Public Comments — Apple Valley City Council, July 23, 2024

Dear City Council Members,
I’m writing this letter to kindly ask for some urgent improvements at the Apple Valley Animal Shelter.

1. List all animals on the website within 24 hours of intake.

2. Improve mislabeling. The majority of "feral" cats pulled out from AVAS are actually friendly.

3. Administer necessary vaccinations to all animals within 3 days of intake.

4. Provide detailed updates on medical treatments, including specific medications and care given, rather than vague claims of treatment.

5. Provide a daily urgent list (aka pending euthanasia list). Make this available to all interested parties including all rescue partners and the general public.

6. Access should be granted to allow volunteers to take videos and photos of cats in the adoption area and in non-adoption area (aka the holding rooms and the receiving rooms).

7. Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.

Certain of your positive feedback I extend cordial greetings Dr. Alice Cremonini
Dear Apple Valley City Council Members,
I am writing to express my deep concerns regarding recent practices at the Apple Valley Animal Shelter.

The outcomes for AVAS cats in 2024 may mirror those of 2023 (7% leave the facility alive)

1. The evaluation process at AVAS is merely nominal. Less than 5% of the adult cats are labeled as friendly on average every month, and the 95% labeled as feral were euthanized swiftly

2. Cats in the adoption area receive minimal to no medical care. Once these cats fall ill, they are often removed from public view on the website and euthanized shortly thereafter.  On 5.19, the cat adoption area was closed due to potential ringworm exposure, resulting in the euthanasia of numerous kittens and friendly cats. o 57 cats were euthanized for health reason in May
 On 6.12, another 8 kittens were euthanized due to health concerns. o 33 cats were euthanized for health reason from 6.1 to 6.18  On 7.5, 9 kittens were unlisted due to health concerns. 7 of them were rescued.  On 7.12, 3 adults and 6 kittens in the adoption area were unlisted after shelter closure, and all 9 were euthanized on the afternoon of 7.13.
o There were no urgent list or any notice provided to the rescue partner and only a few hours was given to rescues
 On July 13th, our volunteer discovered the adoption area closed due to a suspected ringworm outbreak.
 By the evening of July 13th, after the shelter closed, we learned that an additional 35 cats had been removed from the AVAS website, with many placed on hold.  Three kittens—Mozzi (242922), Nugget (242923), and Rio (242920)—had a shelter note from 07.03 indicating they were under monitoring and treatment for URI. They were posted on the shelter’s website on 07.19. On 07. 20, their listings were removed, and it was reported that one kitten had died and the other two were euthanized.  This timeline indicates a failure to provide adequate medical care and raises concerns about the shelter's ability to manage and treat animals effectively.

This rapid deterioration begs critical questions:
 Why did such a major outbreak occur at AVAS?
 What actions were taken to address the outbreak?
 What treatments were administered?
 What criteria were used for euthanasia?
 Why were cats delisted and euthanized swiftly, limiting rescue opportunities? Transparency and Public Access Issues:

Transparency remains a significant challenge at AVAS:
o Only 36% of cats taken in by AVAS in May were listed on the shelter's website, 42% posed in June, depriving potential adopters of crucial information and contributing to low adoption rates.
o In the week of 6.17, no cats with an intake date within the week were added on the AVAS website out of numerous cats in need of adoption, indicating inadequate outreach and communication with the community. o In the first two weeks of July, only 8 adults and 14 kittens were added to the AVAS website
o With no urgent list sent, rescue and adopters does not know which cats are there/ which ones are urgent
o The prohibition of volunteers from non-adoption areas means rescues and adopters have zero visibility of the 95% of cats labeled as feral or non-adoptable.

Call for Immediate Action and Reform
Given these alarming incidents, we urgently request an immediate investigation into the operations of the Apple Valley Animal Shelter.
 AVAS should prioritize providing medical care over resorting to euthanasia as a first option.
 A comprehensive medical treatment plan must be provided for the cats currently sick .
 measures must be implemented to prevent further intensive and frequent outbreaks
 Those responsible for the mishandling of disease outbreaks must be held accountable.

It is evident that AVAS requires increased monitoring as a public shelter.  Listing all animals on the website within 24 hours of intake  Improve mislabeling. The majority of “feral” cats pulled out from AVAS are actually friendly
 Administering necessary vaccinations to all animals within 3 days of intake.  Providing detailed updates on medical treatments, including specific medications and care given, rather than vague claims of treatment.
 an urgent list (aka pending euthanasia list) should be provided and accessible to all rescue partners and the general public
 Access should be granted to allow volunteers to take videos and photos of the cat in the adoption area and in non-adoption area (aka the holding rooms and the receiving rooms).
 Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.

The shelter’s current practices are not only inhumane but also fail to meet basic standards of care. It is crucial that these issues are addressed promptly to ensure the well-being of the animals in our community.

Sincerely,
A concerned citizen
Ariel Magid
Urgent Concerns and Call for Reform at Apple Valley Animal Shelter Dear Apple Valley City Council Members,
I am writing to express my deep concerns regarding recent practices at the Apple Valley Animal Shelter.

The outcomes for AVAS cats in 2024 may mirror those of 2023 (7% leave the facility alive)

1.The evaluation process at AVAS is merely nominal. Less than 5% of the adult cats are labeled as friendly on average every month, and the 95% labeled as feral were euthanized swiftly

2.Cats in the adoption area receive minimal to no medical care. Once these cats fall ill, they are often removed from public view on the website and euthanized shortly thereafter.

Transparency and Public Access Issues:

Transparency remains a significant challenge at AVAS:
 Only 36% of cats taken in by AVAS in May were listed on the shelter's website, 42% posed in June, depriving potential adopters of crucial information and contributing to low adoption rates.
 In the week of 6.17, no cats with an intake date within the week were added on the AVAS website out of numerous cats in need of adoption, indicating inadequate outreach and communication with the community.  In the first two weeks of July, only 8 adults and 14 kittens were added to the AVAS website
 With no urgent list sent, rescue and adopters does not know which cats are there/ which ones are urgent
 The prohibition of volunteers from non-adoption areas means rescues and adopters have zero visibility of the 95% of cats labeled as feral or non-adoptable.

It is evident that AVAS requires increased monitoring as a public shelter.  Listing all animals on the website within 24 hours of intake  Improve mislabeling. The majority of “feral” cats pulled out from AVAS are actually friendly
 Administering necessary vaccinations to all animals within 3 days of intake.
 Providing detailed updates on medical treatments, including specific medications and care given, rather than vague claims of treatment.  an urgent list (aka pending euthanasia list) should be provided and accessible to all rescue partners and the general public  Access should be granted to allow volunteers to take videos and photos of the cat in the adoption area and in non-adoption area (aka the holding rooms and the receiving rooms).
 Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.

Respectfully,
Bruce Lacasse
Here are some of my requests for improvement at apple valley animal shelter , and I am BEGGING you to consider.

1. List all animals on the website within 24 hours of intake

2.Improve mislabeling. The majority of cats labeled “feral” that are pulled out of AVAS are actually friendly

3.administer necessary vaccinations to all animals within 3 days of Intake.

4.provide detailed updates on medical treatments, including specific medications and care given, rather than vague claims of treatment.

5.provide DAILY urgent list (aka pending euthanasia list). Make this list available to all Interested parties including rescue partners and the general public.

6.access should be granted to allow volunteers to take video and photos of cats in the adoption area and non-adoption area (aka holding rooms and receiving rooms.

7. Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure transparency and accountability.

These change would GREATLY increase the wellbeing of animals in AVAS care as well as ensure that the cats have the best possible chance at making it out alive. This would be a fair a just way to improve the system, even just a little bit. I urge you to take these suggestions into consideration.

Sincerely,
Caitlin Robins MS CCC SLP
Speech Language Pathologist
Animal Lover
Contributing member of society
Sent from my iPhone
Here are some requests for improvements at Apple Valley Animal Shelter

1. List all animals on the website within 24 hours of intake.

2. Improve mislabeling. The majority of “feral” cats pulled out from AVAS are actually friendly.

3. Administer necessary vaccinations to all animals within 3 days of intake.

4. Provide detailed updates on medical treatments, including specific medications and care given, rather than vague claims of treatment.

5. Provide a daily urgent list (aka pending euthanasia list). Make this available to all interested parties including all rescue partners and the general public.

6. Access should be granted to allow volunteers to take videos and photos of cats in the adoption area and in non-adoption area (aka the holding rooms and the receiving rooms).

7. Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.

We are trying to help these cats get loving homes we need more streamlined operations and guidelines at the shelter to prevent unnecessary euthanization. The shelter has turned down rescue and partnership opportunities on several occasions with little reasoning.

To whom it may concern,
If you have been following AVAS cats you may have noticed that the majority of cats are labeled as feral and killed swiftly. Those labeled as friendly fare no better. There are almost monthly major outbreaks of illness at AVAS, and little to no medical treatment is provided.

Euthanasia is often the first resort to address these issues. Both evaluation and medical treatment are essentially nonexistent. Furthermore, only about one-third of the cats are listed on the AVAS website, leaving volunteers with no access to the majority of the shelter’s practices. It is nearly impossible to obtain videos and photos of the over 90% of cats not in the adoption area. This lack of transparency is unacceptable. The community was recently shocked by a major outbreak that occurred last weekend. We urgently call for action, investigation, and reform at AVAS to ensure the humane treatment of all animals in the shelter.

Dawn Kushner
Time spent with cats is never wasted
Adopt Don't Shop!!
Spay and Neuter your Pets!!
Dear Apple Valley City Council Members,
I'm deeply concerned about practices at the Apple Valley Animal Shelter. There are so many cats that are euthanized so promptly that adopters and/or rescuers don't have a chance to either adopt or rescue. I'm heart broken.

Please consider the following list of changes to be done as related to the operations of the Apple Valley Animal Shelter, specifically:

1. List all animals on the website within 24 hours of intake.

2. Improve mislabeling. The majority of “feral” cats pulled out from AVAS are actually friendly.

3. Administer necessary vaccinations to all animals within 3 days of intake.

4. Provide detailed updates on medical treatments, including specific medications and care given, rather than vague claims of treatment.

5. Provide a daily urgent list (aka pending euthanasia list). Make this available to all interested parties including all rescue partners and the general public.

6. Access should be granted to allow volunteers to take videos and photos of cats in the adoption area and in non-adoption areas (such as holding and receiving rooms).

7. Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.

Best regards,
Elena

I URGENTLY CALL FOR ACTION, INVESTIGATION, AND REFORM AT APPLE

VALLEY ANIMAL SHELTER TO ENSURE THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF ALL ANIMALS IN THE SHELTER. THAT EACH AND EVERY ANIMAL THAT ENTERS

THAT SHELTER BE ALLOWED A PROPER CHANCE AT LIFE - TO BE SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC, AND WITH AMPLE TIME TO BE SEEN. TO BE ADOPTED OR

RESCUED INTO A LOVING, SAFE HOME, AND WHILE IN THE CARE OF THE AVAS

ARE SHOWED NOTHING LESS THAN THE RESPECT, KINDNESS, AND NURTURING THAT THEY ALL DESERVE. AND, TO BE GIVEN PROPER EVALUATIONS AND THE MEDICAL TREATMENT THEY NEED. THESE ARE PRECIOUS SOULS. THE WAY THEY HAVE BEEN DISCARDED AND ABUSED BY THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS SICKENING. THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE AVAS

HAVE BEHAVED DEPLORABLY, THEY HAVE INNOCENT, HELPLESS, ANIMAL BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS. THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE AVAS SHOULD BE

ASHAMED AND PUNISHED FOR EVER ALLOWING THIS KIND OF EVIL TO PERSIST TO BEGIN WITH.

