06/13/2026
As an animal advocate and co-founder of Bay Animal Defense, I do have some ideas and all hinge on community involvement.
Community involvement and education:
Some still see animals as property and not as sentient beings. Education is the first step. Volunteers are needed to go out into the community and to schools to educate the importance of spay and neuter, the importance of shots, the importance of lifetime commitment, the importance of respecting wildlife, that animals are sentient and back that up with science, etc.
The community also needs to show up to commission meetings and keep emailing them. We need to demand that BCAS implement Maddie's Million Pet Challenge 64 page recommendations from last November. Currently, there are 4 Bay County commissioners who do not care about animal welfare with one being quoted as saying, "I am sick and tired of getting emails about it." Yes I know who said it. No I will not reveal that here.
The community needs to show up and VOTE in our local elections. Andy Husar would have been a wonderful Sheriff who is a champion of animal welfare. He also has so many other accomplished accolades which would have made Bay County better. We need BCAS to be overseen by the Sheriff's Dept and an animal task force dedicated to cracking down on abuse, neglect, dumping and dog fighting. Make no mistake, we have dog fighting rings here who have gone on with no repercussions for years. Ask all candidates what their stance is on animal welfare and how they would improve the current "low priority status".
The community also needs to demand that our county officials crack down on licensing to include proof of rabies. Spay and neuter laws need to be implemented with fines for those who don't comply! Require breeders to be licensed to cut down on backyard breeding. If people want to breed multiple litters then pay for a license to include proof of registration with the Dept of Agriculture. If not, then fine them. Offer the community a voucher system for low income families to spay and neuter but can't afford it. This program would be funded by fines collected.
The bottom line is this. Until we as a community say enough is enough things will continue as they are. Our rescue partners are drowning in an animal crisis of epic proportions and it cannot continue. Get involved. Stand up. If enough of us do they cannot ignore us any longer.
"The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel." Proverbs 12:10
This was copied and pasted from a comment by Jesse Johnson on Beacon of Bay County Page. Check out the ongoing discussion to help with the overpopulation and euthanasia of healthy adoptable animals in our are!
