge the Delray Beach City Council to pass a resolution establishing this Animal Trust Fund—at zero cost to taxpayers—by leveraging community donations, partnerships with nonprofits, and grants like those from the Florida Animal Friend License Plate Program, which supports spay/neuter initiatives through specialty plate sales. This fund will enable Delray Beach to apply for such grants, ensuring sustainable funding for animal welfare projects. By taking this step, Delray Beach can set an example for Palm Beach County and the entire nation, showing what a compassionate, sustainable solution to pet overpopulation looks like—one that honors the vital role of caregivers. 

PLEASE SIGN the petition to help us create a future where no community cat suffers due to lack of care, setting a precedent for humane animal welfare practices nationwide.