January 21, 2012
Due to the economy and our having to downsize to an apartment that does not allow pets, Tony, our 8 year old rescued cat needed a new home and continued love. After close to a year, four counties, 20 phone calls to shelters, exhausting all our neighborhood, friends, and family contacts, Santa Monica Animal Shelter led us to Voice For the Animals Foundation.
I phoned and left a message for guidance and help. That same evening my call was returned by Deb. Not only was Deb confident, but she calmed me and gave me hope. After identifying herself, her next words were “no shelters!” I had been told for a year Tony was considered a senior cat and would be put down within 72 hours if not adopted. Due to the economy so many folks had had to give up their pets and the shelters were overcrowded and overwhelmed.
That Sunday Tony and I went to the Voice For Animals adoption in The Pacific Palisades, CA. We were welcomed and introduced to Gabriela and all of her wonderful, committed, and compassionate volunteers. Tony and I were both traumatized, and again given hope. We continued to go to the adoption site each week and within six weeks Gabriela had located an angel to foster Tony. Voice For the Animals handled Tony’s transport and transition with dignity, respect, and compassion.
Our hearts ache. Tony was our buddy, comfort, and companion for 7 years. However, we know he is safe, loved, and well taken care of through all the work and commitment of Voice For the Animals. Not only did Deb and Gabriela find him a loving and safe home to live his full life, but they saved us from losing our apartment as well. We will be forever grateful and continue to support Voice For the Animals.
Harry & Sherry
Santa Monica, CA
January 13, 2012 (.pdf)
Dear Friends:
Just a small note to thank you for the 2012 LAPD animal calendar you sent me. It will definitely come in handy. Your thoughtful gesture is greatly appreciated. If I can ever be of assistance to you or your office in the future, please don’t hesitate to contact me or my staff.
Sincerely,
Dennis P. Zine
Councilman, Third District
January 2, 2012
As a private citizen and a prosecutor I have been witness to an astonishing change that has taken place over recent years in heightened awareness of animal cruelty (which include intentional cruelty, neglect, and illegal animal fighting) and the way instances of animal cruelty are handled by law enforcement. A good deal of this change can be attributed to the efforts of Melya Kaplan and the organization she founded and directs, Voice For The Animals.
Over the course of the last 10 years I have watched Ms. Kaplan tirelessly – and successfully – pursue the idea of instituting a special task force within the Los Angeles Police Department that would specifically address animal cruelty. In 2005 this task force became a reality. Made up of Animal Control Officers from the city’s Department of Animal Services and police officers from the Los Angeles Police Department, the task force has served as a model for police agencies around the country. Since its inception the task force has been responsible for investigating thousands of instances of animal cruelty that, heretofore, might have been given short shrift. Ms. Kaplan also helped serve as an impetus for the creation of a specialized animal cruelty prosecution program within the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, a program that has been hugely successful in prosecuting a myriad of cases involving the mistreatment of animals.
Ms. Kaplan can always be relied on to lend her considerable support and expertise to these programs and to any other projects where the mission is to promote the humane treatment of animals. It is fair to say that Ms. Kaplan is an integral part of – and reason for – the profound changes in actions and attitudes that have occurred in Los Angeles regarding instances of animal abuse. It is a true pleasure to work with Ms. Kaplan and I look forward to working with her and her organization, both privately and professionally, for many years to come.
Deborah Knaan
Animal Cruelty Prosecutor
November 29, 2011
For the past couple of weeks I have been spending my Sunday mornings volunteering my time for VOICE FOR THE ANIMALS..it is an amazing organization that helps out pets in need and has pet adoptions at the Farmer’s Market in Pacific Palisades… nothing makes me 
bigger than when I am holding these puppies and giving them love…
- Max, student volunteer
October 13, 2011
My family and I are eternally grateful to Voice For The Animals for
their tireless and thorough efforts to place our rescue dog, Suzy, in
a safe and loving home. My family was struck with tragedy last summer
and we lost everything, including our home. Of all our losses, our dog
was the most painful. Voice For The Animals stepped in, worked with
their extended networks of dog rescue pals, made a beautiful video of
Suzy’s progress (as she had been very badly abused and was quite
skittish at the start), found a safe foster to keep her while she
waited for a permanent home . . . AND took her to the dog rescues each
weekend until she was permanently placed. Jane kept me apprised every
step of the way. They treated Suzy’s adoption like placing a child in
a safe and loving home. Voice For The Animals was genuinely concerned
for finding not just any place, but a safe and loving permanent home
for Suzy. They were also very compassionate with my family. Thank you
so much to such a warm, empathetic, hard-working and lovely
organization. Again, we are sincerely grateful for your thorough
screening process and overwhelming compassion.
Kimberly
March 11, 2009
Two weeks ago I contacted you in a panic because my two cats
(sisters) had to be quickly placed in a foster home. I had contacted dozens of pet agencies and organizations, and you were the first one to respond. I have been living in emergency shelters for the past half year. The first shelter I went to had a small kennel, where my cats lived for almost three months. When we left there, a friend offered to care for my girls until I got back on my feet with a job and a small place to call home. After three months, she told me she couldn’t adequately care for them due to a major set-back in her own health. I didn’t know who to contact, hence the dozens of calls I made.
Debbie, you reached out to me saying that you couldn’t promise anything, but you and Voices For The Animals would do whatever you could to find a good foster home for my little ones. You came through with flying colors, despite several roadblocks that I could not avoid, and you found my girls a good temporary foster home! Both you and Monica also told me you would keep searching for a longer-term foster family on my behalf.
Monica, you were terrific in meeting me and taking my lovable cats to their interim foster mom’s home. And you both have been truly wonderful in helping to allay my concerns about their care and safety by calling me with progress reports.
Since my cats comprise my family, I am forever grateful for your wonderful and kind assistance! *THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!!* I hope you will all accept me as a volunteer after I am once again working and settled. You do great work and you are terrific people!
Suzanne
Kirk Albanese
Sherry Shlueter 1
Sherry Shlueter 2