Pet overpopulation is a myth

I definitely dont think its a myth but I dont think its so black and white. I think our country's ability  to catch and euthanize stray animals covers up the amount of animals we have. I think people's opinions on wether there is a pet overpopulation depends on where they live.

I also dont think comapring our country to another is a honorable idea. Ideally we shouldnt have so many dogs in shelters.

Rarely do I see a stray dog in my city put while traveling through El Paso I saw quite a few. Cats are another story, we have a lot of stray cats.

I think before anyone can rightfully contribute to this thread you also need to state wether you've worked in a shelter or not.......ok I dont mean "rightfully" but I think our responses will correlate with our individual experience with homeless animals.

 This again?

AuroraLove

I definitely dont think its a myth but I dont think its so black and white. I think our country's ability  to catch and euthanize stray animals covers up the amount of animals we have. I think people's opinions on wether there is a pet overpopulation depends on where they live.

I also dont think comapring our country to another is a honorable idea. Ideally we shouldnt have so many dogs in shelters.

Rarely do I see a stray dog in my city put while traveling through El Paso I saw quite a few. Cats are another story, we have a lot of stray cats.

I think before anyone can rightfully contribute to this thread you also need to state wether you've worked in a shelter or not.......ok I dont mean "rightfully" but I think our responses will correlate with our individual experience with homeless animals.

 

Stray dogs are an owner retention problem not an issue of overpopulation. Owner retention is a huge opportunity that quite a few shelters and rescues fail to capitilize on.

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/surrend1.html

 If shelters and rescues fail to recognize an opportunity and take advantage of it, is it a matter of mismanagement or is it an issue of overpopulation? If shelters and rescues by adopting new strategies targeting owner retention could reduce their admissions by 50% wouldn't that make for a 50% drop in their population? Are you aware that there are shelters and rescues that import dogs from foreign countries, if there is an overpopulation here at home why are some importing animals, wouldn't that just add to the problem?

I wish it wasnt a probelm but down here nearly everyone lets their dogs run loose and breed will-nilly. Spaying and neutering? Forget it, the people down here just scoff and give excuses like "Its the miracle of birth!""I am creating a new breed!""They just wanna be dogs!" Just yerterday I was walking one of my boys and there was a dead puppy on the side of the road. :( Animal control does nothing out here, it seems.

AuroraLove

I definitely dont think its a myth but I dont think its so black and white.

You took the words right out of my keyboard.

And yes - I DO work in a shelter, and would do anything for the animals stuck without homes.

2bully

If others can recognize opportunities that could reduce shelters and rescue populations, shouldn't we expect shelters and rescues to capitalize on those opportunities to reduce their populations?

If others?  If OTHers?  If OTHERS?  If you’re going to talk the talk, you’ve got to walk the walk.  Walk the walk is what you are advocating as the 'fix'.  If you are involved in rescue, rehab, and rehome of the shelter dog then you know that people will listen most when you have a shelter dog at your side in a public setting.  Trying to call the shots from the sidelines to others on the sidelines...well thats just talk and nothing comes of it.  I don't care if its called shelter mismanagement or labeled overpopulation, the true fact is that there is not enough volunteers to do the work of placing a dog.  Dogs are PTS because they have no champion, no one to represent them to the public.  There are so many ways to contribute but defiitely "the talk" is not one of them. 

DPU

If others?  If OTHers?  If OTHERS?  If you’re going to talk the talk, you’ve got to walk the walk.  Walk the walk is what you are advocating as the 'fix'.  If you are involved in rescue, rehab, and rehome of the shelter dog then you know that people will listen most when you have a shelter dog at your side in a public setting.  Trying to call the shots from the sidelines to others on the sidelines...well thats just talk and nothing comes of it.  I don't care if its called shelter mismanagement or labeled overpopulation, the true fact is that there is not enough volunteers to do the work of placing a dog.  Dogs are PTS because they have no champion, no one to represent them to the public.  There are so many ways to contribute but defiitely "the talk" is not one of them. 

