Having adopted three animals at the local pet shelter, I have witnessed the inadequate resources available to community shelters. Hundreds of animals are sometimes packed into small buildings with only a few volunteers to take care of them. Although the volunteers are passionate about their work, they are unable to meet every animals' needs.
Just last week, I adopted my third cat, Emma, from the Cats 'N' Us shelter in Dover, Ohio. According to the cat shelter's records, Emma's previous owners dropped her off because they were expecting a baby and did not want animals in the house. This otherwise healthy cat lived in the shelter for 3 months before I saved her. Emma is very loving and protective -- watching me
from the window when I leave and wanting my attention when I come home. It is obvious that Emma knows I have given her a better life than she had in the shelter. But there are over 100 cats (just at this shelter) still looking for a place to call home. I started to wonder what national pet adoption statistics were available and if my local shelter resembled "the norm." Was animal overpopulation a local or national problem?
Photo Credit: Amber James
The Truth Hurts: Facts About Animal Overpopulation & Shelters
According to the U.S. Humane Society, "Each year communities are forced to spend millions of taxpayer dollars trying to cope with the consequences of this surplus of pets. These public costs include services such as investigating animal cruelty, humanely capturing stray animals, and sheltering lost and homeless animals." Many shelter volunteers across the U.S. have been trying to educate communities by encouraging pet adoption and spay/neuter programs. But animal overpopulation is still a prevalent issue in the United States.
Even though it is tempting to run to the local pet store, shelter volunteers plea that families need to consider adopting animals instead. According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy:
Just last week, I adopted my third cat, Emma, from the Cats 'N' Us shelter in Dover, Ohio. According to the cat shelter's records, Emma's previous owners dropped her off because they were expecting a baby and did not want animals in the house. This otherwise healthy cat lived in the shelter for 3 months before I saved her. Emma is very loving and protective -- watching me
from the window when I leave and wanting my attention when I come home. It is obvious that Emma knows I have given her a better life than she had in the shelter. But there are over 100 cats (just at this shelter) still looking for a place to call home. I started to wonder what national pet adoption statistics were available and if my local shelter resembled "the norm." Was animal overpopulation a local or national problem?Photo Credit: Amber James
The Truth Hurts: Facts About Animal Overpopulation & Shelters
According to the U.S. Humane Society, "Each year communities are forced to spend millions of taxpayer dollars trying to cope with the consequences of this surplus of pets. These public costs include services such as investigating animal cruelty, humanely capturing stray animals, and sheltering lost and homeless animals." Many shelter volunteers across the U.S. have been trying to educate communities by encouraging pet adoption and spay/neuter programs. But animal overpopulation is still a prevalent issue in the United States.
Even though it is tempting to run to the local pet store, shelter volunteers plea that families need to consider adopting animals instead. According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy:
- approximately 8 million to 12 million animals in the United States are put in animal shelters every year
- over 5 million (otherwise healthy) animals are euthanized because they are not adopted.
Over the next few weeks, I hope to showcase (through candid interviews and photos) that no animals should be left behind.
YOUR TURN:
- What's your view of shelter animals?
- Would you ever consider adopting one as a pet? Why or why not?
