Initiatives for Change

Animal Health & Nutrition

Good health starts with good information. Many pet owners are left guessing when it comes to nutrition, chronic conditions, or conflicting advice from professionals.

Through the PUPPP’s Podcast and future learning resources, we’re exploring both traditional and holistic perspectives — with the goal of empowering pet owners to make informed, compassionate choices.

Animal Health & Nutrition

Good health starts with good information. Many pet owners are left guessing when it comes to nutrition, chronic conditions, or conflicting advice from professionals.

Through the PUPPP’s Podcast and future learning resources, we’re exploring both traditional and holistic perspectives — with the goal of empowering pet owners to make informed, compassionate choices.

Community Action & Shelter Repurposing

Shelters do incredible work — but what if we could reduce the number of animals arriving in the first place?

PUPPP’s supports ideas that shift the focus toward prevention: community-based teams who help solve problems before pets are surrendered, and who follow up after adoption to ensure lasting homes.

Read More

Did you know that some other countries manage pet animal welfare by strictly regulating how many persons are licensed to breed and the numbers of litters and total pet population? For example, Germany has around ten million pets compared to the U.S. with nearly ninety million dogs and eighty-eight million cats. These figures only account for known pets, with actual numbers likely much higher. It's no wonder shelters are overwhelmed and euthanasia rates are high; our society simply cannot support such large numbers.

While there are many related factors, currently (late 2025) many surrenders are due to owners losing their housing, general costs to keep pets, and medical care costs. Shelters are overwhelmed, which is both sad and unfair to the animals. Dedicated volunteers and staff are doing their utmost to house and care for as many as possible, hoping to find them homes. The overwhelming volume of homeless pets is at an all-time high, serving as a neon sign: we need immediate new animal welfare laws strictly enforced until numbers are greatly reduced. A new lower volume threshold must be obtained and then maintained. Please take action, be a voice for animals and help bring much needed change!

Here’s an action plan:

• Reach out to your community leaders and lawmakers, initiate and drive creation of laws (examples to propose below), gather petition signatures in your community in order to qualify to appear on next ballot, or, pursue leaders who have the willingness and ability to enact changes directly.
• Enforced laws requiring all breeders to be licensed and registered in their state, with the number of licenses given out based on adoption rate statistics minus fifty percent until all shelters are at 20% capacity with zero euthanasia of healthy pets. Credentials and requirements should be high, with inspections and on-going monitoring. No “backyard breeders” or pet owners “having just one litter.” Heavy financial penalties should effectively change behavior, and repeat offenders face jail time. Once under control, the number of breeder licenses can be reviewed.
• Hotlines for community members to report roadside signs “puppies for sale.” A social media campaign to educate everyone, before buying a puppy from a breeder, to demand to see their license and verify its legitimacy online. Financial penalties should be imposed for non-compliance. Unlicensed breeders should be fined $5000 per puppy they sell/sold or have in their possession for a first offense, and double plus a year of jail per puppy for repeat offenders. People should be fined $5000 for purchasing from an unlicensed breeder. (Penalties should be proportional to the estimated cost of proper care for an overpopulated pet, high enough to deter non-compliance.)
• All pets spay/neuter for free, mandatory, and enforced. Owners adopting or rescuing unneutered/unspayed animals would be responsible for ensuring the procedure is done when the pet is old enough and safe to do so.
• Community-based action teams working directly with pet owners to resolve issues before surrender, offering hotlines and assistance locations. Most surrenders are due to financial and behavioral issues. By offering training and behavior modification support as well as financial support, fewer pets will be surrendered. Post-adoption support programs, with volunteers ensuring successful transitions and providing ongoing support to prevent re-surrenders.
• Repurposing shelter space for telehealth, community clinic services, and training.
• Oversight: staff and personnel from some of the rescue organizations, since there will be fewer needing rescue.
• Funding: calculate the amount needed and add 0.05% to county tax rates and/or a portion to federal tax structures. This is a societal issue; everyone should be part of the solution. This is similar to how a small portion of taxes supports schools, even for those without children. Another revenue source, if needed, would be an extra percentage tax on all pet goods and services (excluding veterinary care costs).
• Even if the initial plan isn't perfect, something is needed. Drastic cuts to overbreeding are a necessary starting point, with adjustments and management as needed.

