Protesters decry ‘multi-system failure’ of Miami-Dade Animal Services after dog dies at Medley shelter

Animal advocates came together to speak out about an animal shelter in Miami-Dade that is facing argument over its care for its dogs and cats News cameras captured demonstrators holding up signs across from Miami-Dade Animal Services in Doral Sunday afternoon At least one driver honked in solidarity Protesters are demanding action over a dog who they noted died of heatstroke inside his kennel It s a multi-system failure Failure reported protester Nicolette Acosta Protesters are furious over how Rocky died at the county s overflow shelter in Medley Workers declared the terrier mix became lethargic and vomited in his kennel In a comment circulated last week MDAS spokesperson Gabriella Dominguez commented the canine was gravely ill She wrote Upon examination our veterinarians determined that Rocky was gravely ill and made the compassionate decision to humanely euthanize him to prevent further suffering Rocky s death comes after the county shelter dealt with an outbreak of strep zoo a bacterial infection There are problems on every level here it is systemic failure They have identified strep zoo as an outbreak in the last couple of weeks but that is a lie noted Acosta Protesters recorded video inside the shelter They accuse the staff of walking the dogs just minutes a day and not providing enough air conditioning The county shelter pushed back on specific of the states saying the dogs have access to play pools when taken out and receive ice daily during the summer But as protesters push to spread awareness they re calling this entire situation unacceptable What we re demanding as a society is selected accountability from the leadership because they re gonna say that the budget was approved and everything went through the proper channels and on paper I m sure that s true but they made a commitment to the welfare of the dogs disclosed a demonstrator It s on their website it s on their mission comment Sunday night a spokesperson for MDAS issued the following message in response to the protest Miami-Dade County remains committed to animal welfare and providing the highest quality care for every pet that enters our shelter Our facilities are staffed by compassionate and experienced professionals who are dedicated to both protecting the pets in our care and advocating for the animal society at large Miami-Dade Animal Services like so plenty of shelters across the country is facing an overpopulation dilemma To promotion the highest number of pets realizable we are utilizing our secondary open-air facility in Medley as an overflow shelter This facility is equipped with large industrial fans that operate maintaining continuous airflow for the comfort and well-being of the animals Additionally all pets enjoy regular access to play yards with cooling pools and receive refreshing ice treats throughout the day to help them stay cool and safe in the summer heat More than ever we need our locality s help to clear our shelters and place animals in loving homes where they belong We urge residents to consider adopting fostering volunteering donating or sharing our pets on social media Together we can ensure every animal has the chance to find a loving home