I ALSO CALL FOR THE UNNECESSARY AND CRUEL ACT OF EUTHANIZING THESE PRECIOUS ANIMALS TO STOP NOW. THEY DESERVE BETTER - THEY DESERVE A CHANCE. THE CITY COUNCIL HAS FAILED THEM THUS FAR.

THIS EVIL MUST STOP NOW.

I REQUEST IMMEDIATE ACTION BE TAKEN TODAY.

FARREN BRODIE.

Dear Mayor and Council,
I am writing to advocate for stronger collaborative efforts to enhance the welfare of animals at the Apple Valley Animal Shelter (AVAS) and urge you actively pursue all available grant funding to support spay and neuter initiatives among other programs to help the community. These funds are accessible and can significantly offset the costs of these vital procedures.

I am encouraged by the recent San Bernardino County contract terms that involve The Paw Mission providing spay and neuter services to the citizens of Apple Valley. Thank you for facilitating this promising initiative.

I hope that the Department of Animal Services is diligently preparing to launch this initiative and that the community is being informed and encouraged to participate. Once the program is in motion, you should gain a clearer understanding of the community's needs. With your collective efforts, I am confident you can make a significant impact in the lives of many animals and better manage the population.

It is crucial for the town to continue strictly enforcing spay and neuter laws for all dogs, especially those found at large, irrespective of breed, as outlined in the County Code of Ordinances §32.1503
(a) When an unaltered dog is captured, received, taken up, or impounded pursuant to
§ 32.0102 (a), the dog shall be spayed or neutered as set forth below. (1) The dog may be released to the owner or custodian with written notice that the owner or custodian must, within ten calendar days of release, have the dog spayed or neutered and submit a statement signed by a licensed veterinarian confirming the procedure.

And last, to foster a genuine partnership between AVAS and rescue organizations, it is crucial that all animals leaving AVAS are altered beforehand by collaborating with The Paw Mission. This will reduce the financial burden on these organizations, which rely on community donations that are currently dwindling.

By ensuring animals are altered before adoption, rescue partners can focus on helping to find them loving homes and save more lives together.

The current fee structure for these partners would make more sense and would reduce the need for follow-up on sterilization certificates. You will find more rescues interested in partnering and more animals transferred out to be adopted through these partners.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my recommendations. I am available to discuss these suggestions further at your convenience.

Sincerely,
Georgia Lykouretzos
San Bernardino, CA
Hi,
My name is Jessica and I've lived in the area for well over ten years.

I am writing because of the extremely upsetting statistics from the Apple Valley Animal Shelter, where only 7% of the animals make it out alive and 3000+ are murdered.

Social media has been pivotal in bringing light to this situation and our city has become a laughing stock and shamed across the world. We're killing more than some countries that consume dogs/cats, and this is just atrocious.

The rescues want to help but often cannot find the information to help. There are other shelters (in San Diego county - SDASPCA) for example that we can partner with who are nokill shelters, and we must strengthen our relationship to get these healthy innocent souls OUT ALIVE.

We are not a third-world country, we can do better. We have to! Thank you for your consideration,
Jessica
Dear Madam/Sir,
I am writing to express deep concern about the current state of animal care services provided by Apple Valley City. Based on recent observations and data, several critical issues demand immediate attention and action in Apple Valley Animal Shelter (AVAS).

1. Inadequate Evaluation and Placement of Cats: At AVAS, less than 5% of adult cats are deemed friendly for adoption, a stark contrast to the 40% to 50% at neighboring shelters like Devore Animal Shelter. Recent statistics reveal alarming trends:
 In the week of May 17th, none of the 23 new cat intakes were labeled as friendly or placed for adoption.
 From June 4th to June 8th, only 1 out of 42 adult cats listed on the AVAS website was identified as friendly.
 On June 12th, 8 foster kittens were euthanized allegedly due to health reasons, yet their shelter notes had not been updated for several weeks, indicating a lack of proper assessment and care.  Concerningly, shelter notes for these kittens were never updated Most of these kittens were 11 to 13 weeks old but under 2 lbs.

Kittens grow rapidly and they could actually be adopted instead of being kept in the shelter. Their outdated shelter note stating they are foster/rescue only ultimately leading to their euthanasia on 6/12 due to health reasons.

2. Euthanasia Despite Adoption/Foster Applications: There have been distressing incidents where cats were euthanized despite submitted/confirmed adoption or foster applications:
 For instance, Luke, a surrendered kitten, was euthanized despite a confirmed adoption application. The adopter had driven 2.5 hours to AVAS and was told that the paperwork was mixed up and Luke was euthanized.
 Similarly, an adopter physically visited AVAS, submitted an adoption application for Rubeus Catgrid, but was refused without being informed about she can sign a medical waiver and then continue the adoption
 In another case, a prospective adopter's repeated attempts to adopt from AVAS were thwarted. After submitting her adoption application, the shelter informed her that the cats would be reassessed.

However, the following day, she received the devastating news that the cats had been euthanized.

This same scenario repeated twice more. On the third attempt, the family's status changed from adoptable to rescue-only/ can not be adopted.

3. Urgent Need for Medical Care Improvement: There is a glaring deficiency in medical and basic care at AVAS:
 Cats and kittens were often euthanized in batch for health reason 57 cats were euthanized for health reason in May
 On May 19th, the cat adoption area was closed due to suspected ringworm, resulting in the unnecessary euthanasia of several kittens.  Recent instances, including the June 12th euthanasia of 8 kittens, highlight ongoing concerns about the shelter's medical protocols and record-keeping practices, with minimal medical records available except for basic vaccine information.

4. Transparency and Public Access Issues: Transparency remains a significant challenge at AVAS:
 Only 36% of cats taken in by AVAS in May were listed on the shelter's website, depriving potential adopters of crucial information and contributing to low adoption rates.
 In the week of June 17th, no cats with an intake date within the week were added on the AVAS website out of numerous cats in need of adoption, indicating inadequate outreach and communication with the community.
 With no urgent list sent, rescue and adopters does not know which cats are there/ which ones are urgent
 The prohibition of volunteers from non-adoption areas means rescues and adopters have zero visibility of the 95% of cats labeled as feral or non-adoptable.

Based on recent observations and data, it is evident that immediate reforms are necessary to ensure the welfare of animals under AVAS's care and to restore community trust.

1. Improve Mislabeling and Behavioral Evaluation: To address mislabeling and ensure accurate behavioral assessments:
 Implement comprehensive training and standardized protocols for staff and volunteers conducting behavioral evaluations.  Consider employing a full-time or part-time behaviorist specializing in cat behavior.
 Implement regular reassessment of cats and timely updates to shelter notes to accurately reflect their behavioral status.

2. Cease Unnecessary Euthanasia:
 Cats should not be euthanized once they are legally eligible. Avoid euthanasia when space is available.
 Refrain from immediate euthanasia for health reasons; instead, initiate medication based on symptoms and responses.
 Ensure kittens are paired in separate kennels to prevent disease spread and promote socialization.

3. Provide Adequate Medical Care:
 Ensure cats receive sufficient food and water daily.
 Administer vaccines to every cat upon entry to the shelter, including feral ones.
 It’s risky to have cats and kittens free roaming when there’s no sufficient medical care. Kittens should be paired up and kept in separate cages instead of free roaming in the same room.  Establish a dedicated medical room and consider offering on-site veterinary services, potentially through partnerships with veterinary clinics.
 Maintain a variety of antibiotics and medications to treat illnesses promptly.
 Improve airflow and hygiene protocols within the shelter to prevent the spread of disease.

4. Support Adoption and Rescue Efforts:
 Discontinue rejecting adoption or foster requests arbitrarily and cease euthanizing cats under evaluation.
 Eliminate aggressive disciplines towards rescues and implement spaying/neutering of cats before adoption, including charging deposits if necessary.
 Enhance community outreach and rescue coordination efforts to increase adoption rates and support for cats in need.

5. Enhance Transparency:
 List all cats on the shelter's website immediately upon intake and provide a daily urgent list of cats in need of adoption or rescue.  Allow authorized volunteers to take videos and photos of cats in nonadoption areas to increase visibility and promote adoptions.  Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.
 Ensure cats are included in all adoption events and community fairs to maximize adoption opportunities.

6. Community and Shelter Cat Management Policy:
 Provide low-cost spaying and neutering services to reduce overpopulation and improve overall cat welfare.
 implement Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) programs to manage community cat populations effectively.
 Update city ordinance and allow cats to roam free roaming.  You mentioned that cats are exempt from leash laws, but according to Apple Valley's Code of Ordinances 15.01.070 - Control of animals, it appears that the same regulations apply to cats:
(a)No person in Apple Valley, owning or having control of any animal, shall permit such animal to stray or run at large upon any public street, sidewalk, school ground, public park, playground, place of public assembly or any other public place, or any un-enclosed private lot or other un-enclosed private place, or upon any private place or property without the consent of the owner or person in control thereof.

Parkways comprising the area between the street and
sidewalk shall be included as private property for purposes of this Chapter.
(b)Any person who finds any animal which has strayed or is running at large upon his or her own property or any other place contrary to the provisions of this Chapter, may take possession of and hold same; provided, however, that he or she shall notify the Animal Control Office that he or she has such animal in his or her possession within 24 hours after securing possession thereof, and give such Officer full information in regard to the animal, including a complete description of such animal and license number, if any, and surrender the same to the Animal Control Officer or
Department upon demand.
 The approach of impounding and euthanizing has proven ineffective, with cats continuously trapped and impounded from the same areas.
 the adjustment aligns with the national trend and the success seen in neighboring counties.

In conclusion, these comprehensive reforms are essential to address the systemic failures in animal care and management provided by Apple Valley City. I urge the City Council to prioritize these recommendations and take decisive action to ensure AVAS operates at the proper standards of animal welfare and community responsibility.

Thank you for your attention to these urgent matters. I look forward to seeing positive changes that benefit both the animals and our community.

Dear Apple Valley City Council Members,
This is Lord Voldecat (AV 242897), who is currently waiting for a second chance at Apple Valley Shelter.

Except this cat has almost no chance for a second chance. This cat arrived at the shelter 02JUL24, but was not added to the shelter website until 07JUL24. Available for adoption now NOT in the adoption area. The only notes include ***** PENDING EUTHANASIA FOR “LACK OF INTEREST” ***** This is the only photo that this cat gets. Sadly this cat will probably become another number in a poorly run system. But you should take a moment and just look at this photo of a cat whose life literally depends on your actions. This week, you will get emails about the statistics of your shelter that you already know but care to do nothing about. So I thought I would send you a photo so you can put a face to the 93% of cats that do not make it out of your shelter.

Please do better,
Kayla Cochran
Last year only 7% of cats were adopted from the Towns shelter .