Community Action & Shelter Repurposing

Shelters do incredible work — but what if we could reduce the number of animals arriving in the first place?

PUPPP’s supports ideas that shift the focus toward prevention: community-based teams who help solve problems before pets are surrendered, and who follow up after adoption to ensure lasting homes.

Read More

Did you know that some other countries manage pet animal welfare by strictly regulating how many persons are licensed to breed and the numbers of litters and total pet population? For example, Germany has around ten million pets compared to the U.S. with nearly ninety million dogs, and eighty eight million cats? That’s just the known pets and the actual number is likely much higher. Is it any wonder why there’s more coming into shelters and being euthanized because our society simply cannot support that many?

While there are many related factors and currently (late 2025) many surrenders are due to owners losing their housing, general costs to keep pets, and medical care costs. All shelters are overwhelmed. It is sad and unfair to the animals. Volunteers and workers at shelters are frantically doing their very best to house and care for as many as possible in hopes of finding them homes. The overwhelming volume of homeless pets is at an all time high and to me is like a neon sign: we need immediate new animal welfare laws strictly enforced until numbers are greatly reduced. A new lower volume threshold must be obtained and then maintained. Please take action, be a voice for animals and help bring much needed change!

Here’s an action plan:

• Reach out to your community leaders and lawmakers, initiate and drive creation of laws (examples to propose below), gather petition signatures in your community in order to qualify to appear on next ballot, or, pursue leaders who have the willingness and ability to enact changes directly.
• Enforced laws requiring all breeders to be licensed and registered in their state, the number of licenses given out based on adoption rate statistics minus fifty percent until all shelters at 20% capacity with zero euthanasia of healthy pets; credentials and requirements high, with inspections and on- going monitoring. No “backyard breeders”. No pet owners “having just one litter”. Heavy financial penalties that effectively change behavior. Repeat offenders jail time. Until we get this under control, then review the number of breeder licenses.
• Hotlines for members of the community to call and report roadside signs “puppies for sale”. A social media campaign to educate everyone, before buying a puppy from a breeder, and demand to see their license and a website to verify it’s legitimate, and the financial penalties for failing to do so. Unlicensed breeders should be fined $5000 per puppy they sell/sold or have in their possession, for first offense and double plus a year of jail per puppy, if they are repeat offenders. People should be fined $5000 for purchasing from an unlicensed breeder. (Based on estimated cost for proper care and housing resulting for a pet in the overpopulation, actual cost could vary but my point is, the penalty should be proportional and high enough to cause people to think about consequences)
• All pets spay/neuter for free, mandatory, and enforced but allowing owners to adopt/rescue unneutered and unspayed animals, and become responsible for having it done when pets are old enough to safely do so.
• Community based action team that works in the community, going to homes, meeting with people having pet issues and trying to resolve them before surrendering and hotline and location for people to seek assistance. Most surrenders are due to financial and behavioral issues. By offering training and behavior modification support as well as financial support, fewer will be surrendered. Also, program to include volunteers go out after adoptions and ensure the pet and family are settling in successfully and providing support where needed to eliminate resurrenders.
• Repurposing shelter space for telehealth, community clinic services and training
• Oversight: staff and personnel from some of the rescue organizations, since there will be fewer needing rescue
• Funding: calculate the amount needed and add .05 percent to county tax rate and/or a portion to Federal tax structure. This is a societal issue, everyone should be part of the solution. It’s no different than a tiny portion going to schools, even if we don’t have children. Another revenue source if needed would be an extra percentage tax on all pet goods and services (excluding veterinary care costs)
• Even if the beginning plan isn’t perfect, something is needed. Drastic cuts to overbreeding to start with and then adjusted and managed as needed..

