Pet Portraits by Denise Cassano

WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP PET OVERPOPULATION?

Pet overpopulation is a human made problem, but it is fixable.  I've volunteered for years at my local animal shelter and it was an awesome experience. 

We have too many dogs and cats and not enough people. It’s as simple as that.  People breed dogs and cats and there are not enough people who want them.  We also have puppy mills here in the United States.  This is where people  breed dogs over and over in disgusting conditions and then sell them to pet stores around the country.  The pet stores claim that the are from ‘breeders’. (My neighbor fell for this story.   Don’t let that happen to you.

Dogs from puppy mills often have congenital problems and other medical issues.  Unsuspecting people buy these dogs to find that the dog is very sick- not only do they end up with huge medical bills, they have the heartache of a sick dog. The solution is simple, don’t buy a dog,… ever.

Don’t breed animals, ever.  “But my dog is so cute I want to see what her puppies would look like.” You don’t know where the litter will end up, but I do.   They end up at the pound that eventually euthanizes them if there is no one to adopt them, or the dogs go to a shelter that spends hundreds of dollars to place them in a home.  I know because I volunteer at shelters (where, by the way, we often have purebreds that started out in this situation.)  Don’t… breed… ever.

Don’t buy an animal, ever.  “Dog Stores” get their dogs from puppy mills no matter what they tell you (see story above).  No reputable licensed breeder would EVER sell their dogs to dog stores.  You can adopt from one of hundreds of rescues.  What if you want a specific breed?  Or maybe your son has allergies and you need a particular type of dog? I have good news… There are rescue groups for every breed! Simply search for the breed and the words “rescue group”.  For example, if you search the term “boxer” and “rescue group” you will find rescue groups that specifically save boxers. It’s that simple. There is nothing wrong with going to a reputable breeder if you must, but please check their credentials before doing so. 

Talk to friends, neighbors and your kids about puppy mills, pet overpopulation and adoption. Education is crucial.  It’s surprising to me how many people don’t know about puppy mills.  Everyone can help- even if you don’t have money, you may have time, or some special ability.  See if you can volunteer at your local shelter.  They may need people to walk or socialize the dogs, clean the cat cages, play with them, transport them from one state to another.  I volunteer at my local shelter and it’s the best part of my week.