1. LIST ALL Animals on the towns website within 24hrs upon intake. Some animals have been only listed for 24 hrs then euthanized giving less chance of this animal to be adopted or picked up by a rescue group

2. Cats are assessed on intake to the shelter then labeled at that time as " Aggressive or not able to be handled or behavioral issues. Cats need to be reassess after they have decompressed in a few days a to see how the act and to check if they are Actually Feral, Aggressive ,hard to handle or have behavioral problems. I personally have had 2 cats from this shelter marked Either Feral or Aggressive and upon after exiting the shelter when picked up by rescue group they were exact opposite .

3. Administer all necessary vaccinations to cats under shelter care within 3:days of intake ( Shelter recently won a grant recently of Vaccinations & necessary medical supplies)

4. Provide detailed updates on medical treatments, including specific medications and care given, rather than vague claims of treatment.

5. Provide a daily urgent list (aka pending euthanasia list). Make this available to all interested parties including all rescue partners and the general public.

6. Access should be granted to allow volunteers to take videos and photos of cats in the adoption area and in non-adoption area (aka the holding rooms and the receiving rooms the west wing ).

7. Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.

8. Utilize the PetSmart charity foundation at PetSmart to house adoptable cats to for higher chances of them to be seen & adopted.

Hold outside the shelter adoption events so cats have a higher chance of getting adopted & seen.

9. This area needs a TNVR program in place Trap Neuter spay vaccinate & return for the feral cat population. That live within our community It is more cost effective to spay & neuter, vaccinate & re-release . Then it is for to pay employees,occupy a cage that could be used for an adoptable cat to care ,provide food,water litter and ultimately euthanize & pay to dispose of their bodies.

Thank you for taking the time to consider better options for the cats in Apple Valley. It's also a better way of life for the animal occupants in the town of Apple Valley .Linda B home owner ,resident & tax payer of this town since 1996.

Dear Apple Valley Council,
In the last year, only 7% of the cats at Apple Valley Shelter made it out alive. If you're not shocked by that percentage, then, unfortunately, you are part of the problem. Sadly, whether people believe it or not, every life matters.

Apple Valley isn't the only city/town struggling with an animal crisis. Pet dumping and an out of control stray population is raging in many cities and states like New York City and Texas. Basic veterinary care is at an all-time high making it unattainable for already struggling families to provide meaningful care to their pets. However, this problem will only continue to worsen and grow without the necessary action. Please turn your attention to helping Apple Valley climb out of the animal abuse cycle it is currently in and begin to look after the welfare of Apple Valley strays. Apple Valley can be like Naples, Florida where the Collier County council created a task force of rescues to help TNR community cats thus stopping the cycle of out of control breeding. They also engaged the community to create a network of designated feeders who manage existing colonies and report any health issues. A rescue located in Marco Island called For the Love of Cats was instrumental in working with the county to put these services in place and it has reduced the amount of suffering, engaged and empowered the community and, most importantly, dramatically reduced the unchecked breeding that once existed. Apple Valley can be a compassionate and proactive community for animals like Collier County; suffering does not have to be the norm and mass killing shouldn't be the answer. In addition, your shelter should be a vital support in these efforts and space where cats (dumped or otherwise) are given a second to rehabilitate into new homes and not ensured a death sentence.

Here are some requests for improvements at Apple Valley Animal Shelter:

1. List all animals on the website within 24 hours of intake.

2. Improve mislabeling. The majority of “feral” cats pulled out from AVAS are actually friendly.

3. Administer necessary vaccinations to all animals within 3 days of intake.

4. Provide detailed updates on medical treatments, including specific medications and care given, rather than vague claims of treatment.

5. Provide a daily urgent list (aka pending euthanasia list). Make this available to all interested parties including all rescue partners and the general public.

6. Access should be granted to allow volunteers to take videos and photos of cats in the adoption area and in non-adoption area (aka the holding rooms and the receiving rooms).

7. Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to this message. I will continue to advocate in every way on behalf of the Apple Valley community strays currently being overlooked.

Respectfully, Laura Keogh
Dear Apple Valley City Council Members,
I am writing to express my deep concerns regarding recent practices at the Apple Valley Animal Shelter.

The outcomes for AVAS cats in 2024 may mirror those of 2023 (7% leave the facility alive)

1.The evaluation process at AVAS is merely nominal. Less than 5% of the adult cats are labeled as friendly on average every month, and the 95% labeled as feral were euthanized swiftly

2.Cats in the adoption area receive minimal to no medical care. Once these cats fall ill, they are often removed from public view on the website and euthanized shortly thereafter.  On 5. 19, the cat adoption area was closed due to potential ringworm exposure, resulting in the euthanasia of numerous kittens and friendly cats.  57 cats were euthanized for health reason in May
 On 6.12, another 8 kittens were euthanized due to health concerns.  33 cats were euthanized for health reason from 6.1 to 6.18  On 7.5, 9 kittens were unlisted due to health concerns. 7 of them were rescued.  On 7.12, 3 adults and 6 kittens in the adoption area were unlisted after shelter closure, and all 9 were euthanized on the afternoon of 7.13.  There were no urgent list or any notice provided to the rescue partner and only a few hours was given to rescues
 On July 13th, our volunteer discovered the adoption area closed due to a suspected ringworm outbreak.
 By the evening of July 13th, after the shelter closed, we learned that an additional 35 cats had been removed from the AVAS website, with many placed on hold.
 Three kittens—Mozzi (242922), Nugget (242923), and Rio (242920)—had a shelter note from 07.03 indicating they were under monitoring and treatment for URI.
 They were posted on the shelter’s website on 07.19.
 On 07. 20, their listings were removed, and it was reported that one kitten had died and the other two were euthanized.
 This timeline indicates a failure to provide adequate medical care and raises concerns about the shelter's ability to manage and treat animals effectively.

It is evident that AVAS requires increased monitoring as a public shelter.  Listing all animals on the website within 24 hours of intake  Improve mislabeling. The majority of “feral” cats pulled out from AVAS are actually friendly
 Administering necessary vaccinations to all animals within 3 days of intake.
 Providing detailed updates on medical treatments, including specific medications and care given, rather than vague claims of treatment.  an urgent list (aka pending euthanasia list) should be provided and accessible to all rescue partners and the general public  Access should be granted to allow volunteers to take videos and photos of the cat in the adoption area and in non-adoption area (aka the holding rooms and the receiving rooms).
 Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.

Dear Apple Valley City Council Members and San Bernardino County Officers, I am writing to express my deep concerns regarding recent practices at the Apple Valley Animal Shelter.

The outcomes for AVAS cats in 2024 may mirror those of 2023 (7% leave the facility alive)

1.The evaluation process at AVAS is merely nominal. Less than 5% of the adult cats are labeled as friendly on average every month, and the 95% labeled as feral were euthanized swiftly

2.Cats in the adoption area receive minimal to no medical care. Once these cats fall ill, they are often removed from public view on the website and euthanized shortly thereafter. ● On 5. 19, the cat adoption area was closed due to potential ringworm exposure, resulting in the euthanasia of numerous kittens and friendly cats. ○ 57 cats were euthanized for health reason in May
● On 6.12, another 8 kittens were euthanized due to health concerns. ○ 33 cats were euthanized for health reason from 6.1 to 6.18 ● On 7.5, 9 kittens were unlisted due to health concerns. 7 of them were rescued. ● On 7.12, 3 adults and 6 kittens in the adoption area were unlisted after shelter closure, and all 9 were euthanized on the afternoon of 7.13. ○ There were no urgent list or any notice provided to the rescue partner and only a few hours was given to rescues
● On July 13th, our volunteer discovered the adoption area closed due to a suspected ringworm outbreak.
● By the evening of July 13th, after the shelter closed, we learned that an additional 35 cats had been removed from the AVAS website, with many placed on hold. ● Three kittens—Mozzi (242922), Nugget (242923), and Rio (242920)—had a shelter note from 07.03 indicating they were under monitoring and treatment for URI. ● They were posted on the shelter’s website on 07.19.
● On 07. 20, their listings were removed, and it was reported that one kitten had died and the other two were euthanized.
● This timeline indicates a failure to provide adequate medical care and raises concerns about the shelter's ability to manage and treat animals effectively.

This rapid deterioration begs critical questions:
● Why did such a major outbreak occur at AVAS?
● What actions were taken to address the outbreak?
● What treatments were administered?
● What criteria were used for euthanasia?
● Why were cats delisted and euthanized swiftly, limiting rescue opportunities? Transparency and Public Access Issues:

Transparency remains a significant challenge at AVAS:
○ Only 36% of cats taken in by AVAS in May were listed on the shelter's website, 42% posed in June, depriving potential adopters of crucial information and contributing to low adoption rates.
○ In the week of 6.17, no cats with an intake date within the week were added on the AVAS website out of numerous cats in need of adoption, indicating inadequate outreach and communication with the community. ○ In the first two weeks of July, only 8 adults and 14 kittens were added to the AVAS website
○ With no urgent list sent, rescue and adopters does not know which cats are there/ which ones are urgent
○ The prohibition of volunteers from non-adoption areas means rescues and adopters have zero visibility of the 95% of cats labeled as feral or nonadoptable.

Call for Immediate Action and Reform
Given these alarming incidents, we urgently request an immediate investigation into the operations of the Apple Valley Animal Shelter.
● AVAS should prioritize providing medical care over resorting to euthanasia as a first option.
● A comprehensive medical treatment plan must be provided for the cats currently sick .
● measures must be implemented to prevent further intensive and frequent outbreaks
● Those responsible for the mishandling of disease outbreaks must be held accountable.

It is evident that AVAS requires increased monitoring as a public shelter. ● Listing all animals on the website within 24 hours of intake ● Improve mislabeling. The majority of “feral” cats pulled out from AVAS are actually friendly
● Administering necessary vaccinations to all animals within 3 days of intake. ● Providing detailed updates on medical treatments, including specific medications and care given, rather than vague claims of treatment. ● an urgent list (aka pending euthanasia list) should be provided and accessible to all rescue partners and the general public
● Access should be granted to allow volunteers to take videos and photos of the cat in the adoption area and in non-adoption area (aka the holding rooms and the receiving rooms).
● Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.

Yours truly,
Leonor Delgado
Dear Madam/Sir,
Please work with local animal rescues, independent rescuers and the community to help save cats lives. Please please consider this proposal.

I am writing to express deep concern about the current state of animal care services provided by Apple Valley City. Based on recent observations and data, several critical issues demand immediate attention and action in Apple Valley Animal Shelter (AVAS).

Inadequate Evaluation and Placement of Cats: At AVAS, less than 5% of adult cats are deemed friendly for adoption, a stark contrast to the 40% to 50% at neighboring shelters like Devore Animal Shelter. Recent statistics reveal alarming trends:

In the week of May 17th, none of the 23 new cat intakes were labeled as friendly or placed for adoption.

From June 4th to June 8th, only 1 out of 42 adult cats listed on the AVAS website was identified as friendly.

On June 12th, 8 foster kittens were euthanized allegedly due to health reasons, yet their shelter notes had not been updated for several weeks, indicating a lack of proper assessment and care.

Concerningly, shelter notes for these kittens were never updated Most of these kittens were 11 to 13 weeks old but under 2 lbs. Kittens grow rapidly and they could actually be adopted instead of being kept in the shelter. Their outdated shelter note stating they are foster/rescue only ultimately leading to their euthanasia on 6/12 due to health reasons.

