Every day across the country, thousands of adoptable cats are killed in shelters for no articulable reason other than the shelter no longer wants to care for them. Dottie was a senior cat who looked a bit gray and scruffy, but at 16 years old she still had many years ahead of her and could have found her forever home.  Unfortunately, she was not given the opportunity to find the right family. She was killed because she was a senior cat, even though the shelter had empty kennel spaces.  Another cat, Oscar, was also killed for being old.  Mindy was killed because she was sick with a cold. Annie and Misty just ran out of "hold time" according to shelter rules. They all were killed even though kennel space was available.

The ASPCA estimates that about 1.5 million shelter animals die every year (670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats) even when some shelters have available cage space.  That’s over 4,000 cats and dogs killed every day!  It’s time to stop the needless killing of cats and dogs.

Why are cats (and dogs) being killed in our shelters every day even when there are empty cages?  Companion animals with treatable illnesses, “behavior issues”, or just over a certain age, like Dottie and Oscar, are often killed automatically despite space being available.  Many cats impounded at shelters are just afraid, but because they act scared they are labeled “feral” and killed. If these animals are given time and assistance, it is usually possible to treat them, train them and find them homes, but without time they never have a chance.  These old and outdated practices must stop. If we are to be a humane nation, needless shelter killings must end.

Some shelters work hard to save every animal, but many shelters will not change their policies and practices unless they are directed to by the city.  Mayors can give the shelters in their cities a directive to change policies and guarantee that every animal has an opportunity to find a new home.

By signing this petition you will be standing up for the thousands of cats at risk in shelters! Please sign this petition and share it with others so that we can show public support from across our nation for the changing of outdated shelter policies that kill adoptable animals each year.

The petition will be delivered to city leaders at the United States Conference of Mayors 87th Annual Meeting being held June 28-July1, 2019.

Please sign this petition and share it with others to stand up for all the animals that will be killed needlessly every day until this stops.