TC Public Comments February 10, 2026 — Apple Valley City Council, February 10, 2026

TOWN OF APPLE VALLEY TOWN COUNCIL

PUBLIC COMMENTS
FEBRUARY 10, 2026
The GYM is allowed to have a sign up on Highway 18 with a vision implying that residents, business are okay with informing all those who see it of a culture, race or background other than theirs is not welcome, supported or wanted in this town, what culture is next. As a homeowner I personally as well as friends and neighbors are appalled this is acceptable for even one day.

Victoria Calvert
I am writing to voice some of my concerns about how the shelter is run. My biggest concern is that many cats are being misidentified as feral when they are simply scares & consequently they are never brought to the adoption floor & are never seen by the public.

Too many cats are never seen on the website by adopters or rescues.

Another major concern is the placement of cats into barn homes with little oversight. Barn cats must be carefully acclimated to their new homes or you are basically giving them a death sentence.

There havee also been several instances of rescue help being delayed or denied.

There are several shelters of similar size & similar intake numbers that are able to achieve much lower euthanasia rates than this shelter. I would hope that the shelter management can learn from them & achieve better results in thee future.

Kris Nill-Snow
Dear Mayor and Town Council Members,
I am submitting this public comment to document current and ongoing concerns regarding practices at Apple Valley Animal Shelter, particularly involving the expanded use of barn placement, mislabeling of cats, limited visibility for adoption, and how outcomes are tracked and reported.

This combination raises serious concerns.

Barn placement can be appropriate in limited circumstances. However, it becomes problematic when used broadly and based on questionable or incomplete behavioral evaluations. We have observed numerous cases in which cats labeled as “feral,” “barnonly,” or “best suited for outdoor placement” later proved to be friendly, social, and adoptable once removed from the shelter environment, suggesting that mislabeling is occurring.

When cats are prematurely routed to barn placement:
 - Adopters and rescues are far less likely to step forward  - Cats are often removed from public view
 - Their opportunity for adoption is significantly reduced  - And if no barn placement is secured, the cats are then scheduled for euthanasia We are also concerned about the application of an “adoption-first” policy when cats are not publicly listed and not visible to adopters.
 For cats who are not publicly listed, rescue interest should be approved and prioritized.
 When cats are kept out of public view, an adoption-first approach becomes ineƯective, and rescues are often the only immediate path to safety.  Adoption cannot occur meaningfully if the public cannot see the cats. In some cases, placement is delayed while waiting for adoption opportunities that are unlikely to materialize due to limited visibility.

In addition, we are concerned about the level of oversight associated with barn placement. Current practice appears to involve free placement, with only a short confinement period requested and no ongoing monitoring or follow-up by the shelter.

Without post-placement oversight, there is significant risk to the cats’ welfare, and limited ability to ensure outcomes align with intended standards of care.

We are further concerned that barn placement outcomes are being recorded as “adoptions” in shelter disposition reports, rather than being reported as a distinct category. Combining barn placements with traditional adoptions obscures important diƯerences in placement type, level of oversight, and long-term outcomes, and makes it diƯicult for the public to accurately assess shelter performance and animal welfare results.

Taken together, these practices raise concerns that:
 - Cats are being diverted away from adoption prematurely  - Mislabeling may be influencing life-and-death outcomes  - Reduced visibility undermines adoption and rescue opportunities  - Limited oversight increases risk for cats placed through barn programs  - And outcome reporting may not accurately reflect placement realities We respectfully ask the Town to review and clarify:
 - How behavioral evaluations are conducted before cats are routed to barn placement
 - Why cats described as “adoption-first” are not consistently visible to the public  - What oversight and follow-up exist for cats placed through barn programs  - Why barn placements are not reported as a separate outcome category  - And what steps will be taken to improve evaluation accuracy, transparency, and adoption access
We believe that improving labeling practices, increasing public visibility, ensuring appropriate oversight, and clearly distinguishing placement outcomes would significantly improve animal welfare and public trust.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Kaitlyn Smith-Kincaid
Please note, that the Apple Valley Shelter is denying rescues to rescue cats that are about to be euthanized.

Said cats are friendly and adoptable cats that are not listed on their website, or put in the adoption room, so not visible to the public.

Yet, when rescues are trying to take these cats into their rescue, the Apple Valley shelter denies the rescue and says that they want adopters to adopt them first.

Yet, no adopter will ever know about the cats, because they’re being hidden from the public.

Many of these cats are then being euthanized.

In addition, the shelter is mislabeling friendly cats as feral and then euthanizing them.

I personally fostered 2 friendly and healthy kittens that were rescued from the Apple Valley Shelter minutes before being euthanized by the shelter.

Very adoptable and friendly kittens, and the shelter was not overcrowded, there was no reason to euthanize them and no concrete reason was even given by the shelter.

Please have a heart and bring about changes, so that these cats have a chance at living.