Euthanasia Despite Adoption/Foster Applications: There have been distressing incidents where cats were euthanized despite submitted/confirmed adoption or foster applications:

For instance, Luke, a surrendered kitten, was euthanized despite a confirmed adoption application. The adopter had driven 2.5 hours to AVAS and was told that the paperwork was mixed up and Luke was euthanized.

Similarly, an adopter physically visited AVAS, submitted an adoption application for Rubeus Catgrid, but was refused without being informed about she can sign a medical waiver and then continue the adoption
In another case, a prospective adopter's repeated attempts to adopt from AVAS were thwarted. After submitting her adoption application, the shelter informed her that the cats would be reassessed. However, the following day, she received the devastating news that the cats had been euthanized.

This same scenario repeated twice more. On the third attempt, the family's status changed from adoptable to rescue-only/ can not be adopted.

Urgent Need for Medical Care Improvement: There is a glaring deficiency in medical and basic care at AVAS:

Cats and kittens were often euthanized in batch for health reason 57 cats were euthanized for health reason in May
On May 19th, the cat adoption area was closed due to suspected ringworm, resulting in the unnecessary euthanasia of several kittens.

Recent instances, including the June 12th euthanasia of 8 kittens, highlight ongoing concerns about the shelter's medical protocols and record-keeping practices, with minimal medical records available except for basic vaccine information.

Transparency and Public Access Issues: Transparency remains a significant challenge at AVAS:

Only 36% of cats taken in by AVAS in May were listed on the shelter's website, depriving potential adopters of crucial information and contributing to low adoption rates.

In the week of June 17th, no cats with an intake date within the week were added on the AVAS website out of numerous cats in need of adoption, indicating inadequate outreach and communication with the community.

With no urgent list sent, rescue and adopters does not know which cats are there/ which ones are urgent
The prohibition of volunteers from non-adoption areas means rescues and adopters have zero visibility of the 95% of cats labeled as feral or non-adoptable.

Based on recent observations and data, it is evident that immediate reforms are necessary to ensure the welfare of animals under AVAS's care and to restore community trust.

Improve Mislabeling and Behavioral Evaluation: To address mislabeling and ensure accurate behavioral assessments:

Implement comprehensive training and standardized protocols for staff and volunteers conducting behavioral evaluations.

Consider employing a full-time or part-time behaviorist specializing in cat behavior.

Implement regular reassessment of cats and timely updates to shelter notes to accurately reflect their behavioral status.

Cease Unnecessary Euthanasia:

Cats should not be euthanized once they are legally eligible. Avoid euthanasia when space is available.

Refrain from immediate euthanasia for health reasons; instead, initiate medication based on symptoms and responses.

Ensure kittens are paired in separate kennels to prevent disease spread and promote socialization.

Provide Adequate Medical Care:

Ensure cats receive sufficient food and water daily.

Administer vaccines to every cat upon entry to the shelter, including feral ones.

It’s risky to have cats and kittens free roaming when there’s no sufficient medical care.

Kittens should be paired up and kept in separate cages instead of free roaming in the same room.

Establish a dedicated medical room and consider offering on-site veterinary services, potentially through partnerships with veterinary clinics.

Maintain a variety of antibiotics and medications to treat illnesses promptly.

Improve airflow and hygiene protocols within the shelter to prevent the spread of disease.

Support Adoption and Rescue Efforts:

Discontinue rejecting adoption or foster requests arbitrarily and cease euthanizing cats under evaluation.

Eliminate aggressive disciplines towards rescues and implement spaying/neutering of cats before adoption, including charging deposits if necessary.

Enhance community outreach and rescue coordination efforts to increase adoption rates and support for cats in need.

Enhance Transparency:

List all cats on the shelter's website immediately upon intake and provide a daily urgent list of cats in need of adoption or rescue.

Allow authorized volunteers to take videos and photos of cats in non-adoption areas to increase visibility and promote adoptions.

Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.

Ensure cats are included in all adoption events and community fairs to maximize adoption opportunities.

Community and Shelter Cat Management Policy:

Provide low-cost spaying and neutering services to reduce overpopulation and improve overall cat welfare.
implement Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) programs to manage community cat populations effectively.

Update city ordinance and allow cats to roam free roaming.

You mentioned that cats are exempt from leash laws, but according to Apple Valley's Code of Ordinances 15.01.070 - Control of animals, it appears that the same regulations apply to cats:
(a)No person in Apple Valley, owning or having control of any animal, shall permit such animal to stray or run at large upon any public street, sidewalk, school ground, public park, playground, place of public assembly or any other public place, or any un-enclosed private lot or other un-enclosed private place, or upon any private place or property without the consent of the owner or person in control thereof. Parkways comprising the area between the street and sidewalk shall be included as private property for purposes of this Chapter. (b)Any person who finds any animal which has strayed or is running at large upon his or her own property or any other place contrary to the provisions of this Chapter, may take possession of and hold same; provided, however, that he or she shall notify the Animal Control Office that he or she has such animal in his or her possession within 24 hours after securing possession thereof, and give such Officer full information in regard to the animal, including a complete description of such animal and license number, if any, and surrender the same to the Animal Control Officer or Department upon demand.

The approach of impounding and euthanizing has proven ineffective, with cats continuously trapped and impounded from the same areas. the adjustment aligns with the national trend and the success seen in neighboring counties.

Thank you for your attention to these urgent matters. I look forward to seeing positive changes that benefit both the animals and our community.

Dear Apple Valley City Council Members,
Here to advocate for better animal welfare at apple valley animal shelter and within the town of Apple Valley.

Your residents need help.

Last year 7% of cats exited the Apple Valley Animal Shelter alive.

This must be one of the worst statistics in the nation.

Since the contract with the county has been renewed for another year, it feels like the county would like to see some improvements.

It feels like there has been a long standing animosity between the city council and constituents who want to see improvements.

It seems the position the council has taken is to be defensive rather than solution focused.

With statements like, quote, “We can’t adopt our way out of this.” Would it be unreasonable to also state, We can’t euthanize our way out of this either.

The evaluation process at AVAS is nominal.
95% of cats labeled as feral and are euthanized swiftly In May 2024, June 2024 and July 2024 there were three separate incidences where the adoption area was closed due to an outbreak.

This is going to sound harsh. It is frustrating to hear the city council state, each time they visit the shelter, quote, “Everything looks so clean.” End quote.

It does look clean in the lobby and cat adoption area. However viruses are invisible. It’s a vary narrow minded opinion to not acknowledge this.

In addition the amount of cats that come in labeled as DOA is quite high.

Please look at the statistics for 2023
Transparency remains a significant challenge at AVAS:
- Only 36% of cats taken in by AVAS in May were listed on the shelter's website, 42% posed in June, depriving potential adopters of crucial information and contributing to low adoption rates.
- With no urgent list sent, rescue and adopters do not know which cats are there/ which ones are urgent
- The prohibition of volunteers from non-adoption areas means rescues and adopters have zero visibility of the 95% of cats labeled as feral or non-adoptable.

It is evident that AVAS requires increased monitoring as a public shelter.  Listing all animals on the website within 24 hours of intake  Improve mislabeling. The majority of “feral” cats pulled out from AVAS are actually friendly
 Administering necessary vaccinations to all animals within 3 days of intake.
 Providing detailed updates on medical treatments, including specific medications and care given, rather than vague claims of treatment.  an urgent list (aka pending euthanasia list) should be provided and accessible to all rescue partners and the general public  Access should be granted to allow volunteers to take videos and photos of the cat in the adoption area and in non-adoption area (aka the holding rooms and the receiving rooms).
 Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.

Sincerely,
Margaret Cashion
Hello City Council,
I am writing today on behalf of the poor animals trapped inside the Apple Valley Animal Shelter. I am a part of the cat rescue community and what I see on a daily basis happening inside your city's animal shelter is simply lazy, unethical, immoral and inexcusable. Animal welfare, wellbeing and saving animals lives should be at the very top of the priority list.

Sadly that is not the case. Healthy animals are Euthanized DAILY. Entire litters of kittens with their moms are Euthanized DAILY. The procedures in place at this shelter need a complete 180 overhaul. Compassion needs to be top priority. City laws need changing. You know the ones. We send dozens of unanswered emails about them. The leash laws allowing for the trapping of stray cats. The city trap and kill policy is heartbreaking and YOU COULD BE DOING SO MUCH BETTER. Open your hearts and implement TNR and save some innocent lives. Spend some of your shelter's 2.4 million dollars of annual tax money and implement a low cost/ no cost mobile Spay/ Neuter Clinic for your cities poorest residents. Let the poor cats live their lives. The AV shelter puts the cat rescue community in crisis on a daily basis. This has to stop. Lets not forget about the MASSIVE SCREW UP of poor Luke the cat that was an owner surrender. The cat rescue community networked for days to find Luke a adopter and the adopter was on her way to pick Luke up and the workers at the shelter claim they mixed up his paperwork and he was killed! HEARTBREAKING! Again YOUR CITY SHELTER NEEDS A COMPLETE 180 OVERHAUL. What you are doing inside this shelter is beyond wrong and it could be so much better. You kill 93% of the cats that get trapped and get brought into the shelter, 93% get killed! This is just insane, you cant even call yourselves a shelter at this point. A death camp or killing factory would be a better fitting name. So many animals are not even listed on the website for adoption, they are just killed off in the back room. So many are killed in large groups due to easily treatable conditions like ringworm or upper respiratory infections. Instead of treating them like NORMAL HUMANS WITH COMPASSION, their lives are sadly cut short and they are killed. The tricks and games YOUR shelter plays with labeling almost every cat as "Feral" and unadoptable which makes them "Rescue Only" is also unacceptable and has to change immediately. So many of these feral listed cats are so friendly once they are out of the shelter. They are terrified and rightfully so, their precious lives are in grave danger. You could be allowing volunteers to take video of the cats in the adoptable room and non adoptable room so they can network and share the cats video online. This is so good for the cats! ALLOW THIS.

Please care about these cats. You all have blood on your hands. How many cats are you going to kill every year until something changes?
Thank you,
Matt
--
Matt Torian
Please listen to the people who are trying to make changes and save many innocent lies. There are many other states and towns that have been able to change to no kill.

Please help make this happen for Apple Valley.

Here are some requests for improvements at Apple Valley Animal Shelter to use in your comments:

1. List all animals on the website within 24 hours of intake.

2. Improve mislabeling. The majority of “feral” cats pulled out from AVAS are actually friendly.

3. Administer necessary vaccinations to all animals within 3 days of intake.

4. Provide detailed updates on medical treatments, including specific medications and care given, rather than vague claims of treatment.

5. Provide a daily urgent list (aka pending euthanasia list). Make this available to all interested parties including all rescue partners and the general public.

6. Access should be granted to allow volunteers to take videos and photos of cats in the adoption area and in non-adoption area (aka the holding rooms and the receiving rooms).

7. Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.

Thanks you,
Former City Council Member - Mirabai Nagle Sent from my iPhone Dear Apple Valley City Council Members,
I am writing to you from the Netherlands to express my deep concerns regarding recent practices at the Apple Valley Animal Shelter.

The outcomes for AVAS cats in 2024 may mirror those of 2023 (7% leave the facility alive).

1. The evaluation process at AVAS is merely nominal. Less than 5% of the adult cats are labeled as friendly on average every month, and the 95% labeled as feral were euthanized swiftly.

