NUMBERS IN THE STATE. REPORTED MORE THAN 20,000 NEW INFECTION IN THE LAST 24 HOURS
IN THE CDC.
>>> CONCERNS TONIGHT OVER NEW
POLICY AT MIAMI-DADE ANIMAL
SHELTER WHICH SOME ME HAVE
LEAVES STRAY DOG WITH NO
POLICE TO GO.
CHANGE WENT INTO EFFECT IN
RECENT MONTH AFTER SHELTER
OFFICIALS SAID THEY WERE AT
CAPACITY.
>> AMY LEARNED MORE ABOUT THE
CHANGE AND WHY OFFICIALS
BELIEVE ULTIMATELY BENEFIT
MORE DOG.
>> THEY DISCUSS TOLD ME THEY
HAD NO SPACE AVAILABLE.
>> MARJORIE TEMPORARILY TOOK
IN THIS DOG SHE CALLED TROY
BACK IN NOVEMBER AFTER SOME
ONE FOUND HIM BEING ATTACKED
ON THE STREET.
FOR MONTHS SHE TRIED TO FIND
OUT WHERE TROY CAME FROM.
HAD HE NO MICRO CHIP AND NO
ONE CAME FORWARD TO CLAIM HIM.
>> GOT ALONG WITH MY DOG NO
PROBLEM BUT I ALSO HAVE A CAT
AND HE DOES NOT LIKE CATS.
>> AFTER TRYING MULTIPLE
RESCUE SHE FINALLY TURNED TO
MIAMI-DADE ANIMAL SERVICE BUT
SHE WAS TURNED AWAY.
>> THEY TOLD ME THEY WITH NOT
TAKING ANY DOG.
GENTLEMEN WOULD NOT ALLOW ME
IN AT ALL.
GENTLEMEN WOULD NOT ALLOW ME
IN AT ALL.
>>Reporter: SHE SAYS SHE FOUND THIS DOG RUNNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
>> WALK AROUND THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
EVERY CORNER FOR HOURS.
KNOCKING ON DOORS.
EVERYONE TOLD ME I HAVE NEVER
SEEN A DOG BEFORE.
>>Reporter: AFTER THREE DAYS
SHE TRIED TO TAKE THE DOG TO
MIAMI-DADE ANIMAL SERVICES.
>> THEY SAID GO AROUND THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
I SAID I ALREADY DID THAT.
I TOLD THEM OTHER THINGS I DID
AND THEY SAID PUT HIM BACK
WHERE YOU FOUND THEM.
>>Reporter: OTHERS GET
SIMILAR RESPONSE.
>> NO WE ARE OVER CAPACITY.
>> WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A STRAY
ANIMAL.
LEAVE IT OUT IN THE STREET.
>> WE ARE NOT ACCEPTING ANY
STRAY AT THIS TIME.
>>Reporter: THAT DECISION WAS
PART OF A POLICY CHANGE THAT
WENT INTO EFFECT IN EARLY
DECEMBER.
THIS DOCUMENT FROM MIAMI
ANIMAL SERVICE OUTLINING THE
NEW MANAGED ADMISSION PROGRAM.
>> WHAT IT MEANS IS WE WERE
MANAGING OUR SPACE
PRIORITIZING ANIMAL THAT ARE
REALLY IN NEED OF SHELTERING
SO INJURED ABUSED NEGLECTED.
NOT OWNER SURRENDER OR
FRIENDLY STRAY FOUND IN A
NEIGHBORHOOD TYPE LOCATION.
>>Reporter: ASSISTANT
DIRECTOR KATHLEEN SAYS THE
POLICY ASKED THOSE WHO FIND
HEALTHY STRAY TO HELP REUNITE
THEM WITH ALREADY FAMILY.
USING SOCIAL MEDIA AND TALKING
TO NEIGHBORS.
>> SHE SAYS RESEARCH SHOW THE
VAST MAJORITY OF DOG FOUND ARE
REUNITED WITH OWNERS WITHIN
THREE DAYS IF KEPT IN THE SAME
NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> ACTUALLY HEAVE THE ANIMAL
IN THE FAMILIAR SURROUNDINGS.
WALK IT AROUND KNOCK ON DOOR
ASK IF SOMEBODY MIGHT KNOW
WHERE THE ANIMAL LIVE THAT’S
HOW YOU HELP THEM FIND A WAY
HOME.
>>Reporter: SHIFT IN POLICY
WAS NEVER EXPLAINED TO THE
PUBLIC AND IMPORTANTLY NOT
EVERY DOG FOUND ON THE STREET
IS ACTUALLY SOME ONE’S PET.
THE SHELTER POLICY DOES
INCLUDE EXCEPTION IF THE
PERSON IS UNABLE TO FIND THE
ANIMAL HOME OR DOG HURT OR
FOUND IN UNSAFE AREA.
CRITERIA THAT APPLIED BOTH DOG
FOUND BY MARJORIE AND LUCY.
SO BOTH WERE TURNED AWAY.
>> DEFINITELY WHEN SHE
PRESENTED THE DOG AT THAT
POINT THE INTAKE SHOULD HAVE
HAPPENED SO WE HAVE INCREASED
STAFF TRAINING.
TRYING TO MAKE THE
COMMUNICATION MORE CONSISTENT.
>>Reporter: LUCY EVENTUALLY
FOUND A RESCUE TO TAKE LOWELL
A THE DOG SHE FOUND.
IN LATE JANUARY MARJORIE TRIED
GOODEN TO TAKE TROY TO THE
SHELTER BUT AFTER WAITING MORE
THAN AN HOUR SHE WAS TOLD SHE
WOULD BE PUT ON WAITING LIST.
SHE EXPLAINED SHE WAS LEAVING
TOWN WITH NOWHERE TO TAKE HIM.
>> SHE SAID I’LL TALK TO MY
SUPERVISOR AND SEE IF WE CAN
KEEP HIM BUT I HAD TO E-MAIL
THEM.
MY TRAVEL PLANS.
>>Reporter: NEW POLICY HAS
ALSO PUT A STRAIN ON VOLUNTEER
RESCUE GROUP WHO SAY THEY HAVE
BEEN OVERWHELMED.
>> INCREASE OF PHONE CALLS
SINCE DECEMBER IS CAN
QUADRUPLE.
>>Reporter: JAMIE RESCUE
PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY AND
SHE UNDERSTANDS THE FACILITY
CAN ONLY HOUSE SO MANY DOGS.
WORRIES THE NEW POLICY COULD
DISCOURAGE GOOD SAMARITAN FROM
TRYING TO HELP.
>> I HEAR THAT ALL THE TIME.
>>Reporter: YOU WORRY THIS
WILL CAUSE PEOPLE TO LOOK THE
OTHER WAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
ABSOLUTELY.
>> I DEFINITELY THINK THIS
WILL DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM
DOING A GOOD DEED.
>>Reporter: THIS IS LOCAL "10
NEWS".
>>> SHELTER OFFICIALS SAY THE
CHANGE SHOULD HAVE BEEN
COMMUNICATED MORE EFFECTIVELY
WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THEY ARE CURRENTLY NOT FACING