Pet Goddess

Restrictive shelter policies
Some years back a friend of mine went to a state run dog pound near work, and tried to adopt a dog. He found a dog he really liked, and it was the last day of the dog’s week before it was about to be put down.

He was all set to adopt the dog, but the shelter refused to let him have the dog on the grounds that he wasn’t resident in the county. The fact that he worked there in a reputable company a few doors down made no difference. The dog would have been put down if he had not got a friend who did live in the town go in and save the animal.

So it would appear that if there are rules and restrictions for adopting a pet, there should be for admitting one into the shelter. Otherwise, why take the poor animal in the first place, if you are only going to have it for a week and then kill it anyway?

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Posted June 7, 2008 Comments(0)

Another contributing factor to this huge problem is government intervention. The state run dog pounds make it way too easy to unload the responsibility of owning a pet onto someone else. Most people can “Get Rid” of their dogs in one day. Almost anyone can take their pets to the pound.

Some shelters charge a fee for the dog to be taken in, to help offset the expense of the animal. Most people can afford to pay it, and it helps rescue a lot of strays.

But it is all to easy to just surrendeer the dog or car to a local state run kill shelter (dog & cat pound). The trouble is that it’s not so easy to adopt a dog from one, due to all the paperwork involved.

True, it is for the animal’s protection to a large degree, but they should not make so many hurdles, for example here in New York, if you live in an apartment or not, for instance, as a criteria for pet ownership. Most people in the city don’t live in a house!

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Posted June 6, 2008 Comments(1)

It is a sad fact: the vast majority of people who adopt a puppy or kitten, do not keep the animal for life.

If this trend were to be reversed, and most people actually kept their pets in a responsible manner through the good times and the bad, as they do their own children, the demand for new puppies would go down. If they spayed and neutered their animals, the number of unwanted pets would also go down,

With less of a demand, breeders would not breed as many litters, certainly not in the atrocious conditions of a puppy mill. Breeders are only breeding as many litters as they do, because people are buying them.

The demand for a cute little puppy or kitten is great, because people do not keep the animal for life. If a breeder had a litter and could not sell the puppies, they would not keep having litter after litter.

People are buying them, and paying top dollar for them, so breeders are breeding them. In a perfect world, breeders would breed less, in a much more controlled environment, and force people to adopt from an animal rescue.

But this is not a perfect world. The solution lies with the general public educating themselves as to what exactly is involved with each pet they get. Whether dog or cat, the animal has particular needs throughout its life, and if you are their human, you are responsible for those needs.

The power lies within each and every one of us. So what can we do?

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Posted June 5, 2008 Comments(0)

 So the crux of the problem lies not with the breeders who are supplying what people demand like any other businessperson (though they are trading in living creatures, which are caused to suffer one way or the other) but with the general public who, do not research, and buy these pets without thoroughly thinking it through.

They buy on impulse, without doing their homework on the type of pet they should get, and without taking the time to learn what kind of proper training a dog really needs in order to be that perfect dog.

Not that there is any such thing as perfect, of course, it is all in their mind.

They later “Get Rid” of their pet, passing them onto rescues or pounds. Later, most will end up “Testing Out” a different type of pet, still looking for perfection, instead of realizing that they are NOT the perfect owner either.

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Posted June 4, 2008 Comments(0)

So what went wrong in your relationship with your new pet? You were so excited to first get it, but then familiarity bred, not a loving bond, but contempt?

Your cute little puppy was not a model child, or worse still, it has not grown up the way you expected. It digs holes in your yard, it barks too much, it chews your furniture.

You feel sorry for it because you just can’t give it the time it deserves, you can’t afford its vet bills, you’re tired of dealing with its medical problems.

Maybe your dog bites or growls at people because you didn’t raise it to see humans as “Top Dog”. Perhaps it pees and poops all over your house, there are pet hairs everywhere, it’s ruining your furniture. It’s got a ton of energy and gets destructive/neurotic because you don’t have the time to spend with it. You’re tired of putting the time into it, tired of cleaning the litter box, tired of walking the dog. Or perhaps you have to move, there is a new baby in the house, you got a new dog or cat and there are ‘issues’ and you blame the ‘bad’ (old?) pet, your new partner is allergic…

The list of excuses for not keeping your pet goes on and on.

But the fact of the matter is, YOU have a choice, your pet doesn’t. And by YOU having made bad choices, or unrealistic ones, YOUR pet is the one who suffers.

So what does a person do when they have decided to give up on the pet they took responsibility for? They take the dog to a shelter thinking it is going to get a new home.

They might try to give it to a friend or family member to try to keep tabs on it if there was a genuinely good reason for surrendering the animal, but most of the time, once the decision is made, out of sight, out of mind.

It is not all that easy to find a new home for a pet because, you guessed it, as most people are looking for cute little puppies and kittens.

And they certainly would not want to take a pet who seems so undesirable that even their owner is getting rid of it and making excuses which sound pretty lame as to why they can’t be bothered any more, or ‘it just didn’t work out.’ With that kind of attitude, it is no wonder the rate of divorce in this country is through the roof.

But as we said, the pet has NO choice, the person does.

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Posted June 3, 2008 Comments(0)

One would think the pet overpopulation problem is 100% the fault of breeders, for encouraging the pets in their charge to have multiple litters repeatedly.

But no, that is not the entire root of the problem. Breeders are the effect of the problem, and the massive pet overpopulation is the aftermath.

Yes, breeders, as a whole, are breeding more litters than there are homes for, and yes, some of them can be greedy, and overbreed. There are puppy mills in which the females literally churn out dozens of puppies in their lifetime.

The ones that can’t be sold are often dumped on the side of the road. Likewise, during an economic downturn, like now, when people are not willing to pay $2000 for a designer puppy, they are dumping them. They can’t afford to feed them once they get part about three to five months.

