A Pet's Prayer: "I ask for the privilege of not being born... not to be born until you can assure me of a home and a master to protect me, and a right to live as long as I am physically able to enjoy life... not to be born until my body is precious and men have ceased to exploit it because it is cheap and plentiful."
- Anonymous
Most people do not realize what an overwhelming pet overpopulation problem the U.S. has. Los Angeles is one of the worst cities in the country. Sure, many people know there are animals dying in shelters, but do they realize the true cause? While it can be argued that ignorance is bliss, it is also ignorance that is killing these innocent, loving creatures.
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4 to 6 million pets are turned into shelters each year in the U.S.
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3 to 4 million pets are euthanized in shelters each year in the U.S.
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Only 1 in every 10 dogs born finds a permanent home!
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One 1 in every 12 cats born finds a permanent home!
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At any given time, there may be approximately tens of thousands of strays wandering the streets.
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Each day, over 10,000 humans are born in the U.S. - and each day approximately 70,000 puppies and kittens are born. There simply aren't enough homes for all the animals being born, which is why spaying and neutering your pets is so important.
The country's thousand of pounds and shelters are forced to kill millions of animals every year. EVERYDAY, the pounds and shelters have to kill in order to make room for the ones that will flood them that day, all because pet owners don't think, don't care or are uneducated on how to care for their pets properly.
It's the same old story. "We couldn't get rid of our litter," the people say. "You can find good homes for them, can't you?" The shelter workers at the desk nearly always respond: "Oh, yes, we can find good homes for them," knowing in their hearts they will be put to sleep. A sad way for a new puppy or kitten to start off life and a sad way for their lives to end.
You say you are not guilty? Well, suppose we give the problem of too many puppies and kittens a close look and then YOU decide whether you are part of that problem.
There's the woman who won't have her cat spayed "because I want my children to learn about life. I want them to see the kittens being born."
Or the man who won't have his female dog spayed "because I don't her to get fat and lazy" or "I heard having a litter will calm her down."
A thousand pet owners have a thousand excuses for letting their pets breed, and so they add thousands - hundreds of thousands - millions - of puppies and kittens to the rising flood of the unloved and unwanted.
How can YOU help? Spay and neuter the pets in your home. Rescue from the shelter instead of purchasing from pet stores (most of these animals come from breeding mills) and backyard breeders. When you adopt an animal, be prepared to make a lifetime commitment, through good times and bad. If you are considering breeding your pet, go down to your local shelter and look into the eyes of the innocent... those hoping beyond hope for someone to love them... and realize that you are denying these animals a home by breeding your pet.
