Legislation

  • Convert all county facilities into no-kill shelters (meaning that no healthy adoptable pet will be euthanized/killed).
  • Create legislation to end puppy mills.
  • Reevaluate the dangerous dog ordinance to improve its parameters and effectiveness.
  • Create and enforce new laws on individuals who commit animal abuse.

  • Lobby for more legal powers to be given to local animal control to take more punitive action at the scene.

WE DID IT!!! Goodbye TeaCup Puppies!!!

May 2, 2017, City of Fort Lauderdale at City Hall

We intentionally stayed quiet while we went through three hearings but now tonight another miracle has happened!!!

Thank you to Commissioner Matthew Sparks , Commissioner John Adornato, Mayor Tim Lonergan for voting this through!!!

With Don Anthony, Ana Campos, Judith Werr , and of course Michele Lazarow!!!! It took a team of people again and I am very grateful for everyones help!!!

First Fort Lauderdale and now Oakland Park!!!

Huge win for puppies!!!

The over-population crisis we face here is out of control and the current mechanisms that are in place to control it are failing miserably on every level. We can save one dog at a time from a shelter, but another three dogs will take its place. Euthanasias are random. As an example, black dogs and older dogs are killed more than others because they have less of a chance of being adopted immediately. Dogs that are scared and difficult to handle because they are terrified are also killed faster than other strays instead of taking time to evaluate them take in consideration their circumstance in getting to a shelter before they are euthanized as non-adoptable.

There is a 5 day stray hold that the shelters are supposed to adhere to. It is regularly not adhered to if they feel the dog is sick/injured/or has a behavioral issue. If an owner relinquishes his dog, there is no hold time at all on the dog. The shelter is free to immediately kill the dog for whatever reason. So, why should one life mean more than another?

Legislation needs to be expanded and enforced to make changes in our current system. Animals have no voice and no champions coming to their rescue. Private 501(c)(3)s do amazing work in trying to step in and save as many as they can. But, it just isn’t enough. The cities within the Tri-County area have funds that can be utilized to better support the existing shelters and to have dedicated programs and much more staffing to allow the current system to advance and thrive in order to secure the rights of these lost souls.

We would like to have the Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach County Commissions enact a mandatory one dollar per month tax fee to be added to each county resident’s water bills, which will be dedicated to new animal shelter programs and over-population issues.

Our foundation is working with our local commissioners and legislators to form joint commissions between the shelters themselves and enlist existing rescue organizations that need funding and more housing facilities to lesson the burden the current shelters.

Dr. Donna’s Pet Foundation will assist in these endeavors and make long-term changes to our current failed system.