Dog Wins Lottery

Not a lottery you want to “win.” I wrote previously about the dogs who are victims of foreclosure. I inquired with local shelters and the numbers of dogs are definitely up. I heard a news report that referred to it as epidemic. While I’m usually annoyed by news hype and propaganda, for this term I was glad. Maybe people will begin to see the importance of spaying and neutering their dogs. It all starts there.

I went to a local shelter yesterday. I guess I’ve realized that the pain it costs to see first hand how many dogs are “up” is an education I need. I spoke with a guy who said that this is definitely the worst he’s ever seen it. Dogs are being surrendered by their families on a daily basis due to some form of hardship. Some of the reasoning is still due to lack of training and the challenges of housebreaking.

I asked the guy what dogs were on “death row?” He was silent for a moment and then responded that he didn’t like to put it that way. I asked him if that’s not true. He explained that they pick the dogs daily. Usually there are a number of them who wouldn’t be adoptable and the others just won the lottery. Perhaps they have been there for awhile and need to make room for others.

While it is humane and a peaceful passing and for some dogs this may be the end of a not-so-good life, it could be prevented or at least lessened. Hey, we all die at some point so what’s the big deal?

The pain of the dogs’ lives prior to their passing is the big deal. Some go through hell. The Humane Society and shelters aren’t at fault! They are a wonderful organization that is there to promote and support the welfare of animals. They hate that they have to make the choice to kill these dogs.

It’s sad that the government has to legislate spay and neutering because WE won’t be responsible enough to do it. We want puppies! We all love puppies! Unfortunately, dogs end up in the shelters when they aren’t so cute and manageable.

It’s about training for the humans as much as the dogs. If you have concerns with your dog, contact a trainer. I know I’d be happy to answer questions and give assistance. It could mean the difference in your dog staying with you or going to a shelter.

If you must surrender your dog, attempt to find a good home without the assistance of a shelter. They are overbooked and underfunded. There are a lot of good dogs waiting for their forever home and a lot of good people looking for dogs. Let’s all do what we can.