Please have the shelter label friendly cats as friendly and adoptable, please have the shelter list cats on their website and put friendly cats in the adoption rooms.

And allow rescues to rescue the cats they are willing to save.

Magdalena Johnson
Dear Mayor and Town Council Members,
I am submitting this public comment to document current and ongoing concerns regarding practices at Apple Valley Animal Shelter, particularly involving the expanded use of barn placement, mislabeling of cats, limited visibility for adoption, and how outcomes are tracked and reported.

This combination raises serious concerns.

When cats are prematurely routed to barn placement:

Adopters and rescues are far less likely to step forward Cats are often removed from public view
Their opportunity for adoption is significantly reduced And if no barn placement is secured, the cats are then scheduled for euthanasia We are also concerned about the application of an “adoption-first” policy when cats are not publicly listed and not visible to adopters.

For cats who are not publicly listed, rescue interest should be approved and prioritized.

When cats are kept out of public view, an adoption-first approach becomes ineƯective, and rescues are often the only immediate path to safety.

Adoption cannot occur meaningfully if the public cannot see the cats. In some cases, placement is delayed while waiting for adoption opportunities that are unlikely to materialize due to limited visibility.

In addition, we are concerned about the level of oversight associated with barn placement.

Current practice appears to involve free placement, with only a short confinement period requested and no ongoing monitoring or follow-up by the shelter. Without post-placement oversight, there is significant risk to the cats’ welfare, and limited ability to ensure outcomes align with intended standards of care.

We are further concerned that barn placement outcomes are being recorded as “adoptions” in shelter disposition reports, rather than being reported as a distinct category.

Combining barn placements with traditional adoptions obscures important diƯerences in placement type, level of oversight, and long-term outcomes, and makes it diƯicult for the public to accurately assess shelter performance and animal welfare results.

Taken together, these practices raise concerns that:

Cats are being diverted away from adoption prematurely
Mislabeling may be influencing life-and-death outcomes
Reduced visibility undermines adoption and rescue opportunities Limited oversight increases risk for cats placed through barn programs And outcome reporting may not accurately reflect placement realities We respectfully ask the Town to review and clarify:

How behavioral evaluations are conducted before cats are routed to barn placement Why cats described as “adoption-first” are not consistently visible to the public What oversight and follow-up exist for cats placed through barn programs Why barn placements are not reported as a separate outcome category And what steps will be taken to improve evaluation accuracy, transparency, and adoption access
We believe that improving labeling practices, increasing public visibility, ensuring appropriate oversight, and clearly distinguishing placement outcomes would significantly improve animal welfare and public trust.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Christian Salgado Capistran
Dear Mayor and Town Council Members,
I’m adding my voice to the below concerns after following the decisions made for cats at Apple Valley Animal Shelter over the past few months. I care personally about increasing oversight in the areas of behavior analysis, maximizing cats path to the adoption room, and welfare practices for barn placement outcomes. One of my own cats was initially placed on a euthanasia list due to shelter workers commenting he was “unable to be handled”. He was so terrified he peed in his carrier. However upon bringing him home he quickly became our cuddliest cat. He just needed a place he felt safe and calm. Shelters need to take into account cats’ sensitivity to unfamiliar environments, smells, sounds and people when making determinations on their socialization levels and adoption potential.

Please read the below, and I hope you will share our concerns for these innocent lives, and help make it easier for them to find safety in a loving home:

I am submitting this public comment to document current and ongoing concerns regarding practices at Apple Valley Animal Shelter, particularly involving the expanded use of barn placement, mislabeling of cats, limited visibility for adoption, and how outcomes are tracked and reported.

This combination raises serious concerns.

When cats are prematurely routed to barn placement:
 Adopters and rescues are far less likely to step forward  Cats are often removed from public view
 Their opportunity for adoption is significantly reduced  And if no barn placement is secured, the cats are then scheduled for euthanasia We are also concerned about the application of an “adoption-first” policy when cats are not publicly listed and not visible to adopters.
 For cats who are not publicly listed, rescue interest should be approved and prioritized.
 When cats are kept out of public view, an adoption-first approach becomes ineƯective, and rescues are often the only immediate path to safety.  Adoption cannot occur meaningfully if the public cannot see the cats. In some cases, placement is delayed while waiting for adoption opportunities that are unlikely to materialize due to limited visibility.

Without post-placement oversight, there is significant risk to the cats’ welfare, and limited ability to ensure outcomes align with intended standards of care.

