Pet euthanasia rates in larger U.S. cities have experienced a significant downturn in the past 10 years, with the statistics showing a 75 percent decrease since 2009. Nationwide, a rescue, adoption or return to an owner or community is more common than the dark, harrowing alternative course that was typical 10 years ago.
Although the improvements are inspiring, there is more work to be accomplished. Laura Pegler, an animal lover in Durham, North Carolina, who works with rescue groups and fosters pets if necessary, has presented five ways to assist in lowering pet euthanasia figures.
Choose and Support Adoption
Do your best to discover adoption choices when you are searching for a new pet to welcome into your home. In the U.S., a large number of the pets sold come from horrendous puppy mills and careless owners. In fact, it is estimated that there are 10,000 puppy mills in the U.S., breeding over two million puppies each year. Meanwhile, approximately 1.2 million dogs are euthanized in shelters each year.
People can help these animals by opting to adopt rather than buying pets from breeders or stores. Laura Pegler claims that this is the best avenue for gaining a pet while also limiting euthanasia possibilities, and you should inform others to follow the same path.
Volunteer
Communities across the U.S. and Canada are filled with animal shelters that could use a helping hand from volunteers, as they seek to locate homes for stray, abandoned, or abused companion animals. These shelters are often swamped with huge workloads, generally unnoticed by the public and you can strive to assist them in any number of ways. You can contribute by walking dogs, fostering cats in your home on a temporary basis, organizing a local fundraiser or joining a shelter’s board of directors. Of course, there are other opportunities for you to make a difference in this movement, whether that is for an animal shelter, humane society, SPCA, or rescue group in your community.
Donate
If you are limited on time for volunteering, Laura Pegler states that you can consider the donation option for your local shelter. That could help them tremendously in their ability to secure supplies and resources to assist animals in the nearby area. A small donation can allow them to buy food for the animals and pay for an appointment with a veterinarian, so don’t be hesitant about bringing in even a few dollars. It could go a long way towards creating a more comfortable life for at least one animal.
Write a Letter
Through broad federal legislation, the country can help improve and preserve the lives of countless animals. Many states have installed fairly good animal protection laws. In fact, in 2019, Delaware became the first and only no-kill state for animals in shelters in the U.S. Yet there are other areas that require updating and strengthening their stance. Send a letter to your state’s government representative, demanding that they introduce or support exceptional legal protection for animals.
The Humane Society of the United States has made an effort to end the use of gas chambers as a form of euthanasia in animal shelters by providing grants and training to assist in passing bans of chambers. There are currently 27 states with full bans on gas chambers and HSUS estimates that chambers are still being used in at least four. HSUS recommends that people write letters to editors of the media and to state legislators to expose the problem and encourage change.
You can even write a letter to those potentially looking to adopt a pet. You can write an opinion letter to your local newspaper publication to encourage others to adopt from an animal from a shelter as opposed to purchasing from a breeder or puppy mill, therefore saving an animal’s life.
Laura Pegler says to Stay Connected
Keep yourself up-to-date on humane efforts, campaigns, animal welfare issues in the news, and action alerts in your area. Join these communities on their social media pages to stay on top of any events, goals, and gatherings, which you may be interested in aiding later. Laura Pegler insists that more knowledge and awareness will instill you with the determination to get involved on some level.
