Domestic animals need help as much as their wild captive counterparts!!

In 2007, Tampa became a partner community in ASPCA^® Mission: Orange™, a program committed to increasing adoptions of shelter animals and eliminating the euthanasia of healthy, adoptable pets due to lack of homes or resources. With the proactive work of Hillsborough County Animal Services (HCAS) and the other local partners, Tampa has been an ASPCA Mission: Orange success story—for example, adoptions increased by a staggering 48% over 2007, and 1,588 more lost companions were reunited with their loving pet parents.

Now, however, our coalition's ability to continue saving animals is threatened by Hillsborough County's proposed budget for fiscal year 2010 (Oct. 1, 2009 to Sept. 30, 2010). Unveiled on June 3, this budget will eliminate 26 positions at HCAS, including animal caretakers, cruelty investigators and customer service representatives. The elimination of these positions will have a major impact on enforcement capabilities, adoption programs, disaster relief and other efforts that are currently saving animal lives in the Tampa area.

The passage of the budget as written will likely reverse the progress we've made in the past few years—meaning more animals will die needlessly. Please help the ASPCA and our Tampa partners by urging Hillsborough's Board of County Commissioners, which approves the county's budget, to reject these severe cuts to animal control staff and programs.

What You Can Do

1. Call and email the members of the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners to protest the proposed budget cuts to HCAS. The board's contact information may be found here:
https://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/bocc/about/contactus.cfm

2. A series of public hearings on the 2010 budget has been scheduled—the first is tomorrow. Please attend if you can.

Budget Public Hearing Dates:
June 9, 6:00 P.M. to 8:00PM
July 16, 6:00 P.M. to 8:00PM
September 8, 6:00 P.M. to 8:00PM
September 17, 6:00 P.M. to 8:00PM

Location:
County Center
601 E. Kennedy Blvd.
Tampa, Florida 33602
View Map

Thank you, Florida, for speaking up for your state's neediest animals.

Merrill, BCR Partner

For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.