In October, advocates and concerned individuals rallied at Rochester City Hall for immediate funding for animal services, and more specifically the Verona Street Animal Shelter.
It comes amid overcrowding in animal shelters across the country.
“It hurts that so many people care and there is so little being done about it,” one protestor chanted.
“If people were moved like animals are being treated now, it'd be a big fuss,” another protestor said.
“They're short-staffed,” Voices of Verona Street co-founder Maggie Cain said. “They don't have enough animal care technicians to clean the place properly. The washing machine breaks down. It's just-we've had enough. The volunteers and staff are wonderful, but they are working conditions that I don't think Mayor Evans would ever allow himself to work in.”
It all began when a former employee at Verona Animal Shelter posted videos online sharing its alleged conditions, which led to a rally of criticism of not the employees, but the lack of funding for its shelter.
Animal advocates have now been protesting for more than three years.
“It does get frustrating when you come here month after month [and] you meet with city officials and nothing changes,” Cain said.
Advocates have also grown more concerned that a year from now the Companion Animal Care Standards Act goes into effect and the shelter will be unable to meet the additional veterinary standards and be closed.
“We've brought this up numerous times,” Cain said. “I mean, honestly, sometimes I feel like the mayor is just waiting for it to get so bad that somebody comes and closes it down.”
Organizers are continuously showing up and standing up for a shelter that they say is filled with animals and empty promises.
“The story of the animal shelter comes with the story of Rochester,” one protestor shared. “I'm hoping that the people's voices will be heard and that this is something that matters to all of us.”
The City of Rochester, which oversees the shelter, says it is aware of the protests, but has no additional comment.