Finally, the number of cats placed in the public adoption area remains extremely low — estimated at roughly 10% of the cat population. This is substantially lower than what is observed at other shelters in the same region and further limits meaningful adoption opportunities. Taken together, these practices raise concerns that:
 Cats are being diverted away from adoption prematurely  Mislabeling may be influencing life-and-death outcomes  Reduced visibility undermines adoption and rescue opportunities  Limited oversight increases risk for cats placed through barn programs  And outcome reporting may not accurately reflect placement realities We respectfully ask the Town to review and clarify: How behavioral evaluations are conducted before cats are routed to barn placement
 Why cats described as “adoption-first” are not consistently visible to the public  What oversight and follow-up exist for cats placed through barn programs  Why barn placements are not reported as a separate outcome category  And what steps will be taken to improve evaluation accuracy, transparency, and adoption access
We believe that improving labeling practices, increasing public visibility, ensuring appropriate oversight, and clearly distinguishing placement outcomes would significantly improve animal welfare and public trust.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Carolyn Luke
Dear Mayor and Town Council Members,
I am submitting this public comment to document current and ongoing concerns regarding practices at Apple Valley Animal Shelter, particularly involving the expanded use of barn placement, mislabeling of cats, limited visibility for adoption, and how outcomes are tracked and reported.

This combination raises serious concerns.

Without post-placement oversight, there is significant risk to the cats’ welfare, and limited ability to ensure outcomes align with intended standards of care.

Taken together, these practices raise concerns that:
 Cats are being diverted away from adoption prematurely  Mislabeling may be influencing life-and-death outcomes  Reduced visibility undermines adoption and rescue opportunities  Limited oversight increases risk for cats placed through barn programs  And outcome reporting may not accurately reflect placement realities We respectfully ask the Town to review and clarify:
 How behavioral evaluations are conducted before cats are routed to barn placement
 Why cats described as “adoption-first” are not consistently visible to the public  What oversight and follow-up exist for cats placed through barn programs  Why barn placements are not reported as a separate outcome category  And what steps will be taken to improve evaluation accuracy, transparency, and adoption access
We believe that improving labeling practices, increasing public visibility, ensuring appropriate oversight, and clearly distinguishing placement outcomes would significantly improve animal welfare and public trust.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Shanshan Zhao
To whom it may concern. 1.I'm a local resident and a big cat advocate and love the feline species . I've been highly concerned on the mislabeling of cats upon intake at Apple Valley shelter. A lot of cats are labeled at intake as " Feral , aggressive , will bite. When these cats receive this label on their kennel cards ..This could lead to them not getting a higher chance at getting adopted and overlooked by rescue groups. A lot of rescues looked past the label of Feral luckily enough to when this cat was pulled by a rescue group. To find out the cat was complete opposite when out of the shelter environment no longer cared and scared. I myself as a transporter for various rescue groups out of the area. Have also seen just by taking one look when I have been handed over the car to transport it was just a scared cat .Not feral by all means. I have also witnessed first hand when this cat was given to a foster and released at the fosters home..The cat was not feral and just scared. I have over 25 years I have learned cats body language by studying them doing TNVR with local cats living in our community and I'm a pretty good judge of a cats character by how they act when first coming close to a human being ..While caught and humanly trapped. I believe staƯ that see these cats first hand need to reevaluate the cat several days later before putting this label of feral on the cat when they first come in. I'm not sure if they lack education or just dont have concern or time in their daily schedule while on the time clock .These cats need a second opinion on someone making a judgement call on label them which could mean a big diƯerence between life or death to be euthanized because of a mislabeling upon intake.

2. Cats being held in the back rooms of the shelter away from the general public to view.

There are many cats being housed in the West Wing of the shelter with no visibility to the public knowing these cats exist .Volunteers ( not associated with the shelter ) are not even allowed access to these back rooms to be able to help these cats get noticed they do exist and if given the opportunity on their time.. to take pictures & videos of the cats in these back rooms.So they may have a higher chance to network ,show their pictures and let the general public know they exist to be given a chance of being adopted or pulled by a rescue group to help save more lives .I would willing give my time under an employee escort to take pics & videos of these cats so they can be networked on social media platforms to help save more lives. A pet in our shelter system should have every opportunity to help save their lives not euthanize them because lack of interest even knowing they exist outside the shelter walls..

3. New barn cat program the shelter has recently started by allowing the cats that would not be good candidates for indoor home placement as pets. I would like to see more transperency here in this program.How many cats have they placed into barn cat home positions ..What type of education are they giving the new owners of these cats to learn & go by to have a successful placement of these cats in their new barn cat home environment?

4. I for one would love to help save more lives at this shelter and not be known in the town I live in having a high kill shelter in my town. The shelter and residents would like to see more transperency in the shelter running of this shelter with the animals in their care .The staƯ need a full evulation on how they work with the animals and cleaning protocols are met and the proper treatment and judgement of demeanors & personalities of pets needs. A second look out then just the first impression that is given when they come in on their first enter our shelter upon intake .More educated staƯ means they can also educate our residents that own are pet owners already or first time pet owners to guide them on proper care, what vaccinations & yearly check ups are key to a healthy pet ,importance of spay/ neuter to help reduce the numbers of unwanted litters being born , introduction of a new pet into the home with existing pets if they have them,training and housing needs and what dietary needs are needed for their new adopted pet etc ..

