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Partners in Animal Care & Compassion

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Photos courtesy of Dogs Playing for Life

We are a group of former Peninsula Humane Society (PHS) volunteers and animal rescue advocates who have over 40 years combined experience in animal welfare.

 

Having worked extensively with the animals coming into San Mateo County's Coyote Point shelter, we have witnessed first hand the shortcomings of an outdated animal warehousing model. 

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PACC Board Members successfully forced the county to open the $6.6M, FY21-22 San Mateo County Animal Care, Control and Sheltering Services contract for bid - something that had not been done for 69 years, which is illegal. 

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Predictably the county re-awarded the contract to PHS despite a strong and viable alternative application PACC submitted in partnership with Pets in Need.
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The county is crystal clear in its complacency around PHS's outdated animal sheltering model sending a clear message that mediocrity is worth $6.6M of your taxpayer dollars.
 
If the regular, premature death of healthy, adoptable animals concerns you, join us in being the voice they don't have.

The Bar Must Be Raised for the Animals in our County's Care

Given San Mateo County predictably re-awarded the FY21-22 $6.6M Animal Care, Control and Sheltering Services contract to PHS for a 70th year, despite longstanding concerns about PHS's outdated practices, misleading marketing, irrefutable evidence of breed discrimination and proof of fixing its numbers to under-report euthansia, PACC will continue to press county staff, the County Board of Supervisors, and the PHS Board of Directors to: 

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  • Commit to ensuring that every option will be explored prior to euthanasia, unless an animal is overtly aggressive and/or irremediably suffering​​

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  • Adopt modern practices such as getting every dog out of the kennel every day, implementing a neo-natal kitten care program and exploring options for a robust community cat trap/neuter/return program, all of which have become common practice among shelters and dramatically decrease the number of animals euthanized

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  • Ensure executive salaries are not exorbitant at the expense of equally critical staff at all levels of the organization

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  • Have a process in place to ensure that staff, volunteers, rescue groups and community members can raise animal welfare concerns absent retribution

 

Now that the county has re-funded PHS for what is likely to be a minimum of 5-8 years - let’s call upon the PHS Board of Directors (Ian Parker, Carter Beim, Vanessa Getty, Nicole Lacob, Ross Berman, Amanda Brown Chang, Ken Goldman, Hillary Thomas) to transform the Coyote Point shelter into a happy, playful, community-oriented refuge where the daily behavioral and emotional needs of our animals are compassionately attended to and euthanasia is the last, not the first or most convenient, resort.

 

Sincerely,

 

The PACC Board of Directors

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The 5 Freedoms

We believe every shelter animal deserves the basic rights outlined below. Given they cannot speak for themselves, we must be their voice. The origin of the original 5 Freedoms can be found here. We have seen reference to and agree there should be a 6th as outlined below:

 

  1. Freedom from hunger or thirst by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigor

  2. Freedom from discomfort by providing an appropriate environment, including shelter and a comfortable resting area

  3. Freedom from pain, injury or disease by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment

  4. Freedom to express normal behavior by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind

  5. Freedom from fear and distress by ensuring conditions and treatment that avoid mental suffering

  6. Freedom from premature end of life for animals who are not overtly aggressive or irremediably suffering

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