I have personally  reported multiple cases of animals being left in 90+ degree garages and lanais. . Not only are they incarcerated in the garages and other structures, but they’re trapped in cages where they are unable to move , there is no fresh air exchange …… they cannot escape the high temperatures that can reach over 100° .They have no access to water and just simply lay there suffering 24 hrs a day.

I have witnessed and reported animals being left outside with no food and water in cages with no protection from the elements…  tethered with dangerous chains that never get exercise . They are trapped, waiting to die… Alone. 

I have reported a case of breeders with cages of dogs and puppies stacked in these garages, cages full of excrement….Suffering daily… their little bodies being ravaged by the heat with only a fan to blow the hot air around with no means of getting cool. Many calls were made to LCDAS  by concerned citizens trying to help these animals over the course of a year….Multiple calls went uninvestigated.!!!!

When I report these atrocities, Enforcement goes multiple times to the property over the course of days and leave notices on the door. (This effectively gives the offenders time to temporarily change the conditions to deceive Enforcement) . And in the meanwhile, the animals are just feet away from these officers, suffering… Praying somebody will just open the garage door and save them!! Enforcement is then allowed to give the offenders 30 days to stop. There is not a set Protocol for follow up. The officers are encouraging them to put fans in the garage, which is effectively drying out their mucous membrane in their mouths, making near impossible to cool themselves.

Up to 30 DAYS of additional suffering Is UNACCEPTABLE!!

There is no documentation of the animals  temperature, the temperatures they are being subjected to or evaluation for dehydration . Documents simply state the animal is alert in most cases.
Dogs do not eliminate body heat the way humans do. They sweat a little through their paw pads, but not through their bodies, where their fur acts as an insulator; a dog’s primary method of body heat removal is panting.
But when it’s dangerously hot, like in the upper 90s or the 100s, all a fan is going to do is blow hot air around…. Hastening their risk of heatstroke . That’s not enough to create a safe environment for a dog.

Allowed  by Animal ordinance 14-22 …. Signed and approve by our very own commissioners !!!

Commissioners, we need to do better!!!!

Another recent case unfolded on March 3rd 2024 , 15 dogs were found tied to trees by chains and various other makeshift restraints with no access to food or water. These dogs were slowly starving to death. Their little bodies were being drained of all life sustaining nutrients by being trapped with the sun beating down on them with no escape from the elements.
This man was not arrested. These animals were not confiscated by Lee County Domestic Animal Services….rather they allowed him to simply give up 13 dogs and let him keep 2 dogs to continue to neglect and abuse in the future . No follow up was put in to check on those two dogs until I demanded it . Two years prior to this event , there was a complaint about 10 dogs tethered on this property which Lee County Domestic Animal Services failed to follow up on …. resulting in these poor dogs suffering for an additional two years….. starving, tied to trees without any protection from the high temperatures and storms.
This needs to stop immediately!

In regards to crisis we have here in Lee County with unregulated breeders….

Animals are being dumped in high numbers at our shelter by breeders who can’t sell them, We have increasingly numbers of purebred animals being picked up as strays that escape these unregulated breeders.  A majority of these breeders are only interested in money and they don’t care who they sell them to and these little precious puppies, wind up in the hands of more horrible people!

A recent case of two beautiful Dogue De Bordeaux dogs were found roaming our streets. They were picked up by LCDAS, brought to the shelter and were placed at risk of being euthanized because they were frightened. Meanwhile, the owner of these precious babies( a breeder in Cape Coral) chose to abandon them there. And as of today, he has the puppies of one of those abandoned dogs up for sale on an AKC website!!!! 
Such a disgusting display of humanity! He got what he wanted out of them and dumped them .
This must end!!!

Miami-Dade County instituted ordinances 10 years ago to protect the animals by means of regulating backyard breeders and as a result, alot of the horrific backyard breeders have infiltrated and infested our Lee County neighborhoods in droves because we have no ordinance in place to stop them. Unfortunately, these unregulated breeders contribute to the high number of the animals being incarcerated in garages sheds and lanais…. suffering irreversible tissue , brain and heart damage. 

• We need to immediate change to our ordinances on animal cruelty in particular to animals being left in hot garages and being left in backyards sheds and lanais. We must require IMMEDIATE resolution of these horrific conditions.  We need CLARIFICATION of the few ordinances that we do have as to what is acceptable and what is not when animals are being housed In garages, lanais and sheds. There should be a standard set forth that provides for immediate resolution of all of these types of neglect and abuse.
• We must reinstate portions of ordinance  14-04 which requires mandatory registration for breeders. This would allow for accountability of breeders by requiring basic standards of care and housing for these animals, veterinary care etc. and offer a means to better prosecute/shutdown the neglectful breeders.
• We must set forth a clear standard that  Law Enforcement Officers and Lee County Domestic Animal Officers are required to abide by in regards to their response and follow up of cases they investigate . 

These changes will help reduce the large number of suffering animals , decrease the amount of animals in our shelters and ensure better enforcement of animal welfare laws.

We need to begin somewhere to stop the endless suffering of animals as a result of overpopulation neglect and abuse!

We NEED your help!

The image depicted is one the 15 poor dogs found on that property discussed in this petition. 

Please sign this petition to protect the animals in our community from neglect and abuse and help put a stop to these horrific backyard breeders!