Dear Governor Edwards, 

I am writing this letter in reference to Grant Parish’s, as well as the State of Louisiana’s inhumane overpopulation of domestic animals.  And asking for your assistance in moving our State to a more pet friendly State.  I believe that we as a community and state can end abandonment and homelessness of animals that end up in high kill shelters around our state. I believe that we can end the cruel and inhumane euthanasia of healthy animals.  Our nation has created an inhumane problem with overpopulation of domestic pets, specifically dogs and cats.  Irresponsible pet owners not spaying or neutering their pets allowing them to breed litter after litter, as well as backyard breeders and licensed breeders not being held accountable for their unsold stock results in thousands of abandoned dogs and cats being left on the streets to face starvation and the elements of extreme weather.  Irresponsible breeding is the cause of this inhumane overpopulation.  This overpopulation as we all know, results in millions of healthy dogs and cats, that should and could be adopted to loving homes, being unfairly euthanized every year in shelters.  Louisiana is one of the top five States in euthanasia of dogs and cats. Five States are responsible for 51.5 percent of shelter euthanasia.  California, Texas, North Carolina, Florida and Louisiana.  Only two States have succeeded at becoming no-kill States, Delaware followed by Michigan.  I believe with the help of our government; Louisiana can become a no-kill State. 

Every day, strays are picked up, brought to a shelter. We hold them for a few days, only to be euthanized to make room for the next dog/cat who will possibly face the same fate.  It’s an endless inhumane cruel vicious cycle.  There is NOTHING HUMANE about this system. This has to stop. We as a community, need to be more responsible pet owners, Laws need to be made and enforced to protect our pets and help control the population of pets. 

While our government spends millions of our tax paying dollars for live animal research around our nation, torturing innocent animals, and allowing the breeding of animals only to be tortured and mutilated instead of more updated humane methods, our cities, towns, counties and parishes struggle with the ongoing problem of saving dogs and cats due to minimum or zero funding. 

Our state, Louisiana, has 64 parishes. Only half of these parishes have shelter facilities to house dogs and cats.  Every parish deserves to have an indoor/outdoor shelter for strays. Every shelter should receive the funding to care for these strays in a humane way. Vetting, spay/neuter, heartworm prevention, and microchip to be ready for adoption or rescue. Not one shelter staff or volunteer should have to face the task of deciding which dog will die today.  Our tax paying dollars should be funding 501c3 rescues that pull these animals from the kill shelters to find them loving forever homes.  Every parish should have real animal welfare officers to patrol the parish with the assistance of the sheriff’s department to completely and organically enforce laws and put a stop to animal neglect, abandonment and abuse. 

 Shelters need to be enforced to hold records and publicize those records of each animal brought in. Date, Breed, Weight, etc., when the animal left, was it euthanized and reason it was euthanized, adopted (completed with adopter’s name, address, etc.), or rescued (complete with rescues information), if animal is deemed to be aggressive, or vicious, there needs to be temperament test recorded by a certified reputable trainer.  As we all know, a lot of dogs become stressed, when kenneled for months on in. They are confused and do not understand how they ended up in a 4x4 cage with a concrete floor from a happy home or just being free to run.  The way a dog acts in a shelter environment is usually not the dog's true character.  By shelters holding records of intakes and outtakes, this will provide the information needed to know if we are making progress to end this problem or if more work needs to be done.  

I’m proposing State laws be mandated for license of a pet and free spay/neuter be provided for pet owners.

 I am also asking for:
1, For a minimum temporary three-year statewide ban on the sale/adoption/rehoming of puppies under one year of age unless their placement is facilitated by a 501c3 organization, or a government run animal welfare organization, I ask for a five-month grace period from the date the ban passes to give breeders time to find homes for their stock.  This grace period will prevent a mass abandonment of puppies that would further strain our already overburdened shelter system and rescues.

.2. Impose fees for breeding.  A statewide uniform fee schedule for dog licenses in which unaltered dog licenses cost at least $200. annually, altered dog licenses cost no more than $25. annually and breeder's licenses no less than $1000. annually. Furthermore, as a friend noted, breeders should be held accountable for their “stock”.  They should be monitored and should have to take back and find a loving home for any animal that they bring into this world for profit.

.3, Cruelty laws need to be passed and enforced.  Cruelty to animals of any kind, especially dog fighting should be a felony and long-term jail time served at the very least.  Fines and penalties should be imposed for each misdemeanor. No animal should be tied indefinitely to live their life on a rope or chain, they deserve and should have room to run in a safe fenced in area. 

 I believe there should be more funding for shelters and 501c3 rescues, and less funding for live animal research, not only in Louisiana but in every State that operate live animal research labs. The solution to this problem, starts with conversation and discussion.  I’m asking for your help to make Louisiana a pet friendly safer state for animals.  I’m asking that you start the conversation, mandate updated animal friendly laws and consider putting the three-year ban in place for a no kill Louisiana. I believe if we all unite together, we can make this nation safer and more humane for animals one State at a time.  

 
 Thank you for your Service and thank you for your consideration of this letter.  On behalf of animal shelter staff, volunteers, and avid animal lovers of Louisiana and our nation, I look forward to hearing discussion that leads to more pet friendly laws being passed in solving this inhumane problem within Louisiana and the nation in the near future. 

Sincerely,

Sedera Jeansonne