Solving the Pet Overpopulation Crisis

Eleven million domestic cats and dogs are killed in the Untied States each year and alarmingly the number continues to rise every year. It used to be 10 million, now it is 11,000,000. That is 11,000,000 lives that are extinguished simply because they do not have a home that wants them. They are healthy animals that deserve to live out a long and happy, healthy, loved life that is cut short because there is no one who wants them.

That is a very sad state of our nation and our world that such an epidemic of irresponsibility had bred mass genocide of helpless, powerless creature that don't have choice in the matter of their own lives! It is heartbreaking to consider 11 million adorable, soft, cuddly, innocent, happy, loving, sweet possible companions are put to death because we have allowed them to stray, spray and play without any limitations.

When we buy dogs and cats from back yard breeders, pet stores (puppy mills), or neighbors whose cat or dog just had puppies or kittens then we are supporting the problem not the solution. There is a solution that has been proven in many communities nation wide that works. There is a "No-kill Shelter" movement that is designed to educate communities on ways to run "No Kill Shelter Programs" so that there is no need to euthanize due to overpopulation anymore. We can stop unnecessary euthanasia by following these simple steps and spreading the word to everyone we know to do the same.

First and foremost, if you have pets please make sure they are neutered if a male of spayed if a female. Other terms are fixed, altered, sterilized. Basically what you are doing when you alter your animal is preventing it from producing offspring. This is the number one most effective measure we can take to significantly reduce overpopulation of dogs and cats. Otherwise, the results will astound you on how many offspring one unfixed cat or one dog is capable of rearing in a lifetime. Go to any Humane Society website to look up the research numbers. I assure you it is tens of thousands per cat or dog adding to the gross population. Just think only one dog or cat could significantly add or not to the problem of overpopulation. So, we can either spay or neuter or cat or dog and save lives or we can allow them to reproduce and be responsible for several hundred or thousands of deaths. You chose which one you are more aligned with in your value system. For me, I would rather celebrate life than morn senseless deaths of innocent beloved creatures.

Another very effective tool in helping to solve the problem of overpopulation is education. There are plenty of resources advocating spaying and neutering our pets. Every single animal rescue or shelter in fact. There are school programs that support the Humane Society and other animal groups to come in and educate our kids on what are safe practices with our pets and also about the problem of overpopulation. But until, each of us as individuals is willing to speak up and out to our neighbors who think it will be a cute fun way to earn a little extra cash be breeding their adorable little designer dog or lab we turn a blind eye and deaf ear to this pervasive problem. We all need to speak up and pay attention and inform others who may not know just how enormous the death toll is of our innocent pet companions. That is 11million deaths on our heads and at our hands that is 100% preventable. Have we gotten immune to such despair and resigned because we are used to it. But, what if that was one of us or one of our beloved pets that we cherish. The numbers become more personal then. It is just like when we lose so many of our men and women in combat. We hear the numbers of all our fallen soldiers but until one of them is connected to us in a personal way those numbers are simply numbers. But, they represent a life that has ended. And, those are lives that ended that had a choice to put themselves in harms way for our freedom or to hopefully bring about good in another part of the world. Our dogs and cats don't have that choice. They are victims of our careless irresponsibility and laziness. We are their stewards who are burdened with the responsibility of making that choice for them. And, what's worse is that the people who are burdened most are the veterinarians and vet techs who work at the shelters and humane societies that have the undesirable task of witnessing every single unnecessary death that they know could be prevented. They are part of the solution yet have to confront the consequences of the problem each and every single day. They have to see it, feel it and do it even though they don't believe in it. Try living that life!

Another way to be part of the solution is to, only adopt or rescue pets from animal rescue groups or shelters such as your local Humane Society or county animal control center. When we rescue or adopt cats and dogs from such organizations we are literally saving a life and making room for another one to be saved as well. When we rescue and adopt dogs and cats we are supporting those organizations that are part of the solution rather than those who are part of the problem. When we buy pets from pet stores, professional breeders, back yard breeders and puppy mills we are supporting the overpopulation epidemic and showing through our actions that we don't care and support the problem. When we rescue or adopt an animal who needs a home the added benefit is that they seem to know that we saved them and almost always, with a few exceptions, are the most loyal and gracious pet we will ever have.

It is not euthanasia to kill animals that are healthy and happy and full of life! It is mass genocide. It is murder of innocent creatures. When we are irresponsible and allow our domestic and stray cats and dogs to prolificate then we are accomplices to such genocide. On the other hand, when we spay and neuter, adopt or rescue and educate our friends, family and neighbors on this crisis of life, then we become advocates for these innocent's lives. The choice is yours. Save a life rescue, spay or neuter and share this information with someone today. I assure you there will be a cat or dog that will appreciate your efforts and be grateful that you took the trouble to take a stand.

Deborah Brightstar-The Doggie Diva, owns and operates, Doggie Diva Pet Care, LLC, a licensed, bonded and insured, pet sitting business in Tucson, AZ, where she customizes her service with a, "We take care of your pets and home as if they were our own!" approach, providing the highest quality of care and service to all of her clients- people as well as furry, feathered or scaly. She shares her active and fun-filled life and her abundance of love with her two rescued greyhounds Kali and Dora and the love-of-her-life Pepper, her Engish Springer Spaniel and Pet Therapy partner. She enjoys writing about pet related topics and on a variety of other subjects in her spare time. For more information, visit her website at http://www.doggiedivapetcare.com