Before the Hayden Act, animals in California's shelters could be killed after only 3 days! The Hayden Act extended the wait period to 4-6 business days.
This bill saved the lives of countless animals. It gave rescuers more time to take action, and it gave the public more time to find out about otherwise unwanted animals.
According to The Examiner, "The Hayden Act pioneered temporary safekeeping for shelter animals and has helped many a rescuer save animals at the last minute. Under the tenets of the legislation, non-profit groups can and have challenged particular animal control facilities’ harsh temperament tests by allowing them to bring in their own trainers to re-assess so called aggressive pets.
Without the Hayden Act, California shelter animals and their rescuers will have no option. They will be, as before, waiting in a cold dank cell to be killed."
The shelter euthanasia numbers are altogether too large. According to Local Health Jurisdiction, 391,457 dogs and cats were euthanized in California shelters in 2007 alone. Save Our Dogs website states, “The number of dogs euthanized in California is down an amazing 43% in just the last 5 years, and more than 75% since the numbers peaked in the mid 1970s. This happened without widespread mandatory spay/neuter laws, and despite a large increase in the state’s human population.”
We the undersigned urge you to support the Hayden Act. It will save the lives of countless companion animals throughout the state. Abolishing the Hayden Act will utterly destroy all the hard work animal lovers throughout California have worked so hard for. Show your support for all the animals throughout the state who have to spend the remainder of their lives in a shelter, awaiting their death. Supporting the Hayden Act will give these animals a chance. Please be these animal's hero, and oppose abolishing the Hayden Act!
