“What a beautiful world it would be if people had hearts like dogs.”
Unfortunately, our world is not perfect, and not everyone has a heart like a dog. We have all seen the stories on our timeline or the heartbreaking commercials featuring Sarah McLachlan and the sinking tune of "In the Arms of an Angel." It is so easy for us to change the channel or look away. What we fail to realize is that there is so much truth to these testimonies in our media. Today’s statistics show that homeless animals outnumber homeless people by a ratio of 5 to 1.
There are over 70 million dogs in the world. Of those 70 million dogs, 3.9 million enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those 3.9 million, 1.2 million are euthanized because they cannot find homes and shelters do not have enough room to house them any longer. This means that only 61 percent of sheltered dogs find homes (ASPCA).
What about the other 39 percent? What happens to them?
Why is it that 100 percent of all sheltered animals cannot find a forever home? Several factors contribute to this growing problem. Some people think that releasing an animal to the streets to fend for itself is the only solution when one can no longer care for an animal. Not only is this putting the quality of an animal's life at risk, but it is also adding to the growing amount of homeless animals if this animal is not spayed or neutered.
The failure to spay or neuter pets is one of the two main reasons that animals end up in shelters. Only 1 percent of animals admitted into shelters are spayed or neutered. The other 90 percent could essentially be reproducing, adding to the population of homeless animals. The reproduction of these litters are already entering the world without a home, and will most likely be picked up by animal control and sent to a shelter. There are many reasons as to why owners may not want to spay or neuter their pets, however this is the smartest thing an owner can do for their pet. Ultimately, it will reduce the number of homeless animals in the streets. One unneutered or unspayed dog can result in a whole litter of puppies. Being aware of the domino effect could essentially have an immense impact on the growing statistics and percentages.
Another factor that hurts an animal’s chance at a second home is the existence of breeders and puppy mills. There is that mindset that purchasing a dog from a breeder ensures that the dog will be a “purebred”. This is not always true. In fact, 25% of animals admitted into shelters are pure bred (dosomething.org).
A puppy mill is essentially a factor style process of the reproduction. Puppy mills contain no sanitary or veterinary standards. With this being said, the 2.11 million puppies that come from puppy mills can be found with severe health issues including skin problems, tooth decay, malnourishment, etc. Puppy mills are solely designed for increasing profit off of the constant breeding of dogs. The well-being of these animals is not taken into consideration.
It all comes down to the shelters and the animals in them. Unfortunately, many will be euthanized before they are given a second chance at a new life. This is where you can make a difference. Adopting or rescuing an animal has so many benefits, but one stands out above all others: you are saving a life. Giving an animal a second chance at a loving home after neglect, abuse, or abandonment will be one of the most rewarding experiences. By rescuing an animal from a shelter, you are being proactive against the statistics of homeless animals and helping to eradicate puppy mills and breeders.
For more information or to help out the cause, please visit aspca.org, humanesociety.org, or visit your local shelter.
