ASPCA Selects Miami-Dade County as Newest Partner Community

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced that Miami-Dade County has been selected as the newest ASPCA Partner Community – one of 10 communities nationwide currently working with the ASPCA to provide positive outcomes for at-risk and homeless pets.

The ASPCA partnership will include the following Miami-area animal welfare agencies: Miami-Dade Animal Services (county-run and operated); the Humane Society of Greater Miami (a non-profit shelter); and The Cat Network (a local spay/neuter and TNR group).

“We are thrilled to be working with Miami-Dade County on this new partnership,” said ASPCA President & CEO Ed Sayres. “We are extremely hopeful that these agencies – which have already displayed tremendous growth potential by collaborating on joint adoption events and spay/neuter clinics – will continue to build on those accomplishments and affect positive changes for animals most at-risk in the Miami community.”

“Our community is honored and grateful to be an ASPCA Partner and looking forward to a collaboration that will ultimately decrease the euthanasia rate of our shelter pets,” stated Dr. Sara Pizano, Director of Miami-Dade Animal Services.

“Homelessness is the number one risk factor for companion animals in the United States,” added Mr. Sayres. “We know there are no ‘quick fixes’ to ending the unnecessary euthanasia of unwanted pets, but we do know, and have proof, that collaboration among all groups in striving to reduce the unnecessary euthanasia of these animals can work. We believe that our partnership in Miami will enable our partners to save even more lives.”

Since 2007, the ASPCA has been lending its support, financially and through training and other human resources, to communities around the country with the goal of helping them save more animals. The ASPCA’s work focuses a collective effort on sustainable, data-driven plans and programs that engage the community in providing positive outcomes for these animals.

Since the ASPCA began its Partner Community program in 2007, nearly 700,000 animals have been adopted, returned to owners, or spay/neutered as a result of the exceptional collaboration among partner agencies in each community.

In addition to Miami, Fla., the ASPCA’s Partner Communities are Austin, Texas; Buncombe County, N.C.; Charleston, S.C.; Cleveland, Ohio; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Sacramento, Calif.; Shelby County, Ala.; Spokane, Wash.; and Hillsborough County, Fla. The ASPCA’s investment in these partnerships—in the form of direct grants, capacity-building, training, ASPCA staff expertise, and strategic planning—varies from a one- to five-year period to address homeless animal issues in each community.