What you can do to help reduce the number
of animals killed in pounds
Things you can do:
- The most important action you can take is simply to let people know that you believe the current situation is unacceptable. Being silent is another way of saying “I don’t have a problem with what is happening”. You don’t need to be mean, condescending, rude or accusatory. Just make sure the people around you understand that you believe that allowing millions of animals to be killed each year is wrong and that it should be stopped.
- Don’t “look the other way” when someone takes a pet to the pound. Let it be known that you believe that kind of behavior is unacceptable.
- Spay and neuter your pets.
- Encourage everyone you know to have their animals neutered.
- Adopt an animal rather than buying from a breeder or a pet store. There are many, very expensive pure bred animals at the pound.
- Learn about animal behavior before choosing to live with one. Animals are not little people and living with them is a challenge when you and the animal don’t understand each other.
- Encourage people who are having “behavior problems” with their pet to educate themselves about animal behavior before they blame the animal and give up on it. (See our training page). The sad truth is there are very few “bad” animals. There is just lack of understanding and communication. See “Abby’s story” in the cat of the month gallery, it has a happy ending we promise.
- Don’t dump animals, especially those that have not been neutered, into the wild.
- Take “The challenge”. Encourage others to do so. When your children are old enough (probably late teens) ensure they take the challenge.
- Organize school field trips to the local pound.
- Share this website with as many people as possible.
- Donate money to organizations that provide low cost or free spay/neuter clinics
- Do something! Don’t give up simply because the problem seems insurmountable. There was a time when people in this country owned slaves. We changed that. There was a time when women in this country were not allowed to vote. We changed that. There was a time when people of color were allowed to vote, but effectively prevented from doing so. We changed that. There was a time when people were discriminated against simply because of their skin color, their beliefs or their gender. In 2008 this nation elected a black man to the highest
office of the land. It may take time but people’s attitudes can be changed. You can help.