The City of Los Angeles is 503 square miles. According to Pet Rescue and Adoption of Los Angeles, there are between 26,000-44,000 stray dogs on the streets of L.A. on any given day. If that number seems shocking, according to a story reported by Judy Muller in February of this year, there may be as many as 2 million stray cats in Los Angeles!
When I asked my colleague, Sandi, a couple of weeks ago how many pets she had helped rescue since Pet Allies started last fall, she had no clue. Truth is, she is so busy trying to rehome unwanted dogs and cats that record-keeping is not a top priority. Especially now that we are in the midst of “kitten season.”
Sandi also said that with so many animals in need of new homes, time and money are the biggest obstacles. There are simply never enough volunteers, foster homes, or resources to ensure that all, or even most, of these animals get a fair chance.
On this blog we often talk about the importance of spay/neuter as a means of reducing pet suffering through eliminating pet overpopulation. What else can we do? The American Humane Association suggests several actions we can take when choosing an animal companion.
- Always adopt from a shelter or legitimate non-profit rescue organization. For every animal purchased from a pet store or breeder, a shelter animal will die. In some shelters, as many as 50 percent of the dogs and cats are purebred.
- Consider all the responsibilities of pet guardianship and commit to taking on this animal for the remainder of his/her life.
- Spread the word about pet overpopulation. Most people have no idea how dire and unavoidable the situation has become.
- Spay/neuter! Always. Puppies and kittens can undergo this surgery as early as 2 months of age. Many shelter insist on altering the pet prior to adoption.
There are some problems in life we cannot change. But working together, we can ensure a brighter future for our companion animals. They give so much to us. Let’s make sure we return the favor.
by Elizabeth Sundstrom
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