MIAMI – The Miami-Dade County Board of Commissioners will vote on turning the county's animal shelter into a no-kill facility next Tuesday.

The commission met Wednesday to work out a program that would stop euthanizing thousands of dogs and cats each year.

"I'm nervous up here as you can hear my voice because this is a very emotional topic," said Carol Caridad with Paws 4 You Rescue.

Last week, commissioners delayed their decision.

"We are here to say that we are in full support of a plan to become a no-kill community," said Laurie Hoffman with the Humane Society of Greater Miami.

Several groups voiced their support to the county's amended plan to reduce or even stop killing strays at the shelter and to increase spay and neuter services.

"As you know, the plan now is high-volume, spay and neuter surgeries to attack the root of the problem," said Rita Schwartz with Friends Forever Rescue. "The experts have told us we need to do 75,000 or more surgeries a year. The plan is ambitious but doable."

But will local veterinarians agree?

"We enthusiastically support the goal of no kill and the spirit of the non-binding straw ballot initiative that was passed last year," said Dr. Anjanette Cabeza, a veterinarian.

The veterinarians' participation means the county won't need to use tax money to build new clinics.

"I am not going to support a tax increase that is going for brick and mortar when we have all these facilities, all these partnerships," said Commissioner Sally Heyman.

"The vets have stepped forward and said they will become part of the solution," said Michael Rosenberg with Pets' Trust Miami, Inc. "Part of the solution is at least 1,500 spay/neuter surgeries a week."

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