Tulsa Group Sets Out To Cut Animal Euthanization Numbers Even More

More than 4,000 homeless animals are euthanized in Tulsa every year, but that number is down significantly from a few years ago.

The mayor on Saturday announced that a brand-new initiative to reduce that number is underway.

Four-month-old Rikki, a lab mix, just found her forever home, and this week it was time for her rabies shot. Rikki now can be licensed in the City of Tulsa.

It is estimated that only 6 percent of Tulsa animal owners license their pets. Spaying and neutering also is law, but there isn’t enough money for education.

“We would like billboards and PSAs and commercials letting people know, because a lot of people say ‘I didn't know that,’” Jean Letcher said.

That is where SPOT comes in - or Saving the Pets of Tulsa. It also plans to launch a service for online registrations and increased access to spay and neuter services.

The few who license their animals now add to around $35,000 a year, and that money goes directly into the city general fund and the Tulsa shelter is completely funded by city revenue. Organizers are imagining the impact if that 6 percent climbed to even 25 percent.

But this has been years in the making for Christine Kunzweiler, who has been thinking about it since hearing about the staggering number of animals being put down in Tulsa. But she didn't feel like she had the ability to do anything.

“But after my husband got elected [as district attorney], I felt very blessed and I take that as a big responsibility to serve the community,” she said.

And she was able to get a number of city councilors and mayor Dewey Bartlett on board.

“I want to get even better to where we aren’t euthanizing animals for space,” Kunzweiler said. “And I think we can do that… because other cities have done it and I think Tulsa is ready for this.”

The group is working on a way to have the funds directly earmarked for the shelter rather than just going into the general fund.

Also, a website is in the works and we will give you information on how to donate once it’s up and running.