5. More grants to help with TNVR programs, low cost Spay. & Neuter to help Residents get their pets steralized to avoid more unwanted litters being born. Also more funding to hire staƯ to answer phone calls, respond to inquires about pets in their care and volunteer position are needed to help our shelter run more eƯicient & smoothly to help save lives not just euthanize more.

Thank you for your time. I hope some of these issues if not all can be considered and we will get change at our shelter for the animals can to have a "Better way of Life" living in Apple Valley.

Linda Brangwyn

Dear Mayor and Town Council Members,
I am submitting this public comment to document current and ongoing concerns regarding practices at Apple Valley Animal Shelter, particularly involving the expanded use of barn placement, mislabeling of cats, limited visibility for adoption, and how outcomes are tracked and reported.

This combination raises serious concerns.

Without post-placement oversight, there is significant risk to the cats’ welfare, and limited ability to ensure outcomes align with intended standards of care.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Sherry
Dear Mayor and Town Council Members,
I am submitting this public comment to document current and ongoing concerns regarding practices at Apple Valley Animal Shelter, particularly involving the expanded use of barn placement, mislabeling of cats, limited visibility for adoption, and how outcomes are tracked and reported.

This combination raises serious concerns.

Without post-placement oversight, there is significant risk to the cats’ welfare, and limited ability to ensure outcomes align with intended standards of care.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Guadalupe Guardado
Dear Mayor and Town Council,
I am submitting this public comment to document current and ongoing concerns regarding practices at Apple Valley Animal Shelter, particularly involving the expanded use of barn placement, mislabeling of cats, limited visibility for adoption, and how outcomes are tracked and reported.

This combination raises serious concerns.

Without post-placement oversight, there is significant risk to the cats’ welfare, and limited ability to ensure outcomes align with intended standards of care.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Catherine Edwards
Public Comment Regarding Barn Placement Practices, Cat Mislabeling, and Adoption Transparency at Apple Valley Animal Shelter

WHAT WE ARE SEEING
• Most cats are kept in back rooms, not the adoption floor • Cats are increasingly routed to barn placement instead of adoption • Barn placement is not guaranteed and has little to no follow-up • Cats are removed from the shelter website, limiting visibility • Barn placement is being counted as “adoption”
• When no placement occurs, cats may still be euthanized quietly • Rescue pull requests have been delayed or denied, even when help is available

WHY THIS MATTERS
• 70–80% of cats labeled “feral” later prove to be friendly and adoptable • Visibility saves lives — unlisted cats don’t get adopted • Adoption-first policies don’t work when cats aren’t visible  WE URGE IMMEDIATE ACTION
• Improve evaluation and behavior assessment standards
• Require all cats to be publicly listed
• Separate barn placement outcomes from adoptions
• Ensure transparency and rescue access
• Review current shelter practices and staƯ performance 跦跪跧跫跨跬跭跮路跩 SPEAK UP FOR THE CATS
Your voice matters.

Thank you!
HEATHER곆곇곈
To whom it may concern:

I reside in Fredericksburg VA and consider myself a friend of your area, the humans that operate that care for the innocents in the shelter, and those poor creatures who through no fault of their own are at risk. I am submitting this public comment to document current and ongoing concerns regarding practices at Apple Valley Animal Shelter, particularly involving the expanded use of barn placement, mislabeling of cats, limited visibility for adoption, and how outcomes are tracked and reported.

Over recent weeks, we have observed a pattern in which cats are removed from the shelter’s public website once they clear their stray hold and are then routed toward barn placement or alternative pathways, while the shelter states it is pursuing an “adoption-first” approach. This combination raises serious concerns. Barn placement can be appropriate in limited circumstances. However, it becomes problematic when used broadly and based on questionable or incomplete behavioral evaluations.

We have observed numerous cases in which cats labeled as “feral,” “barn-only,” or “best suited for outdoor placement” later proved to be friendly, social, and adoptable once removed from the shelter environment, suggesting that mislabeling is occurring. When cats are prematurely routed to barn placement: Adopters and rescues are far less likely to step forward Cats are often removed from public view Their opportunity for adoption is significantly reduced And if no barn placement is secured, the cats are then scheduled for euthanasia
We are also concerned about the application of an “adoption-first” policy when cats are not publicly listed and not visible to adopters. For cats who are not publicly listed, rescue interest should be approved and prioritized. When cats are kept out of public view, an adoption-first approach becomes ineƯective, and rescues are often the only immediate path to safety. Adoption cannot occur meaningfully if the public cannot see the cats. In some cases, placement is delayed while waiting for adoption opportunities that are unlikely to materialize due to limited visibility.

Without post-placement oversight, there is significant risk to the cats’ welfare, and limited ability to ensure outcomes align with intended standards of care.

