Hello my name is Tylo and I’m a high school senior in California. During the summer of my junior year, I started going to a local shelter to take photos of the animals. My goal was to get these unfortunate animals seen in hopes of getting them rescued or adopted by using the power of social media. What started as a simple way to enjoy my hobby of photography turned into a mission  as I started to witness these animals getting euthanized everyday. I was deeply devastated when a terrier mix named Cooper whom I enjoyed interacting every time I visited the shelter got euthanatized. And I started to wonder, who is responsible for this and how can we stop this?

I'm personally witnessing animal shelters reaching their maximum capacity, forced to euthanize innocent animals daily, just to make room for more. One significant contributor to this heartbreaking situation is the unregulated backyard breeding. 

Backyard breeding is a cruel and dangerous practice, often resulting in the overpopulation of pets, many of whom end up in already overly crowded shelters. Backyard breeders typically lack proper knowledge about the animal’s needs and breed without considering the health and welfare implications for the animals involved.

Humane Society of the United States estimates that there are tens of thousands of breeding operations across the country, contributing to millions of homeless and euthanized pets each year.

Creating legislation to outlaw backyard breeding and requiring licenses for breeders is a much-needed step toward a more humane society. This would help to ensure breeders have a sound understanding of their animals’ welfare needs and are accountable for their animal's health and wellbeing.

Help us to create a world where every pet has a safe and loving home. Join our call to end backyard breeding and mandate breeder licensing. Please sign and share this petition.