Pass New York CAPA and Stop the Killing of Healthy and Treatable Shelter Animals!

Pass New York CAPA and Stop the Killing of Healthy and Treatable Shelter Animals!

Started
September 25, 2019
Signatures: 73,570Next Goal: 75,000
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Why this petition matters

Started by Cindi Lyn

A horrifying video was recorded on Thursday, May 9th, 2019, at the New York City pound in Manhattan. The video shows a 'euth tech' attempting to block the view of a rescue volunteer who bravely kept recording as uncaring ACC employees dragged a frightened dog named Maverick to the kill room. Maverick seemed to sense his fate and resisted his killers by lying down, showing no sign of aggression.

Maverick's Story & Video Featured in the NY Post: http://nyp.st/2JsswcU

From Pet Rescue Report: 

“ACCORDING TO THE [NYPD] OFFICER WHO DEALT WITH MAVERICK…

Officer Teng stated he had no trouble with MAVERICK, and seemed surprised and taken aback to hear that he had been killed by NYC ACC. Officer Teng said the son in MAVERICK’s family brought the dog who was wagging his tail out to the police car and MAVERICK hopped right into the back, and rode calmly with Officer Teng without incident to the Precinct, where he remained calm and friendly until ACC later picked-up MAVERICK. Officer Teng stated that only the father of the family had ever had a problem with MAVERICK, who had bitten the father once before. Officer Teng clearly described a dog who was not unmanageable or vicious in any way, and was not, and did not need to be restrained at any time the Officer was with what he also described as a friendly and calm dog.”

Echoing the collective sentiment of people everywhere who were affected by Maverick’s viral video, an animal advocate asked, “How can something like this be allowed to happen?” But the real question is how often does it happen?

The truth is if the atrocity had not been recorded by a rescue volunteer who happened to be in the right place at the right time with a camera phone at the ready, Maverick’s story would never have been told, and Maverick would have died in silence among the countless, nameless victims who advocates refer to as ‘Silent Kills,’ those who never appear on any kill list and are given no chance at adoption, rescue, or redemption of any kind.

Maverick’s story demonstrates that friendly and rehabilitatable animals are being killed in secret. There are no standards. There is no oversight. No one is ever held accountable. This has to change!

We are No Kill Now! • Campaign for New York CAPA, a group of animal advocates from across the country dedicated to introducing and passing legislation to end the killing of healthy and treatable shelter animals in New York State.

We believe that temporarily homeless companion animals deserve a safe haven when entering a ‘shelter’ and should be treated with compassion and provided prompt and necessary veterinary care, socialization, and rehabilitative services. These are things that sentient beings deserve and to which they are entitled. And above all, we believe that all animals have the Right to Live.

The Companion Animal Protection Act (CAPA) is model Shelter Reform legislation that was developed by the No Kill Advocacy Center to protect the lives of vulnerable impounded animals. In addition to establishing minimum standards that would improve the quality of care that animals receive in shelters, CAPA would require that certain conditions be met before an animal can be killed that would prevent the senselessly cruel slaughter of thousands of adoptable dogs and cats each year in regressive pounds across New York State.

CAPA would require shelters to have fully functioning adoption programs, including off-site adoptions, use of the internet to promote animals and varied adoption hours to facilitate the public.

CAPA would require shelters to be transparent with their statistics.

CAPA would prohibit the killing of a dog or cat when there is available kennel space or the animal can be transferred to another facility.

CAPA would prohibit the killing of an animal without actively seeking a foster home for that animal.

CAPA would prohibit the killing of an animal when a qualified rescue group is willing to save that animal.

CAPA would require shelters to notify participating rescue groups of all animals who are scheduled to be killed and would grant registered 501(c)(3) organizations the right to save those animals on demand.

CAPA would make it illegal for pounds to discriminate against dogs based on how they look.

CAPA would end the policy of rounding-up and killing free-roaming cats who are not social with people and do not belong in shelters... Community cats would be spay-neutered, and if they could not be adopted they would be released to their habitats in lieu of killing.

CAPA would end the practice of killing 'owner surrendered' animals within minutes of arrival at the shelter without ever giving them a chance at adoption... No more Silent Killing!

CAPA would put an end to animals losing their lives for senseless reasons, such as having easily treatable colds or kennel cough which are usually acquired after entering the shelter. Dogs would no longer be killed for minor behavior or socialization issues, like mouthing their leashes, resource guarding, or not getting along with other dogs. And animals would no longer be killed for being confused and afraid in a terrifying and unknown environment, a common kill pound practice that is particularly cruel and sadistic.

CAPA would require shelters to follow the No Kill Equation, the only proven model for open-admission municipal shelters that has led to placement rates for 'Pit Bulls' of 99% in Austin, TX, and Muncie, IN, both of which are model No Kill communities that achieved their phenomenal success after passing the common-sense statutes of CAPA.

CAPA is designed to be implemented at no additional cost to taxpayers. In fact, CAPA would save New Yorkers money as it saves lives, as has been demonstrated in the State of Delaware and in every city that has passed CAPA, where higher save rates have translated into an increase in the collection of adoption fees and lower costs associated with killing and body disposal. Any additional costs resulting from animals living longer in shelters have been more than offset by the dramatic increase in adoption revenues and corresponding reductions in killing. In other words, No Kill pays for itself.

CAPA also mandates that shelters form partnerships with 501(c)(3) rescue groups which absorb the costs of animal care, transferring expenses from government-run shelters to private charities, thereby alleviating the burden on taxpayers. This has been demonstrated in every community where CAPA has passed, including California, which passed CAPA-like legislation (the ‘Hayden Law’ in 1999) that enabled rescue groups to save threatened animals on demand.

Please sign our Petition and stand with us in support of the Companion Animal Protection Act, cost-effective lifesaving legislation that is so long overdue. If we don't stand up and demand humane treatment for shelter animals who have no voice and no legal rights, who will? If not now, when?

Join No Kill Now! • Campaign for New York CAPA on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2HdY03d

Website: http://NewYorkCAPA.weebly.com

New York CAPA: http://bit.ly/2CtAxsk

Companion Animal Protection Act (Model CAPA): https://goo.gl/HzrsHo

No Kill Equation: http://bit.ly/2Iqu2uM

Redemption: The No Kill Revolution In America (video): http://bit.ly/32cVCml

The Myth of Pet Overpopulation (video): https://youtu.be/z-CwFaUsuTg

No Kill 101 (video): https://youtu.be/JCTt5JppNA8

Dollars & Sense: The Economic Benefits of No Kill Animal Control: http://bit.ly/2Z6z0CM

For more information on the economic benefits of cost-effective No Kill legislation, which provides value to the community at no additional expense to taxpayers, please click here: http://bit.ly/2qdgJXx

 

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Signatures: 73,570Next Goal: 75,000
Support now
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