For years, we have supported this, donated, paid taxes, purchased products that help support the structured guidelines that are used when dealing with animals in such facilities.
So, what is the next step?
Simple!
Stand up and say "NO" this is NOT what I AM PAYING FOR ANYMORE!"
Responsibility falls on all of us, not just pounds or rescues.
What is expected from:
Government Run Animal Control Facilities: (to protect people from animals and generally, animals at large)
Governments are leaders and as leaders, we expect them to set the examples.
We expect them to be educational and professional when dealing with public related issues that are of concern to the public.
The public needs to let their governments to know about their concerns and offer what is now expected.
For years, we accepted that killing was a means of controlling unwanted animal population.
We generally never questioned it, nor did we voice ourselves enough to say "that animal is still full of life and could be re-homed" because if we did, the responsibility was brought back to the person who was surrendering that animal and that was a responsibility that no one wanted. (mind you, responsible pet guardianship keeps animals out of pounds and rescues)
For most part, some people didn't like the killing, but "that's the way it was" and if people didn't want their pet anymore, well, that was the consequence..... as long as it was out of sight - it was out of mind.
However, due to ongoing public awareness, more and more people, are saying "hey, wait a minute - I don't approve!"
Since Animal Control facilities, are meant to protect people from animals, it is in their job description to
- pick up animals wandering the streets
- answer complaints from residents that have an animal trespassing in their yards and are a menace (getting into garbage, digging up their gardens, growling at them when they come out their door)
- rescue an animal that is wandering in traffic that could cause an accident that would endanger people
- picking up a dog that is dangerous and at large (chasing passer-bys, attacking pedestrians as they walk their dogs, are a feared menace to children etc.)
- detaining animals and caring for an animal or animals that are part of a court case
- disposal of animals that have been sentenced to death by a court of law for aggressively harming a person or child (we will get into these areas of topics in other entries)
- did we accept this? Yes
- what did we expect animal control to do with the thousands of animals that no one would claim or pick up - were our tax paying dollars intended to be spent on animal housing, feeding, sheltering, providing medical, campaigning adoptions, building websites, taking pictures, employing an additional 20-30 people???? No not really because Animal Control was a temporary solution to holding an animal until a resident made a claim and picked them up - it is a temporary public assistance service and really shouldn't be much more than that.... (afterall, we do not send our children to school so that the school literally takes care of them!) It is not the job description of animal control to protect animals from people - that job description falls under the description of Rescues and Shelters.
"Non Profit Org Rescues and Shelters" (to protect animals from the harms of people)
Non profits target the services of rescue - whether that be an animal that has been injured, whether that be an animal that is abused, unwanted, homeless and in need of food, shelter, medical and TLC.
When declaring a non profit org, you will almost never see in the description - to euthanize unwanted animals -
- you will see descriptions that claim euthanasia for the terminally ill or severely injured - which is why many rescues claim euthanasia stats under "sick animal" - this is the first crime.... breaching their described function to gain non profit status....
- We do not expect them to kill animals that need medical attention or are considered special needs.
- We do not expect them to kill animals that are scared, confused, abandoned, neglected, friendly, or especially healthy and friendly. We expect a non profit to provide the necessary requirements that funds are donated for.
- We do not want any kind of non profit that fraudulently deceives us so that they can just point blank - kill. Yet, we have supported this and donated endlessly....
- We do not expect them to kill animals that are scared, confused, abandoned, neglected, friendly, or especially healthy and friendly. We expect a non profit to provide the necessary requirements that funds are donated for.
- We need government run facilities to work hand in hand with rescues and volunteers so that no animals are killed.
- As people, we need to become more responsible and accountable to our own actions when taking on the responsibility of pet guardianship. They are living, breathing beings that are not disposable! This needs to be law!
- We need to hinder breeding of animals as products and seek laws that define that having an animal is a privilege, not a right. (afterall, it is our right to have children, however if we abuse them, we lose that privilege because we are not protecting them)
thanks for reading and stay tuned, there's lots more to come......