October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, an awareness campaign worthy of note. The statistics are shocking and numbing. Over 61% of dogs and 75% of cats in shelters are euthanized. That amounts to over 12 million dogs and cats each year.
Shelters are not to blame. Abandoned cats and dogs are a problem. Unfortunately, facilities, medical attention, and most importantly, homes, are just not available. The social nature of pets requires a caring relationship with an owner and a pet. A kenneled pet does not have that opportunity.
Shelter workers and volunteers are the angels of pet care. They take on the emotional burden of caring for animals that may not live. They are the ones rallying for support and dollars to give these abandoned animals some semblance of compassion. Most often the problems lies with the would-be owner.
Pet ownership is a responsibility. Being responsible for another creature’s life is no small task. It requires time, devotion, and yes, money, to be successful. It doesn’t matter whether the pet is spoil rotten, sleeping in bed with you, or if he is kept in a kennel outside until hunting season. Pet ownership requires participation.
This month, if a pet is in your future, consider an adopted pet. I took in an abandoned pet. My precious Sophie was an abandoned rural farm cat. She is the joy of my life, a very intelligent and loving pet. Not sure where to start looking? PetFinder lists pets in shelters and veterinary clinics across the country, all in need of a home. For all the benefits that pets provide, doesn’t it make sense to rescue an abandoned animal?
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