As a resident of Santa Rosa County I, as well as several others, am concerned about our county's animal shelter. With the extremely high number (6,616 in 2014) of animals that enter our shelter each year, I find it problematic the shelter is run on such a small staff (19 employees) and without a veterinarian. Other county shelters, such as the one located in Escambia County, have made big changes the past few years (including Target Zero, http://www.target-zero.org ) with improved outcomes for the animals and the community. A vet on staff can prevent several deaths a year, from administering vaccines on admission to spaying and neutering animals to control the pet population in our community. Having a vet spay and neuter the animals on premises would make the adoption process much easier for those wanting to adopt, as the pet could go home with them that day. The process now for an unaltered animal to be adopted is very time consuming for the staff and increases the stay for the animal. The animals must be brought to a vet by staff and later picked up for the adopter. 

Adoption fees are very low at this time; by altering the pets on premises, fees could be raised to $50-$100 per animal, which would help cover the vet salary and addition staff needed. Although the fees are increased at the shelter, they would be less than what adopters are paying now since they must pre-pay for the spay or neuter at a vet before obtaining the animal from the shelter. Another idea to help the shelter is to start requiring licenses (dog tags) or micro chipping. This would in turn not only help with funding for the shelter, but would also help return several thousands of lost animals to their homes. Reuniting the dogs with their owners quickly would  reduce the long unneeded stay at the shelter and would free up kennels and save money. With nearly 74 percent (4,843 of the 6,578 in 2014) of animals euthanized at our shelter each year, something needs to change!

By signing this petition, as a Santa Rosa resident, you are helping save lives. We, as a community, need to come together and help these innocent animals and our shelter staff. Providing veterinary care to the animals at the shelter gives them a chance at life. Spaying and neutering will help lower the number of homeless animals in our county and, in time, reduce the number of animals at the shelter. It is time to re-evaluate our treatment of shelter animals in our county and make a change. We are failing our animals as a community. They deserve on-site vet care like the other area shelters. Please sign and show Santa Rosa County we value the lives at the shelter.

Jennifer Mathew

The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.

Mahatma Gandhi