By Laura KHelp End Pet Overpopulation!
Recent allegations against a local Humane Society are shocking and disheartening to say the least. According to the ASPCA, there are about 5,000 community animal shelters nationwide that are independent. There is no national organization to monitor these shelters. While many are well run establishments staffed with caring individuals, the truth is we have an underlying problem of monsterous proportions. That problem is pet overpopulation.
Unplanned pet pregnancies most often result in offspring either ending up in shelters where likelihood of euthanasia is high, or being abandoned to a dangerous life on the streets. Approximately 5 to 7 million companion animals enter shelters nationwide every year, divided equally between owner surrenders and strays that are brought in by animal control. Now, here’s the cold, hard fact:
AROUND THREE TO FOUR MILLION ANIMALS ARE EUTHANIZED IN SHELTERS IN THE UNITED STATES EACH YEAR.
That’s around 60 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats. And while these numbers are staggering, they are just the tip of the iceberg. It’s impossible to determine how many stray dogs and cats live in the US, but estimates for cats alone range upwards of 70 million. Stray animals often starve or freeze to death, contract disease through contact with garbage or other ill animals, and suffer painful deaths by being run over by cars.
How to help:
Of utmost importance is to practice responsible pet ownership by spaying and neutering your pets. Pets can be spayed or neutered at any age, but puppies or kittens should ideally be altered when they are young – opinions on recommended age range from 2 to 5 months. Think you can’t afford it? The truth is, if you can’t afford to sterilize a pet you really shouldn’t get one. Here’s the breakdown for spaying and neutering in our area:
- Blood work is recommended before either procedure to determine if there are any underlying health problems that might cause complications with the anesthesia. However, while recommended, not all vets in this area require it be done.
- Costs for the procedures can be as low as $45 to $77 for cats and $73 to $96 for dogs. For the advised bloodwork, expect to add around $40.
Think about this – spaying and neutering actually saves you money in the long run. The cost is less than for major surgeries and treatments that may be needed if your animal is left unaltered, such as procedures for preventable cancers that spaying/neutering has been shown to reduce incidence of.
Of course, other important ways to help animals in shelters are adoption and through donations of money and supplies. But to help reduce the number of pets in shelters to begin with (as well as the number of strays on the street), please, please spay and neuter your pets and help spread the word of the importance of doing so. It will save lives.
