Today in the United States there is around 5,000 individual shelters with no national chair monitoring them. With an alarming 7 million domesticated animals entering them, around 3 million are euthanized, 60% of them are dogs. Most of these dogs are picked up by animal control. Less than 20% of owners return to get their dogs that are picked up by animal control. Most of them are not sprayed or neutered, some are even carrying babies. This is alarming in itself because the shelters must now use preventive measures to ensure there is a population control and no breeding going on. It costs less to have your puppy or dog sprayed or neutered than it is to raise their puppies. The majority of stray dogs are not sprayed or neutered, resulting in over population, most of these strays will at one point end up in a shelter, however most of their off spring will not survive past 1 month. The smartest choice we can make as owners is to have our dogs fixed, in order to keep population controlled and less strays out of the shelters. Only 10% of these dogs are adopted from the shelters and rescues, while many are going straight to breeders, instead of the rescue option. Unfortunately the majority of the dogs that are adopted from a shelter or rescue end up being returned to the same on. Five out of ten dogs in shelters are eliminated, not because of health reasons, but simply because there is no one to adopt them and the shelters need more room for incoming dogs. With estimated rising numbers in strays and not enough shelters to provide them with a home, the responsibility falls on us or there will be no stop to the endless euthanasia of these helpless, domesticated animals.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Research Review
Animaroo.com, provides an analysis of the negative effects of dog abuse, abuse of puppies, and shelter mistreatment of dogs. The article starts of by defining what dog abuse really is. Animaroo.com’s definition states “it can be defined as the hitting, shouting at, or injuring a dog in a specific way. Dog abuse is not consider the employment of dogs for specific performances or tasks such as law enforcement dogs, or aid dogs. However, Dogs must be treated in a humane and healthy environment or else it is considered abuse. A dog must also be fed appropriately, under fed or over feeding is consider inhumane and abuse.
According to the article, more thhan half of the 12,000 cases of animal abuse are dog abuse cases, this is an alarming number. A direct effect due to dog abuse is aggression. Many of these abused dogs suffer physical and psychological long term effects. Most dog attack cases towards innocent people are a result of abuse. Males are the most common to be abused against, as many of them are used for dog fighting.
Currently there are several shelters and welfare groups that are supporting dogs that have been abused. This is still not enough to keep up with the increasing number of abuse cases.
Another form of dog abuse that many are not aware of, are puppy mills. The adorable puppies in the pet stores at the malls are results of puppy mills. They face harsh living conditions, disease, and cruelty. Their parents are used as breeding machines until they are no longer useful for the puppy mill. Puppies need the same affection and attention as a young child, but going through the puppy mill system does not give them that opportunity they need. A direct result is physiological problems, in many of these young dogs.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
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