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Homeless Pets - A National Shame

© Sherrie Walker

Gahndi once said, "The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated." If our nation were, indeed, to be measured by this yardstick, we would not fare very well. Each year, 10 to 15 million pets are abandoned in the United States. Of these, an estimated 7 to 10 million are euthanized, including 2 million purebreds, simply because there is no room to keep them.

Some of these pets are reluctantly given up by loving owners who have become too ill or infirm to care for them any longer or who have become homeless themselves. Most of them, however, come to be homeless through no fault of their own, but through failure of the owner - failure to spay or neuter, failure to train properly, failure to think before getting a pet in the first place.

The burgeoning population of unwanted dogs and cats can be attributed to one problem - the failure of owners to have their pets spayed or neutered. One unaltered pair of dogs can produce 4,372 puppies in 7 years. Cats are even more prolific. With many shelters sponsoring low-cost or no-cost spay/neuter clinics, there is simply no excuse for unwanted pregnancies resulting in unwanted puppies and kittens.

"He chewed up my best pair of shoes." "She won't use the litter box." Behavior and obedience problems are the number one reason pets find themselves abandoned at shelters and pounds. As with the spay/neuter issue, though, the blame lies with the owner, not the pet. It is the responsibility of the owner to train his or her pet in acceptable behavior. A wealth of information on pet behavior and training can be obtained from shelters, veterinarians, pet stores, and countless web sites. In addition, animal organizations and community colleges offer obedience classes that are inexpensive or sometimes even free, if your pet has been "rescued."

Let's face it, though. If you get a puppy or kitten, you're going to have a few messes and maybe a wee bit of destruction to begin with. Even an adult pet, placed in a new environment with strange people, may exhibit inappropriate behavior at first. Deal with it! If you can't deal with it, don't get the animal in the first place. Remember, too, that puppies and kittens grow up. A 5-lb. puppy may weigh 65 lbs. in 6 months, knocking over your plants and possibly your children. Think before you bring that cute little ball of fur home with you. Are you ready to commit 10-15 years to its care and well-being? If not, leave it for someone who will.

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