Despite the efforts of many animal organizations in America, one of their greatest battles is animal overpopulation. According to pet overpopulation facts gathered by Trooper’s Team, each year roughly 5 million cats and dogs are killed in shelters (“The Cold Hard Facts on Pet Overpopulation”). This indicates that even if the stray animal population is controlled, shelters are still struggling to maintain their population within its organization. An achievable resolution to resolving the on-going issue of pet overpopulation would include setting up affordable spay/neuter facilities alongside encouraging individuals to adopt instead of buying their pets.
There are many reasons animals end up in shelters; some can be strays while others could be given up or removed by owners who were unfit to own a pet. Accidental pet pregnancies can also leave owners with no choice but to leave a litter of puppies or kittens at a nearby shelter, unaware of the possibility that these animals may not even have the ability to be adopted. Many U.S. shelters that cannot provide a home for these animals are forced to put them down, even if they are healthy and have the potential to be a wonderful pet. In recent statistics, in US shelters, out of 2.7 million adoptable pets, one is put down every eleven seconds because of overpopulation (“The Humane Society of the United States”).
Spay/neuter services are critical to both shelters and household pets in order to maintain animal population. Spaying/neutering animals will help prevent further animal reproduction. This in turn will help alleviate organizations from overexerting their resources in an attempt to better control and care for animals. There have been numerous clinics and programs set up to spay/neuter that have worked as a success. However, there are still a notable number of euthanizing procedures (Evans, 2007).
After researching concerns some people have against spaying/neutering, their greatest concern was the cost. In response to this issue, programs have been installed to help pet owners avoid paying an enormous vet bill for the spay/neuter procedure that they cannot afford. For example, there are associations that provide mobile spay/neuter services that are affordable. This includes the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) that sends out clinic trucks that perform spay/neuter services for up to a fraction of a cost. In addition, they also offer affordable microchip and vaccination services (“ASPCA Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinic”). There are other options for families that cannot afford spay/neutering such as state or national groups that may be able to help out, along with speaking with a veterinarian that could possible work out payment arrangements (“Pet Overpopulation”). In a recent article, by Jean McNeil, she discusses how a new facility built for spay/neuter procedures has significantly decreased the amount of pets euthanized. After years of approvals and construction, the New Hanover County Property Management became the project manager and was able to get the facility up and running with building costs of $58,000. In 2004 the facility was completely built, and by 2006 there was a total of 1,108 surgeries completed, preventing roughly 3,325-5,000 animals from being euthanized (McNeil,452).
Another common concern of pet owners who are against spaying/neutering is the possibility of their pets becoming overweight. This issue can be overcome by sustaining a better diet for their pets since nutrition is the greatest influence of their weight. Daily exercise for a pet will also help contribute to animal weight loss; giving roughly 20 to 60 minutes of exercise every day is recommended for maintaining a healthy pet (“Spaying and Neutering Facts”).
Another option these programs have are links set up to help interested owners adopt these pets before searching elsewhere. Although many may not realize, adopting a pet can make a significant difference for these shelters, leaving more space for other animals to be taken in. One benefit to adopting is that some facilities include spay/neuter surgery fees if needed. Implanting microchips, heartworm medication, and flea/tick treatment are typically also included, which provides assistance for families with financial difficulties that cannot afford the extra add-ons to adopting a pet (“The Humane Society of the United States”).
As a nation we must continue to increase the number of spay/neuter facilities to help decrease pet overpopulation. Euthanizing helpless animals in my opinion should be illegal, and spay/neuter facilities should be set up world-wide. A recent article, “Animal Overpopulation,” by Joanna Zelman, states “Even in countries with laws against animal cruelty, there is suffering. PETA estimates that up to 4 million animals are euthanized in U.S. shelters each year.” This statement expresses that there is still a great deal of work to be done to this day to help these animals. In able to increase facilities, there should be more advertisement for donations from inside pet stores to television commercials. Donations from all sources should be put towards the construction of these new facilities, as most places have already started to do.
Ultimately, the road to successfully maintaining animal overpopulation will require an extreme amount of resources, commitment and time from both organizations and individual people. However, it is not impossible. By taking small strides as discussed, services crucial to the well-being of animals will no longer be just an option, but rather, a standard. And fewer animals will be forced to live without a proper home or worst, to be euthanized. With that said, it takes the efforts of more than just one and everyone must share the common goal which is to ensure the happiness and livelihood of animals.
Works Cited
“Adoption Fees.” Animal Humane Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2014.
“American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.” Special Interest Group Profiles for Students. Ed. Kelle S. Sisung. Detroit: Gale Group, 2001. Web. 6 May 2014.
“ASPCA Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinic.” ASPCA. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 May 2014.
“The Cold Hard Facts on Pet Overpopulation.” Trooper’s Team, 13 Mar. 2012. Web. 06 May 2014.
Evans, Kim Master. “Estimated Number of Dogs and Cats Killed in Shelters, by Region, 2007.” Animal Rights. 2009 ed. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Information Plus Reference Series. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 6 May 2014.
“Healthy Dogs.” Weight Gain in Dogs: Why Is My Dog Gaining Weight? WebMD, LLC, n.d. Web. 06 May 2014.
“The Humane Society of the United States” RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 May 2014.
McNeil, Jean and Elisabeth Constandy. “Addressing the Problem of Pet Overpopulation: The Experience of New Hanover County Animal Control Services.” Journal of Public Health Management & Practice 12.5 (2006): 452-455.
“Spaying and Neutering Facts.” Spaying and Neutering Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 May 2014.
Zelman, Joanna. “Animal Overpopulation: What’s The Solution To 600 Million Stray Dogs?” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 18 May 2011. Web. 06 May 2014.