Dogs and cats abandoned in the Gulf States
11:06, 16 July 2010
.. Posted in Personal.. Link
Because of the economic hardships brought on by the massive oil spill in the Gulf, hundreds of dogs and cats are being dropped off at animal shelters in the Gulf states. And it's more than the shelters can handle.
Most animals dropped off at animals shelters in the USA are killed, because most shelters are not "no-kill" -- there's too much dog and cat overpopulation for them to be no-kill.
These are already hard times for dogs and cats. From California to Florida, millions of pets were abandoned in 2007 and 2008 as the U.S. economy floundered (stat from AP story). These are dogs and cats that had homes, had families -- and now have nothing.
Please consider making a donation to the St. Bernard Animal Shelter or the Louisiana SPCA, or any animal shelter serving the Gulf region. Your money will be used not only for animals in those shelters, but also for transportation of highly-adoptable animals to other shelters where they have a better chance of being placed with a family.
And, as always, please consider adopting an animal from your local animal shelter. All of my pets have been doggies no one else wanted: one from the street, one on his way to a shelter, and my current dog, Albi, from a shelter. All were fully grown when I adopted them, and all have had such strong bonds with me that my vets have commented on it. Do not believe all those shelter animal myths: how dogs from shelters are more unpredictable than dogs from breeders (not true), how adult dogs or old dogs can't bond with a person as closely as a puppy (not true), and on and on. And please, spay or neuter your dog or cat -- don't contribute to the dog and cat over-population problem!
More about why adopting animals from the shelter is such a great idea and why, if faced with problems with your pet, you DO have options other than dropping him or her off at a shelter.
