Animal advocates came together to speak out about an animal shelter in Miami-Dade that is facing controversy over its care for its dogs and cats.
7News cameras captured demonstrators holding up signs across from Miami-Dade Animal Services in Doral, Sunday afternoon. At least one driver honked in solidarity.
Protesters are demanding action over a dog who, they said, died of heatstroke inside his kennel.
“It’s a multi-system failure. Failure!” said protester Nicolette Acosta.
Protesters are furious over how Rocky died at the county’s overflow shelter in Medley.
Workers said the terrier mix became lethargic and vomited in his kennel.
In a statement released last week, MDAS spokesperson Gabriella Dominguez said the canine was gravely ill. She wrote:
“Upon examination, our veterinarians determined that Rocky was gravely ill and made the compassionate decision to humanely euthanize him to prevent further suffering.”
Rocky’s death comes after the county shelter dealt with an outbreak of strep zoo, a bacterial infection.
“There [are] problems on every level here; it is systemic failure. They have identified strep zoo as an outbreak in the last couple of weeks, but that is a lie,” said Acosta.
Protesters recorded video inside the shelter. They accuse the staff of walking the dogs just 10 minutes a day and not providing enough air conditioning.
The county shelter pushed back on some of the claims, saying the dogs have access to play pools when taken out and receive ice daily during the summer.
But as protesters push to spread awareness, they’re calling this entire situation unacceptable.
“What we’re demanding as a community is some accountability from the leadership, because they’re gonna say that the budget was approved, and everything went through the proper channels, and on paper I’m sure that’s true, but they made a commitment to the welfare of the dogs,” said a demonstrator. “It’s on their website, it’s on their mission statement.”
Sunday night, a spokesperson for MDAS issued the following statement in response to the protest:
“Miami-Dade County remains committed to animal welfare and providing the highest quality care for every pet that enters our shelter. Our facilities are staffed by compassionate and experienced professionals who are dedicated to both protecting the pets in our care and advocating for the animal community at large.
Miami-Dade Animal Services, like so many shelters across the country, is facing an overpopulation crisis. To support the highest number of pets possible, we are utilizing our secondary open-air facility in Medley as an overflow shelter. This facility is equipped with large industrial fans that operate 24/7, maintaining continuous airflow for the comfort and well-being of the animals. Additionally, all pets enjoy regular access to play yards with cooling pools and receive refreshing ice treats throughout the day to help them stay cool and safe in the summer heat.
More than ever, we need our community’s help to clear our shelters and place animals in loving homes where they belong. We urge residents to consider adopting, fostering, volunteering, donating, or sharing our pets on social media. Together, we can ensure every animal has the chance to find a loving home.”