"It’s another late night and you’re trying to
stay awake while you finish up your homework that is due tomorrow. The reason
you are up so late is not necessarily because of procrastination, but rather
the black and white puppy that has been distracting you begging you to play
with her and her toy pig that is 3x the size of her. Though it would be so easy
to get mad at her for being so distracting, the little black and white puppy is
my friend for life that I adopted from the Scottsbluff Humane Society 4 years
ago!
There are many reasons why adoption may just be
the better choice when it comes to choosing between adopting a pet or buying a
pet from a breeder, puppy mill, or a pet store. In an article written on and by
the ASPCA, that was last updated in 2017, the ASPCA states that approximately
6.5 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year,
with 3.3 million of those animals being dogs and 3.2 million being cats. Out of
those 6.5 million animals, approximately 1.5 million of those animals are
euthanized due to the fact that they do not find a forever home.
I have personally adopted one dog from the
humane society as well as doing extensive research on the best place to go to
get a dog, so I feel that this qualifies me to speak on this topic.
When getting a pet, whether it be a cat or dog,
it is important to first remember that there are many animals in shelters that
need to find a home or they stand a large chance of being euthanized. Next,
there are many causes that contribute to why there are so many animals in these
shelters and at risk. Finally, it is vital to realize that if someone really is
an animal lover, the solution is simple: adopt!
Before any person can go out and fix the
problem, one must understand how severe the problem truly is. In a journal
article posted in August of 2012 on US National Library of Medicine National
Institutes of Health, Patricia Turner, Jim Berry, and Shelagh MacDonald explain
just how serious the problem of there being so many animals in shelters is. The
authors state that “In the United States, an estimated 6 to 8 million dogs and
cats enter shelters each year. This does not include animals relinquished to
shelters by their owners for reasons such as infirmity, unacceptable behaviors,
or old age. Approximately 40% to 50% of animals entering shelters or pounds
will be euthanized.” While this article is a couple years old, a more recent
article shows that this problem still exists today. On February 8, 2017, Kim
Kavin posted on The Washington Post that even though the number of dogs
that are dying in shelters is decreasing, 1.2 million dogs are still dying in
the shelters each year. 780,000 of these dogs are euthanized, while the other
420,000 die waiting to find their forever home. The number of dogs going into
shelters every year, while decreasing, is still staggering. It is even worse when
anywhere between 20-40% of them do not make it back out. Clearly there is a
problem, but we need to next find out what is causing this to happen.
Recognizing that there is a problem is one
thing, but it is also important to identify just why this is such a problem in
this first place. These causes all trickle down to the two reasons that, one,
people buy from breeders, puppy mills, and pet stores rather than adopting a
pet from a local shelter and the second cause is the reason why there’s more
attraction to those other places rather than to shelters. To begin with, in a
previously stated article from the ASPCA website, they shared results from a study
that discovered where people are buying their pets from. The most common
response from people was that they bought from breeders, this made up 34% of
the study subject’s population. The next most common place was businesses that
fell into the “other” category such as pet stores and puppy mills. These
businesses made up 32% of dog purchases and 39% of cat purchases. Though there
is proof that these businesses receive more customers than shelters, it is also
vital to understand what is causing people to choose these stores over adopting
from a shelter.
So, what causes people to buy from these other
places rather than adopt? In an article posted on August 20, 2013 by Lauren
Mellela on the Global Animal, she says that a lot of these causes fall back on
young adults ages 18-34. One of the most common reason for buying elsewhere
besides a shelter is that fact that “young people often view shelter pets like
used cars: You never know what you’re going to get and what issues they have.”
Many young adults tend to have this view that shelter pets are “damaged goods.”
Mellela quotes a statement from Fieser: “Every person that I know of has had
somebody break up with them — a boyfriend, a girlfriend, a best friend, the
same is true for these animals. Just because somebody broke up with them, it
doesn’t mean they’re less worthy. … The idea that they are damaged goods is
false.” Another thought that people tend to get wrapped up in is the idea that
shelters only sell mutts and mixed breeds. However, this idea can be proven
wrong by the fact that 25% of shelter dogs are pure bred. There are animals
that need adopted that are just as deserving as the purebred dogs but they are
not getting a chance. Now that we have discovered exactly how many people buy
pets from elsewhere in addition to noting why people go elsewhere to purchase
these pets, we will look at the only solution that can fix this!
There is only one true solution that can end the
euthanization that is happening in shelters each and every day in addition to
ending the cycle of pet stores, puppy mills, and breeders gaining support. That
solution is adoption. When I last accessed google search for animal shelters in
Nebraska on April 16, 2017, there were 48 listed shelters in Nebraska alone.
One of these shelters is right here in our Kearney community. In an article on
the Kearney Hub by Jessica Kokesh that was posted on February 13, 2016, the
Kearney Area Animal Shelter had just celebrated its 10th year of
serving the Kearney community. Kokesh states that in those 10 years, more than
7,235 animals have been adopted, this means that the shelter averages 30-50
adoptions a month! The Kearney Area Animal Shelter is located on 3205 W. U.S.
Highway 30 and is open 7 days a week. With this in mind, all of us can make a
change by knowing our options and acting on what is right.
All in all, it is important to first realize
that choosing to buy elsewhere rather than adopting from a local humane society
or animal shelter is the problem. Next, we noted the causes of this problem.
Finally, we discussed a solution that is easy to act on by simply having
adequate knowledge. While some people may think that shelters only sell damaged
pets that aren’t good enough, think again. Your potential best friend could be
waiting in a cage right now for your love and time and only you can put an end
to this unnecessary killing by adopting a pet!"
If you or someone you know is thinking about getting a dog, I think they should read this first. The love that a shelter dog has is greater than any other love. I would know. I tried to convince myself I did not like her and now I don't leave the house without her.
Disclaimer: I am not biased because it is my sister :)
Thanks for reading and write you guys later!
Sincerely,
Morgan Haberman