Ending Animal Lab Experiments

More than 40,000 dogs are used in experiments each year in the U.S. funded with tax payer dollars. In addition, tens of thousands of puppies destined for labs are born at breeding facilities each year. This number increases dramatically worldwide. (of course this doesn’t account for kittens, monkeys and others and that number climbs even higher)

Read More

At the end of experiments, dogs are typically killed. Many are not given any pain medication to help relieve their suffering or distress during or after experiments. This is NOT a small problem! Experiments using dogs are happening in 46 U.S. states, D.C. and Puerto Rico. The federal government plays a role by funding and requiring and carrying out these experiments. In 2024 alone, the National Institutes of Health awarded over $ 50 million in tax dollars!

The most effective approach to end these experiments on dogs (and other animals) is to cut off the funding and you can help by signing petitions regarding legislation, and letters to representatives. By clicking the links below you can easily take action that will contribute to ending animal suffering, and demand investment in research that doesn’t cause animal suffering. The other action you can take to support animals is to share links and information with others. Only through awareness can we take positive action for the innocent animals.

Take Action

Contact your Senators and member in the House of Representatives and tell them you oppose your tax dollars funding animal experiments.

Contact your Senator Contact your Representative

---

Humane World End FDA Dog Testing Animal Legal Defense Fund The Humane League Cruelty Free International

Ending Animal Lab Experiments

More than 40,000 dogs are used in experiments each year in the U.S. funded with tax payer dollars. In addition, tens of thousands of puppies destined for labs are born at breeding facilities each year. This number increases dramatically worldwide. (of course this doesn’t account for kittens, monkeys and others and that number climbs even higher)

Read More

At the end of experiments, dogs are typically killed. Many are not given any pain medication to help relieve their suffering or distress during or after experiments. This is NOT a small problem! Experiments using dogs are happening in 46 U.S. states, D.C. and Puerto Rico. The federal government plays a role by funding and requiring and carrying out these experiments. In 2024 alone, the National Institutes of Health awarded over $ 50 million in tax dollars!

The most effective approach to end these experiments on dogs (and other animals) is to cut off the funding and you can help by signing petitions regarding legislation, and letters to representatives. By clicking the links below you can easily take action that will contribute to ending animal suffering, and demand investment in research that doesn’t cause animal suffering. The other action you can take to support animals is to share links and information with others. Only through awareness can we take positive action for the innocent animals.

Take Action

Contact your Senators and member in the House of Representatives and tell them you oppose your tax dollars funding animal experiments.

Contact your Senator Contact your Representative

---

Humane World End FDA Dog Testing Animal Legal Defense Fund The Humane League Cruelty Free International

Cat Causes

How YOU can help feral cats in your community!

Have you ever noticed wild kitties as you drive through your community and wondered how they find food and survive? But they are too wild to get anywhere near? Besides the 188 million counted pets, there are millions of feral kitties throughout the U.S. and world. Some countries have laws protecting them and volunteers caring for them. In the U.S., the poor kitties must rely on the goodness of volunteers who feed and put water out for them. Some volunteers provide TNR which stands for Trap, Neuter, Release. The purpose here is humane trapping, sterilizing to reduce future litters, and releasing back into their wild colonies because it is challenging to tame and socialize them enough to then find them homes.