We respectfully ask the Town to review and clarify: How behavioral evaluations are conducted before cats are routed to barn placement Why cats described as “adoptionfirst” are not consistently visible to the public What oversight and follow-up exist for cats placed through barn programs Why barn placements are not reported as a separate outcome category AND what steps will be taken to improve evaluation accuracy, transparency, and adoption access. We believe that improving labeling practices, increasing public visibility, ensuring appropriate oversight, and clearly distinguishing placement outcomes would significantly improve animal welfare and public trust. This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
David W James
Dear Mayor and Town Council Members,
Please, look into the shady practices at AVAS. It is being run more like a slaughterhouse than a shelter. Apparently someone there is not partial to cats - too many are kept in the back, never seen by the public. How can they find a home or be rescued if no one knows they are there? The barn cat program is being abused, another way to make cats disappear.

Cats are being removed from the shelter website. Again, how can they be saved if they remain unseen? These poor animals deserve a chance. Please investigate. Thank you.

Respectfully,
Candy L. O'Kelley
Dear Mayor and Town Council Members,
I am submitting this public comment to document current and ongoing concerns regarding practices at Apple Valley Animal Shelter, particularly involving the expanded use of barn placement, mislabeling of cats, limited visibility for adoption, and how outcomes are tracked and reported.

This combination raises serious concerns.

Without post-placement oversight, there is significant risk to the cats’ welfare, and limited ability to ensure outcomes align with intended standards of care.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Gina Graham
Dear Mayor and Town Council Members,
I am submitting this public comment to document current and ongoing concerns regarding practices at Apple Valley Animal Shelter, particularly involving the expanded use of barn placement, mislabeling of cats, limited visibility for adoption, and how outcomes are tracked and reported.

I have had many interactions with the shelter since before it existed in its current address. I adopted from the prior address closer to Central. I dealt with a particular red headed guy, who I guess was running both places, and was not a nice guy. There were several cats I couldn't adopt due to being euthanized, even after I made clear my intention to adopt.

Heartbreaking.

One instance was cat I had found, and wanted her for my mother. I got all the information about the cat, and my mother went to adopt her. It was a brutal fight and argument, because staƯ hid her in the back. My mom didn't back down, I had photographs, so the grudgingly brought the cat out. I have her to this day.

Many more cats would be adopted, I have complained with many others about the killing of wanted animals, seems like out of spite to the public. This is a travesty, and the public is seeing it far too often. This is a glaring issue.

This combination raises serious concerns.

I have a black female cat I adopted in 2019, who I believe was pregnant and had a diƯerent personality when I did meet and greet. I took her home after adopting and can say she was actually feral. Feral isn't impossible to work with in a home, she gets along with my other cats, though she will never be a lap cat. Patience is something lacking with the shelter.

When cats are prematurely routed to barn placement:
 Adopters and rescues are far less likely to step forward  Cats are often removed from public view
Their opportunity for adoption is significantly reduced And if no barn placement is secured, the cats are then scheduled for euthanasia We are also concerned about the application of an “adoption-first” policy when cats are not publicly listed and not visible to adopters.
 For cats who are not publicly listed, rescue interest should be approved and prioritized.
 When cats are kept out of public view, an adoption-first approach becomes ineƯective, and rescues are often the only immediate path to safety.  Adoption cannot occur meaningfully if the public cannot see the cats. In some cases, placement is delayed while waiting for adoption opportunities that are unlikely to materialize due to limited visibility.

Without post-placement oversight, there is significant risk to the cats’ welfare, and limited ability to ensure outcomes align with intended standards of care.

Taken together, these practices raise concerns that:
 Cats are being diverted away from adoption prematurely  Mislabeling may be influencing life-and-death outcomes  Reduced visibility undermines adoption and rescue opportunities  Limited oversight increases risk for cats placed through barn program  And outcome reporting may not accurately reflect placement realities We respectfully ask the Town to review and clarify:
 How behavioral evaluations are conducted before cats are routed to barn placement
 Why cats described as “adoption-first” are not consistently visible to the public  What oversight and follow-up exist for cats placed through barn programs  Why barn placements are not reported as a separate outcome category  And what steps will be taken to improve evaluation accuracy, transparency, and adoption access
We believe that improving labeling practices, increasing public visibility, ensuring appropriate oversight, and clearly distinguishing placement outcomes would significantly improve animal welfare and public trust.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Connie V Stinson
Dear Mayor and Town Council Members,
I am submitting this public comment to document current and ongoing concerns regarding practices at Apple Valley Animal Shelter, particularly involving the expanded use of barn placement, mislabeling of cats, limited visibility for adoption, and how outcomes are tracked and reported.

This combination raises serious concerns.

When cats are prematurely routed to barn placement:

For cats who are not publicly listed, rescue interest should be approved and prioritized.

When cats are kept out of public view, an adoption-first approach becomes ineƯective, and rescues are often the only immediate path to safety.

