Dumping of Cats and Kittens
The abandonment of cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies has reached a heartbreaking level. In all our years working in animal welfare, we have never seen it this bad.
These kittens were found in a container dumped near the dumpster at an apartment complex.
When people are unable to find homes for friendly, healthy, beautiful kittens and feel they have no choice but to abandon them, it raises an even greater concern: what chance do the kittens born outdoors have?
Our community is facing a growing animal welfare crisis, and it will only become worse unless meaningful action is taken. Local shelters and rescue organizations are overwhelmed and simply cannot keep up without additional support.
There was a witness that saw this kitten tossed outside the window of a moving car. His tail was run over. Thankfully Furry Friends was able to rescue him and his tail had to be amputated.
Now is the time to let our city and county leaders know that animal welfare must become a higher priority. We urge you to contact your city council members and county officials, attend public meetings if you are able, and ask them to invest more resources in animal welfare programs. Increased funding for prevention, enforcement, spay and neuter services, and shelter support is essential if we are going to address this crisis.
Below is a sample letter that you can personalize and send to your local elected officials. For your convenience, we have also included the letter as both a PDF and a Word document.
Jenn Hutchman, Executive Director, Furry Friends
These kitties were in a box that was taped shut and abandoned.
Dear City and County Council Members,
I am writing to ask for your support in increasing funding for spay and neuter programs and other essential animal welfare services throughout Clark County, the City of Vancouver, and our surrounding communities.
Every day, animal shelters, rescues, veterinarians, and animal protection officers are stretched beyond capacity by an ever-growing number of unwanted litters, abandoned animals, and preventable suffering. The most effective and humane way to reduce this crisis is through accessible, affordable spay and neuter services. Every surgery performed prevents future litters, reduces shelter overcrowding, decreases taxpayer costs, and improves the health and welfare of both pets and community cats.
Our community also needs greater investment in resources that help keep animals with their families, provide emergency medical assistance, expand foster and adoption programs, and support the organizations doing this critical work. Prevention is far less costly than responding to an ongoing crisis.
Animal welfare is a shared community responsibility. By investing in proactive solutions today, we can create a healthier, safer, and more compassionate Clark County for both people and animals.
I respectfully ask you to make animal welfare a funding priority and work alongside local organizations to develop sustainable solutions that will benefit our community for years to come.
Thank you for your time, your leadership, and your commitment to serving the residents of Clark County.
Sincerely,
(Name)
Our Clark County Officials
Clark County Council
Mailing Address:
Clark County Council
1300 Franklin Street, 6th Floor, PO Box 5000
Vancouver, WA 98666-5000 [Clark County]
District 1 – Glen Yung Email: [glen.yung@clark.wa.gov]
District 2 – Michelle Belkot Email: michelle.belkot@clark.wa.gov
District 3 – Wil Fuentes Email: [wil.fuentes@clark.wa.gov]
District 4 – Matt Little Email: [matt.little@clark.wa.gov]
District 5 – Sue Marshall (Chair) Email: [sue.marshall@clark.wa.gov]
Council Office Phone: 564-397-2232
City of Vancouver Mayor & City Council
The City encourages residents to contact the Mayor and Council through its official contact form or Council office. https://www.cityofvancouver.us/government/mayor-and-city-council/contact-city-council/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Council Office Phone: 360-487-8629
Current members include:
* Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle
* Mayor Pro Tem Sarah J. Fox
* Bart Hansen
* Kim D. Harless
* Diana H. Perez
* Erik Paulsen
* Ty Stober
About Furry Friends
Furry Friends is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit no-kill cat rescue serving Clark County, Washington and adjacent counties. Founded in 1999, we are an organization that rescues and then adopts out homeless, relinquished, and abused cats. We shelter and care for them as long as it takes to find them forever homes. For more information about Furry Friends, please visit the website at https://www.furryfriendswa.org/ or contact us at information@furryfriendsWA.org.