21 Sep De-sexing saves lives
Spring is here … and at this time of year there are few things more gorgeous than puppies, kittens, lambs or calves. Problem is, every year so many puppies and kittens get discarded and wind up at shelters.
We had an interesting couple of hours at our local SPCA a while back. They have some gorgeous animals up for adoption and do a great job of caring for them while they wait for the right person or family to come along.
Our SPCA have been offering free pet de-sexing for some time – yet there are still too many unwanted litters of puppies. Hate to think what the cat situation is like, I have to avoid the cat unit – all those big soft eyes staring out with the odd paw pushing through the bars begging to be taken home. I find myself irrationally trying to work out how I can fit another cat into our household.
Back to the dogs … while we were at the SPCA, a volunteer came by to collect some supplies for the latest batch of puppies she was fostering. One of the Dog Handlers had 5 foster puppies at home. And on top of that the place was still bursting with rolypoly 8 week old puppies dying for a home to call their own.
Oops … did I say dying? Sorry, but it’s beyond sad, after all the work that is done to de-sex dogs and cats it seems unbelievable that puppies and kittens still make their way to local shelters for rehoming.
Our initial visit was to choose a dog for a video we were making of a dog being washed – we needed a little cute model. We looked into a pen filled with gorgeousness and commented on one photogenic and boisterous boy. A shuffling of feet and a lowered voice said “not that one”.
Why? Because the overcrowded shelter had reached the point where someone had to make those hard choices – not every dog gets out alive. Our SPCA wants to be a no-kill shelter but struggle with where to put the excess puppies. Fostering is only a temporary solution and there is a point at which you can’t take any more in.
This isn’t about judging – every shelter in the country is overcrowded with puppies at the height of the season. Some facilities turn people and their unwanted puppies away, making it the problem of another shelter.
I still find myself thinking about that puppy, he wasn’t there when we turned up the next morning to video – he was a darling boy that became an agonising decision for someone. No-one should ever be put in that situation.
If people aren’t lining up outside your house to pre-buy your puppies – please, please have your dog de-sexed – so someone else doesn’t have to make those tough decisions.