I'm surprised the reproduction forum is not busier.

It is an important topic.  It's also been known to  start controversy because some who promote spay/neuter are against all breeding.  

I support spay/neuter but I also support responsible breeding to maintain pure bred dogs.   That does not include the designer dogs we see today. I would hate to see the demise of dogs that are bred by people who know their breed and are striving to produce good dogs.

Where I live stray dogs are a big problem.  The last estimate I saw was 30,000 dogs scraped up off the pavement last year.  Yes, hit by cars as they roam loose.  Some of these dogs probably had owners.  Despite leash laws, mandatory spay neuter, breeder licensing laws and a laundry list of other laws, that are supposed to reduce the population of stray/loose dogs, we have many dogs that die needlessly due to irresponsible people.   Some die on the streets.  Some die in shelters and some die at the hands of animal abusers.  

It's a heartbreaking problem here and in many other areas of the country.  

It all boils down to why are people so stupid.  Jackie is absolutely correct -- thankfully we have a good low-cost spay/neuter program here, but it seems like   some individuals seem to get their own sexuality confused with that of their pet -- somehow assuming that allowing their animals to remain intact, all the while NOT making any attempt to contain them, nor to see to their health ...

And then because we live in an area (like Jackie does) where the weather is warm year-round, it is just so common for unwanted pets to simply be jettisoned into the street,  or left in an abandoned home or maybe tied to the porch by people who no longer want them.. For the life of me I don't understand why people like that aren't prosecuted.  

Education is so important.  In the last 10 years I have seen the local SPCA built into an incredibly good organization over a tri-county area.  They are taking   a good lead in educating the public, holding classes of many varieties (even a "Pit Bull Education Class"  as well as basic obedience using positive training and even things like Nose Work, and CGC classes to try to involve the public more and more).  

But at the same time, and partly in answer to the deplorable lack of responsibility of some pet owners, we are also seeing a dangerous trend  trying to outlaw (literally as in making **illegal**) such simple things as being able to sit down at an outdoor café with your dog on a leash, or even being able to walk your dog on downtown city streets.  It's a knee jerk reaction by some of suburbia thinking that if they simply provide "a dog park" that people will then have no need to take their dogs in public at all.

Education is key -- and honestly of the general public, not just people who love their pets.  It's not right to abuse and animal, and it's not right to abuse a child nor a spouse.  Educating and encouraging people to get involved is critical.

So we've all got our work cut out for us.  

At least we all pretty much agree.

When you look over the past 30 years we euthanize alot less animals (30m vs 5m)/ But 5 million is still a huge number.

Education is key.

What we are looking to do is make this site more about education, social responsibility and hopefully a place we can bring national and local orgs to help us educate.

If you have any contacts that have great educational content etc - would love to partner with them.

A

That's a good goal, Dr. A, for this site.  I will say, with my skepticism firmly in place, most people who are on the internet, looking up dog related sites, are not the people who contribute to the problem.

The majority of the people who contribute to the problem don't think of dogs or cats as pets, in the way I or most of the members and visitors to this site do.

They acquire their pets from the person down the street who has yet another litter of puppies or kittens or from their uncle or aunt or best friend.  They don't worry about vaccinations or training because if something happens to their pet, another is easily acquired.

They don't worry if the dog or cat wanders the streets because their fence isn't secure.  The dogs are sometimes chained so they can serve as guard dogs.  I live with this sort of reality.  I see the dogs dead on the side of the road.  The cats sick and in need of veterinary care. I see the packs of male dogs ready and willing to breed with the female in heat.  These dogs aren't strays.  They are owned dogs.  Their owners just don't seem to care about the results of their irresponsible actions.  

Education is important. Sadly many kids who do have speakers come to their schools and teach about responsible pet ownership go home to a family that considers a dog or cat something easily acquired and just as easily lost through neglect, etc.  Most kids emulate what they learn at home.  If the parents, grandparents and other extended family members treat their pets as disposable, the kids generally feel the same way.

At the shelter where I volunteer, we have kids come in to help because they've come into contact with the law and are doing community service.  Some choose the shelter because it sounds like an easy gig.  The lack of compassion or comprehension about why the shelter is overflowing is alarming.

I know there are exceptions but for the most part learning values and compassion takes place at home.

Not that I don't support educating kids and adults because if even one takes home a different viewpoint, it's worth it.