Another day, another seven to eight thousand cats and dogs euthanized. I understand overpopulation, I do. I understand I can’t have fifty dogs running around my apartment and we can’t have strays all over “our” cities. (Can we not share? Why is the world “ours”? There are other living creatures here, too…) Some of the overpopulation and over-breeding that occurs is out of our control.
Most of it is not.
- NEUTER/SPAY YOUR PETS. Yes, puppies and kittens are cute. But there are so many of them that already exist and need homes. We don’t need to make livings trying to sell puppies to people who may or may not take care of them. This is how a lot of the dogs arrive at shelters or become strays – humans over-breeding them. Maybe the pet-selling business is lucrative for some, but there are even easier and less involved ways to make money that don’t result in all of these issues. Use the Internet!
- MICROCHIP YOUR PETS. Most shelters do this as a precaution as soon as a stray walks in their doors. If you adopt one of the millions of homeless pets from a shelter, they will probably already have your new friend microchipped. It’s generally included in the adoption fee. This way, if your pet manages to escape and is found, a shelter or veterinarian can scan their body, find the microchip ID, and see to whom it’s registered. Huzzah – you have your pet back and one more animal is off the streets! If you already have a pet that isn’t microchipped, most shelters and rescue organizations either offer inexpensive microchipping or can direct you to a place that does.
- REGISTER YOUR PET WITH THE CITY. This way, if your pup or kit is discovered on the run and isn’t microchipped, there’s another method for rescuers, police, and good samaritans to hunt you down, probably chastise you, and bring your buddy home. (Seriously, the cost of this ranges from approximately three to twenty dollars for the entire year, depending where you live. The City of Seattle, for example, charges a few dollars more than the City of Monroe in Michigan, where my family has our two Chihuahua mixes registered.)
- Please, if you really need to re-home or surrender your pet, BRING THEM TO A NO-KILL SHELTER. If you really have no method of transportation or way of getting them there, there are often services to help. It just involves a little research. No-kill shelters and rescue organizations will do a lot to help pets in need. Sometimes they’ll even have volunteers who will come pick them up from wherever is necessary. (Example: My previous article described Pixel, a Pit Bull in dire need of a rescue or else she would’ve been euthanized today, 2/26. Two rescue organizations, one based in Washington and the other in Nebraska, desperately wanted to help Pixel. But, of course, they could not go pick her up. Eventually we were able to find a woman in the Los Angeles area who could do so. It took some time and serious searching, but these organizations, wherever they may be located, will do just about anything to help you and your pet.) Essentially, it’s up to us to be willing to do only a little more work to ensure the animal is not taken to a kill or high-kill shelter. Please do your research and don’t be afraid to ask for help!
- When in doubt, ASK YOUR VETERINARIAN. Very few vets (hopefully zero…) are going to say, “Yes, bring little Frodo to NYC ACC, where he will be killed within the week.” They will more than likely have a list of helpful resources, including shelters and rescues that will not kill your pet and will do their best to re-home him/her. (Don’t have a veterinarian? Doesn’t matter. CALL ANY VETERINARIAN. If they’re not willing to help you, they probably shouldn’t have become a vet in the first place.)
- I know this one is a lot to ask, but please, before you adopt or breed, CONSIDER THE RESPONSIBILITY OF GIVING AND TAKING LIFE. Dogs and cats (and all of the Animal Family) are alive. They need love, affection, socialization, food, water, shelter, etc. – just like us. By breeding and selling pets for money, you’re in control of their lives. That’s a pretty big deal. Just think about it, consider consequences, and
- Lastly, please RESPECT the lives of our fellow animals. We can co-exist so easily, but humans have made choices that have led us to where we and our fellow animals are today – unnecessarily killing millions of pets per year. (Let’s not even get started on how many humans that humans kill per year. I’ll save that for another day.)
Some awesome organizations and rescues that I recommend checking out if you’re looking to adopt a pet, need to re-home or surrender your pet, would like to volunteer, and/or want to donate to a cause.
- PAWS (Progressive Animal Welfare Society) – Lynnwood, Washington http://www.paws.org/
- Homeward Pet Adoption Center – Woondinville, Washington http://www.homewardpet.org/
- Seattle Humane Society – Bellevue, Washington http://www.seattlehumane.org/
- Monroe SPCA – Monroe, Michigan http://www.monroespca.org/
- A Place to Call Home – for Dogs – via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aplacetocallhomefordogs/
- Additional comment about this site: A Place to Call Home is a Facebook page that shares both adoption stories and stories of available pets at high-kill shelters that have limited time to live. I highly recommend checking it out, giving them a like/share, and assisting in contacting local rescues to save these endangered animals!
- Your local Humane Society’s site is also (probably) very helpful. Most shelters will list their available pets online, even including photos and short behavioral biographies. While my list here is limited, I’ve included these particular sites because they have great resources available for anyone interested – phone numbers, advice, etc. Check them out!
life&company 