According to the Humane Society of the United States, 2.7 million healthy cats and dogs are euthanized in U.S. shelters each year. That’s approximately one innocent animal every 11 seconds. What can we do to stop this??
1. Spay and neuter your pets.
By spaying and neutering your pets, you prevent unplanned pet pregnancies. If a stray is impregnated, the entire litter is then housed in the shelters. The shelters then have to euthanize the old pets to make room for the new ones.
2. Do your research.
Before adopting a pet, make sure you know what you are signing up for. Be sure you can give the animal the care it needs for its ENTIRE LIFE. Many animals get surrendered each year, which can be easily stopped.
3. Understanding the importance of animal rights.
Not all animals have a home where they get treats and tummy rubs. Some animals are neglected, abused, used for science, or forced to fight . Puppy mills and cruelty to animals need to be stopped. We must fight for our furry friends.
According to the Humane Society of the United States, “Each year, more than 25 million dogs, cats, monkeys, horses, guinea pigs and other animals are forced to endure painful experiments in the United States. Animals are deliberately sickened with toxic chemicals or infected with diseases, live in barren cages and are then killed when the experiment ends. Humans and animals are very different, so animal experiments often produce inaccurate or unusable results.” People are torturing poor innocent creatures. We should stop and ask ourselves; “Why?” No animals, not even the pesky mice that roam our kitchens or garages, should have to endure such terrible things. The Humane Society of the United States says “ The barbaric pastime of pitting animals against each other in a fight to the death for spectators often goes hand-in-hand with gambling, drug dealing and illegal gun sales.” How could we? What has society come to?? Are people so desperate for pastimes that they WANT to watch animals kill each other?
What to do if you see a stray pet
1. Check for ID tags
If the pet has an ID tag, you can guess it probably got loose or escaped it’s home. Check for phone numbers and addresses.
2. Check for Microchips
Bring the pet to a local Vet to check for a chip.
3. Post fliers to find an owner
Take a picture to find the pets home.
4. Call authorities
Call animal control if the animal looks rabid or aggressive.
5.Check for injuries
Carefully observe the animal before you get too close. If the animal has a limp, gash or wound of any kind be EXTREMELY carful. The animal may be over protective or in pain.
Pet Store Adoption
July 21 is No Pet Store Puppies day!
Picture this: An adorable puppy or kitten shivering in the corner of a microscopic cage. The pet had nothing but food and water. You meet their sad eyes, begging for mercy.
When looking for a pet, it is recommended that you steer away from pet stores. Consider adopting from the SPCA, or Animal Shelter.
Although the pets in the pet stores look so adorable, they come with many risks and problems. Resist the temptation.
Money
Pet stores charge insane rates, ranging from $1,000-4,500. The pet stores try to make the most money they can. Pet store prices can be more expensive than a purebred!
Puppy mills
Pet store puppies generally come from puppy mills. Puppy mills are extremely unsanitary. If you purchase a puppy mill puppy, your money goes towards the mills. Puppy mill owners rarely get proper veterinary care for their pets, if any. This leaves generations of pups sick.
For information on puppy mills click here
Health
When adopting from pet stores, you can’t meet the animals parents to test for genetic disorders. Veterinary bills often run higher, since the animals are kept in unsanitary, unsafe, cramped conditions where diseases and parasites are easily spread, and extremely common. Some illnesses include neurological and eye problems, joint dysplasia, and Canine Parvovirus.
You aren’t rescuing them
It's very common for people to view purchasing a pet from a pet store as rescuing them from poor conditions. In most cases when a pet is bought in a pet shop, the money is going to a puppy mill. Although you are providing a home for the puppy you “adopted”, you are also keeping a puppy mill in business and allowing them to keep other puppies and their parents in terrible conditions.
House training
Potty training is extremely difficult with store bought pets . They are kept in enclosed cages, with no room to move. They are trained to relieve themselves in the space they have, so you will have to break that habit.
My resources: Humane Society, and Devon Veterinary Hospital
