Responsible pet ownership is a key component of a healthy and safe community for cats, wildlife, and people. Unfortunately, roaming cats frequently fall victim to speeding cars, harm vulnerable wildlife, and facilitate the spread of disease. Many local governments fail to adequately support responsible pet care — and cats are frequently ignored entirely. It's time to change that.
Please ask your local and state elected officials to help keep pets, wildlife, and people safe by passing common-sense ordinances that prohibit animal abandonment, strengthen sterilization and pet identification, and encourage safe alternatives to unrestricted roaming.
Subject Line: Support Responsible Pet Ownership
Animal care and control is a vital function of local government, but it must be supported by responsible pet ownership practices. Each of us has a part to play in maintaining a safe and healthy community.
For the estimated 90 million dogs and 95 million cats owned in this country, local ordinances that support responsible pet ownership can maintain public and animal safety, foster humane treatment, and reduce costs for local communities and institutions.
I invite you and your colleagues to review our local ordinances to ensure that they sufficiently incorporate the following key components to support responsible behaviors in our community:
1. Abandonment of an animal should be prohibited in all cases.
2. Sterilization should be required unless an owner explicitly wants to breed his/her pet.
3. Identification, such as licenses and microchips, should be required for pets to help return lost animals to their owners.
4. Roaming pets should be prohibited for the safety of the animal and our community.
Responsible pet ownership reduces the financial and administrative burdens of local government and supports a safer community. I ask that our ordinances reflect and encourage these values.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
