(2010, June 06). Saving Pets [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.savingpets. com.au/2010/06/overpopulation -disguises-the-true-cause-of-shelter-killing/
This weblog discusses a number of articles from a newspaper in Sydney, Australia about how different animal welfare groups are starting an effort to ban the sale of pets through pet shops. The author does not mention where all of the data given in this blog has come from. Sources should be cited and this blog is very biased in how they look at how pets our bought. The author mentions while working on several projects such as “Where Do Puppies Come From?” the author notices problems with the pet production industry. The author believes that laws and legislation would be a quick fix to the problems and doesn’t solve the big issue. The author discusses why it is more common for people to buy from pet shops because it is convenient. Also how if all of the pet store in the world get closed tomorrow how all of the puppy mills will go to online retailers where less information will be required and the ability to advertise pets with photos that are considerably better than ones taken by pounds and posted online as pets that are available.
American Humane Association. (2010) Adoption and Pet Care: Issues and Information. [Article] Retrieved from http://www.americanhumane.org/protecting-animals/adoption-pet-care/issues- information/pet-overpopulation.html
This article gives general information about pets and euthanasia around the United States. The author states that about 3.7 million pets are killed each year because of homeless animals are not being given the chance to live in good homes. Euthanasia is the largest cause of death for both cats and dogs in the United States. The author then discusses some of the causes of all of the deaths; irresponsible breeding, people choosing not to adopt and “disposable” pets. The article states “Despite increased public awareness over the past 40 years about the need to spay and neuter pets, 35 percent of pet owners in the U.S. still choose not to do so.” Claiming pet owners may choose not to spay or neuter their pets due to ignorance. The author also gives different points of view in such that irresponsible pet owners who accidently breed their pets and can find homes for those pets are not adding to the problem. Consider the fact that every pet bought by an irresponsible breeder is a home that an adopted pet could have gone to. This author does not provide documentation to any of their statistics. They also maintain a non-bias stance throughout the article.
Animal Legal Defense Fund. (2010) El Paso City Council to Vote on Puppy Mill Ban. Retrieved from Animal Legal Defense Fund website: http://www.aldf.org/article.php?id=1425
This website is providing the latest information with the El Paso Government and its citizens on the growing issue of animal overpopulation. This ban is on the sale of non-sheltered dogs and cats at pet stores. This website also states the time and location that the El Paso City Council voted on Tuesday, August 10th, 2010 at 8:30 am at the Council Chambers, City Hall, 2 Civic Center Plaza, El Paso. The website states that El Paso is now among a growing list of cities in America who should consider the retail pet sale bans. Also, the website gets into how puppy mills are morally wrong, stating that puppy mills are commercial factories where the product is puppies. The breeding dogs are supposedly kept in overcrowded wire cages with little to no human contact. The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) attorney Tom Linney, an El Paso resident, says puppy mill puppies are sold in pet stores. The ALDF was founded in 1979 with the mission of protecting the lives and advancing the interests of animals through the legal system. This resource is very biased.
Animed.org (2009). Pet overpopulation is a serious problem. [Article] Retrieved from http://petdoc.com/ editorial/pet-overpopulation-a-serious-problem
This article gives examples to why cats or dogs may be brought into animal shelters. The author then comments how there are not enough homes to house all of these pets and shelters must make room for new pets by euthanizing pets that have been at that shelter for too long. The author claims that shelters that euthanize pets are the ones to blame for all of the deaths when in fact the problem started with irresponsible humans. The article states that prevention of this growing problem is in the audience’s hands. Ideas like getting pets I.D. Tags so if they do run away they can be properly identified and returned to the owner. The author goes into depth about certain Nationwide efforts are being made to inform the public of this problem. Also organizations are conducting investigations such as the “National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy”. When this investigation is complete the data will be used to formulate ways to reduce a surplus of pets while promoting responsible ownership of pets.
Barbara Wrede (1994). Where Shall I Get My Puppy? In Before You Buy That Puppy (pp 47-48). Retrieved from http://books.google.com/booksid=WZsert9gc8sC&pg=PA47&dq=puppy+mills&hl=en&ei=sEutTP_aHMT7lwfqmYG FCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=puppy%20mills&f=false
The author has a very biased opinion on the ethics behind puppy mills. This book tells the audience that the last place they want to go to purchase a puppy is a puppy mill. With no proof documented in the author implies that puppy mills may give puppies their shots without consulting a Veterinarian to cut costs and save money. Concentration camps are referenced as a nickname for puppy mills. This book describes situations without any citations saying that dogs in puppy mills are in wire cages stacked as high as possible. With no shelter from the urine and feces falling from above most females that never get to walk on solid ground have fragile and twisted legs and mangled claws as a result of always being in a cage. Survival of the fittest is the way these owners run their “greedy” business. The author also states it may only cost $35 to raise a puppy in a puppy farm, but the puppy farm can sometimes sell a puppy for up to $500.
City of El Paso, Department of Public Health. Animal Service. Retrieved from City of El Paso, Department of Public Health website: https://www2.elpasotexas.gov/health/animal.asp
This website provides the citizens of the El Paso community with insight on the numerous resources for pet owners. This website includes maps on how to get to certain shelters, their hours of operations, and certain costs for specific services and provides information and printable volunteer applications. In addition to the many facts about these shelters in El Paso, this website also discusses the goals and activities that specific organizations provide. Field services patrol the 1,058 square miles of the El Paso County area to respond to a list of services upon request. Adoption hours can also be found on this web site for New Hope Alliance which is a no kill shelter and mentions how the animals may be adopted directly from those facilities then lists location. While this website is a very good source of knowledge for all pet owners and future pet owners this website has not been updated since March of 2009. Some of this information could very well be out dated; out sourced and may even be out of context. There is a reference to the Care-A-Van program including its dates, times and locations. The data for the Care-A-Van program only is strictly for the month of March, 2009.
Dean M. Warrn (2002). Small Animals as Pets In Small Animal Care and Management: Second Edition (pp 29-30). Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=Qz3V6_TatUC&pg=PA29&dq= overpopulation+of+pets&hl=en&ei=W_CsTPORCIaglAf2y4X8Dg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=
result&resnum=3&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=overpopulation%20of%20pets&f=false
result&resnum=3&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=overpopulation%20of%20pets&f=false
This book mentions that “each year 27 million dogs and cats are born in the United States; 10 million are euthanized each year as unwanted or abandoned.” This is a result of mating for commercial use or natural mating. The author suggests that to solve this problem pet breeding must be reduced. Furthermore, to reach that goal these goals must happen first; people must know about the overpopulation problem, Animal Control laws must be enforced and people must understand the importance of spay and neutering their pets. Also “other laws and ordinances controlling the breeding of animals may also need to be passed.” The book also discusses the procedures in depth. The procedures should take place while the animal is still young; spaying females are recommended from 3 to 5 months of age and neutering males from 7 to 9 months of age. The author also goes into more benefits of the animals that have these procedures done. Female animals that are spayed have no chance of uterine infections and may be less susceptible to mammary cancers. Male animals that are neutered do not practice the “mounting” behavior and this procedure also eliminates the threat of having testicular cancers.
