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I started going to animal shelters to view the pet adoption options, last January. (We're traveling the country in an RV, so I've had many different shelters to view.)
It's been AWFUL. I can see the shelter groups are doing their best, but they are so over-populated that their efforts are not sufficient. I'm so captured by these animals' plight that I feel compelled to seek the attentions of the public, for solutions to what I've learned is a HUGE dilemma.
First, some stats, to understand this IS a public problem:
- In the United States alone, between 3 and 4 million cats and dogs are euthanized each year for lack of homes to adopt them, according to the Humane Society of the United States.[1]
- Capturing, impounding and eventual euthanasia costs taxpayers and private agencies millions of dollars each year, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.[2]
Second, the National Council's discovered reasons for population:
The Top Ten Reasons for Pet Relinquishment to Shelters in the United States Moderator cut: copyright information
My First Thoughts
I had the knee-jerk reaction that we should stem the population by insisting that breeders be licensed, their breeding be limited to a supply the present population substantiates (a reverse of the hunting season algorithm), and unlicensed owners of unaltered pets be fined, and sentenced to service in their local shelter. [Harsh, sure, but you really should go visit some shelters before you judge me.]
After reading the reasons behind the shelter populations, I tend to think the problem stems from pet owners' choices, rather than uncontrolled breeding. Though I am still in favor of curtailing the breeding, I don't think it will solve the deeper issues of people choosing to "relinquish" their pets.
So, I bring this to you, someone interested in pets. Can you suggest workable solutions? How would your solution be implemented in the local system?
Thanks for your responses.
Last edited by leorah; 06-07-2009 at 03:15 PM..
Reason: removed copyrighted material
Hi Lookin' You can find answers to all your questions in a book called Redemption, The Myth of Pet Overpopulation by Nathan Winograd. Much of what he writes in the book can be found here at the No Kill Advocacy Center website:
I attended the National No Kill Conference in DC last month and I have to tell you that the future looks good. You can read Nathan's Keynote address to the conference attendees here:
I think landlords and cities should not be able to tell people what kind of dog they can have. If the renter has insurance on there pet that should be the end of it. When I move, I am going to have a big problem because I have a boxer. When I moved to where I live now, out of 31 apartments, only 2 allowed boxers! That is crap! So my well trained, mute boxer can't be there, but the chichuaha that yaps all day and bites is allowed. Where is the logic in that?
So people are basically forced to give up there dogs. Now that my income is not what it used to be thanks to this wonderful economy, I have to move when my lease is up, and I don't know if my baby will be able to come with me.
And puppy mills need to be shut down. Not only do they overpopulate the world with there unhealthy puppies, they keep the breeding dogs in horrible conditions!
Last edited by 1phwalls; 06-07-2009 at 07:48 AM..
Reason: add
I think landlords and cities should not be able to tell people what kind of dog they can have. If the renter has insurance on there pet that should be the end of it. When I move, I am going to have a big problem because I have a boxer. When I moved to where I live now, out of 31 apartments, only 2 allowed boxers! That is crap! So my well trained, mute boxer can't be there, but the chichuaha that yaps all day and bites is allowed. Where is the logic in that?
So people are basically forced to give up there dogs. Now that my income is not what it used to be thanks to this wonderful economy, I have to move when my lease is up, and I don't know if my baby will be able to come with me.
You can blame insurance companies for some of that, why they are allowed to dictate what pet is safe and what isn't is beyond me. Many people get a pet and it's just that, a pet. They don't think twice about sending it to a shelter if need be. True animal lovers will find a way, my Dachshund isn't a pet, he's part of the family, been with me through a divorce and a couple of moves. I would live in a crap hole or a box on the street rather than moving to a place that would make me give him up.
Puppy mills and back yard breeders are a much bigger problem than the people turning over their pets. If we could put a stop to just those two things, people would either be purchasing a pet from a responsible breeder - and there aren't a heck of a lot of those around - or they'd be forced to adopt an already homeless pet, so the ones getting turned in would find homes. At least that's the way I see it.
I think lack of education is a big problem too, and the backwoods mentality in most areas of the SE is terrible. That's where I am now, and moving here - as much as it's been a wonderful move for us - has been the absolute worse. I can't even begin to fathom how some people can look into the faces of these poor animals and just not care. They all seem to be raised with the 'it's just a stupid / unfeeling / uncaring animal' mentality. You won't change the adults here. It's just not going to happen. But if we can get in the schools and talk to the kids and show them how wonderful a companion a well behaved, well trained dog is, we just might have a chance at making a difference.
Do I think we'll change laws on breeding? No. At least not for a long time. In our country animals are viewed as no more alive than a living room couch. They don't have rights and they are seen as personal property. So, trying to mandate and spay / neuter laws or proper breeding laws just isn't going to happen. At least not for a long time.
People need to be educated about breeding "just because" or because they want to see what kind of neat mutt mix they can create.
I find the USA lacks A LOT of education when it comes to letting people know about fixing their pets or irresponsible breeding.
Unfortunately, it's not that we lack the education. It's out there. It's that there are too many greedy, uncaring people who could give a less about the over population problem, and as long as there are no laws in place to force them to breed responsibly, it will continue to net them a few bucks and they'll do it. It all boils down to the mighty dollar. Tells you a lot about the greed in this country; especially the SE.
Unfortunately, it's not that we lack the education. It's out there. It's that there are too many greedy, uncaring people who could give a less about the over population problem, and as long as there are no laws in place to force them to breed responsibly, it will continue to net them a few bucks and they'll do it. It all boils down to the mighty dollar. Tells you a lot about the greed in this country; especially the SE.
That is true as well but I still think the government should do something about educating people more than an SPCA ad here or there on the TV.
I stopped and talked to some young homeless people who were sitting on the sidewalk panhandling last weekend. They were sitting there with two sweet, well behaved pitbulls that they had "adopted" from people who were mistreating them. They told me that one of the dogs was almost starved to death when they found her. She was recovering well. Both dogs were very, very gentle and friendly.
The young man said that "Even homeless, I can take better care of them than they were..."
Those imperfect, homeless young people had more compassion for animals than so many people in our world. Maybe it was because they understood what it felt like to be hungry, abused and abandoned....
The solution for our animal problems is a bigger societal problem than legislation can fix. Our society throws people away, too.
Last edited by World Citizen; 06-07-2009 at 09:38 AM..
It's all too overwhelming! Does not have to and should not be this way! There is no excuse for any animal to be put to death due to lack of a home. Sorry, but too many people are stupid, ignorant and just plain mean.
I give you credit for doing this, I for one would have had many a breakdown seeing all of that! Breaks my heart!
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less about the over population problem, and as long as there are no laws in place to force them to breed responsibly, it will continue to net them a few bucks and they'll do it. It all boils down to the mighty dollar. Tells you a lot about the greed in this country; especially the SE.
