The pet overpopulation myth as well as exactly how it’s hurting the animals
Summary of this post:
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Why pet overpopulation is a myth
A evaluation of the genuine math with genuine numbers
Additional hints that show pet overpopulation is a myth
Reasons shelters are still killing pets
What you can do to send animals home
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Why pet overpopulation is a myth
Pet overpopulation is a myth since there are much more people seeking out animals than there are animals without homes. I’ll get to the actual numbers in the next section.
First, here’s one more example utilizing something less emotional than dogs as well as cats – apples.
Let’s state I’m trying to offer 200 apples. On the very first day I offer 50 apples. My apple trees likewise decrease 55 much more apples that day so at the end of the day I have 205 apples overall – five much more than what I started with. (200 -50 + 55 = 205)
Now, does this imply I have “too many” apples? Does it imply I have to throw some away? Does it imply there are not sufficient “homes” seeking out my apples?
No.
It most likely implies I suck at marketing. Or I haven’t requested any type of help. It might likewise be that I’m just not a good person as well as people would rather purchase apples from somebody else. Or perhaps my apple stand is run down as well as depressing. I may even be as well picky about who can purchase my apples.
It doesn’t imply there are “too many” apples. It doesn’t imply I am required to “save some as well as ruin the rest.” It doesn’t imply we have an apple-overpopulation problem.
I just requirement to get much more innovative on exactly how to offer my apples.
A evaluation of the genuine math with genuine numbers
The complying with stats are taken from a research study by the Humane society of the united states as well as Maddie’s Fund. The No kill Advocacy Center, a group with the objective to end the killing of healthy U.S. shelter pets, commonly cites these statistics.
I utilized to be like everybody else as well as never believed to concern pet overpopulation (thank you Jan for being the very first to instruct me otherwise). All my life I heard “help manage the pet population” or “no one wishes to kill animals, however we have as well many.”
Journalists report pet overpopulation as a truth in their stories – “simple math states there aren’t sufficient homes” – without even doubting it.
Where are the copy editors?
Here are the genuine numbers:
Roughly 23 million people acquire a new canine or feline yearly in the United States. Of those, about 17 million are undecided about where they will get that pet as well as can be persuaded to adopt. Meanwhile, U.S. shelters kill 3 million healthy dogs as well as cats annually due to a “lack of homes.”
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17 million offered homes
3 million homeless animals killed
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Simple math states there are much more than sufficient homes. A great deal more.
Do you believe much more of those 17 million would embrace if they understood shelter dogs are good dogs? Or if adopting a canine were just somewhat easier?
Additional hints that ‘pet overpopulation’ is a myth
If pet overpopulation were real:
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no-kill neighborhoods would not exist (there are currently much more than 162 documented no-kill communities in the United States)
pet shops would not be able to offer puppies since there would not be sufficient homes
breeders would not be able to offer puppies since there would not be sufficient homes
rescue groups would not be able to accept dogs from other communities, specifies or countries since there would be nobody to embrace these dogs
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So why are shelters killing so numerous pets?
There are a couple reasons:
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Some shelter directors just don’t recognize there is a much better way. They may be working hard, however they have not realized there are much better options, so they continue killing.
Some shelter directors are conscious of the no-kill movement, however they believe their neighborhood is somehow distinct as well as that no kill is impossible – so they continue killing.
Some shelters are in the process of ending up being no kill. Let’s support them! They are doing whatever they can, as well as in the meantime they are still killing some pets.
Some shelter directors just don’t care. They decline to get with the times. They may not care about animals. They may be so utilized to killing that it doesn’t bother them. They have hired uncaring employees, as well as they have no rate of interest in change. Volunteers may be terminated if they speak out. So the killing continues without any end in site.
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What can you do to send animals home?
The No kill Advocacy center promotes what it phone calls “The No kill Equation.” These are the steps successful no-kill neighborhoods follow, as well as you can support these kinds of programs in your own community:
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the trap/neuter/release of feral cats instead of the trap-and-kill model
low-cost spaying/neutering
allowing rescue groups to take in shelter as well as pound animals whenever possible
extensive foster care programs
always searching for methods to increase pet adoptions – make it simple to adopt!
helping pet owners work with issues so they can keep their pets
rehabilitation for medical as well as habits problems
working with the public as well as with the media for positve promotions
extensive volunteer programs
making it simpler for owners to reclaim lost pets
making sure the shelter director is caring to animals as well as people
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Learn more:
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Read my publish on what I discovered at the 2012 No kill Conference
How can your city ended up being no kill?
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Still believe pet overpopulation is real?
I have yet to see a single statistic or research study proving pet overpopulation exists, however if you can show me wrong, please do.
And even if pet overpopulation were real, is that truly an reason for killing?
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