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Adopting an animal into your family requires a great deal of dedication and commitment. When we bring an animal into our home, we are telling them that they are free to live without fear or abandonment for the rest of their lives. Sadly, many animals do not get the forever home and forever family they once trusted, and they end up scared, confused, and sad in shelters across the world. Although there are some legitimate reasons why animals are surrendered to shelters, like the death or illness of their caretaker, many animals are relinquished to shelters for the mere convenience of people.
Although some animals are lucky enough to be adopted after being surrendered, the tragic fate of too many is death. According to a petition written by Best Friends Animal Society, 5,500 animals are killed in shelters across America every single day. That means over two million innocent lives are cut short each year. As the petition explains, most of these animals are not so sick or injured that euthanasia seems like the only humane option; the majority of these animals are deemed healthy and are euthanized simply because there is not enough room at the shelter to house them all. This needs to end.
The petition is calling on each and every one of us to sign the pledge to end the unnecessary practice of euthanasia across American shelters by 2025. Please take a moment to sign the petition and share with your network to gain more support for the cause.
The end to “kill shelters” does not end with signing the petition, however. There are many “no-kill” shelters and rescues who tirelessly rescue innocent animals from their dismal and unfair fate on death row, but they too are often at capacity with the animals they can care for. This is where you can make a tremendous impact. By volunteering your time and fostering an animal from a shelter or rescue organization, you can directly save lives from euthanasia. Most organizations will provide you with all food, supplies, medication, and toys you need and will pay for any necessary vaccines and vet visits, so all you really need to provide is a whole lot of love.
Another way to help save lives from shelters is by spaying and neutering your pets. There are more companion animals being born in the country than can be cared for properly. By doing your part to keep the pet population down, you are ensuring that shelter animals have a better chance of being adopted. Lastly, if you do not have a companion animal, but are considering adding one to your family, please remember to always adopt, not shop.
Image Source: Pixabay/pexels.com
MUST MANDATORY SPAY AND NEUTER GREAT PETS FOR THE END OF UNWANTED GREAT LIVES NOW.
I hate this statistic too – it breaks my heart – but that fact is that in the US, there are 5 dogs and cats born for every human born (I read this in a vet\’s office on a poster). So unless every human buys 5 pets, there is no solution other than euthanasia. There could never be enough shelters to house all of these animals and we can\’t let them run wild bc domestic cats and dogs cannot fend for themselves in nature and would die slowly and painfully if left unattended. It\’s beyond tragic, but a quick needle then a deep sleep is far kinder than death from starvation or exposure. PETA is the loudest voice for animal rights in America and yet they put down thousands of cats and dogs as a mercy.
No kill shelter sounds great, but the problem is that they fill up fast and when someone goes to take an unwanted animal there, they are refused bc there is no space. So the human either abandons the pet on the highway or worse.
The only way to prevent this in the future is spaying and neutering and not buying dogs or cats from breeders.
Already singed and to be clear healthy animals are not euthanized but killed. I don\’t understand why people persist in using that term. Euthanasia is for those who are suffering from a very painful condition/disease that will not get better. The only things animals in shelters suffer from are lack of families and good homes. The terms \’kill and \’shelter\’ should never go together.