Urgent Alert!

Californians: Urge Lawmakers Not to Make Sheltered Dogs and Cats Victims of Budget Crisis

California faces a massive budget deficit and state leaders have only days to figure out which critical services and programs will be sacrificed to make up the difference.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has again proposed to suspend the "animal adoption mandate," which would reduce the holding period for stray dogs and cats in the state's city and county animal shelters by half—to three days. The savings generated by suspending this mandate is a paltry 0.1 percent of the $24 billion deficit.

These funds are the only state dollars that presently go to assisting local governments with the costly problem of pet overpopulation and this holding period is critical to give pet owners more time to locate lost animals and to give unclaimed animals more time to either be adopted or transferred to an animal rescue.

State lawmakers need to hear from you today.

TAKE ACTION:
Please call Governor Schwarzenegger at (916) 445-2841. Click here to look up your state legislators and their phone numbers. Ask them not to suspend the "animal adoption mandate.

If you prefer to send an email, go to www.gov.ca.gov, then click on the "Interact" tab and send a message that way.

Please take action today!