Pet Overpopulation

Grade: 7

Every year, shelters across Canada are forced to euthanize millions of healthy cats, dogs, puppies and kittens. The reason is that there are too few homes for all the animals being born: in simple terms - overpopulation. The general public should be made aware of this information, because they do not understand exactly what is happening with respect to the animals. Euthanasia is the only solution at the present time, but is not the best solution. However, for right now it is the only humane way to solve the problem. The cause of the problem, overpopulation, is the object that should be analyzed and solved instead of dwelling on the topic of euthanasia.

Start by downloading the lesson handouts (pdf) and printing them out. They include fun games, puzzles, and quizzes to help your child learn.

In Canada approximately 250,000 pets die in shelters each year, according to the 1997 survey done by the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies of 115 Animal Shelters across the country. This breaks down to approximately one half of the animals that enter shelters. 40% of dogs and 80% of cats do not leave the shelter alive once they enter those doors. This does not include those who starve, are killed by cars or disease, or who die in traps, or even by their owners hand. Every animal deserves a home. Isn’t it time that we stopped increasing the death rate and started decreasing the birth rate?

Can anyone define overpopulation with respect to pets?

Overpopulation is the result of intact animals (pets) that are allowed to reproduce without any restrictions, resulting in large numbers of animals that do not have any homes to go to.

Example: Fluffy and two males (none of which are neutered)

1st year- three litters of kittens (4 kittens each litter) 12 in total (at least half are females)

Now there are 6 - 7 females capable of having kittens of their own, at least three litters a year.

By the end of 7 years - 140,000 cats in the neighborhood.

How many animals are involved in the pet overpopulation problem?

In order to stop the overpopulation problem at this point every single person in the world would have to take home and feed at least 5 dogs and 10 - 15 cats. There are at least a few billion people in the world (approximately 15 - 20 animals per person, i.e. billions and billions of animals).

Are there any solutions for overpopulation?

The following suggestions could help decrease overpopulation:

• Spaying and castrating your pets before they have any litters. If you fail to care for your pet, that pet suffers. If you fail to neuter your pet the entire species suffers. It is a far more humane and morally acceptable method of population control.
• Euthanasia (several forms maybe brought up during discussion, therefore bulk them together)
• Stop breeders from reproducing animals for a certain period of time.
• Stop puppy mills from existing by not buying pet store animals. (May need to define what a puppy mill is.)

With the technology today, why is euthanasia still practiced?

There are not enough homes to house all the cats, dogs, kittens, or puppies that are in the world today. No one has enough time, money, or space to help all the homeless animals.

Do you think that breeders of purebred animals are part of the overpopulation problem or not?

Breeders of purebred dogs breed them to improve genetics or to make money by selling their breed to buyers. But when does breeding for money go too far to the point of becoming small sized puppy mills or kitten mills?

The most painful aspect of working in an animal shelter is knowing that many of the animals passing through the door will never find a home. Killing unwanted animals is a reality that is faced every day. It is easier to think of the dogs and cats that are adopted and then spend the rest of their lives in loving homes. That is the happy ending for about 20% of the cats and 60% of the dogs among the hundreds of thousands of animals who enter shelters and Humane Societies in Canada each year.

However, there is a grim ending for 8 out of 10 cats and 4 out of 10 dogs. Animal shelters everywhere promote spaying and castrating as a practical means of overcoming the unwanted puppies and kittens problem. Some operate spay-castrate clinics on the premises. Others work in cooperation with local veterinarians who offer their services at reduced rates for animals adopted from local shelters.

Pets Are Not Disposable

The disposable pet syndrome is an unpleasant fact of life for shelter workers. Each day they see healthy, loving animals unwanted for a variety of poor reasons. i.e. He is too big. She makes messes on the carpet. We are moving. He chews. She is pregnant. They cost too much, etc.

Those who care about their pets do not regard the problems as problems at all. They deal with minor matters such as shedding by grooming their animals regularly. They house-train and obedience train puppies recognizing that the training process is part of the joy of having a dog and a significant aspect of the bonding that takes place between dog and owner. They make arrangements with neighbors and friends to look after their pets when on vacation. They spay or castrate their pets to ensure that no unwanted young are born. They understand the cost of ownership and do not resent any outlay of funds for food, vet bills, licensing or even toys. In addition, they understand that the average life span for dogs is approximately 10 years and for cats, approximately 12 years. The most important aspect is they consider cats and dogs as family members who are both permanent and valuable - and the family stays together.

Conclusion

Animal ownership is very rewarding, but it comes with great responsibility. It is always best to have your animal spayed or neutered. Overpopulation is an increasing problem that must be dealt with. If you are looking for a good pet, be sure to check out the local Humane Society before buying from a pet store or breeder. Please contact our office for questions about spaying and neutering.