In addition, we are concerned about the level of oversight associated with barn placement.

We are further concerned that barn placement outcomes are being recorded as “adoptions” in shelter disposition reports, rather than being reported as a distinct category.

Taken together, these practices raise concerns that:

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Best,
Maribel Nunez
Inland Equity Community Land Trust Executive Director
I’m writing to gently remind the city council workers that the Apple Valley Animal Shelter is in dire need of better services. Cats are mislabeled as feral and not given a chance to be adopted. And not tracked and taken care of accordingly.

Please review these situations and help the animals there that need placement.

Thank you very much
Brenda H.

This combination raises serious concerns.

Without post-placement oversight, there is significant risk to the cats’ welfare, and limited ability to ensure outcomes align with intended standards of care.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Bruce LaCasse
Hello Town Council Members,
I am writing because I am deeply upset by what is happening at the Apple Valley Animal Shelter and by the lack of transparency around it.

It has become clear through public reporting and rescue advocacy that many cats are being removed from public listings, labeled as “feral,” and kept out of view in back rooms or sent to barn placements. At the same time, rescues continue to show that a large percentage of these cats are actually friendly and adoptable once given a chance. When animals are hidden from the public, adopters and rescues lose the opportunity to step in and save them.

For a publicly funded shelter, this is not acceptable. All animals should be visible to the public, clearly listed online, and evaluated using humane and consistent standards.

Labeling cats in ways that quietly eliminate their chances without public accountability is not ethical and does not reflect community values.

I am asking the Town Council to step in and require:
• All animals to be publicly listed online with up to date status • A review and overhaul of the current “feral” designation process • Transparent reporting on intake numbers, outcomes, barn placements, and euthanasia • Real oversight and accountability for shelter leadership Animal welfare is a public responsibility. Many people are paying attention and expect meaningful changes, not silence.

Thank you,
Sarah Fuentes Molina
Dear Mayor and Town Council Members,
I am submitting this public comment to document current and ongoing concerns regarding practices at Apple Valley Animal Shelter, particularly involving the expanded use of barn placement, mislabeling of cats, limited visibility for adoption, and how outcomes are tracked and reported.

This combination raises serious concerns.

In addition, we are concerned about the level of oversight associated with barn placement.

We are further concerned that barn placement outcomes are being recorded as “adoptions” in shelter disposition reports, rather than being reported as a distinct category.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Lauren Swift
Dear Mayor and Town Council Members,
I am submitting this public comment to document current and ongoing concerns regarding practices at Apple Valley Animal Shelter, particularly involving the expanded use of barn placement, mislabeling of cats, limited visibility for adoption, and how outcomes are tracked and reported.

This combination raises serious concerns.

Without post-placement oversight, there is significant risk to the cats’ welfare, and limited ability to ensure outcomes align with intended standards of care.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Faye Federica Casto
Dear Mayor and Town Council Members,
I am submitting this public comment to document current and ongoing concerns regarding practices at Apple Valley Animal Shelter, particularly involving the expanded use of barn placement, mislabeling of cats, limited visibility for adoption, and how outcomes are tracked and reported.

This combination raises serious concerns.

Without post-placement oversight, there is significant risk to the cats’ welfare, and limited ability to ensure outcomes align with intended standards of care.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Jennifer Jenks
Dear Mayor and Town Council Members,
I am submitting this public comment to document current and ongoing concerns regarding practices at Apple Valley Animal Shelter, particularly involving the expanded use of barn placement, mislabeling of cats, limited visibility for adoption, and how outcomes are tracked and reported.

This combination raises serious concerns.

Without post-placement oversight, there is significant risk to the cats’ welfare, and limited ability to ensure outcomes align with intended standards of care.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Alexa Guzman
please do something help the cats of Apple valley it doesn't seem like they're getting much of a chance of having a happy life
every life matters
Sheila
Dear Mayor and Town Council Members,
I am submitting this public comment to document current and ongoing concerns regarding practices at Apple Valley Animal Shelter, particularly involving the expanded use of barn placement, mislabeling of cats, limited visibility for adoption, and how outcomes are tracked and reported.

This combination raises serious concerns.

Without post-placement oversight, there is significant risk to the cats’ welfare, and limited ability to ensure outcomes align with intended standards of care.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Daria Orlowska
To the administration in charge of Apple Valley Shelter Cats It has come to my attention that there are several inhumane and unethical activities that are happening on a regular basis at Apple Valley Shelter.

Cats are not being shown to the public so they have a chance to be adopted. Instead they are hidden in the back rooms where no one can see them so that you can kill them as soon as the stray hold is up. They are also not shown anywhere on the website so no one even knows they are there and once again cant get adopted and live their life in a good home since they are hidden until they are killed.

It appears that the priority in the shelter is to kill as many helpless innocent cats as quickly as possible. This is not what a shelter should be doing . A shelter should allow cats to be adopted and live.

