Apple Valley City Council
February 13, 2024

I am writing out of great concern for the dogs at Apple Valley Animal Shelter. I recently adopted a 1.5 year old dog from this shelter just minutes before she was going to be euthanized. I was shocked to learn about the extreme rate that young, healthy dogs are being killed at this shelter after just 10 days of being at the shelter. The shelter has killed over 1,130 animals in just 3 months last summer, while only 352 were adopted and 260 rescued. These dogs are being killed unnecessarily without even getting a chance to be adopted or have a life. This shelter is killing more dogs than it is adopting out and the employees and people in charge do not seem to care about the wellbeing of these animals or about helping to find them a home. In fact, the employees make it very difficult for anyone to adopt a dog, and will euthanize a dog even when someone is interested in adopting it (according to many reviews of the shelter online). Not only that, but the dogs are kept in starving condition, with many of the dogs’ ribs and bones showing from being so underweight, and have little to no energy. The dogs also do not receive the medical attention that they need. In addition, the kennels are not cleaned and the dogs are laying in their own feces and filth. I am appalled that the shelter is able to run this way without the county or anyone else stepping in to stop this. This is unusually cruel behavior and abuse and needs to end. These poor dogs are helpless and need us to help make a change. Dogs at this shelter should be given more than just 10 days to find a home, or at least sent to other county animal shelters where they will have a better chance at survival and having a loving home. The employees should be required have the animals' best interest in mind, instead of thinking about making money from the county to bring in more dogs and continuing to kill at such high rates. I along with almost 3,000 others have signed a petition created by Veronica Golub to help this cause. Myself and many others are demanding a change take place. Please help save all of these poor dogs by holding the shelter accountable and ending the contract between SBC and Apple Valley Animal Shelter, or by monitoring and implementing strict changes in the minimum length of time dogs have before being killed, as well as improving the living conditions of these animals and hiring employees who make an effort to help the dogs find a home.