It feels like every day I’m reading about another shelter being forced to close its doors or cut drastically back due to budget cuts.

The Humane Society Naples is now facing this issue and need our support to stop it from happening.

The Humane Society Naples urges public to save DAS adoption program

Media Contact: Stephen Wright, PR Coordinator, 643-1880 x 19

The Board of Directors of The Humane Society Naples has passed a resolution calling on the public to save Collier County’s Domestic Animal Services’ adoption program from proposed budget cuts.

Domesic Animal Services is the Collier County agency that handles violations of pet laws and ordinances, pet licenses, animal cruelty cases, and the prevention of animal diseases that spread to humans. It also has to accept surrendered pets, livestock and exotic animals. For many years, Domestic Animal Services had operated an adoption program for the stray and homeless pets in its care.

“We want everybody to let commissioners know how important this program is and that it must be saved,” said Michael Simonik, Executive Director of The Humane Society Naples.

Founded in 1960, The Humane Society Naples is a private, local no-kill charity that provides shelter and adoption services for the area’s local pets. It is not a government agency, nor is it a branch of any national organization.

Last year The Humane Society Naples adopted out more than 1,500 pets.

“We are just starting a major facility renovation this month,” said Simonik and though we will stay open, we’ll be operating at reduced capacity. If DAS loses its adoption program, there is no way we could handle their overflow of homeless pets,” he said.

Simonik explained that results of the county animal control agency eliminating its adoption program would be devastating for the community. Of course, the number of pets euthanized at DAS would jump significantly, he said.

“But then there are unintended consequences,” he said. Once people know that a pet surrendered to DAS will have almost no chance for adoption, they most likely will just let it loose to run in the community and have at least a small chance of finding a home, he explained.

Rampant pet dumping will result in more animal-to-people and animal-to-pet bites, he cautioned. “And besides the initial injury, there’s the spread of disease, too,” he added.
That’s why it’s so important for the public to call, write or visit commissioners and attend the upcoming county budget workshops, June 29 and June 30.

“If Domestic Animal Services loses its adoption program, it will be a disaster for everyone,” he said. “We can’t let that happen,” he added.

The Humane Society Naples resolution can be found on the organization’s website, HSNaples.org. If you are reading this online, you can click here to see it now.

A News Release from the county states that public comment regarding the proposed budget will be received starting at Tuesday, June 30, at 1 p.m. in Commission chambers.
Board of County Commissioners
3301 E. Tamiami Trail
Naples, FL 34112
Phone: (239) 252-8097
Fax: (239) 252-3602
E-Mail:
Send to Frank Halas
Send to Jim Coletta
Send to Fred Coyle
Send to DonnaFiala
Send to Tom Henning

Incorporated in 1960,The Humane Society Naples is a private local non-profit, no-kill animal shelter. Located at 370 Airport-Pulling Road North in Naples, The Humane Society’s Adoption Center hours are Tuesday and Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For adoption information, call 643-1555 or log onto HSNaples.org.

The HSN has saved so many cats and dogs, it’s a wonderful and very necessary organization. As you read above the result of cutbacks would have a devastating effect on the community. Please take a moment to send letters/emails to the officials above letting them know a budget cut is not an option.