It makes me wonder if the shelter receives more money for killing more cats. These cats are stuck in a small cage terrified until they are put to death. This is cruelty.

I also see that in every picture the cats have no food, water, or a cat box. It appears the cats are held in a tiny cage with no food or water that they cant even stand up in until they are killed. This is inhumane treatment of animals. These poor innocent cats are helpless in your shelter. It is similar to a concentration camp where they are mistreated, starved, then killed. This is wrong. A shelter should be trying to help cats, not abuse and kill as many as they can.

I also saw an orange cat "Cutie" which you probably killed . He had a bloody face, his nose was bloody and very swollen and he had blood dripping from his jaw. How did this happen? Are the shelter staƯ beating the cats or throwing them on their face??? The staƯ did not give him medical attention it seems although he was severely injured. This is not how cats should be treated when they are injured. They need medical attention. I called the shelter numerous times and NO ONE EVER ANSWERED THE PHONE. Not a single time. I never had any calls returned. I wanted to inquire about Cutie but could not reach any staƯ at any time of the day.

I have been made aware as well there have been numerous times people have wanted to adopt cats but the shelter will delay so the cat cant be adopted for no good reason. Once again it seems to be the priority of the shelter to kill perfectly healthy cats INSTEAD of allowing them to be adopted. I am sure there are laws and rules where this is NOT allowed. This shelter seems to be a slaughterhouse for the staƯ to murder cats at their will. This is absolutely NOT ok and should NOT continue.

Please respond to my email and let me know what you will do to correct this horrible situation.

Thank you
Kelly Johnson
ATTN: Apple Valley Animal Shelter Administration,
I am writing on behalf of Community Cat Foundation to formally document and express serious concerns regarding current practices related to cat intake, housing, rescue access, and outcomes at the Apple Valley Shelter.

Over a sustained period, we and other rescue partners have observed a recurring pattern in which cats taken in from the community are not made publicly visible or available for adoption, but instead are held out of view in back rooms. Many of these cats are subsequently euthanized or, less frequently, placed into a barn program. Based on outcomes observed, these practices are not eƯectively reducing intake, improving live-release rates, or addressing the underlying community needs that contribute to shelter overcrowding.

Of equal concern is the ongoing obstruction of rescue access. Qualified rescue organizations that are willing and able to assist are frequently denied entry, subjected to excessive or shifting documentation requirements, or delayed to the point that rescue intervention becomes impossible. In several documented instances, kittens that the shelter had explicitly agreed to release to rescue were euthanized before the rescue could complete the pull process. These actions represent a breakdown in good-faith collaboration and result in preventable loss of life.

Community-based rescue organizations exist to support municipal shelters by reducing population pressure, expanding placement options, and increasing positive outcomes. When rescue access is restricted or inconsistently administered, the result is increased euthanasia, erosion of public trust, and reputational risk for the shelter and its governing authorities.

Accordingly, we are requesting the following:
 Transparency regarding the housing and status of cats in shelter care  Timely, consistent access for qualified rescue partners  Clear, stable, and reasonable documentation requirements  Adherence to agreed-upon rescue releases once approval has been granted  A collaborative, good-faith approach that prioritizes lifesaving and accountability This correspondence is intended to formally notify the shelter of these concerns and to seek meaningful corrective action. Please note that, in the absence of resolution, this letter and any related documentation may be shared with appropriate oversight agencies, funding bodies, partner organizations, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of public resources and the treatment of animals in municipal care.

Our preference is to resolve these issues collaboratively and constructively. We are prepared to engage in direct dialogue to establish clear protocols and a path forward that aligns with humane standards, best practices, and public expectations.

We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
Lynn Mulhern
To the Town of Apple Valley who is in charge of the Apple Valley Shelter, I am appalled at the practices that are going on at Apple Valley Shelter.

Innocent , perfectly adoptable cats are being put in the back rooms where the public cant see them and are not aware they are there. They are NOT listing on the shelter website so they can be adopted. Then the shelter euthanizes these cats! This is wrong. The shelter should have the cats where the public can see them and they should be listed on the website so they can be adopted. Why aren't these cats being shown to the public? Is the shelter getting paid to euthanize as many as possible? Is the shelter getting more funding depending on the higher volume of killed cats? I want to know answers to these questions.

What motivates the shelter to prevent these cats from being adopted? This is wrong. Somebody needs to step up who cares about these cats and stop this killing.

I was not ever able to speak to the shelter after calling numerous times. I never received a call back. Why wont the shelter speak to the public? Where I live the shelter answers all calls during business hours. This is standard.

The cats are shown one day before scheduled euthanasia then when people try to adopt them or rescue them the shelter does not respond or allow people to adopt them. Instead they euthanize them. These are healthy cats that people want to adopt but the shelter euthanizes them. This is inhumane.

