Latest Updates
1.17.08 Upcoming Events and News
● Valentines Pet Adopt-a-Thon, Saturday February 2, 2008
● Excessive Number of Dog & Cat Owner Give-up's: For the past 2 months, SDA has received an unprecedented number of telephone requests from people weeping and wailing and pleading for us to take their dogs and cats. It is heart-wrenching as most are people who are losing their homes and moving into rentals where pets are prohibited. SDA cannot take any more dogs or cats nor can we return so many phone calls with these overwhelmingly pitiful requests.
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About The SDA
Sarasota In Defense of Animals (SDA) Objectives:
* To Expose Animal Abuse And Exploitation
* Educate The Public
* Promote Habitat Protection
* Promote Consumer Awareness
* Encourage Humane Alternatives To Animal Experiments
* Organize Campaigns To Mobilize Animal Protection
SDA addresses animal protection and welfare issues by:
* Operates a 10-acre sanctuary providing lifetime care for 300 animals
* Conducts an intensive adoption program for homeless dogs and cats
* Works directly with county animal services in saving lives of animals
* Manages a feral cat colony providing a tree house, food, & daily care
* Conducts a public feral cat trapping program under the trap/neuter/return policy
* Networks with 42 sanctuaries across the U. S. in placing wild & exotic animals
* Distributes educational materials
* Conducts peaceful public demonstrations to call attention to animal exploitation
* Makes presentations at public hearing and forums
* Promoting A Cruelty-Free Lifestyle by sponsoring public events and education
* Conducts telephone and letter-writing campaigns
SDA begins 18th year of Animal Welfare.
With SDA beginning its 18-year anniversary in 2007, the members are extremely proud of their accomplishments and the establishment of not only a credible reputation in Florida, but nationally as well.
A few of SDA's Accomplishments are:
* Established and operates a 10-acre sanctuary for 300 abandoned, abused, and otherwise homeless rabbits, goats, chickens, ducks, ponies, cats, dogs, pigs, and other domestics; gives lifetime care with no selling, trading, breeding or killing.
* Drafted and proposed laws and local ordinances affecting animal protection, i.e. banning pigeon shoots, deletion of oppressive law allowing only 6 animals per household
* Since the 1996 dramatic rescue of Texas Cougars from a canned hunting ranch in Texas, SDA has worked directly with other sanctuaries across the U. S., state and federal agencies and affiliated animal protection agencies in the placement of and to give lifetime care to hundreds of wild and exotic animals (tigers, lions, cougars, bears) who would otherwise be killed for lack of a home
* Conducted an 11-year public campaign to get a new county animal shelter to replace a 30-year old dilapidated one. The new 1.2 million dollar was completed in 2003.
* Instituted an off-site adoption program for dogs and cats resulting in over 4,000 dogs and cats being placed in approved homes since 1995
* Provided adoption enhancements for county animals through adopt-a-thons, filming for television, radio service announcements, newspaper advertisements, etc.
* Established a prototype feral cat colony by constructing a tree-house, relocating sterilized and vaccinated ferals and providing daily feeding and care for the natural lifespan of over 30 feral cats.
* Conducted a feral cat trapping program to assist the public in reducing the feral cat population under the TNR (trap/neuter/return) program
* Campaigned for and obtained a county funded spay/neuter program
* Conducted formal education programs in elementary schools
* Sponsored vegetarian outreach programs for the public, i.e., vegetarian festivals
* At the request of SDA, the Auditor General of the State of Florida conducted a comprehensive full audit of the specialty license plates in Florida. SDA has targeted the controversial Panther License Plate and the Panther Trust Fund expenditures.
* Participated in the Emergency Animal Relief Efforts after 4 major Florida hurricanes by delivering food, medical supplies, rescuing animals, providing foster care and final placement in suitable homes for unclaimed animals.
* Became one of the founding organizations of the Animal Rescue Coalition with the goal of reducing dog and cat overpopulation in Sarasota County
* Became a founding member organization of the Animal Centers of Excellence for sanctuaries with headquarters in San Antonio, Texas
Goals for the Future
SDA will continue to expand its scope and resources during the upcoming years to encompass even more animals in the efforts to reduce suffering, exploitation, and death.
Some of the primary goals are:
* To get the State of Florida to build a sanctuary for confiscated wild and exotic animals and those who cannot be released back into the wild.
* Propose federal legislation to prohibit the importation, exportation and personal possession of certain species of wild and exotics.
* Expansion of the education programs.
* Enhancements of the vegetarian outreach programs.
* Make Sarasota a "no-kill" county like San Francisco.