Read More

I write about this in my book, Scandalous Tails! When I lived in California, each house I lived in had wild kitties in the neighborhood. I didn’t know what TNR was, but I realized I must reduce future litters and try to help them. I borrowed humane traps from rescue groups and then paid to have them spayed and neutered. I was able to tame and socialize most of them and many became my beloved pets and I found homes for many others. Where I currently live in Scottsdale, there are no feral kitties because of hawks, owls, coyotes, bobcats and more so kitties must live indoors. But we have many feral kitties in Phoenix and other urban areas with less wildlife. I have friends who volunteer their time daily, week after week, month after month, year after year to feed and look after feral cat colonies. If a cat appears ill or injured, they put out humane traps and take them to the vet. They do this out of true love and caring and are not funded by a nonprofit. They are the nonprofit. And I know there are many loving and caring people throughout the U.S. and world who do this. But there aren’t enough people willing to dedicate their time and efforts and they need your assistance.

Please consider connecting in your community with others to help the feral cats! Even if you can feed/water them one day each week, or two times a month, it will help more than you can imagine! To find a group, simply visit any low cost spay/neuter clinic in your community, they will know who is bringing in kitties and caring for them. And if you cannot find anyone, please be their hero and start the effort. Ask a few friends in the area if they can help once a week or twice a month. Even if you feed/water them twice a week, that’s more than they have now! And you may be able to find local rescue groups who will take the kitties and find homes. Sometimes you just need to house them and begin socialization (with a cage) for 30 days.

I can tell you it’s a very rewarding experience! I currently have four very loving kitties, who all started out on the streets of Phoenix, wild and homeless. They are the best!

Take Action

Torre Argentina Rome Hermitage Cat Shelter Alley Cat Allies Kevin Richardson Foundation AfriCat Foundation

Cat Causes

How YOU can help feral cats in your community!

Have you ever noticed wild kitties as you drive through your community and wondered how they find food and survive? But they are too wild to get anywhere near? Besides the 188 million counted pets, there are millions of feral kitties throughout the U.S. and world. Some countries have laws protecting them and volunteers caring for them. In the U.S., the poor kitties must rely on the goodness of volunteers who feed and put water out for them. Some volunteers provide TNR which stands for Trap, Neuter, Release. The purpose here is humane trapping, sterilizing to reduce future litters, and releasing back into their wild colonies because it is challenging to tame and socialize them enough to then find them homes.

Read More

I write about this in my book, Scandalous Tails! When I lived in California, each house I lived in had wild kitties in the neighborhood. I didn’t know what TNR was, but I realized I must reduce future litters and try to help them. I borrowed humane traps from rescue groups and then paid to have them spayed and neutered. I was able to tame and socialize most of them and many became my beloved pets and I found homes for many others. Where I currently live in Scottsdale, there are no feral kitties because of hawks, owls, coyotes, bobcats and more so kitties must live indoors. But we have many feral kitties in Phoenix and other urban areas with less wildlife. I have friends who volunteer their time daily, week after week, month after month, year after year to feed and look after feral cat colonies. If a cat appears ill or injured, they put out humane traps and take them to the vet. They do this out of true love and caring and are not funded by a nonprofit. They are the nonprofit. And I know there are many loving and caring people throughout the U.S. and world who do this. But there aren’t enough people willing to dedicate their time and efforts and they need your assistance.

Please consider connecting in your community with others to help the feral cats! Even if you can feed/water them one day each week, or two times a month, it will help more than you can imagine! To find a group, simply visit any low cost spay/neuter clinic in your community, they will know who is bringing in kitties and caring for them. And if you cannot find anyone, please be their hero and start the effort. Ask a few friends in the area if they can help once a week or twice a month. Even if you feed/water them twice a week, that’s more than they have now! And you may be able to find local rescue groups who will take the kitties and find homes. Sometimes you just need to house them and begin socialization (with a cage) for 30 days.

I can tell you it’s a very rewarding experience! I currently have four very loving kitties, who all started out on the streets of Phoenix, wild and homeless. They are the best!

Take Action

Torre Argentina Rome Hermitage Cat Shelter Alley Cat Allies Kevin Richardson Foundation AfriCat Foundation

🌱 Change Starts Small

You don’t have to be an expert or activist to make a difference. These projects are about education, connection, and practical ideas that anyone can support.