2. Cats in the adoption area receive minimal to no medical care. Once these cats fall ill, they are often removed from public view on the website and euthanized shortly thereafter.  On 5. 19, the cat adoption area was closed due to potential ringworm exposure, resulting in the euthanasia of numerous kittens and friendly cats. 57 cats were euthanized for health reason in May.
 On 6.12, another 8 kittens were euthanized due to health concerns. 33 cats were euthanized for health reason from 6.1 to 6.18.
 On 7.5, 9 kittens were unlisted due to health concerns. 7 of them were rescued.  On 7.12, 3 adults and 6 kittens in the adoption area were unlisted after shelter closure and all 9 were euthanized on the afternoon of 7.13. There were no urgent list or any notice provided to the rescue partner and only a few hours was given to rescues.
 On July 13th, our volunteer discovered the adoption area closed due to a suspected ringworm outbreak.
 By the evening of July 13th, after the shelter closed, we learned that an additional 35 cats had been removed from the AVAS website, with many placed on hold.  Three kittens—Mozzi (242922), Nugget (242923), and Rio (242920)—had a shelter note from 07.03 indicating they were under monitoring and treatment for URI. They were posted on the shelter’s website on 07.19.
 On 07. 20, their listings were removed, and it was reported that one kitten had died and the other two were euthanized.
 This timeline indicates a failure to provide adequate medical care and raises concerns about the shelter's ability to manage and treat animals effectively.

Transparency remains a significant challenge at AVAS:
 Only 36% of cats taken in by AVAS in May were listed on the shelter's website, 42% posed in June, depriving potential adopters of crucial information and contributing to low adoption rates.
 In the week of 6.17, no cats with an intake date within the week were added on the AVAS website out of numerous cats in need of adoption, indicating inadequate outreach and communication with the community.
 In the first two weeks of July, only 8 adults and 14 kittens were added to the AVAS website.
 With no urgent list sent, rescue and adopters do not know which cats are there/ which ones are urgent.
 The prohibition of volunteers from non-adoption areas means rescues and adopters have zero visibility of the 95% of cats labeled as feral or non-adoptable.

Call for Immediate Action and Reform
Given these alarming incidents, we urgently request an immediate investigation into the operations of the Apple Valley Animal Shelter.
 AVAS should prioritize providing medical care over resorting to euthanasia as a first option.
 A comprehensive medical treatment plan must be provided for the cats currently sick.
 Measures must be implemented to prevent further intensive and frequent outbreaks.
 Those responsible for the mishandling of disease outbreaks must be held accountable.

It is evident that AVAS requires increased monitoring as a public shelter.  Listing all animals on the website within 24 hours of intake.  Improve mislabeling. The majority of “feral” cats pulled out from AVAS are actually friendly.
 Administering necessary vaccinations to all animals within 3 days of intake.  Providing detailed updates on medical treatments, including specific medications and care given, rather than vague claims of treatment.  An urgent list (aka pending euthanasia list) should be provided and accessible to all rescue partners and the general public.
 Access should be granted to allow volunteers to take videos and photos of the cat in the adoption area and in non-adoption area (aka the holding rooms and the receiving rooms).
 Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.

We demand your immediate attention to this matter.

Yours sincerely,
Miranda Feck
Hello,
I am reaching out to express my deep concern about the Apple Valley animal shelter, and the way the organization is being ran. It seems as though there are folks in charge who have no desire to truly get the animals in their care seen & adopted out. The Apple Valley shelter has one of the highest kill rates, especially for cats, in our country. This is ridiculous and sad, I implore you to seek out a new leadership for this organization.

I truly hope a compassionate person sees this plea. I am simply concerned citizen who has adopted from AV shelter and volunteers in animal rescue.

Thank you,
Nichole Gray
760-500-5940
I am writing to express my deep concerns regarding recent practices at the Apple Valley Animal Shelter.

I recently became aware of the ABYSMAL survival rate (only around 7%) at this shelter, and upon further research can say I’m shocked and appalled that this facility is allowed to continue to operate this way. It’s inhumane and shameful.

From the evaluation process which labels, on average, less than 5% of adult cats onsite each month as friendly (leaving 95% to be euthanized swiftly), to cats in the adoption area receiving minimal to no medical care, this facility is a sham, at best!and a pathetic excuse for a care facility.

Transparency remains a significant challenge at AVAS: Only 36% of cats taken in by AVAS in May were listed on the shelter's website (only 42% in June), depriving potential adopters of crucial information and contributing to low adoption rates.  In the week of 6.17, no cats with an intake date within the week were added on the AVAS website out of numerous cats in need of adoption, indicating inadequate outreach and communication with the community.  In the first two weeks of July, only 8 adults and 14 kittens were added to the AVAS website
 With no urgent list sent, rescue and adopters does not know which cats are there/ which ones are urgent
 The prohibition of volunteers from non-adoption areas means rescues and adopters have zero visibility of the 95% of cats labeled as feral or non-adoptable.

Given these alarming conditions, I urgently request an immediate investigation into the operations of the Apple Valley Animal Shelter.
 AVAS should prioritize providing medical care over resorting to euthanasia as a first option.
 A comprehensive medical treatment plan must be provided for the cats currently sick.
 measures must be implemented to prevent further intensive and frequent outbreaks
 Those responsible for the mishandling of disease outbreaks must be held accountable.

It is evident that AVAS requires increased monitoring as a public shelter.  Listing all animals on the website within 24 hours of intake  Improve mislabeling. The majority of “feral” cats pulled out from AVAS are actually friendly
 Administering necessary vaccinations to all animals within 3 days of intake.
 Providing detailed updates on medical treatments, including specific medications and care given, rather than vague claims of treatment.  an urgent list (aka pending euthanasia list) should be provided and accessible to all rescue partners and the general public  Access should be granted to allow volunteers to take videos and photos of the cat in the adoption area and in non-adoption area (aka the holding rooms and the receiving rooms).
 Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.

Thank you,
Nicole McFeely

1. List all animals on the website within 24 hours of intake.

2. Improve mislabeling. The majority of "feral" cats pulled out from AVAS are actually friendly.

3. Administer necessary vaccinations to all animals within 3 days of intake.

4. Provide detailed updates on medical treatments, including specific medications and care given, rather than vague claims of treatment.

5. Provide a daily urgent list (aka pending euthanasia list). Make this available to all interested parties including all rescue partners and the general public.

6. Access should be granted to allow volunteers to take videos and photos of cats in the adoption area and in non- adoption area (aka the holding rooms and the receiving rooms).

7. Disclose the outcome of each cat and dog in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency
Last please make it much easier for any 501c3 rescue to pull animals because it really seems like your shelter would much rather euthanize than give them a chance! You kill so many animals that I don't think a rescue should even have to be a partner with you to pull animals, if they can show they have a 501c3 rescue, release the animal immediately to them. 93 percent of cats that come into your shelter are euthanized. Right now there are 6 puppies on your euthanasia list today. This is unacceptable.

Thank you
Rachel Gentili
Dear City Council Members,
I am writing to bring your attention to the critical issues plaguing the Apple Valley Animal Shelter (AVAS). Recent observations and data have revealed severe deficiencies in the care provided, necessitating immediate and comprehensive reform. It is crucial that we address these issues to ensure that animals are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve, while also restoring public trust in the shelter's operations.

Furthermore, it is crucial to consider the long-term impact on future generations and the welfare of these voiceless animals. By advocating for responsible pet care and leading by example, we have the opportunity to foster a culture of compassion, empathy, and social awareness. Such values are essential in shaping more conscientious and caring individuals who will contribute positively to society in the years ahead.

Proposal for Comprehensive Reform of Animal Care Services at Apple Valley City
Critical Issues

1. Inadequate Evaluation and Placement of Cats:

At AVAS, less than 5% of adult cats are deemed friendly for adoption, a stark contrast to the 40% to 50% at neighboring shelters like Devore Animal Shelter. Recent statistics reveal alarming trends:
 In the week of May 17th, none of the 23 new cat intakes were labeled as friendly or placed for adoption.  From June 4th to June 8th, only 1 out of 42 adult cats listed on the AVAS website was identified as friendly.
 On June 12th, 8 foster kittens were euthanized allegedly due to health reasons, yet their shelter notes had not been updated for several weeks, indicating a lack of proper assessment and care.  Concerningly, shelter notes for these kittens were never updated. Most of these kittens were 11 to 13 weeks old but under 2 lbs. Kittens grow rapidly and they could actually be adopted instead of being kept in the shelter. Their outdated shelter note stating they are foster/rescue only ultimately leading to their euthanasia on 6/12 due to health reasons.

2. Euthanasia Despite Adoption/Foster Applications
There have been distressing incidents where cats were euthanized despite submitted/confirmed adoption or foster applications:
 For instance, Luke, a surrendered kitten, was euthanized despite a confirmed adoption application.

The adopter had driven 2.5 hours to AVAS and was told that the paperwork was mixed up and Luke was euthanized.
 Similarly, an adopter physically visited AVAS, submitted an adoption application for Rubeus Catgrid, but was refused without being informed about she can sign a medical waiver and then continue the adoption.
 In another case, a prospective adopter's repeated attempts to adopt from AVAS were thwarted. After submitting her adoption application, the shelter informed her that the cats would be reassessed.

However, the following day, she received the devastating news that the cats had been euthanized.

This same scenario repeated twice more. On the third attempt, the family's status changed from adoptable to rescue-only/ can not be adopted.

3. Urgent Need for Medical Care Improvement:

There is a glaring deficiency in medical and basic care at AVAS:
 Cats and kittens were often euthanized in batches for health reasons 57 cats were euthanized for health reasons in May.
 On May 19th, the cat adoption area was closed due to suspected ringworm, resulting in the unnecessary euthanasia of several kittens.
 Recent instances, including the June 12th euthanasia of 8 kittens, highlight ongoing concerns about the shelter's medical protocols and record-keeping practices, with minimal medical records available except for basic vaccine information.

4. Transparency and Public Access Issues:
 Transparency remains a significant challenge at AVAS:
 Only 36% of cats taken in by AVAS in May were listed on the shelter's website, depriving potential adopters of crucial information and contributing to low adoption rates.  In the week of June 17th, no cats with an intake date within the week were added to the AVAS website out of numerous cats in need of adoption, indicating inadequate outreach and communication with the community.
 With no urgent list sent, rescue and adopters do not know which cats are there/ which ones are urgent.  The prohibition of volunteers from non-adoption areas means rescues and adopters have zero visibility of the 95% of cats labeled as feral or non-adoptable.

Based on recent observations and data, it is evident that immediate reforms are necessary to ensure the welfare of animals under AVAS's care and to restore community trust.

Proposed Reforms
Improve Mislabeling and Behavioral Evaluation:
 Implement comprehensive training and standardized protocols for staff and volunteers conducting behavioral evaluations.
 Consider employing a full-time or part-time behaviorist specializing in cat behavior.  Implement regular reassessment of cats and timely updates to shelter notes to accurately reflect their behavioral status.

Cease Unnecessary Euthanasia:
 Cats should not be euthanized once they are legally eligible. Avoid euthanasia when space is available.
 Refrain from immediate euthanasia for health reasons; instead, initiate medication based on symptoms and responses.
 Ensure kittens are paired in separate kennels to prevent disease spread and promote socialization.

