Watch CBS News

Protesters Want Head Of Animal Services Director

MIAMI (CBS4) - Animal welfare advocates chanted and waived signs Tuesday that demanded the firing of Miami-Dade Animal Services Director Sara Pizano.

The roughly hour-long demonstration, according to CBS Miami news partner the Miami Herald, went on while a plane flew overhead with a banner that said Animal Services kills 325 dogs and cats each day with taxpayer money.

Protesters chanted "Stop the killing, stop the pain, Sara Pizano is to Blame," during the demonstration.

Pizano has been the director of the Miami-Dade Animal Services department since 2005. According to the Herald, two incidents, including an employee using a method of killing cats called "heart stick," have angered animal rights activists.

A "heart stick" is a procedure when a worker injects a needle directly into the heart and then delivers a dosage of drugs directly into the heart.

According to the Herald, Animal Services takes in approximately 34,000 cats and dogs per year, but also has to put down roughly 21,000 animals a year.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.