Animal cruelty is something that is close to many people’s hearts. Many think of it as an abuse that is akin to child abuse, since animals are also defenseless against the hands or neglect of humans.

It tends to rouse similar anger and outrage as well, and there are now many agencies that are set up to help prevent animal cruelty, and also shelters where rescued animals find solace and comfort from their abusive or neglectful environments.

Years ago, there were not even any laws set up to protect animals from abuse, and abusers were able to get away with doing just about anything they wanted without consequence.

Now, there are animal protection laws set up in almost every state, and if you are found guilty of inhumane treatment of an animal, you are subject to anything from fines to community service, to jail time.

While we’ve come a long way in legislating animal protection laws, there is still room for improvement, as they are not stiff enough penalties in most people’s eyes, and it seems that it’s still taken rather lightly.

While I’m not aligned with the extreme mentality of animal rights groups that preach vegetarianism and use tactics that I don’t deem appropriate to get their point across, I certainly admire what they are trying to do, which is drawing attention to the animal kingdom and getting the word out that our furry friends need our help when they do not have a voice of their own to defend themselves.

One can read about stories of inhumane treatment weekly in any newspaper, and some of the stories are enough to make one nauseous. There are stories of animals left in homes without food or water, in their own waste and crawling with fleas and ticks, stories of farm animals abandoned, neglected, underfed and abused, and horrifying tales of household pets being beaten, starved, deprived of care, and even killed at the hands of the very people who are supposed to take care of them, that all still need to be addressed.

There are some steps you can take to make sure you are not a silent voice in the quest to prevent animal cruelty, you just need to be aware of your surroundings and know what to look for.

You can report any suspicions to the local police, or if you have an agency that works with abused animals, you can call on them to investigate and rectify also, usually the APL (Animal Protective League) and other similar shelters and animal rights nonprofit organizations will be able to help as well.

Some of the signs to look for you may already know, as most people who are animal lovers have a built in instinct for knowing when an animal has been abused or neglected. Many animals who have been physically abused will be hand shy.

They will not want to come near you or any other person, and may be especially leery of their owners or react in an aggressive way toward them or others.

While this does not always indicate abuse, as some animals are just tempered that way, it is a good underlying factor to look at when determining if an animal has been physically abused.

If an animal has patches of fur missing or looks extremely thin, or even if they are overrun with fleas, this may indicate neglect. Another one to look for is animals that you see outside on extremely cold days, tied to a chain for hours without any warm shelter. This is dangerous and can be abuse if the animal does not have a place of shelter to retreat to.

Likewise if they are left chained outside for hours without food or water – water of course being the most vital of the two. Use your judgment, there are always animals that may be acclimated to certain situations, but if you consistently see this, and are suspicious it may be worth an investigation by an officer of an animal protection agency or the police department.

Of course the most obvious thing to look out for is actually witnessing an act of animal abuse. If you see a person physically assaulting an animal, please make sure you report this immediately, as this is the most blatant and obvious form of animal abuse and certainly warrants a report for investigation.

If we all do our part in preventing animal cruelty, we can make this world a better and safer place for our furry friends who entrust us with their life and well being. If we don’t look out for them, who will?

Each year millions of pets are relinquished to shelters because of preventable, behavior-related issues. Even the most experienced pet owners can become confused by what they view as problematic animal behavior, leaving them with few options.

Unwanted behavior is the number-one reason for the fracture of the human-animal bond and our relationships with our pets, resulting in millions of dogs and cats losing their homes each year. Sadly, many are euthanized.

So what’s being done to fix this pressing issue facing pets and their owners?

Organizations dedicated to protecting animal health are conducting extensive research into the topic. A leading expert in the field of animal behavior, Dr. R.K. Anderson reflects, “We can’t fix this problem without data. And we need to do research to supply the data.”

Morris Animal Foundation (MAF), a nonprofit foundation funding animal health research studies, partnered with Dr. Anderson to establish the R.K. Anderson Animal Behavior Research Endowment. This fund will advance the science and knowledge of behavior in companion animals so that the quality and duration of their lives can be increased.

Currently, MAF is funding research to better understand both canine and feline behavioral issues. On the canine front, MAF is studying the effectiveness of shelter enrichment programs, which are designed to reduce stress for dogs, enhance adoptability, shorten the dog’s time in the shelter and improve behavior and retention in homes following adoption.

Another dog behavior study will develop a more effective version of the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ), commonly used in shelters to assess animals that are relinquished. The goal is to help shelter staff better predict the adoptability of an animal.

