2026 Updated Petition Statement

Since launching this petition, more than 5,300 people have signed in support of greater transparency and reform at ACCT Philly. Thank you. Your voices matter.

Yet healthy and treatable dogs and cats continue to be euthanized due to space limitations, timeline policies, and internal decisions that lack publicly documented outreach. These are not abstract numbers. These are lives with personalities, histories, and potential families.

That is why this petition remains urgent.

Some may believe that addressing one issue, such as backyard breeding, will solve the crisis. It will not. One change cannot fix a multilayered system. Intake prevention matters. But what happens after animals enter the shelter matters just as much.

Real reform requires:

• 📋 Documented rescue outreach prior to euthanasia
• 📊 Transparent outcome reporting and monthly public records
• 🧠 Capacity planning, diversion programs, and shelter space expansion
• ⚖️ Independent oversight and third-party audits
• 🏛️ Leadership engagement and accountability

🐾 Why This Still Matters

Recent losses like Phoenix, a young dog euthanized on 2/27/2026 due to time and space limits at just over a year old, remind us that this issue is ongoing. Nearly a year ago, young, friendly dogs named Teddy and Tank were euthanized. Since then, many more names have been added to that list.

This petition is not about criticizing volunteers or frontline staff. Many work tirelessly under difficult conditions and care deeply about the animals.

This is about systems, oversight, and leadership responsibility.

Philadelphia residents deserve clear policies, transparent reporting, and humane outcomes that reflect community values.

The Governor’s office confirmed that this issue operates at the local level. Meaningful review and reform must come from city leadership, including the Mayor and City Council.

If you wish to contact local leadership respectfully, official contact pages can be found here:

👉 https://www.pacounties.org/about/pa-county-websites
(Select Philadelphia County)

The goal is not conflict.
The goal is transparency, accountability, and giving animals every possible chance.

Reform is possible. But it requires action.

The Full Petition

🐾 Stop the Killing of Healthy Animals at ACCT Philly: Demand No-Kill and Transparency

Every single day, healthy and loving dogs and cats are euthanized at ACCT Philly — Philadelphia’s only open-intake animal shelter.

These animals are not suffering. They are not dangerous. They are friendly, treatable, and adoptable. Yet they lose their lives due to lack of space, time limits, or internal shelter decisions made behind closed doors.

These are pets with names, personalities, and potential. Their lives matter.

If we remain silent, the killing will continue. Rescue groups will stay overwhelmed, the public will stay shut out, and animals with names and personalities will keep dying. But together, we can break this cycle and build a No-Kill Philadelphia — one that values life, promotes rescue, and operates with transparency and accountability.

Now is the time. More advocates, volunteers, and animal lovers are speaking out. We need a humane, community-supported reform plan for ACCT Philly — before another adoptable dog or cat is needlessly killed.

Sign and share this petition to demand real change.

📌 We Demand

🐶 A No-Kill Policy at ACCT Philly

• End euthanasia of healthy or treatable animals due to space, minor behavior concerns, or time constraints.
• Reserve euthanasia only for cases of untreatable suffering or unrehabilitable aggression.
• No euthanasia without review panel approval.

📢 Mandatory Rehoming Efforts Before Euthanasia

• Require documented outreach to at least five licensed rescues, fosters, or adoption organizations prior to any euthanasia decision.
• At least three of these must be new organizations not previously contacted for the same animal within the past seven days.

All outreach attempts must be:

• ⏰ Time-stamped and recorded
• 📛 Include names of organizations contacted
• 📞 Include methods of contact and responses received
• 📂 Publicly reportable upon request

• Require public listing of animals on adoption sites, ACCT Philly’s website, and social media prior to euthanasia.

📜 Paper Trail & Transparency

• Implement a “Rehoming Attempt Documentation Form” detailing all outreach before euthanasia.
• Publish monthly public euthanasia reports, including reasons and documentation.
• Provide accurate reporting with no exclusions, including Live Release Rate calculations both with and without euthanasia cases.
• Post detailed logs of euthanasia reasons (illness, aggression, owner-requested, etc.).
• Require public posting of all intake and outcome records.

📏 Owner Responsibility During Surrender

• Except in emergencies, require pet owners to first attempt rehoming and provide a written explanation of surrender.
• Mandate full disclosure of known medical and behavioral history to support successful placement.

🤝 Support for Pet Owners in Crisis

Expand city-funded access to:

• Low-cost veterinary services
• Emergency pet housing
• Pet food assistance

• Reduce unnecessary surrenders caused by economic hardship or housing insecurity.
• Add neighborhood-based pet resource hubs offering short-term foster options and emergency support.

✂️ Enforce Spay/Neuter Laws

• Fully enforce Philadelphia’s sterilization ordinances.
• Provide free or affordable access to spay/neuter services citywide.

🏢 Expand Shelter Capacity

• Invest in expanded shelter space through renovations, new facilities, or partnerships with satellite rescues.
• No animal should lose their life due to lack of kennel space.
• Require development of a long-term facilities plan for sustainable and humane operations.

🔍 Independent Annual Shelter Audits

• Require ACCT Philly to undergo third-party annual audits of its euthanasia practices, operations, and care standards to ensure accountability and reform.

📌 Clarifying Oversight and Policy Reform

Under Pennsylvania law, euthanasia in animal shelters may legally be performed by certified euthanasia technicians operating under veterinary supervision and established medical protocols. Proper recordkeeping and controlled substance documentation are required by regulation.

However, how euthanasia is performed is separate from the policy decisions that determine when euthanasia is authorized.

This petition does not challenge lawful veterinary procedure. It calls for stronger governance and oversight surrounding the authorization process, particularly in cases where euthanasia is related to capacity or time constraints.

Reform must include:

• 📋Documented rescue outreach prior to euthanasia
• ✅ Verification that placement efforts were fully exhausted
• 📊 Transparent reporting of outreach and outcome data
• 👥 Formal review processes before space-based euthanasia decisions
• 🏛️ Leadership-level accountability for policy and capacity planning

The concern is not procedure.
The concern is whether sufficient documented effort, transparency, and oversight are in place before a life-ending decision is made.

Strengthening these internal policy safeguards aligns directly with national shelter standards and ensures accountability at the leadership level.

🩺 The 2022 ASV Guidelines Make Clear

The 2022 Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters, published by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, establish a national standard for how shelters must treat animals and serve their communities. They emphasize compassion, responsibility, and transparency.

They make clear:

• Population control is not a reason to kill.
• Euthanasia should never be used to create space.
• Shelters must operate within humane capacity or provide alternatives.
• Behavioral fairness, enrichment, and honest evaluations are essential.
• Communities must be partners in solutions, not shut out of the process.

By following these principles, shelters can save more lives, better serve their communities, and uphold the highest standards of humane care.

🔄 Additional Steps to Consider

🤝 Strengthen Community Partnerships

• Collaborate with universities for hands-on student involvement.
• Pursue grants and partnerships in veterinary science, animal behavior, public health, and social work.

🧑‍⚕️ Support Shelter Staff

• Provide mental health resources for staff who carry the emotional weight of this work.

It’s time for Philadelphia to become a No-Kill City — one that leads with compassion, innovation, and transparency.
One that prioritizes rehoming over killing, and support over surrender.

Reform must be accompanied by stronger accountability and increased investment. Philadelphia cannot continue to underfund its open-intake shelter while expecting lifesaving results.

🚨 This is urgent. Reform and accountability must happen now — for the animals, for the community, and for the city of Philadelphia.