Fighting for dogs
Rescue Me Orlando urges Orange County to restore adoption agreement
Two dozen supporters of a popular Orlando dog-rescue group pleaded with Orange County commissioners on Tuesday to reinstate its partnership agreement with the county animal shelter, claiming “dogs will die” without the group’s efforts.
Rescue Me Orlando is a volunteer-run nonprofit that helps find homes for shelter dogs, especially those in danger of being euthanized. It had hoped to reverse a decision from December to end the group’s partnership contract for what Orange County Animal Services said were “defamatory” posts on the group’s Facebook page.
Instead, Orange County administrator Byron Brooks agreed to meet with the group’s leaders to discuss some contentious issues, including public comments about the county shelter’s policies and a fellow rescue group.
“It was not anyone’s intent to sever relationships that are of value to our community on a permanent basis,” Brooks said after testimony from volunteers,
“We are going to remain hopeful and we’re going to keep fighting for what’s right — and that’s for the dogs.” Brittany Johnston, Rescue Me Orlando co-president
adopters and fellow rescue groups. “We’d love to sit down with [Rescue Me Orlando] and let’s go through some of those protocols that we believe are important … and perhaps it would be in order to [enter into] a new agreement.”
Although that was far from the promise the group had hoped for, supporters said they are optimistic the issues can be resolved.
“We are going to remain hopeful and we’re going to keep fighting for what’s right — and that’s for the dogs,” co-president Brittany Johnston said.
Alyssa Chandler, public information officer for Orange County Animal Services, said its advisory board had voted not to renew the group’s contract following three complaints against Rescue Me Orlando for “harassing other rescue groups on the internet” and posting that animals would be “murdered” if not adopted.
“Basically, you cannot defame animal services and still be a functioning partner,” Chandler said.
County Commissioner Emily Bonilla, who asked the commission to intervene in the issue, stood by the rescue group.
“There are complaints about our animal services, which are legitimate complaints,” Bonilla said.
Ending the group’s contract “really was a personal issue, a personal vendetta,” said. “This is unfair.”
Rescue Me Orlando, through its 30,000 Facebook followers, often publicizes hard-to-place animals, including those that are sick, old or deemed aggressive, and tries to find suitable foster families.
By Tuesday morning, nearly 12,000 supporters had signed an online petition urging the county to reinstate the group’s contract — an agreement required of all 82 rescue organizations that work with Orange County Animal Services to promote adoptions of shelter dogs and cats.
Johnston said her group has helped save the lives of hundreds of dogs from Orange County Animal Services and that, last year alone, it donated over $33,000 to rescue partners and over $9,000 to help adopters with veterinary bills and training. The offending comments, she said, were made by the group’s supporters, not its leaders, and they were removed as soon as possible.
“All of our spare time has been spent at the Orange County shelter,” said copresident Desiree Pizio. “We are three women with fullshe time jobs, families and pets of our own to tend to. … We primarily focus on the dogs in isolation and the clinic who are not visible to the public” — access the group has lost with the end of its contract.
The group’s volunteers also photograph and shoot video of shelter dogs and screen foster applicants.
“Without these ladies goother ing to the shelter, taking the dogs out, video[taping] and networking, many dogs would be dying,” said supporter Christine Cavagnaro of Maitland.