Aren't dogs just the cutest of creatures? Who can resist
those gaping stares and wagging tails, those big ol' tongues and playful
barks? Isn't the thought of it enough to make you want to purchase your
very own canine friend?
Well, unfortunately, for some people, it is. That's why
close to 10,800 animals are killed at the Tulsa Animal Shelter every
year. To break this down, that's 30 animals per day killed due to greed,
laziness, and insufficient planning of pet owners living in the Tulsa,
OK area.
This number could be greatly reduced if owners would
take a more active role in the welfare of their pets. How many animals
wandering the streets right now have a tag on their collar giving their
owners' name, phone number, and current vaccinations? Probably none,
because all the animals that do have these tags are returned to their
rightful owners, not wandering the streets waiting to be hit by a car or
picked up by Tulsa Animal Control. How much do these tags cost? Perhaps
a couple of dollars. Isn't the life of your pet worth at least a couple
of dollars?
There's a sign at the Tulsa Animal Shelter that reads:
"We have the cleanest dogs in America. Owners wash them and forget to
put their tags back on."
What about those owners who decide that they are no
longer able or willing to care for their dogs. The ones who accidentally
leave the gate wide open, or accidentally let the dog off its leash in a
different part of town. There are many names for owners like this. I'm
sure you can think of a few.
What about the people who decide they want a dog, so
instead of heading to the Animal Shelter, head to the classified section
of the Sunday newspaper. The most common argument for this is, "Well, we
wanted a pure breed and there are none at the shelter" or "Well, we were
looking for a puppy, and there are only older dogs at the shelter." How
do you know, have you checked? Would you not rather spend $56 and save
an animal's life than give $250 to a breeder who is continually pumping
out puppies whilst shelter kennels are overflowing? Are there not enough
homeless animals that breeders could take a 'breeding vacation'?
If you ever decide to open your house to an animal, make
sure it is in the best interests of the animal. Have you got the space
to keep the animal? Have you got the money to pay for food and vet
bills? Have you got the time to walk and play with the animal? You have
to remember that, outside of you, the pet has no life. It can't just
leave when it wants, or go outside and play whenever it wants.
There's a difference between being physically 'unable'
to care for an animal and physically 'unwilling' to care for an animal.
If it is the latter of the two, then why don't you bring your animal
down to the shelter, put it in the gas chamber, watch it choke on its
last breath, and perhaps at this point you could explain to the
confused, barely conscious animal why you're too lazy to look after it
and why it is better off dead.
Whatever happened to dogs being "man's best friend?"
Go on to Final Call
For Registration, World Farm Animals Day
Return to 19 September 1999
Return to Newsletters
** Fair Use Notice**
This document may contain copyrighted material, use of which has not been
specifically authorized by the copyright owners. I believe that this
not-for-profit, educational use on the Web constitutes a fair use of the
copyrighted material (as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law). If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your
own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright
owner.