Why is the shelter euthanizing these cats instead of allowing people to adopt them? This causes me to think they are getting paid to kill cats. This is NOT what a shelter should be doing and the public is seeing these cats being euthanized when people have asked to adopt them.

I also saw a cat on the euthanasia list with a bloody face and swollen nose, clearly in need of medical care. How did this cat become hurt and why wasn't he treated for his injuries? It appears the shelter cares nothing about these cats.

I will be waiting for your response.

Elisa Miller
Hello my name is Asmaa Mohd . I work on behalf of heaven rescue inc . I am writing this public comment to notify the apple valley town council of the malicious illegal neglect I and many others have experienced trying to save cats from AvAS . According to Apple valley animal shelter policy , any rescue can do a courtesy pull the fist time but the second time a veterinarian letter of recommendation has to be submitted on behalf of animals rescued from this high kill shelter . Haven rescue inc has many fosters in many diƯerent states . I have submitted an oƯicial vet letter from a well known branch called paw mission and was denied . Being denied means I cannot pull any more animals to safety even though I have submitted the proper paperwork . I was denied due to the fact I was not the owner of the rescue. The rescue owner had contacted Avas to see why my letter was denied and they said that only the head can do when the head actually did submitted it on her behalf not mine it was still denied . I have submitted proof that the animals. I have rescued from Avas have been seen vetted by paw mission . Our goal is to avoid unlawful and unnecessary euthanasia for healthy treatable cats . Avas has not being hollering the rules and regulations of the public law. I and many residents of the high desert contribute hard working tax money for this avas . The illegal withholding of information to the public is illegal . I and many others have been denied basic information such as knowing if certain animals were alive . Rescue groups network together to get information to stop euthanasia.

I am allowed to take photos and videos in any tax paid for public area including police stations fire dept library shelters etc . I was told to stop taking photos by the employees who work for Avas and told them it’s my right to take photos to help network animals .

Animals are constantly being dropped oƯ and no id number have been submitted for them so the photos and videos are there to put pressure on the staƯ to follow the law and update us on these cats who are being turned away with no eƯort to post and just killed oƯ .

Animals being dropped oƯ deserve a chance to have a kennel id and a chance for rescue .

Many animals are euthanized in the shelter and they refuse to give any information as to why . I rescued a cat who’s sibling was euthanized and they didn’t give any reason as to why . Many cats have been killed due to false judgement neglect and space . Space … cats are killed due to space which the avas has the right to turn away cats due to space but fails on that as well . I will share an incident I have observed. One cat was killed due to fallout of being monitored avas has cctv cameras … it got its head stuck in the kennel between the fake glass and choked to death while the staƯ wrote oƯ the death as medical / unknown ….

The staƯ refused to let rescue groups in the back were most of the cats are kept …. To help network animals cats in the back must have a kennel id . Also the space situation I have observed in the same day many cats are turned away due to space yet many of the staƯ pick and choose which cats can be allowed to be tuned in even tho the staƯ had stated to some people come back tomorrow we have no space yet says to Another we don’t have space but we can take them . That makes no sense . So you kil them for space yet want more to kill for space . The staƯ also told me we get to bury to answer emails so sometimes we don’t answer them all even tho I have witnessed so many volunteers in the building and the staƯ chatting about useless issues and not taking the emails seriously . If you have time to be on your phone and laugh about drunken parties you have time to answer time sensitive emails to help save lives . My passport which is a legal form of id in the USA was denied when I tried to pick up three cats to transport to safety. .i told them I have a pic on my phone from my id will that work and they said yes but my legal passport was denied .

Cats in the back should be allowed open to the public . The secret rooms with the cats needs to be showed if they can show it online why can’t they show it in person . The adopting room has over 20 kennels in one room yet only 2/5 cats are shown in them . If these cats are listed as adoptable they need to be visually shown in the public rooms . This shelter says it is doing public service but clearly they are not following the law which is why they have an active lawsuit against the them .

This combination raises serious concerns.

Without post-placement oversight, there is significant risk to the cats’ welfare, and limited ability to ensure outcomes align with intended standards of care.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Ilana Schoenbach.

This combination raises serious concerns.

In addition, we are concerned about the level of oversight associated with barn placement.

We are further concerned that barn placement outcomes are being recorded as “adoptions” in shelter disposition reports, rather than being reported as a distinct category.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Shirin Shamloo
Dear Mayor Scott Nassif and Town Council Members,
I am submitting this public comment to document current and ongoing concerns regarding practices at Apple Valley Animal Shelter, particularly involving the expanded use of barn placement, mislabeling of cats, limited visibility for adoption, and how outcomes are tracked and reported.

This combination raises serious concerns.

Without post-placement oversight, there is significant risk to the cats’ welfare, and limited ability to ensure outcomes align with intended standards of care.

This comment is submitted to ensure these concerns are part of the public record.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
April Ingram

Apple Valley City CouncilFebruary 10, 2026

Apple Valley City Council
February 10, 2026