Taylor Campione - Western

V:50 I:4 Op-Ed

Each year, nearly three million cats and dogs are put to death due to pet overpopulation. Millions more are imprisoned in city pounds, awaiting an uncertain fate. As a veterinary epidemiologist from the University of California, Davis put it, “of all the issues affecting the welfare of companion animals in the United States, there can be none larger in scope, greater in magnitude, longer in duration, or more worthy of disgrace than that of pet overpopulation.” Shockingly, the major cause of death in cats is not disease or injury, but euthanasia due to the overabundance of unwanted pets. For every puppy and kitten created by a breeder, there is an animal in a shelter who will lose its chance at getting adopted and will ultimately be killed. The reality is that although the people who breed cats and dogs make a profit at the great expense of animals, it is only perpetuated by consumer demand for the supply.

In the United States, almost 80 million households are homes for pets, and its obvious that cute puppies and kittens are widely beloved companions. Yet there remain millions of rejected whiskered faces behind shelter bars or roaming city streets, awaiting an untimely death. Despite good intentions, some people are often wary of acquiring their new furry friend from a rescue. They worry that pets with a mysterious background could have health or behavior issues, and some people prefer pedigrees that are harder to find in a shelter. Some purebred animals may have a more predictable temperament, but like people, no two pets are alike, and selecting for preferred traits, such as specific behaviors or physical characteristics, is not guaranteed and can put the animal at serious health risks.