Why are breeders selling puppies or kittens for that kind of money when there’s a worldwide pet overpopulation problem?

Because we live in a society of instant gratification, designer accessories, and endless entertainment.

Because people do not look at the purchase of a puppy or kitten as a serious life long commitment, a 15 year marriage, til death do one or the other of you part.

Puppies and kittens are so cute, most are purchased on impulse. Who could, after all, resist that cute little face?

People often choose a specific breed on looks along, rather than temperament, health issues, habits, daily needs and lifestyle, and then when any of these things clash with their own personal ones, they kick the pet out of their life like it is a football, without a backward glance.

How many of you reading this article know someone, including yourself, who has purchased a dog or cat, only later to “get rid” of it for reasons you didn’t anticipate.

How many of you, yourself included, know of people who have rescued their pet, often a ‘designer’ breed that commanded thousands of dollars as a puppy, but could barely even be given away as an adult?

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Posted June 2, 2008 Comments(2)

There is currently a worldwide pet overpopulation epidemic.

Who’s at fault?

Irresponsible breeders, and irresponsible owners.

No one can argue the fact that there is a worldwide pet overpopulation problem which is only growing the more people ignore the issue.

In the US, there are 45 cats and dogs for every person born. Only 1 out of 10 dogs born ever gets a home. Only 1 out of 12 cats born ever find a home.

800 dogs and cats are KILLED each HOUR. In Nashville, Tennessee alone, a state in which there are only kill only shelters, there are 300 to 500 dogs and cats euthanized (killed) every day within a 50 mile radius. Once the pets time is up, they are killed; given a death sentence because of state legislation and lack of money. We are talking about perfectly healthy animals who are desperate for a good home.

Rescue groups do what they can to get pets out of these kill only shelters, but they are usually focused on one particular breed, like cocker spaniel rescue. What about the poor loving mutt? It has no advocate, no people willing to drive hundreds of miles as if running an underground railroad to shuttle to safety the dogs who have been selected to be rescued. They relay them up to states like New York, where they are then checked and vetted and then fostered or adopted by their forever family.

But that is a best case scenario for the lucky few. There just are not enough homes out there for the amount of dogs and cats available for adoption.

Can you imagine how many dogs and cats are killed world wide daily? A pound in Nashville is reported to kill 95 of every 100 dogs that goes in there. And yet dogs are not spayed or neutered, so more puppies or kittens are inevitable. It’s a vicious cycle.

So where does the problem really lie?

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Posted June 1, 2008 Comments(1)

DE-FLEA YOUR GARDEN
1. Spray beneficial nematodes. Look for beneficial nematode products that available that, when applied to the soil, will specifically control flea larvae.

In addition, it will control many other types of pests that have part of their life cycle in the soil. Check with your local nursery.

2. Block entrances to the house. Close off pathways fleas can use to get inside, Make sure that any doors and windows that are usually left open have secure screens.

If your pet is an outdoor one, be extra vigilant in your use of the flea comb.

If you live out in the country, make sure your outdoor pets are not tangling with the local wildlife. Also make sure that they are  not inviting themselves into your house. Raccoons and possums can get into all sorts of small spaces, and bring fleas with them.

You may need to contact the local humane society for help in getting rid of them, using catch and release, and then blocking up access so they don’t come back.

One things is for sure, fleas are not only a nuisance but a health hazard. You just want to make sure that the things you use to treat the problem aren’t even more dangerous than the fleas themselves.

A safe home is a chemical-free home, for you and your pets.

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Posted May 30, 2008 Comments(0)

When you choose a pet in a rescue program, be prepared to go through an interview and application process. The organization wants to know these pets will be well cared for the long term.

You will probably be asked about other pets you may have, the age of your children, the size of your yard and your thoughts on a cat with claws if you are looking at a cat. This is to help match the pet with the right owner.

Adoption fees vary by each organization, but you can expect to pay $100-$350 for a rescued animal.

These groups do not make a profit. These fees cover the cost of the animal while it was in the care of the organization. This adoption fee usually covers vaccinations, medical exams, spaying, and neutering, and often the fees help cover the other animals, for example the older ones, who are less likely to get a home, and those who need medical attention, to help offset their costs.

Getting your next pet through an animal rescue organization is a responsible way to get your next family member. You can also find many volunteer opportunities through these organizations.  So even if you do not think you want to have a pet yourself, but still love animals, there’s a lot you can do to help even if you don’t adopt. You can donate, help walk them, feed them and clean out the pens, and lots more.

You just need time, energy, and an open heart.

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Posted May 16, 2008 Comments(0)

You can gain a lot of personal satisfaction by adopting your next pet through an animal rescue organization. You know you have done something to help all the homeless animals, and your new pet will show its appreciation.

If you are interested in adopting through one of the many rescue organizations, it is easy to find one in your area. As we said, do a zip code based search on petfinder.org. You can also set your other choices for what you are looking for in a pet, age, gender, specific breed, and so forth.

Or, ask your vet.  Your vet can give you the contact information for organizations near you. If this is your first time pet, compare the policies of the local shelters. Some are far more strict than others. The adoption fee, which basically is a nominal fee toward the cost of having cared for the animal, can also vary widely depending on shelter and on the age of the pet.

Most of the time, these pets are kept in private homes (foster homes) until they are adopted. This gives the animal time to be socialized with other pets, children and time to get used to living in a home. They can also determine the pets’ likes and dislikes to enable them to place it in the best home.

Sometimes, animal rescue groups will bring their animals that need homes to kennels or doggy day care to be socialized and shown off, to see if a home can be found for the unwanted animal.  They will also bring them to  pet stores or other locations for interested people to see and meet the animals on certain weekends.

Posted May 15, 2008 Comments(0)