Provide Adequate Medical Care:
 Ensure cats receive sufficient food and water daily.
 Administer vaccines to every cat upon entry to the shelter, including feral ones.  It’s risky to have cats and kittens free-roaming when there’s no sufficient medical care. Kittens should be paired up and kept in separate cages instead of free roaming in the same room.  Establish a dedicated medical room and consider offering on-site veterinary services, potentially through partnerships with veterinary clinics.
 Maintain a variety of antibiotics and medications to treat illnesses promptly. Improve airflow and hygiene protocols within the shelter to prevent the spread of disease.

Support Adoption and Rescue Efforts:
 Discontinue rejecting adoption or foster requests arbitrarily and cease euthanizing cats under evaluation.
 Eliminate aggressive disciplines towards rescues and implement spaying/neutering of cats before adoption, including charging deposits if necessary.
 Enhance community outreach and rescue coordination efforts to increase adoption rates and support for cats in need.

Enhance Transparency:
 List all cats on the shelter's website immediately upon intake and provide a daily urgent list of cats in need of adoption or rescue.
 Allow authorized volunteers to take videos and photos of cats in non-adoption areas to increase visibility and promote adoptions.
 Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.  Ensure cats are included in all adoption events and community fairs to maximize adoption opportunities.

Community and Shelter Cat Management Policy:
 Provide low-cost spaying and neutering services to reduce overpopulation and improve overall cat welfare.
 Implement Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) programs to manage community cat populations effectively.
 Update city ordinance and allow cats to roam free roaming (1)

(1) While it was previously mentioned that cats are exempt from leash laws, a closer examination of Apple Valley's Code of Ordinances, specifically section 15.01.070 - Control of animals, reveals that this is not the case. This ordinance clearly stipulates that owners are responsible for ensuring their animals, including cats, do not roam freely in public spaces. The current practice of impounding and euthanizing stray cats has proven ineffective, as evidenced by the continuous trapping of the same animals in the same areas. A more humane and sustainable approach, aligned with national trends and successful initiatives in neighboring counties, would involve implementing a Trap-NeuterVaccinate-Return (TNVR) program to manage the community cat population effectively.

These proposed reforms are essential to rectify the systemic failures in animal care and management at AVAS.

I urge the City Council to give these recommendations priority and take decisive action to ensure that AVAS meets the highest standards of animal welfare and community responsibility.

Thank you for your consideration of these urgent matters. I look forward to witnessing meaningful improvements that will benefit both the animals and our community.

Sincerely,
Sara Gonçalves
Dear Apple Valley City Council Members, town managers and town attorney, I am writing to express my deep concerns regarding recent practices at the Apple Valley Animal Shelter.

The outcomes for AVAS cats in 2024 may mirror those of 2023 (7% leave the facility alive)

1.The evaluation process at AVAS is merely nominal. Less than 5% of the adult cats are labeled as friendly on average every month, and the 95% labeled as feral were euthanized swiftly

2.Cats in the adoption area receive minimal to no medical care. Once these cats fall ill, they are often removed from public view on the website and euthanized shortly thereafter.  On 5. 19, the cat adoption area was closed due to potential ringworm exposure, resulting in the euthanasia of numerous kittens and friendly cats. o 57 cats were euthanized for health reason in May
 On 6.12, another 8 kittens were euthanized due to health concerns. o 33 cats were euthanized for health reason from 6.1 to 6.18  On 7.5, 9 kittens were unlisted due to health concerns. 7 of them were rescued.  On 7.12, 3 adults and 6 kittens in the adoption area were unlisted after shelter closure, and all 9 were euthanized on the afternoon of 7.13.
o There were no urgent list or any notice provided to the rescue partner and only a few hours was given to rescues
 On July 13th, our volunteer discovered the adoption area closed due to a suspected ringworm outbreak.
 By the evening of July 13th, after the shelter closed, we learned that an additional 35 cats had been removed from the AVAS website, with many placed on hold.  Three kittens—Mozzi (242922), Nugget (242923), and Rio (242920)—had a shelter note from 07.03 indicating they were under monitoring and treatment for URI.  They were posted on the shelter’s website on 07.19.
 On 07. 20, their listings were removed, and it was reported that one kitten had died and the other two were euthanized.
 This timeline indicates a failure to provide adequate medical care and raises concerns about the shelter's ability to manage and treat animals effectively.

Shanshan Zhao
Hello there,
My name is Sherry and I'm a Californian writing with an interest in the innocent lives lost in Apple Valley Animal Shelter (AVAS). Please do not ignore our pleas for help! As a tax-paying resident of California, here are my concerns regarding this high-kill shelter, where 93% of cats that enter get killed.

1. AVAS needs to list all animals on its website within 24 hours of intake. In the past weeks, so many cats got killed just hours after they were shown on the website. There was no reasonable time for rescue organizations or adopters to save them.

2. AVAS should inspect its staff's professional abilities in examining cat behavior. Many cats labeled as "feral" and unadoptable turned out to just be scared of the shelter environment. They were friendly after getting rescued.

3. AVAS should administer necessary vaccinations to all animals within 3 days of intake to prevent outbursts of transmittable illnesses.

4. AVAS should provide detailed updates on medical treatments, including specific medications and care given, rather than vague claims of treatment.

5. AVAS needs to provide a daily urgent list (pending euthanasia list) like Devore shelter does. This list should be available to all interested parties including rescue partners and the general public.

6. Open access to the shelter should be granted to allow volunteers to take videos and photos of cats in the adoption and non-adoption areas. This will allow rescuers and potential adopters to see the cats online. This will also provide more transparency to the shelter.

7. AVAS needs to clearly disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.

Thank you for your time. We hope changes can be made as soon as possible since cats are entering AVAS weekly and the majority of them are getting killed unfairly.

Best regards,
Sherry Wu
Dear Madam/Sir,
I am writing to express deep concern about the current state of animal care services provided by Apple Valley City. Based on recent observations and data, several critical issues demand immediate attention and action in Apple Valley Animal Shelter (AVAS).

1. Inadequate Evaluation and Placement of Cats: At AVAS, less than 5% of adult cats are deemed friendly for adoption, a stark contrast to the 40% to 50% at neighboring shelters like Devore Animal Shelter. Recent statistics reveal alarming trends:
 In the week of May 17th, none of the 23 new cat intakes were labeled as friendly or placed for adoption.
 From June 4th to June 8th, only 1 out of 42 adult cats listed on the AVAS website was identified as friendly.
 On June 12th, 8 foster kittens were euthanized allegedly due to health reasons, yet their shelter notes had not been updated for several weeks, indicating a lack of proper assessment and care.
 Concerningly, shelter notes for these kittens were never updated Most of these kittens were 11 to 13 weeks old but under 2 lbs. Kittens grow rapidly and they could actually be adopted instead of being kept in the shelter. Their outdated shelter note stating they are foster/rescue only ultimately leading to their euthanasia on 6/12 due to health reasons.

2. Euthanasia Despite Adoption/Foster Applications: There have been distressing incidents where cats were euthanized despite submitted/confirmed adoption or foster applications:
 For instance, Luke, a surrendered kitten, was euthanized despite a confirmed adoption application. The adopter had driven 2.5 hours to AVAS and was told that the paperwork was mixed up and Luke was euthanized.  Similarly, an adopter physically visited AVAS, submitted an adoption application for Rubeus Catgrid, but was refused without being informed about she can sign a medical waiver and then continue the adoption  In another case, a prospective adopter's repeated attempts to adopt from AVAS were thwarted. After submitting her adoption application, the shelter informed her that the cats would be reassessed. However, the following day, she received the devastating news that the cats had been euthanized.

This same scenario repeated twice more. On the third attempt, the family's status changed from adoptable to rescue-only/ can not be adopted.

4. Transparency and Public Access Issues: Transparency remains a significant challenge at AVAS:
 Only 36% of cats taken in by AVAS in May were listed on the shelter's website, depriving potential adopters of crucial information and contributing to low adoption rates.
 In the week of June 17th, no cats with an intake date within the week were added on the AVAS website out of numerous cats in need of adoption, indicating inadequate outreach and communication with the community.  With no urgent list sent, rescue and adopters does not know which cats are there/ which ones are urgent
 The prohibition of volunteers from non-adoption areas means rescues and adopters have zero visibility of the 95% of cats labeled as feral or nonadoptable.

Based on recent observations and data, it is evident that immediate reforms are necessary to ensure the welfare of animals under AVAS's care and to restore community trust.

1. Improve Mislabeling and Behavioral Evaluation: To address mislabeling and ensure accurate behavioral assessments:
o Implement comprehensive training and standardized protocols for staff and volunteers conducting behavioral evaluations.
o Consider employing a full-time or part-time behaviorist specializing in cat behavior.
o Implement regular reassessment of cats and timely updates to shelter notes to accurately reflect their behavioral status.

2. Cease Unnecessary Euthanasia:
o Cats should not be euthanized once they are legally eligible. Avoid euthanasia when space is available.
o Refrain from immediate euthanasia for health reasons; instead, initiate medication based on symptoms and responses.
o Ensure kittens are paired in separate kennels to prevent disease spread and promote socialization.

3. Provide Adequate Medical Care:
o Ensure cats receive sufficient food and water daily.
o Administer vaccines to every cat upon entry to the shelter, including feral ones.
o It’s risky to have cats and kittens free roaming when there’s no sufficient medical care. Kittens should be paired up and kept in separate cages instead of free roaming in the same room.
o Establish a dedicated medical room and consider offering on-site veterinary services, potentially through partnerships with veterinary clinics. o Maintain a variety of antibiotics and medications to treat illnesses promptly. o Improve airflow and hygiene protocols within the shelter to prevent the spread of disease.

4. Support Adoption and Rescue Efforts:
o Discontinue rejecting adoption or foster requests arbitrarily and cease euthanizing cats under evaluation.
o Eliminate aggressive disciplines towards rescues and implement spaying/neutering of cats before adoption, including charging deposits if necessary.
o Enhance community outreach and rescue coordination efforts to increase adoption rates and support for cats in need.

5. Enhance Transparency:
o List all cats on the shelter's website immediately upon intake and provide a daily urgent list of cats in need of adoption or rescue. o Allow authorized volunteers to take videos and photos of cats in nonadoption areas to increase visibility and promote adoptions. o Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.
o Ensure cats are included in all adoption events and community fairs to maximize adoption opportunities.

6. Community and Shelter Cat Management Policy:
o Provide low-cost spaying and neutering services to reduce overpopulation and improve overall cat welfare.
o implement Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) programs to manage community cat populations effectively.
o Update city ordinance and allow cats to roam free roaming.  You mentioned that cats are exempt from leash laws, but according to Apple Valley's Code of Ordinances 15.01.070 - Control of animals, it appears that the same regulations apply to cats:
(a)No person in Apple Valley, owning or having control of any animal, shall permit such animal to stray or run at large upon any public street, sidewalk, school ground, public park, playground, place of public assembly or any other public place, or any un-enclosed private lot or other un-enclosed private place, or upon any private place or property without the consent of the owner or person in control thereof. Parkways comprising the area between the street and sidewalk shall be included as private property for purposes of this Chapter.
(b)Any person who finds any animal which has strayed or is running at large upon his or her own property or any other place contrary to the provisions of this Chapter, may take possession of and hold same; provided, however, that he or she shall notify the Animal Control Office that he or she has such animal in his or her possession within 24 hours after securing possession thereof, and give such Officer full information in regard to the animal, including a complete description of such animal and license number, if any, and surrender the same to the Animal Control Officer or Department upon demand.
 The approach of impounding and euthanizing has proven ineffective, with cats continuously trapped and impounded from the same areas.  the adjustment aligns with the national trend and the success seen in neighboring counties.

