Animal Shelters On Over Load

This year Jacksonville Florida has sponsored large animal adoption events for the over whelming animal population that is forcing shelters to euthanize perfectly healthy animals for no good reasons other then pitiful owners giving up animals for unforgiveable excuses such as "I am moving and can't take them with me" or "we are having a baby".

Day after day people are lined up at the shelters before they even open to drop off animals like it was second nature. Desperate times call for desperate measures. So what has happened?

The last two large events here in Jacksonville adopted out over 1900 dogs and cats to their forever homes. Within a month there were almost that many animals brought back to the shelters by owners who no longer want to care for their pets. This does not account for the strays that are brought in by animal control.

Finally the last straw happened when a sign was put up at the shelter that they were so full that any cats two pounds and under would be euthanized immediately. A new person was hired to help try to make other arrangements for pet owners to help them instead of them just dropping off these helpless animals.

If you do not want a pet forever, then do not adopt one. I have written many articles about the abuse that goes behind owners just dropping off animals like they are second best and not part of a family. Spay and neuter is almost free now a days to ward off people having loads of puppies and kittens that do not deserve to be homeless and unwanted.

I do not know how anyone can adopt an animal, have it for five or six years then just throw it away like it is nothing. Another thing that is being done with cats is they are lying about their ages to try to pass them off as kittens when in fact they are adult cats

We adopted a male cat, what we thought was a six month old kitten, from Pet Smart a week ago. When we took him to the vets he was not a kitten but a year old male cat. It didn't change the fact that we were going to keep him but he was also sick with an upper respiratory infection.

The good thing about adopting from your local humane society is that the animals are already spayed or neutered, microchiped, wormed and have had their first round of shots. Most adoptions here are twenty dollars. I would suggest you keep your animals separated for at least 10 days so that they will not get sick.

If one city can sponsor these events to help these animals get homes, then so could every other city in the United States. People need to be educated in taking care of their animals, where they can get low cost vaccines and taking ownership that the animal you adopt will always be yours.

Take this matter to heart and volunteer some time or give some food or blankets to your nearest shelter. These animals have no voice and no one to speak up for them.

Euthanasia is cruel. Its not like putting your dog to sleep when it's there time. The dog is walked down the hall and they know where they are going. Shelter workers call it the walk of death.

They are in a room with other animals that will be euthanized. The dogs are then put on a table while another technician is petting them and once the vein is found, they are injected with a lethal dose of pentobarbital sodium which produces rapid anesthetic action. There is a smooth and rapid onset of unconsciousness. At the lethal dose, there is depression of vital medullary respiratory and vasomotor centers.

When dogs and cats are given this medication, they take a horrible last breath so it is not pain free by any means. Vetrenarians use a different medication to first sedate the animal so they feel nothing. It's humane the way a vet does it.

Once all the animals are euthazied, they are piled on top of each other like garbage to be cremated.

What does no kill status mean? Having a no kill shelter means they will find a home for every animal they have or the animal will live at the shelter until they are adopted. Let's be clear on this though. Some animals are deamed unadoptable either by becoming so aggressive that they can not find them a home.

Many times this happens to perfectly good dogs but shelter life takes a toll on them. These dogs will be euthanized. Everything is done for them including therapy to try to make them adoptable. Sometimes is just doesn't work.

Be a solution to the problem. If you want a pet go to a shelter and adopt. If you are looking for a specific breed, I can tell you that there are full breed dogs at shelters that you can adopt for a fraction of what you would pay a breeder.

For one moment think about every other litter of puppies will be euthanized. If you can live with that then good for you. I can't. It is horrible what they do to animals when they are euthanized.

I could never do that job but someone has too. I imagine the technician that is do that job would at least be kind to the dog or cat while they are being put to death. Yes that is harsh but its a reality.

Over 8 million animals will be euthanized this year. 8 is too many. If people would stop breeding their dogs to sell and spay or neuter them, this number would drastically go down.

When puppy mills constantly keep a female dog pregnant, her survival rate goes down drastically. Puppies start coming out deformed and then the mother dog is just dump because she is of no use to the breeder anymore.

If you want to adopt a dog, go to your shelter. There are many animals that need homes. Become a foster if you can't deal with a dog full time. I guarentee you will become a foster failure. I have been ten times.

If you know of someone that is a back yard breeder report them to authorities. These dogs are not in good condition or have any papers that they are registered puppies.

If you want a full bred dog, then find a reputable breeder instead of a back yard breeder. The most loveable dogs come from a shelter.

Shelter dogs will do everything to get that love from a human. To have a nice warm bed to sleep in and endless food and treats. You will be their hero. Adopt don't shop.

http://www.jaxhumane.org/

http://AmericanHumane.org