Hello Apple Valley City Council,
I am writing in today to ask for help with the cats and kittens trapped in AVAS Animal Shelter. The shelter is killing an alarming percentage of the cats that get brought into the shelter. 93% of the cats do not make it out alive. This is a staggering statistic. There are so many adoptable friendly cats that are at risk of daily Euthanasia. Most look terrified, recently trapped, some are bleeding, some have crusted stuck shut eyes and can’t see, they are all scared and they now are all at risk of euthanasia if they aren’t perfectly healthy and friendly. 7% get adopted or rescued by cat rescue groups just in time and live. But most do not. Some have adopters on the way and the shelter messes up the paperwork and the cat is Euthanized. This has happened more than once.
Sometimes a whole litter is euthanized because there just isn't anyone to feed them.
There are not enough rescues that work with Apple Valley Animal Shelter, the shelter charges rescues to rescue and isn’t set up to effectively network with 503c rescue groups. The shelter is far too quick to euthanize a cat before a rescue is available.
Please allow the cats more time for rescues to network and find foster placement and pickup be arranged. Far too many times a cat is killed with a foster on the way. Please help encourage the community to fix and spay their pets. This is so important. Give them access to regular/ affordable/ low cost vet spay and neuter clinics for their existing pets. Help them to take care of their pets. This fundamentally solves the heart of the problem. It’s so important to fix the female cats that are outdoors. Cats reproduce at 6 months. The real problem is “feeders” that do not fix their outdoor cats, they just feed and it gets out of control quick, within a few months one or two pregnant Females will have outdoor babies and now you have 10+ cats on your hands and they all go to the shelter because Apple
Valley has a leash law for outdoor cats. This has to get updated. Leave the outdoor cats alone. Just fix them and ear tip them and let them live. Offer TNR services and develop have a heart programs for the community like 4 day foster to adopt programs that have been shown to work out great for both the human and the new cat. Because the current Apple Valley animal control policy of trap and kill isnt working and it’s heartbreaking to see. Offer more veterinary services at the shelter like treatment for ringworm, mange and URI upper respiratory infections. Far too many kittens, mommas and sometimes whole litters are euthanized due to treatable conditions. Cats are loving creatures and become family, far too many are killed in Apple Valley and it doesn’t have to be this way.
Thank you,
Matt