Thank you for your attention to these urgent matters. I look forward to seeing positive changes that benefit both the animals and our community.

Sincerely,
Tina Nikolova
Dear Apple Valley City Council & San Bernardino County Supervisors:

I am a philanthropist, good Samaritan, and retired business woman that supports feline rescues, and advocating for cats in a variety of ways. I recently become aware of a horrific and urgent situation regarding AVAS (Apple Valley Animal Shelter), which is now being called “The Slaughterhouse” amongst the nation’s rescues and interested animal rights activists, WITH ONLY A 7% LIVE EXIT RATE FOR CATS AND KITTENS.

In a state that is considered “high-kill” and its average is 79%, 7% is quite frankly of catastrophic proportions and immediate action should be taken to make the change that is needed at that facility.

As I understand it, many pleas to reform this facility have fallen on deaf ears to the utter dismay of the local community and national animal rights community. Make no mistake…advocates across the nation are all watching…and if appropriate action is not taken with URGENCY, there will be an outcry and effort to expose of all those who have participated in allowing unspeakable and illegal crimes of cruelty to continue against the beloved animals of Apple Valley.

The atrocities carried out by the AVAS Director, Gina Whitestone, and her “Team of executioners”, lead by her Assistant, Christine/Kristin Hall, are clearly inhumane and break every animal abuse and cruelty law imaginable, as well as other procedural, animal rights and shelter laws. It has been reported by former employees that the animals are made to suffer in filthy and unsanitary conditions; they are malnourished and starved, being fed rations of food donated by good Samaritans because the shelter will not purchase food for the animals; they are deprived of medications; serious health violations routinely occur as healthy animals are not separated, but either mixed with sick ones or placed in improperly sanitized areas so they become sick—and then get sicker without the medications they are supposed to receive—until they are euthanized rather than properly treated. Aside from this, they are made to endure the most disgusting conditions, being made to live in feces, and in extremely sweltering heat in the summer or freezing temperatures in the winter because the staff is too inconvenienced to provide them with blankets from the shelter’s stores, or clean bowls to eat from, a clean environment, or medicines they need. How any person or group of people could in good conscience create such an unbelievably inhumane environment, is difficult to fathom!
Honestly, your constituents and onlookers are scratching their head wondering why in the world the City Council employs Gina Whitestone, the absentee AVAS Director, that spends her time traveling the world promoting herself in her “real” career as a fashion photographer. If tax payers knew they were paying her excessively-high $350,000+ to support her “good life” as a world traveling photographer, they would be livid and demand accountability by all who keep her employed in that position. She is paid a huge annual salary to kill the majority of animals that ARE FRIENDLY,

INTENTIONALLY MISLABELED, DENIED MEDICATIONS AND MEDICAL

TREATMENT AND DO NOT FALL IN THE CATEGORY OF QUALIFYING FOR EUTHANASIA! So I ask…what is stopping you? The City Council, who appointed Gina Whitehead, and others who keep her employed with such despicable performance, is losing all credibility by keeping this monster in charge of the AVAS shelter!! Please do San Bernardino County and Apple Valley residents, and animals from your community a service and fire Ms. Whitehead immediately! I am sure you have replacements that are actually compassionate human beings that would do their job by showing up at the facility.

It is also notable to mention that she also receives bonuses---probably for cutting costs by killing the animals supposedly in her care, rather than actually doing her job to protect and care for the animals, while locating adoptive families. By all accounts she does none of that—she has failed all of the voiceless poor animals that depend on her for care---yet she can’t even provide humane living conditions, or food or medications or compassionate, caring staff. AVAS could quite possibly be the #1 KILL SHELTER in the US today!! As a business person, it wreaks of a payoff and corruption…and I am not the only one that thinks this. She has blood on her hands and so do all of you if you keep her employed.

Further, the lead executioner and Assistant to Ms. Whitestone, Christine (or Kristin) Hall, who actually operates the facility and carries out the atrocities firsthand is just as bad, if not worse! She is there---and responsible for most all of the shortcomings of the facility and her the other rogue employees, and the mistreatment, inflicted suffering and wrongful killings of the animals. The buck stops with her as well---she also needs to be fired immediately! The nightmarish stories I have heard about online by former employees indicate it is a euthanasia hell-hole for the animals—and this woman apparently loves to torture and inflict pain on the animals, then kill them! It is disgusting and cruel---AND ILLEGAL, and should not be tolerated!
How any person or group of people could in good conscience create or support such an unbelievably inhumane environment, is difficult to fathom! All of you have the power to change this situation. Let your legacy be one of the greatest shelters in the U.S., rather than the worst. Let it be kindness and the best of care to the animals---rather than the evil, cruelty and ruthlessness that lurks there now!
As a concerned and disgusted citizen, I speak for the masses who want IMMEDIATE CHANGE against the abhorrent treatment of the poor animals that never have a fighting chance upon entering AVAS. I strongly suggest the following actions by the Apple Valley City Council and the San Bernardino County Supervisors:

1. AN URGENT INTERVENTION TO REPLACE THE CURRENT MANAGEMENT TEAM INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: INCLUDE AN IMMEDIATE

INVESTIGATION AND THE FIRING OF ALL OF THE AVAS TOP

MANAGEMENT---INCLUDING GINA WHITESTONE, AND CHRISTINE
(KRISTIN) HALL AND OTHER ROGUE EMPLOYEES.

2. COMPLETE REFORM WITH AN EMPHASIS ON SAVING LIVES AND

COMPASSIONATE CARE, RATHER THEN KILLING HEALTHY ANIMALS FOR NO REASON—DEPRIVING THEM OF THEIR RIGHTS TO BE TREATED

HUMANELY ON EVERY LEVEL AND FROM THE TIME OF INTAKE TO THEIR ADOPTION. THE EMPLOYEES, WHO ARE EITHER TRAINED FROM THE “TOP” OR GIVEN FREE REIGN TO ABUSE THE ANIMALS, TREAT THEM

WITH CRUELTY AND KILL THEM RATHER THEN COMPASSIONATELY

CARE FOR THEM AND PROTECT THEIR INTERESTS, ROUTINELY
BREAKING ANIMAL CRUELTY AND ABUSE LAWS. IT IS SICKENING AND

SHOULD NO LONGER BE TOLERATED BY ANY OF YOU THAT GOVERN THIS FACILITY!!

3. ANOTHER SOLUTION IS TO END THE CONTRACTS WITH AVAS AND CLOSE THE SHELTER TEMPORARILY OR PERMANETLY. THE ANIMALS

CAN THEN BE TRANFERRED TO OUTSIDE FACILITIES WHERE THEY CAN GET THE CARE THEY NEED AND DESERVE…AS WELL AS AN EFFORT TO FIND THEM NEW ADOPTIVE FAMILIES!!

4. INCREASE THE BUDGET TO ONE SUITABLE AND IN KEEPING WITH PROPER METRICS FOR THE 8,000 ANIMALS THAT PASS THROUGH THE FACILITY. THE CURRENT BUDGET IS FAR BENEATH ACCEPTABLE

LEVELS AND ENCOURAGES THE LACK OF CARE, STARVATION AND
KILLING OF THE ANIMALS, RATHER THAN KEEPING THEM ALIVE.

5. OPERATE WITH TRANSPARENCY, AND ALLOW RESCUES AND
ADVOCATES TO SEE BEHIND ALL OF THE CLOSED DOORS. AS I
UNDERSTAND IT 90% OF THE ANIMALS GO INTO A BACK “ROOM OF DOOM”, WHERE IT IS SUSPECTED THEY ARE NEGLECTED, STARVED, DEPRIVED OF MEDICATION, CRUELY TREATED…IT IS BASICALLY A DEATH CHAMBER. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!

6. CHANGE THE PROCESS OF ASSESSMENT, AND PEOPLE WHO DO IT! OVER 80% OF THE ANIMALS ARE ERRONEOUSLY MISLABLED AS
“FERAL”…THAT POLICY LEADS TO DEATH WITHIN DAYS FOR MANY HEALTHY, FRIENDLY AND ADOPTABLE CATS. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY

FRIENDLY KITTIES THAT WERE JUST SCARED---AND THEIR STATUS OF

FERAL CHANGED TO FRIENDLY WHEN PROVIDED TIME TO

DECOMPRESSIN THEIR NEW SURROUNDINGS, BUT FOR MOST IT IS A

DEATH SENTENCE CARRIED OUT IN SHORT ORDER BEFORE THE CAT HAS A CHANCE TO WARM UP! WOULDN’T YOU BE SCARED IF YOU WERE

VIOLENTLY CAUGHT AND PLACED IN A COLD METAL BOX AND STRANGE ENVIRONMENT? THIS IS A HUGE FAILING OF AVAS…THE RIGHT PERSON

NEEDS TO BE PLACED IN THE POSITION OF ASSESSING THE ANIMALS

THAT ENTER THE FACILTIY---AND THEIR NEEDS TO BE SOMEONE WHO

WORKS WITH THE ANIMALS TO GAIN TRUST AND A RE-EVALUATION PROCESS TO GIVE EVERY ANIMAL A CHANCE TO LIVE. RECENTLY, A

KNOWN FRIENDLY CAT WAS TAKEN IN AND KILLED WITHIN LESS THEN A DAY, AND POSSIBLY WITHOUT BEING ASSIGNED AN ID #. THIS IS ILLEGAL AS I UNDERSTAND IT. WHO DID THIS? THEY SHOULD BE FIRED!!

7. ALSO, WITH THE SHEERE NUMBER OF CATS LABELED AS “FERAL”, WHEN

COMPARED TO OTHER SHELTER STATISTICS, IT SEEMS APPARENT THAT CHIPS ARE NOT ROUTINELY CHECKED FOR, TAKING SOMEONE’S
PET…AND KILLING IT WITHOUT THE PROPER PROCEDURE OF CALLING THE OWNER—WHICH IS ILLEGAL! ADDITIONALLY, A CAT WITH A CHIP WOULD BE FRIENDLY, NOT FERAL!! ANOTHER FAILING OF AVAS

RESULTING IN FRIENDLY CATS THAT ARE MISLABELED AND
WRONGFULLY KILLED! CALIFORNIA LAW STATES THAT CATS ARE THE PERSONAL PROPERTY OF THE OWNER. AVAS EMPLOYEES ARE
WRONGFULLY STEALING AND KILLING ANOTHER’S PET/PERSONAL
PROPERTY! WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THAT PROPERTY? IF YOU SPEAK TO

MOST PET OWNERS THEY WILL TELL YOU THEIR PET IS PRICELESS TO THEM! THIS ONE OF MANY SERIOUS OFFENSES THAT IS CAUSE FOR LEGAL ACTION.

