Videos of puppies & me at shelter 

As an animal lover and concerned human being, I'm deeply disturbed and saddened by the heartbreaking reality that so many shelters choose to euthanize animals instead of giving them an actual chance at a better life.
While volunteering at the east bay SPCA in California I discovered that this shelter (one of many) prioritize euthanasia over finding loving homes for these innocent sweet pets.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), 3.1 million dogs are surrendered to animal shelters in the United States each year, but only 2 million are adopted over the same period.
Nationwide, about 51,000 dogs were euthanized from January to July 2023, a 37% increase from 2022, when about 37,000 dogs were euthanized during that same time. 
To be considered “no-kill,” 90% of animals must exit shelters and rescues alive.

The state of California is not a no-kill state.

There is no reason for any healthy and adoptable dog to be euthanized. In my months of volunteering there on a weekly basis I saw so many perfectly normal dogs get switched from “green collar dogs” to “orange and red collar” making them inaccessible for us volunteers or any visitors to walk or spend time with them.
The more time animals spend at a shelter without getting out like they should or adopted, the more likely they become to develop problematic behaviors. The current adoption procedure at shelters because of overcrowding is contributing to more dogs getting killed.
“It raises the question of whether the behavioral issues are a side effect of stays that are too long and the inadequate socialization”
 
They are marked "RESCUE ONLY" based off a poor assessment, making it hard for the shelter to get these dogs adopted out. So many of these dogs have rescuers/ adopters lined up, but the dogs that should have been saved get put down the day before getting picked up. 

These shelters will knowingly euthanize dogs when that dog has a rescue coming. Other times they will provide false information or miscommunicate, which results in the dog dying. I know this first hand because while volunteering at the SPCA, I had inquired about a couple of outstanding dogs that I had great homes/ owners for and the staff turned a blind eye. I later found out that those exact dogs, along with several others, were all put down without any word or notice to the public or volunteers. 

I believe it's our responsibility and moral obligation to protect and stand up for all living creatures, especially because they cannot speak or defend themselves. These animals that are being put down are perfectly docile and well-behaved dogs that DO NOT have any underlying medical or health conditions. That is the most heart wrenching part.

We are calling on Governor Newsom to implement a temporary, two-year state-wide ban on the sale/adoption/rehoming of dogs under the age of one year unless their placement is facilitated by a 501c3 organization or a government-run animal welfare organization.

We believe this solution will simplify the enforcement of laws surrounding breeder licenses, backyard breeding, etc. since it would eliminate the confusion about permits or licenses. The current system for handling these licenses and permits does not seem to be easily enforceable, so we need to simplify the process until a better system can be put in place.

We ask that this ban take effect in five months to provide a grace period for private individuals and breeders with current litters or litters in utero so that they will have time to find homes for their puppies before the ban is implemented. This grace period will prevent a mass dumping of puppies that would further strain our already overburdened shelter system and rescues.

We ask that anyone who violates this ban incur a fine equal to the amount they are asking potential buyers/adopters/homes to pay for each puppy OR $200 per puppy, whichever amount is higher.

We ask that this ban continue for a minimum of two years to ensure California reaches no-kill status again. Not only will this give shelters and rescues some breathing room to work through the high volume of dogs currently needing homes, but it will also provide time for lawmakers and shelters to collaborate and determine the best way to enforce breeding licenses/permits moving forward.

We also ask Governor Newsom to consider the following:

A state-wide, uniform fee schedule for dog licensing in which unaltered dog licenses cost at least $200 per year and altered dog licenses cost no more than $50 per year. The hope is this will encourage people to spay/neuter their pets and reduce accidental litters throughout the state.
A state-wide, uniform fee schedule for breeder licenses of no less than $1,000 annually.
The creation of a task force to crack down on unlicensed/unpermitted breeders once this ban lifts. This would include strict fines on anyone in violation of licensing and permitting laws. These fines could be used to fund the task force and establish additional affordable spay-neuter and veterinary care sites throughout the state.
Ongoing bans on breeding certain breeds of dogs that are based on intake and euthanasia rates for individual breeds within California shelters. These bans can be lifted or reinstated based on how euthanasia rates fluctuate over time.
Consideration of tax incentives for landlords that allow pets to create increased adoption opportunities for animals throughout the state.