It's a question of prioritizing the money available. With schools, public safety, roads, infrastructure needs and people with financial distress, these cute little pets (read substitute children) that are homeless because no one wants them because they don't have time or resources to care for them, they are too much trouble or they were not a good fit for the environment they are in.

There are a whole list of human children that need care more than these unwanted pets and the children should come first.

If you are really into this, the SPCA, PETA, The Humane Society and other well regarded organizations will gladly accept your generous contribution.

No, I don't have kids. But I pay for YOUR kids to go to school (if you have any). You're ignoring my point. We're talking about a special-interest issue right here. Kids/humans are not a special-interest issue. Pets/animals are a special interest that you are allowed to have, but don't enforce your interests on me. And just so you know, I have a dog that I love very much and provide for. But I'm not taking care of other people's pets.

Hope you don't have kids to pass your kindness on to...

Do yourself a favor. Stop taking your weekly strolls through the kennels and pens of the animal shelter and get a real life.
Yes, you can call me cruel. You can call me heartless. But, I see no purpose in wasting time, energy, and money on animals that no one wants. My tax dollars are already wasted on humans that serve no other purpose than to occupy space and exhale carbon dioxide. I don’t this we need to add to our global warming dilemma by giving animals “rights” or giving any notion that they do have “rights”. Give them 4 weeks to be claimed. If they aren’t claimed, to the chamber they go.

The expectation of the public that they should have the God-given right to "surrender on demand" any animal they no longer want with the added stipulation that it not be euthanized until a new home is found and that this service be provided to them free of charge.
Get real, people. It takes money to run an animal shelter, promote adoptions and provide veterinary care. People who let their pets breed more animals we can't find homes for are the cause of the problem and animal control gives them the "out" of taking the unwanted animals free of charge just so they can lie to themselves that "surely it was adopted".
Let Animal Control Officers enforce the law and let's have a professionaly run shelter with a dedicated staff for that purpose-we can do without a new hotel or tourist attraction until we get the kind of shelter we need.

The situation in Norfolk is the same. Along with needing funds and a clear vision to revamp the poorly managed department- the message to spay and neuter needs to be CONSTANTLY given. Cats (and dogs) that roam the neighborhoods having countless litters just because the owners think its "cute" overburdens both Animal Control and SPCA. Responsible pet ownership also needs to be addressed. Even with reduced fees available at SPCA, many people still do not take advantage of it. As for the other comment about "You pay for it", well, take a walk through each Animal Control center and see how you feel afterwards. It's heart breaking. The lack of funding (and good leadership) is only part of it- pet owners also take them blame for increasing the unwanted pet population. As long as people are ignorant and uneducated, even with the best facilities- the problem of too many unwanted animals will remai

Or is this another "I think it's a good cause, but I don't want to pay for it, let's make everyone pay for it"?

Imagine all the fluff (read BS) that would go away if it was all supported by voluntary taxes...

Hey Jep, I hope you don't have kids in the public school system that I have to pay for.

with what you are saying instead of giving the breaks to the wealth developers use the money that is not being collected to the animal shelter but NO do not raise my taxes for this we already pay enough taxes no more are needed nor should they be granted.

What on earth do developers have to do with this? Tax dollars aren't paid to developers. I think Doris has been sniffing too much dog shampoo.

That's all fine and dandy with me. But you can pay for it.