8. CHANGE THE PROCESS/POLICIES FOR RESCUES AND ADOPTERS SO IT IS EASIER TO SAVE THE KITTIES. HIRE NEW PEOPLE THAT WILL

ACTUALLY WORK WITH RESCUES AND ADOPTERS WITH FLEXIBILTIY AND CARE FOR THE ANIMALS WITHH THE EMPHASIS ON “SAVING”, RATHER THEN CRUELY “EXECUTING” THEM. FIRST THAT IS
ILLEGAL…AND SECOND, WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT DOES TO THE

ADOPTER WHEN THEY ARRIVE TO PICK UP THEIR NEW KITTY (OR

PUPPY) AND IS TOLD IT WAS JUST EXECUTED EVEN THOUGH THEY

WERE APPROVED AND KNEW THE ADOPTER WAS PICKING UP THEIR NEW FUR BABY THAT MORNING? THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MANY ANIMALS AT AVAS. RECENTLY, A KITTY NAMED LUKE THAT WAS AN OWNER SURRENDER---A FRIENDLY KITTY, KILLED AFTER ONLY 10 DAYS, WHILE HIS ADOPTER WAS ENROUTE, DRIVING 2.5 HOURS TO PICK UP THE KITTY HE HAD ALREADY ADOPTED!! I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAD PLEDGED FOR LUKE…HE HAD OVER $500 IN PLEDGES…YET

AN AVAS EMPLOYEE EXERCISED A COMPLETE LACK OF COMPASSION

AND JUDGMENT TO INFLICT PAIN AND CRUELTY ON NOT ONLY THE ANIMAL, BUT THE ADOPTIVE FAMILY!! THAT ROGUE EMPLOYEE SHOULD BE FIRED IMMEDIATELY!!!!! THERE IS ANOTHER SITUATION OF AN

ADOPTIVE FAMILY THAT COULD NOT PICK UP THEIR NEW PUPPY
BEFORE 5PM AND REQUESTED IT BE HELD ONE MORE NIGHT FOR PICK UP THE NEXT MORNING. RATHER THEN WORK WITH THAT APPROVED

FAMILY---SOMEONE MADE THE DECISION TO KILL THAT PUPPY THE DAY

BEFORE IT COULD BE PICKED UP, A LEVEL OF CRUELTY THAT IS DIFFICULT TO FATHOM.

9. IMPLEMENT PROPER PROCEDURES THAT GIVE THE ANIMALS A CHANCE AT LIFE, RATHER THEN KILLING AS THE FIRST COURSE OF ACTION! RECENTLY, THERE WERE 9 KITTENS THAT WERE GIVEN A PANLEUK VACCINE. ONE TESTED POSITIVE (BELIEVED TO BE A FALSE POSITIVE).

IT WAS REQUESTED THAT THE KITTIES WERE RETESTED, BUT AVAS

REFUSED, STATING THEY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TEST KITS OR WOULD NOT BECAUSE OF THE COST. IT WAS FEARED THE STAFF WAS GOING TO KILL THE WHOLE LITTER OF 9 AS THE SOLUTION TO GETTING RID OF

THE KITTENS, RATHER THAN RETESTING AND MEDICATING AS
APPROPRIATE. AN URGENT PLEA WAS PUT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THE EMPLOYEES COMPLAINED THEY GOT TOO MANY CALLS. THEY THEN

THREATENED TO EUTHANIZE THE KITTENS IF THE TRANSPORTER WAS NOT THERE PRECISELY UPON OPENING. HE WAS THERE EARLY, YET THEY PROCEDED TO WITHOLD 2 OF KITTENS WHILE MAKING THE
TRANSPORTER WAIT FOR 2 HOURS. THE 7N RELEASED KITTENS WERE SICK WITH URIs, AND UTIs…AND UNTREATED! THEY ARE NOW THRIVING, HEALTHY KITTENS AND HAVE TESTED NEGATIVE FOR PANLEUK! THIS IS

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF KITTENS THAT WERE UNTREATED AND WOULD

HAVE BEEN SENSLESSLY KILLED FOR TREATABLE MEDICAL CONDITION

OR GUESSING THEY MIGHT BE POSITIVE FOR PANLEUK WITHOUT
PROOF!! THE 2 KITTENS STILL REMAIN AT AVAS. LETS HOPE THEY ARE

BEING TREATED AND WILL BE PLACED IN THE ADOPTION ROOM SOON OR RESCUED. ANOTHER ISSUE…THEY THEN DID NOT PROPERLY

SANITIZE THE ROOM WHERE THE KITTENS THAT HAD HAD THE

VACCINES WERE AND CARELESSLY ADDED ANOTHER LITTER OF
KITTENS TO THAT ROOM. HAD THE ORIGINAL LITTER HAD PANLEUK, THE

NEGLILGENCE ON THE PART OF THEY EMPLOYEES WOULD HAVE ALSO

MADE THE KITTENS SICK AND THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN USED AS AN EXCUSE TO KILL THEM. ONE WEEK LATER, THE STAFF AT AVIS KILLED 9 HEALTHY KITTENS ONE DAY + 2 MORE A FEW DAYS LATER, IT IS BELIEVED IN RETALIATION TO THEM RECEIVING “TOO MANY CALLS”. IT DOESN’T GET MUCH WORSE THAN THIS! PURE EVIL! ALL INVOLVED SHOULD BE FIRED!!

10. HIRE THE APPROPRIATE MARKETING PEOPLE TO GET EXPOSURE FOR KITTIES TO BE ADOPTED. UNAPPRECIATED VOLUNTEERS ARE WORKING

TIRELESSLIY TO FULFILL THE DUTIES OF THE SHELTER, ONLY TO RECEIVE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THEIR EFFORTS.

11. HIRE RESCUE COORDIANTORS WHO ACTUALLY DO THEIR JOB TO

LOCATE AND FACILITATE RESCUES AND ADOPTIONS TO INCREASE

SUCCESSFUL ADOPTIONS AND MAKE SURE NO ANIMALS FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS. AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, VOLUNTEERS UNRELATED TO

THE SHELTER, ARE WORKING TIRELESSLY EACH DAY TO HELP LOCATE

RESCUE PARTNERS, FOSTERS AND ADOPTERS, WHILE AVAS
EMPLOYEES ACT INDIFFERENT TO THEIR REQUESTS FOR HELP. THE

SHELTER CURRENTLY HAS ONE PERSON NAMED BRANDY THAT TREATS THEM LIKE THEY ARE A BOTHER FOR MAKING HER WORK. THE CASES FOR RESCUE “BOTTLENECK” WITH HER. I HAVE BEEN TOLD SHE IS COLD AND ROBOTIC AND DOES NOT CARE. IT IS AS IF SHE DOES NOT WANT

TO HELP THOSE FACILITATING RESCUE AND ADOPTION, BUT PREFERS TO ACT RESISTANT. SHE SEEMS TO LACK COMPASSION AND CARE FOR THE ANIMALS…AND HER CONSTANT DELAYS IN REPSPONSE TIME HAS RESULTED IN MANY ADOPTABLE ANIMALS BEING KILLED—ALL WHILE

THE VOLLUNTEER TEAM WAS WORKING FEVERISHLY TO ARRANGE A RESCUE, FOSTER AND TRANSPORT. THE BOTTOM LINE IS SHE IS PART

OF THE POISONED EMPLOYEE GROUP THAT SHOWS UP EVERY DAY TO COLLECT HER CHECK, AND DOESN’T DO HER JOB FOR THE ANIMALS SHE IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN SERVICE TO…AND PUNISHES THE PEOPLE TRYING THEIR BEST TO DO JUST THAT AND SAVE THEM!!

12. HIRE VETERNARIANS AND ANIMAL PROFESSIONALS WITH EXPERIENCE

AND A GOOD REPUTATION THAT CAN MAKE THE CALL ON WHEN TO

EUTHANIZE AND OTHERS THAT CAN OFFER BALANCE TO FACILITATE

OTHER AREAS NEEDED TO PROVIDE QUALITY CARE OF THE ANIMALS AS WELL AS SUPPORT TO RESCUE AND ADOPTION, AMONG OTHER AREAS.

AS I UNDERSTAND IT, A REQUIREMENT TO WORK AT AVAS IS TO BE

ABLE TO LEGALLY EUTHANIZE---EVEN THE RESCUE COORDINATOR HAS SUCH A QUALIFICATION. WHAT KIND OF FACILITY ONLY HIRES PEOPLE WHO CAN KILL THE ANIMALS? THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES AS TO THE

MINDSET OF THE EMPLOYEES AT AVAS AND THE INTENT OF THE
MANAGEMENT. THIS SHOULD BE CHANGED!

13. STOP USING THE LEASH LAWS TO ILLEGALLY KILL CATS! THIS LAW IS FOR DOGS! CATS CAN ROAM AS THEY PLEASE AND SHOULD NOT BE TRAPPED---EITHER FERAL OR FRIENDLY.

Sadly, there are so many stories like those above, and they are not the anomaly! It is in fact the “norm” at AVAS to mistreat and uncompassionately kill the animals without regard to their status as friendly, needing care or even whether it is legal or not.

Apparently they feel it is easier, cheaper and less work! I hope the examples above have demonstrated the completely poisonous and inadequate environment of AVAS and its employees who enjoy killing and torturing the animals and making it difficult for others to help them with moving to a loving adoptive family.

AS A FINAL PLEA, PLEASE INTEVENE NOW WITH A NEW TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT

CAN REFORM AVAS SO THAT THE ANIMALS DO NOT HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PAY WITH THE PRICE WITH THEIR LIVES!!
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Tracy Utterbach
Dear AVAS Cat Network community,
If you have been following AVAS cats you may have noticed that the majority of cats are labeled as feral and killed swiftly. Those labeled as friendly fare no better. There are almost monthly major outbreaks of illness at AVAS, and little to no medical treatment is provided.

Euthanasia is often the first resort to address these issues. Both evaluation and medical treatment are essentially nonexistent.

Furthermore, only about one-third of the cats are listed on the AVAS website, leaving volunteers with no access to the majority of the shelter’s practices. It is nearly impossible to obtain videos and photos of the over 90% of cats not in the adoption area. This lack of transparency is unacceptable.

The community was recently shocked by a major outbreak that occurred last weekend. We urgently call for action, investigation, and reform at AVAS to ensure the humane treatment of all animals in the shelter.

Please send your public comments to the Apply Valley City Council who is ACCOUNTABLE for AVAS
This is getting out of hand. Killing animal FOR NO REASON is against humanity, against GODS LAW, against everything we know as compassionate, loving humans.

Having daily killing fests is WRONG!!!
These fur babies deserve to live, have a chance at a forever home. These babies didn't ask to be in this situation, they were bread at ignorance of humans because they didnt get these cats fixed. Now they are at fates door to be killed for NO REASON OF THEIR OWN.

We have an obligation to help God creation to find loving, compassionate, forever homes.

Having killing parties does not fix yhe problem. Helping people get there pets fixed, keeping their pets inside. Being responsible pet owners. Also breeders are another problem to this equation. Law need to be made to protect healthy fur babies from death, breeders to have laws to stop them from dumping unfixed pets in the shelters and on the streets. Fining and jailing dumping pets on the streets.

With rescues , volunteers and advocates can we make life better for these pets.

Please help not add to the problem.

Thank you
Vicky Wolf

Apple Valley City CouncilJuly 23, 2024

Apple Valley City Council
July 23, 2024