One only needs to look on social media sites to see the animals that are helpless and homeless, running loose after being abandoned, dumped, or lost. Anyone who has a pet as a family member or companion knows the heartache of a missing pet. The shelters and rescues are at an all-time high for capacity; they’re overfilled and understaffed. Many citizens, including myself, are taking in these animals and caring for them until they can be reunited with their families or rehomed.

The city of Hemet urgently needs its own Animal Services with a veterinary facility dedicated to Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) programs and low-cost veterinary care. This initiative should include establishing a No Kill Shelter to ensure no healthy or treatable animal is euthanized due to lack of space. Addition to original Petition is below. 

Im looking at a bigger picture for our community than just Animal Services and the no kill Shelter and TNVR no cost program. im looking at a change in how the above work together and more! Im hoping for free educational programs, adoption events, a veterinary hospital,  seperate areas for dogs and cats,  behavioral training,  an exercise park, a kitten nursery, outreach to help petowners keep their pets, Foster homes, food pantry and a commisary. Im thinking the whole burrito! In one facility. With a team. IN HEMET!  Lower than lowcost spay and nueter!  Its the only way to move forward towards healthier lives for our animals and ourselves, its what its going to take to get a real handle on all the homeless pets and community animals and its coming in the future of Shelters and Animal Services everywhere.  This is the kind of change that is taking place currently and will be more prevalent in shaping the way we care for our animals in the future and it is a  necessary change. Its already working in other cities throughout the U.S. SUCCESSFULLY! i believe its attainable. I believe we have the support of our community members already stepping up, stepping in to care for the animals, many of them at their own expense and giving their homes and their time as well. I think we have a very supportive community that will join the city of Hemet in  embracing this kind of change for the betterment of us all and going forward. It is with this eye on the prize and a goal in mind of implementing those things mentioned above that ive written this petition and asked for your support. I do believe a no kill shelter is absolutely attainable. Heres just one of the reasons i believe the current systems in place are not addressing the citys needs regarding these animals and please dont misunderstand, im not placing any blame on any one person or entity! Im simply saying the way it is now is falling short of what i believe it can be and im certain im not the only resident in our city who has made phonecalls on behalf of an animal and heard these words;

" We're full. We are at capacity and short volunteers". "We wish we could help you."  "Its kitten season everybody is going to be full" " no we dont offer that. Did you try ( in another city)?" and THIS IS THE WORST ITS EVER BEEN!" 

Ive read news articles that state theres a shortage of veterinarians in the U.S so its not just in Hemet your Vet is booked out and you cant get your pet seen in an emergency money or none or that youll wait a month or more to get a kitty vaccinated and spayed or nuetered most of the time no matter where you try to get an appointment. How can the operations in place possibly address the current overpopulation and abandonment of these animals as it is? Theyre telling us. They cant. But We Can! We can have a mission. We can attain the goal of Zero in our future. We can attain a facility and a team and work with other professionals  and organisations with the same goals that are already in place and working successfully in facilities with no kill shelters.

The tnvr program works! It dwindles the numbers in feral cat communities where most cats do not have long life spans and by eliminating the reproduction of the feral kittens born in the feral cat communities youll definitely see a reduction in the number of cats in a colony and less feral cat colonys therefore in a community! However we need access to a tnvr program in our city and the program must have trained  professionals and or those experienced in trapping and transporting feral animals and they must have the gear! Its for safetys sake we need this program available to us here in our own city of Heme with many retired residents and the many seniors residing here who wish to be of some service but lets be realistic many who are happy if they still can drive themselves to their own doctor appointments and or like myself no longer drive for safetys sake and who have no experience in trapping a feral animal much less do they own humane traps or equipment and likely are on fixed incomes and cannot afford to rent the traps and God knows  transporting it to another city at the crack of dawn to be fixed hopefully! Theres usually a limit on how many ferals can be accepted for surgery so you can see that though id like to be of use for the colony cats where i live  or foster kittens for a shelter or rescue id need help from someone somewhere to offer my services which would make me feel useful and i believe, no i know would bring me much joy adding to my own quality of life! So you can see how it can be beneficial to the residents in Hemet to have this kind of help available right here in our own neighborhood and it can only be better for those that cannot ask for help but who depend on us. It must be available in our city for it to work as it should. We need to do better for our community and we certainly can. The old ways are not working successfully in addressing the needs of our current situation and how can they possibly do it when the homeless animal population has outgrown the capacities of the shelters and rescues and theres one officer for the city and the rural areas outside the residential areas of this city thats grown so much in its population of residents and their  pets in the last 10 years alone! The city services must grow with the city! Its a lifestyle change!

  If anyone is interested in seeing the numbers and figures and financials of a success story for what i just described above in at least one place that has implemented them and with success has a zero for their no kill shelter i know san diego humane society has them all on their website with models they used and resources they partnered with to achieve their success.  Just google it. Theyre very transparent with their records, another plus for the communities everywhere to model their own successes after. Its all there for the public to see each year since its inception!  Transparent policies are welcome and helpful to us in realising costs towards our goals with the same interests! We can make this our  mission and attain these goals. I realise its natural to resist change yet change is the constant and it will come as it always does. Lets embrace this change and join the city of Hemet moving forward for our residents and our community.  It begins right here,right now. Raise your voice and make a joyful sound on behalf of the animals in our community. Lets be part of the change. In fact lets be leaders for this inevitable change for and with our city and heading up the front. We can do more together.

By signing this petition, you can help provide essential services for our community's animals and support those who tirelessly work towards their welfare. Please sign the petition! Please pass it on for others you know who share the concern and desire for change for us all to sign!