Still another canine research study will evaluate possible behavioral differences between surrendered animals and strays. The behavior of these two groups of animals will be compared to see if any differences exist. Ultimately, by understanding these animals’ behavior, shelter staff can better handle and train these animals, leading to better adoptions.

On the feline front, MAF is sponsoring a research study to look at how cats behave in relation to their color as well as how they react when they are admitted for radiographs. The researcher will record their sex, color, whether or not they have claws, how healthy/sickly they look, why they are having radiographs performed as well as their behavior while at the clinic. She will then compare the groups to determine whether there is any relation between the color of the cats and their behavior.

While the MAF’s Animal Behavior Research Endowment meets a critical need in funding these animal research and behavior studies, the fund also honors the lifetime dedication of Dr. Anderson to the development of the fields of animal behavior, human-animal bond, veterinary epidemiology and preventive medicine.

Dr. Anderson encourages pet owners as well as friends of companion animals to help the endowment reach its $5 million goal. Contributions support research to increase knowledge of the interactions of genetics, physiology, environment and people — and how these factors affect the behavior of companion animals and human–animal relationships.

For more information on the R.K. Anderson Animal Behavior Research Endowment and the discoveries arising from this effort, visit the Morris Animal Foundation web site.

Caring for wildlife presents many challenges. Veterinarians are seldom familiar with the biology or veterinary care of most of the wild species that are presented to them for examination and treatment. This is compounded by the fact that there are often strict laws governing the protection of wildlife species which must be abided by, not to mention the numerous ethical dilemmas.

Are vets duty bound to deal with wildlife casualties?

Over the last 20 years, the attempted rehabilitation of injured wild animals has become widespread. Many of those involved are members of the public with varying levels of experience and training. Veterinarians have often assisted in such activities to some degree, and there are several reasons why this occurs and will continue despite the usual absence of any financial remuneration.

Many vets do not mind offering their assistance because:

1. Professional ethics dictate that a veterinarian should provide attention to an animal of any species in an emergency.

2. Legislation in some countries specifies that only a registered veterinarian can carry out certain tasks, making the profession obliged to provide a service.

3. Treating wildlife can be good publicity for veterinary practices, via local newspaper articles and TV or radio mentions.

4. As more and more studies reveal links between pet and wildlife diseases, knowledge of wildlife is increasingly important if vets are to understand the transmission and pathogenesis of certain diseases.

5. Some vets enjoy the challenges of treating wild animals, adding variety to their day and providing a feeling of altruistic satisfaction.

What are the ethics of treating wildlife?

Potential issues include:

Does the rescuer know enough about the biology and natural history of the species to be able to fulfil all its dietary and husbandry needs?

Does the rescuer have suitable facilities to keep the animal in, not just in the emergency period but also at a later date during recovery, when the animal might need more space and become difficult or dangerous to handle?

Could the animal pick up an infection during captivity that it could then transfer to other wild animals on release?

Does the animal have good long term prospects? Will it be able to return successfully to the wild, as the law often requires, or will it have to remain in captivity?

If the animal has to remain in captivity forever, is this against its welfare interests and is the cost of long term care feasible? Remember, an animal born in captivity is completely different to one accustomed to the wild and then forced into captivity due to injury. Though usually an unpopular decision with the general public, often euthanasia at an early stage is the most humane action a veterinarian can take. Euthanasia is the sensible option if the veterinarian decides that the needs of the animal cannot be satisfied, and if there are no alternative options such as local wildlife rehabilitation centres.

The success of rehabilitating an injured wild animal is measured by whether they are able to prosper when returned to the wild. However, this in itself is impossible to measure. Numerous animals have been released back to their habitats over the years, but their fates remain a complete mystery.

What are the legal implications of treating wildlife?

The first point of note is that the law regarding wildlife rehabilitation is changed from time to time, and it is important to be aware of the current law. The law also varies between countries, for simplicity any laws referred to below are those currently valid in the UK.

Animals injured on protected land, or in a restricted area, might require a permit to be obtained before the rescuer is allowed to take it. Taking game species requires the landowners consent, to avoid accusations of poaching. An animal may only be taken if it is sick or injured, and only kept until it is no longer disabled. An animal may only be killed if it is too ill or badly injured to stand a reasonable chance of survival.

Catching the injured animal can itself be a feat. Certain traps are inhumane and illegal, while other methods such as nets and firearms require authorization.

