There are all kinds of wonderful dogs and cats in the world. Unfortunately, the majority of them will end up being euthanized.
The reason for this is overpopulation. So many pet guardians feel it is a wonderful thing to let "Minnie" have puppies or "Samantha" to have kittens. Some do it for the potential income they feel the babies will bring them. These people are only out to make a buck and thus puppy mills are created. These babies are usually very sick, and end up dying and are often kept in extremely unsanitary conditions. Still others feel it would be a great "learning experience for little Johnny and Mary to learn how babies are made and how they are born".
Though birth will always be a miraculous event, there are times when it should be prevented.
Unlike people, dogs and cats have "litters". They do not give birth to just one baby as most women do. The average litter for kittens is usually 5. Some breeds of dogs can have as many as 10 or 12 in a litter. Then, what do you do with all the babies? Well, you may try to sell them; or give them away. That would be wonderful if we didn�t already have thousands upon thousands of puppies and kittens already here needing good homes. Sometimes a litter is conceived totally by accident; and the pet�s guardians may try to do the right thing by finding homes but in many cases, these babes are tossed in a river inside a plastic bag. Most of these unwanted babies however, end up in shelters across the country. Some may get homes, but the sad fact is most of them will end up being euthanized. The average figure for an animal shelter is approximately 50,000 dogs and cats per year are taken in. Out of that, perhaps 10,000 may be lucky enough to be returned to the guardians who lost them; while another 6,000 or 7,000 may get adopted. The rest end up being euthanized. This is such a tragedy and so very preventable.
Spaying or neutering your pet is the best gift you can give them. It not only will prevent them from ever producing more unwanted babies, but it actually INCREASES their life span. The risk of a reproductive organ becoming cancerous is eliminated. Animal shelters now require sterilization before you can adopt; the SPCA will not release a pet for adoption until it has been surgically sterilized. These facts have greatly reduced the number of unwanted babies being born. However, private citizens and pet guardians need to do their part too. Obtaining a pet from a breeder, does not guarantee that pet will become spayed or neutered; and increases the risk of more unwanted babies being born in addition to adding all kinds of health risks to your newly adopted pet.
Responsible pet guardians not only give their pets good nutrition; housing, love, security and comforts, but also have their pet spayed or neutered as soon as possible. It is the best and most wonderful gift you can give your beloved companion, and will add years to their life span.
SANDRA HENDER
Week Launches With National Animal Shelter Open House Day, November 4
WASHINGTON - The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) announces that the sixth annual National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week will be held November 4-10, 2001. National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week was launched in 1996 as a way to recognize the indispensable role that the more than 6,000 animal shelters nationwide play in their communities.
Animal shelters across the country will be hosting their own open houses on National Animal Shelter Open House Day, Sunday, November 4, to kick off the week. The open house event will give local animal shelters, which always keep their doors open to animals in need, a chance to show visitors the many life-saving services that they provide. These services may include rescuing injured animals, investigating cruelty, and placing homeless pets with loving families. Animal shelters also play a vital role during disasters.
The events of September 11 illustrate the important role of animal shelters, which quickly mobilized to rescue pets in evacuated homes and house those orphaned by the terrorist attacks. Animal shelters organized donations of supplies to help rescue dogs at the World Trade Center. And shelters are implementing programs that will assist families affected by troop deployments. Animal shelters also provide disaster relief services during floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters that occur throughout the country.
"The role of the animal shelter has evolved dramatically over the years," said Betsy McFarland, program manager for animal sheltering issues for The HSUS. "Today, animal shelters provide a variety of essential services that go beyond housing homeless or abused animals. Animal shelters work to educate their communities about responsible pet care and provide advice and guidance on pet-behavior questions to help keep pets and their families together for life."
In honor of National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week, Patrick McDonnell, an award-winning cartoonist and creator of the nationally syndicated comic strip "Mutts," will again dedicate a weeklong series of the comic strip to shelters and shelter staffs everywhere. In addition, McDonnell has drawn original artwork for posters and other materials publicizing the event.
During the week, shelters across the country will be holding special events to promote their services to their communities. The HSUS encourages the public to visit their local animal shelter during this special week to see firsthand all it has to offer. Individuals are also encouraged to volunteer their time and talents or donate much-needed supplies.
For more information about animal shelters or National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week, visit The HSUS on the Internet at www.hsus.org.
Contact: Rachel Querry: (301) 258-8255 or Howard White: (301) 258-3072
Not only do some shelters not play a part in implementing spay/neuter programs, they also don't fulfill their obligation to try to find homes for these animals. Rather, they simply kill masses of these animals. And the methods used in different shelters vary dramatically, from gas chambers, to hooking up an exhaust pipe to a room full of little ones, to shooting the animals, to shoving a needle into an animal's heart and then just waiting for the little one to die.
And the animals suffer.
So many animals are suffering. And they've been through enough; homeless, unwanted, unloved, no food to eat, no love and affection. And if that isn't bad enough, they get dumped in some shelter somewhere where *still* nobody cares about them, and then suffer a horrible, painful and terrifying death by some barbaric method.
These poor little animals suffer from the day they were born until the day they die.
And these people who are running the shelters that are using such cruel methods to kill them, and who don't care whether or not these little ones are placed in loving homes, need to be stopped.
We have to *do* something. We have to stop them.
Please read about the shelters listed below and write letters. Too many innocents are suffering, and we have the power to stop that suffering.
Thank you,
Jamie
