LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Protesters were posted outside of the Animal Foundation in North Las Vegas on Saturday, demanding that the organization be shut down.
Now, a petition is circulating hoping to make that happen, with more than 9,900 signatures from people around the Las Vegas community.
"Everybody says they love animals. Well, prove it. Get your butts out here and prove it," One protester, Janet Pellington told Channel 13. "We're out here in the cold, the wind — I'm out here in a wheelchair."
This is not the first time protesters have brought their signs to rally out in front of the Animal Foundation.
When 13 Investigates first reported on the Animal Foundation in October, a former executive of the foundation said the community — and the animals — were paying the price for the foundation's poor leadership.
Some of the people protesting on Saturday say they've stood on this sidewalk before to protest because there has been no change, and they say the same problems remain.
"You know, it's sad that I have to be here because I rescue animals from this organization," said John Waudby, an organizer of Shutdown TAF. "The sheer number of animals they kill every single year can be re-homed, adopted, given to a foster, a rescue group. It's absolutely sickening."
Last September, Las Vegas city councilwoman Victoria Seaman made a surprise visit to the Animal Foundation and told us she was appalled at what she found. She provided us with pictures of cages filled with dirt and feces.
"I'm sickened," she said. "I'm sickened because I have allowed the Animal Foundation to continue to tell me that they're working on things. And that is not working on things. They don't have enough employees where they need them."
Organizers of today's protest say there is a lot of work left to be done.
Waudby says, ultimately, that he hopes the Animal Foundation can become a no-kill shelter.
We reached out to the Animal Foundation for comment on today's protest and to find out what they're doing to remedy these concerns — but we did not hear back.
