| . |
| Why Dogs end up in Shelters. |
| Reasons for dumping pet off at shelter 1. Moving (7%) 2. Landlord not allowing pet (6%) 3. Too many animals in household (4%) 4. Cost of pet maintenance (5%) 5. Owner having personal problems (4%) 6. Inadequate facilities (4%) 7. No homes available for litter mates (3%) 8. Having no time for pet (4%) 9. Pet illness(es) (4%) 10. Biting (3%) |
| The majority of the surrendered dogs (47.7%) were between 5 months and 3 years of age. Many shelter dogs potential homes are taken by puppy mill puppies and puppies form backyard breeders The majority of dogs (37.1 %) had been owned from 7 months to 1 year. Approximately half of the pets (42.8% of dogs) surrendered were not neutered. Many of the pets relinquished (33% of dogs) had not been to a veterinarian. Animals acquired from friends were relinquished in higher numbers (31.4% of dogs) had not been to a veternarian. Close to equal numbers of male and female dogs were surrendered. Most dogs (96%) had not received any obedience training. |
| The problem is an overcrowded and under-funded Shelter network in America that takes in over 30,000 strayed, lost, abandoned and surrendered dogs and cats per day - over 11 million animals per year, of which less than a third are successfully adopted into new homes. The fate of the remaining two/thirds of the Shelter population is either permanent incarceration in a caged environment and/or euthanasia, the latter being the stark reality of a throwaway society that discards its pets as it does its other used material possessions. Failure to adopt a far greater percentage of Shelter animals, due mostly to public misconceptions about Shelter pets and Shelter facilities in general, and failure to nationally invoke spay/neuter education as the basic tenet of pet ownership, both seal this fate. |
| There are millions of dogs right now around the nation waiting for a new home. If they are given a chance by someone and adopted, they will repay that love tenfold. An adopted dog will give to you everything they have in the world, their life. Some people may belive that in order to have a dog bond to you, you have to have them from the begaining. So not true, a neglected adused dog, who is finally shown love will bond to you like no other. The sad thng is, is that not all dogs are even given a chance. Only a third of all dogs in shelters are ever adopted. A a world of backyard breeders, puppy mills, and uninformed people, is a tough world for a homeless dog. Please do everything you can to help out homeless animals and to stop puppy mills and backyard breeders. |
| The reasons why there are so many homeless dogs in shelters around the nation today are wide and plenty. It is easy to think of the millions of dogs as a one whole being. But each one of those 11 million dogs is a separate dog. Each one has the potential to become someones best friend. Just take a trip to a shelter and pick a dog at random, sit with that dog four a couple of minutes. I dare you not to fall in love! The point of this page is to show that it isn't the dogs fault that it is in the shelter. If a shelter dog hasn't made a good pet for anyone in the past it is becuase no one taught it to be a good pet. If a dog isn't trained as a puppy, it won't behave right as a adult. If you get a dog as a puppy, be responsible for it. You get out of it what you put into it. If you want a dog, adopt, and save a life. |
| LOVE FELT AT LAST No more lonely cold nights or hearing that I'm bad. No more growling belly from the meals I never had. No more scorching sunshine with a water bowl that's dry. No more complaining neighbors about the noise when I cry. No more hearing "shut up," "get down" or "get out of here"! No more feeling disliked, only peace is in the air. Euthanasia is a blessing, though some still can't see Why I was every born if I weren't meant to be. My last day of living was the best I ever had. Someone held me very close, I could see she was very sad. I kissed the lady's face, and she hugged me as she cried. I wagged my tail to thank her, then I closed my eyes and died. �Animal Shelter Volunteer Massena, NY |
| By: Katie Barrett |
| Why so many dogs in shelters? 1) Bad fit. About the time a pup reaches physical maturity is when her owners first realize they've taken on more than they can handle and recognize that they ended up with a dog that's too big, too active, or too dominant for them. The majority of the surrendered dogs (47.7%) were between 5 months and 3 years of age. 2) Poor upbringing. Too many people put off to tomorrow the socializing and training they should do today. These people end up with an out-of-control dog that's a nuisance � and possibly a danger. Lots of these overgrown puppies just need a little work, some basic obedience and problem-solving, but that's more than many people want to bother with. Most dogs (96%) had not received any obedience training. It's not that these dogs are untrainable, it is just that nobody tried. 3) Novelty wears off. The cuteness that keeps people from strangling puppies doesn't protect the formerly fuzzy when they get a little older. Oh yes it is so cute to dangle your fingers in front of a little puppy and watch him try to catch your fingers in his mouth. But once it is a 100 pound dog, it isn't so cute any more. These dogs have jsut become an inconvience and were discarded like yesterday's trash. With a little trianing they can become great pets. 4) Some are just strays. They are just innocent vicitms in someones stupid decision not to spay or neuter their pet. These dogs were just given a tough start at life, but most are tought, and smart, you need to be to survive on the streets. These dogs will need a while to trust people however, because most have been scared off by people trowing things at them and chasing them away. There are also many pregnant dogs that give birth in shelters or are put to sleep immediatly because they are pregnant. |
 |
 |