'Tis the Season

In last week’s blog I referenced the fact that it’s “kitten season.”  But what does that mean and how does it translate to a crisis for homeless cats, rescue groups, and shelters throughout the country?

According to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), “kitten season” starts in early spring and ends in the fall, peaking during the summer months.  A female can become pregnant as early as five months of age, having as many as three litters a year, 4-6 kittens per litter.

Now for the big picture math.  Approximately 70,000 cats and dogs are born in the U.S. every day.  To put this number into perspective, only 10,800 human babies are born in the U.S. on a daily basis. In any given year, there are 70 million strays, 30 million of which will die from abuse and exploitation.  As for the shelters we’ve come to rely on to aid us in managing the unwanted pet problem, there are only between 4,000-6,000 shelters in the U.S. and most still have staggering kill rates of 3-4 million dogs and cats per year.  The problem of pet overpopulation is avoidable if we humans do our part.

One reason it's difficult to convince people to alter their pets is the fact that most of us don’t see large numbers of homeless animals in our daily lives.  Such was not the case for Nancy Janes during a vacation to Romania more than 10 years ago.  Deeply distressed by the number of homeless and suffering dogs she saw on the streets, she started a non-profit, Romania Animal Rescue (RAR), upon her return home.  She estimates that millions of lives have been saved by reducing the number of homeless animals through spay/neuter.

Closer to home, my colleagues at Pet Allies Network had all previously volunteered and/or worked for animal rescues.  They knew firsthand the plight of homeless animals and decided to dedicate themselves to making a difference in Southern California.  Learn more about them and why they decided to start Pet Allies Network in an upcoming blog.  

For those of us who want to make a difference but need to start on a smaller scale, what can we do?  Well, we can spay and neuter our own pets and politely educate those around us, encouraging them to do the same.  For people who lack the funds to alter their pets, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) provides a search engine to aid people in finding low- or no-cost clinics.  If you don’t have a pet but want to make a difference, consider volunteering at your local shelter or making a donation to aid in the cause.

The numbers say it all and even though we don’t witness the outcomes firsthand, we know that 34 million pet deaths per year is not acceptable.  Let’s all make an effort to do one thing to lower that number.  If you're already active in animal rescue, please write and tell me how you're making a difference!

Feral colony in Richmond, California

by Elizabeth Sundstrom