Pounds, shelters and rescue are getting more media than ever, as the public’s interest in companion animal welfare swells. Some use this new exposure for good; promoting their adoption programs, responsible pet ownership initiatives and encouraging councils and pet owners to work together on solutions which allows both public safety and recognises the importance of pets in a healthy community… aaaaand others use these media opportunities as an opportunity to bash the public. You know the kind;
No doubt the groups involved think they’re doing a public service; “if people know shelters and pounds are places where pets are killed, it will keep them from ‘abandoning’ their pets” the thinking goes. Forgetting that around 80% of the cats entering the shelter have never had an owner and that 85% of dogs entering shelters in Australia are entering as strays. So for this small benefit – potentially discouraging owner abandonment – what is the cost?
This week I’ve had no less than five emails that read almost word for word like this one:
Last week I found an adorable stray. She just trotted into my house. She was so friendly and well behaved that we thought she must be someones beloved pet. We were further convinced of this as when I took her home she showed us that she is house trained, loves people, including children and was immediate friends with our 38kg golden retriever!
I put up signs at my workplace and went to all the vets in that area, still hopeful of reuniting her with her owners. I also listed her as ‘found’ on several websites. No luck so far. We would love to see this little dog re-homed, she has an amazing spirit. We are happy to continue to pay for her everyday needs eg food, heartworm, flea medication etc and provide a temporary safe, loving home for her. Are you able to please help us find a home for this dog? We can’t bare the thought of her going to the pound, she has so much affection and love to give.
Across the nation pounds are telling people that they are places of death for pets. In response nice, caring people are doing what any nice, caring person would do – keeping the pet away from there! And given the whole system breaks down if owners are unable to find their lost pet within a couple of days, having people hold on to these pets and try and find the owners themselves instead of taking them straight to the pound, is a disaster in the making.
It doesn’t have to be like this – pounds playing ‘gotchya’ with their public and pet lovers seeing them as the enemy, not a resource to be trusted. There is a better way.
Compassionate animal management – how ‘the system’ can be designed to save pets
