Suozzi Announces Initiative to Save Homeless Pets
Mineola, NY – Today, Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi announced Nassau’s first-ever county-wide initiative to create a humane community where Nassau County animal shelters will work together to increase adoptions and reduce euthanasia. He was joined by Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto, Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman and Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray, in addition to representatives and animals from the participating town shelters.
In this unprecedented initiative, Suozzi has brought all of the Nassau County Municipal Shelters together to apply to be part of The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ (ASPCA) national program called, Join ASPCA Mission: Orange (JAMO). JAMO is an ASPCA collaborative effort created to save lives of shelter animals throughout the United States.
The partner shelters consist of the Animal Lovers League of Glen Cove, Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter, Town of Oyster Bay Animal Shelter and the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter. These shelters have recently completed an intensive application process and, if chosen, will work with an ASPCA Coordinator and ASPCA experts — in everything from data collection and analysis to implementing new shelter policies, practices and programs — to learning proven strategies for saving animal lives. This coming April, The ASPCA will announce up to five communities it has selected nation-wide to participate in JAMO.
Suozzi stated, “By bringing these shelters together, Nassau County will place more pets in loving homes and reduce euthanasia rates. Acceptance into this program will save the lives and provide stable environments for Nassau’s animals.”
JAMO’s mission is based on research and experience. The ASPCA experts and advisors involved in the program include shelter veterinarians, animal behaviorists, MBAs, certified fund-raising executives and seasoned animal protection professionals. Some of the ASPCA’s program and practice changes that have proven to be effective in other “target communities” include: implementing ASPCA’s ‘Meet Your Match’ adoption program; incorporating open adoption policies and practices; conducting community-wide adopt-a-thons; and implementing trap-neuter-return (TNR) collaborations.
NYC Mayor’s Alliance is considered to be the first and model ASPCA “target community.” Also present today was Jane Hoffman, who is President of the NYC Mayor’s Alliance and who is originally from Nassau County. Ms. Hoffman praised the county’s efforts, stating, “I would like to both thank and commend County Executive Tom Suozzi for his vision, hard work and determination in starting Nassau County on the path to becoming a county where no adoptable cat or dog is killed simply because he or she does not have a home.”
Also joining the County Executive today were representatives and animals from four of the participating municipal shelters: Joan Phillips along with Shepherd mix Tutti and Atom of the Glen Cove Animal Lover’s League, Charles Yodice along with Japanese Chin Shiro of the Oyster Bay Animal Shelter, Charles Milone along with Beagle Snoopy of the Hempstead Animal Shelter, and Animal Control Officer, Scott Halleran along with Lab mix Benny, of the North Hempstead Animal Shelter.
