Please stop Charlene from killing our friends at the shelter. Tomorrow is another turn for euthanizing beautiful dogs and cats. Get those pets out of there and send them to no kill shelters, send them to a shelter out of CA. Shut the facility down. Put aside a budget for them. Check their books and see if someone is hiding the donations. Please do something, She is killing the animals.
Thanks.☥☦☧☨☩☪☥☦☧☨☩☪☥☦☧☨☩☪
Hello,
I've been informed that healthy dogs at the shelter in Apple Valley are being euthanized.
Please please try to expand your adoption eƯorts to save the lives of these innocent creatures.
Thank you for reading
Grace
Why don’t you even try to adopt these animals out. How do you sleep at night they could not pay me enough
Dear Madam/Sir,
I am writing to express grave concerns regarding the alarming rise in euthanasia rates and the ongoing systemic issues at Apple Valley Animal Shelter (AVAS), especially in light of recent reports and observations. The situation has reached a critical point, with dozens of cats losing their lives without proper evaluation or consideration for alternatives like adoption or rescue. ### Recent Intensive Killing:
- On August 13th, 11 cats were euthanized.
7 Cats including three kittens were scheduled for euthanasia on 8.17 in AVAS while the adoption event going on, August 17th, is the first day they can legally be euthanized. Cats were not included in the adoption event as usual.
- By August 15th, 19 more cats / families were scheduled for euthanasia, with all of them killed by August 16th except one family rescued.
### Alarming Statistics from AVAS’s June and July Reports:
- **July Report**: Out of 213 cats taken in alive:
- 102 were euthanized.
- 107 have unknown outcomes (either under holding or still listed on the website). - Only 21 cats (10%) were labeled as friendly or placed in the adoption area. - 86 cats (40%) were posted on the AVAS website, leaving the other 60% as "invisible cats"— neither listed online nor placed in the adoption area, contributing significantly to the high euthanasia rate.
- Cats listed as "holding" are rarely posted online, and their outcomes remain unknown in subsequent shelter reports.
- **June Report**: Of the 180 cats taken in alive, only 42% were posted on the AVAS website.
However, only data from June 1st to June 18th has been disclosed.
Key Observations:
1. No improvement shown even with intake significantly decreased, only 1 cats were added to the list beginning Sep.1
2. Ongoing outbreak since July 2024 till now, with new intakes continuing to be exposed and scheduled to be euthanized in just a few days. Adoption requests were rejected, and random rules have been added that undermine life-saving eƯorts.
3. No urgent lists are provided, despite multiple requests, and cats are often euthanized directly with no chance at adoption or rescue
4. Volunteers are still denied access to take videos or photos of these cats in the back end, meaning they remain invisible from the moment they enter the shelter.
1. Poor visibility contributes to the high euthanization rate. Only 5% to 10% of the cats are put in the adoption area and visible to the public
2. A recent request sent to AVAS by a rescue partner asking for a volunteer to take videos on behalf of them was rejected by AVAS
5. The evaluation process at AVAS is merely nominal. only 5% to 10% of the cats are labeled as friendly V.S. 40% to 50% labeled as friendly in 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.
6. No regular evolution /health check was given
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.
7. The 95% labeled as feral were euthanized swiftly when they can legally be Despite ample space available.
8. Urgent Need for Medical Care/Basic care : There is a glaring deficiency in medical and basic care at AVAS:
There has been monthly major outbreak and cats and kittens were often euthanized in batch for health reason
New intake has been placed in the same room/ area exposed to ringworm/panleuk the SAME day positive cases left/euthanized
No vaccine was given for cats labeled as feral and almost NO cat was vaccinated during intake
AVAS euthanizes cats being exposed to panleuk without even testing them Some cats and kittens scheduled to be euthanized turned out to be “overall healthy” when checked by a vet
Many cats and kittens “under treatment” however there are no medical treatment records, aside from vaccination records. And then these cats and majority of these cats and kittens were euthanized
9. Euthanasia Despite Adoption/Foster Applications: Adoption (even rescue) requests are often denied by A-V-A-S. The reasons can vary, from claims that "the cat has been exposed to [illness]" to requiring the remote adopter to be physically present. In some cases, by the next day, they simply respond with, "The cat you requested has already been euthanized."
10. Less than 40% cats were posted on AVAS in last three month vs all dogs were posted which means AVAS has the capability to list all the animals 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.
Given AVAS's ongoing negligence and mishandling of these animals, we strongly urge the following immediate actions:
I. suspending the intake of cats to AVAS until substantive reforms are enacted, including:
1. Grant access to authorized volunteers to take videos and photos of those 90% of cats in non-adoption areas to increase visibility and promote adoptions.
2. List all cats on the shelter's website within 24 hours of intake Disclose the outcome of each cat in monthly reports to ensure accountability and transparency.
3. Stop euthanize cats not in adoption area when they can legally be Avoid euthanasia when space is available.
Implement regular reassessment of cats and timely updates to shelter notes to accurately reflect their behavioral status.
4. prioritize providing medical care over resorting to euthanasia as a first option:
Administer vaccines to every cat upon 72 hours from entry to the shelter, including feral ones.
Stop put new intake to exposure area
A comprehensive medical treatment plan must be provided for the cats currently sick . measures must be implemented to prevent further intensive and frequent outbreaks Refrain from immediate euthanasia for health reasons; Maintain a variety of antibiotics and medications to treat illnesses promptly.
Kittens should be paired up and kept in separate cages instead of free roaming in the same room when there’s no suƯicient medical care.
Establish a dedicated medical room and consider oƯering on-site veterinary services, potentially through partnerships with veterinary clinics. Improve airflow and hygiene protocols within the shelter to prevent the spread of disease.
5. Support Adoption and Rescue EƯorts:
provide a daily urgent list of cats to rescues and the community. Adoption and rescue request need to be respond in a timely manner Discontinue rejecting adoption or foster requests due to random reasons and cease euthanizing cats under evaluation.
Ensure cats are included in all adoption events and community fairs to maximize adoption opportunities.
6. Those responsible for the mishandling of disease outbreaks must be held accountable.
II. Launch an investigation into AVAS.
It’s becoming clear that AVAS is doing the bare minimum to meet legal standards, while neglecting the actual care of these animals.
Euthanasia seems to be the easiest route for them,and it’s heartbreaking to see life-saving eƯorts pushed aside in favor of convenience.
This isn’t just neglect; it’s a system that’s failing these animals, leading to unnecessary deaths.
Immediate actions need to be taken to address these failures, ensure proper evaluations, and allow for transparency. The community and these animals deserve better.
Thank you for your attention to these urgent matters. I look forward to seeing positive changes that benefit both the animals and our community.