By no means could I ever come up with all the reasons pets are being abandoned. Right now the economy seems to top the list. People losing their homes being forced to live in pet unfriendly places is one thing but to simply dump a pet on the side of the road because it’s too expensive to feed is just pure B.S. Amazing how much dogs, sometimes even cats, enjoy a 99 cent burrito from Taco Bell.

Of course, veterinary costs (just like human medical ones) are astronomical but there are still vets who accept small payments from established clients. Some will even swap services and goods, just a matter of letting your fingers do the walking through the Yellow Pages. I know this latter is true because my sister swapped her vet organic produce and flowers to pay for her dog’s chemo when he was dying of lymphoma.

I’m unable to make up my mind concerning “drop boxes” some shelters offer for those who can’t afford to pay surrender fees. A more sensible alternative might be to make it mandatory for those who can’t pay to offer needed labor such as cleaning or to bring in a box of blankets and towels, anything that might ease the financial burdens which shelters and rescues like Muttville face every single day.

More than anything, I believe it comes down to education. Reading, writing, ‘rithmetic and ongoing lessons in compassion in our public schools. More stringent and expensive punishment for those convicted of animal cruelty. Ditto for puppy millers. Online communication for known web sites who profit and/or promote “free to good homes” and ads from irresponsible bteeders.

Yeap, you can always count on me to get in a long winded flap about how our society treats its innocent and most defenseless creatures.

But Willy helped this time! He’s half asleep in my lap, gently grumbling about it all…

~ Amy

Sidris | 10.23.09 11:22am