You have a nice banner, but I think its lacking a R. Shouldn't it be 4 R's of rescue or do you chose to ignore RETENTION as a viable strategy in curbing shelter and rescue populations? A dog kept in the home is one less dog admitted to the shelter and rescue system. Not in any of the links I provided was a claim made that shelters and rescues don't have a population crisis. What I've provided suggests that the crisis has many contributing factors that aren't being addressed. Do you have a link to the crystal ball clearing house or are you assuming that I haven't/don't walk the walk?

2bully

we expect shelters and rescues to capitalize on those opportunities to reduce their populations?

and how do you want them to do that? Please- give some insite.

2bully

Do you have a link to the crystal ball clearing house or are you assuming that I haven't/don't walk the walk?

That was a question to you and I ask again, do you talk the talk or walk the walk.  Which is it?  Are you trying to call the shots from the sidelines?  Your original post seems to want to rev up those not involved in rescue work to somehow influence the shelter'sr setups. 

The 3 R's are a complete support system for the owner abandoned dog.  Sometimes the last R, rehome is done more than once because of certain unrealized expectation....and thats why its a complete support system.  Common sense should tell one, you can not change people or dictate what they do with their property.  Retention can only be completely successful if it somehow influences the human to dog bond.    Because if that bond is strong, the owner would go through the extra efforts in order to keep the dog.  How does your idea of Retention influence the human to dog bond?

Lets start with retention. Several opportunities exist in this one area alone. Develop resources that would allow the shelter or rescue to make an effort to keep the pet in the home. One of those resources could be a list of pet friendly landlords and develop an action plan to get that to the public so that it can be utilized to prevent surrenders due to having to move.Provide free or low cost seminars that target specific behavioral problems. Initiate relationships with local trainers/behaviorists that are willing to work with clients at a reduced price through a shelter or rescue refferal program. Intiate relationships with local vets and develop a similiar referral program for vet care.

And what about the people that just cannot afford the pet. When it comes between feeding your children, and feeding your pet - some people cannot choose their pet over their children. I can tell you that RIGHT NOW the #1 reason for surrendering an animal is they simply cannot afford to care for it any more. Adoption numbers are DOWN, and intakes have skyrocketed.

Not every home in America is able to own a dog. Some people don't like them (Shocker, I know) some people CANNOT have one where they live. Many cannot afford the pet deposite on a new home (they are NOT cheap....). People come accross personal medical problems, limiting their abilities to care for a pet - and many of those are elderly and do not have family willing to take on their pet.

And what about these natural distaters? Hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding - it happens.

We offer free behavioral advice over the phone, local low-cost vets, and yet - we still have people needing to give up their animals.

Nothing in rescue is simple. Nothing is black and white.

2Bully, what you don't get is the dog owner is in control of the dog's destiny.  Dogs don't originate in the shelter.  There were previous owners so why don't you target the birth owners.  All the opportunties you mentioned are doable by them.  

DPU

2bully

Do you have a link to the crystal ball clearing house or are you assuming that I haven't/don't walk the walk?

That was a question to you and I ask again, do you talk the talk or walk the walk.  Which is it?  Are you trying to call the shots from the sidelines?  Your original post seems to want to rev up those not involved in rescue work to somehow influence the shelter'sr setups. 

The 3 R's are a complete support system for the owner abandoned dog.  Sometimes the last R, rehome is done more than once because of certain unrealized expectation....and thats why its a complete support system.  Common sense should tell one, you can not change people or dictate what they do with their property.  Retention can only be completely successful if it somehow influences the human to dog bond.    Because if that bond is strong, the owner would go through the extra efforts in order to keep the dog.  How does your idea of Retention influence the human to dog bond?

 

 I have adopted several pets, I have several months of volunteering is that enough of a walk or is that still considered just talk? I'm also a member of my local non profit shelter, I attend meetings and vote is that walking or talking? I bring attention to alternative strategies to others so that they may try to effect change within the systems they work in, I guess thats not a form of action either. I think your system is not complete without an effort made towards retention. A shelter or rescue can offer resources to help strengthen the bond, if an owner wants to surrender a pet due to a behavioral problem and the shelter has a program available that could help that owner work through that problem, would that not help strengthen the bond?