Transporting a wild animal has certain legal requirements, namely that the animal must not be caused unnecessary suffering or injury while being transported.

A written record should be kept detailing the circumstances of the rescue and ownership, and this should accompany the animal wherever it is transported to.

Generally the person looking after the rescued wild animal does not need a license to do so. However, certain animals do require registering with the local environmental governing body. Some birds must be ringed and some dangerous animals, such as venomous snakes, require special licenses. Veterinarians usually have a 6 week period during which they can hospitalise an injured animal that would normally require a license, before they are required to apply for one.

There are also rules governing the type of intervention allowed, according to the level of training. While lay persons are permitted to give first aid in an emergency, only veterinarians are allowed to give medical or surgical treatment.

Many countries have laws concerning the care for an animal once it is in captivity. Usually a bird must be kept in a cage large enough for it to be able to stretch both its wings fully.

The laws regarding the release of wildlife necessitate careful deliberation of all the health, welfare, ethical and legal aspects. A balance has to be struck between the legal obligation to release a casualty if it is fit, and risking the accusation that the animal has been abandoned if it is not quite fit enough.

living things animals undergo changes as each new generation succeeds the one that existed before. These changes are usually so small that they are difficult to see but over millions of years they can completely alter the way that animals look and behave. This process of change is called evolution and it allows animals to take advantage of new opportunities and to adapt to changes that take place in the world around them. Evolution works by changing the existing characteristics usually by a series of very small mutations. The result of these changes is that every animal is a living form of evolutionary history, which shows how different species are related to each other.

Evolution is made possible by the variations that exist with animals. It exists because animals compete with each other for the limited amount of resources that are available, space and food. Those animals with the more useful characteristics and features will survive whereas the weaker animals will find it difficult to exist. This ‘weeding out’ process is called selection and natural selection operates on a continuous basis. An example of this is camouflage which is a valuable aid to an animal’s survival. Natural selection will ensure that any improvements that are made to an animal’s camouflage are passed onto the next generation, increasing its chances of survival and also its chances of producing its young.

Adaptations such as camouflage will only last as long as they are useful. If an animal’s lifestyle changes, the path of evolution will also change. This has happened with birds; some lineages have evolved the power of flight but have lost this when they have taken up life on land.

A species is any group of animals that has the ability to interbreed and under normal circumstances does not breed with another species. Speciation is the evolutionary process that brings about new animals. It usually occurs when an exiting species become spilt up into two or more isolated groups, which are kept apart either by physical barriers such as mountains and seas, or by changes in behaviour. If these groups remain separate for enough time, they manage to evolve their own characteristic adaptations and become so different that they no longer interbreed.

Speciation is hard to observe because it occurs at a very slow pace but evidence of it is easy to find. Most animals show distinct regional differences and in time these local subspecies are able to become species in their own right.

Extinction is a natural form of evolution becomes for some species to succeed, other species must fail. Since life began 99 per cent of the earth;s species have disappeared and on at least five occasions large numbers have died out in a very short space of time. The most recent of these mass extinctions was 65 million years ago when dinosaurs and other species died. However, despite such catastrophes the total number of living species has until recently, followed a generally upward trend. Today the extinction rate is increasing rapidly because of human interference in the ecosystem. Primates, tropical birds and amphibians are particularly threatened and this is likely to continue; evolution generates new species at a much slower rate than the current rate of extinction.

Unrelated animals often develop very noticeable similarities. An example of this is dolphins and sharks who are fundamentally very different but both have streamlined bodies with an upright dorsal fin, giving them speed and stability underwater. Amphisbaenians and caecilians also look very similar bur the former are reptiles and the latter are amphibians. These similarities are a result of convergent evolution, a process in which natural selection comes up with the same set of adaptations to a particular way of life. It does this by reshaping body parts or whole animals until outwardly they look the same. Convergence is responsible for a whole series of similarities in the animal kingdom. It can make the task of tracing evolution difficult which is a main reason why the details of animal classification often change.

Over millions of years animals have managed to evolve complex partnerships with each other and also with other forms of life. In one common form of partnership, called mutation or symbiosis, both species are able to benefit from this arrangement. Examples are oxpeckers and larger mammals and corals and microscopic algae. A lot of these partnerships are loose ones but some are so highly evolved that the two partners are unable to survive without each other. Partnerships may appear to be mutually beneficial but each partner is driven by self interest. If one partner is able to change the balance in its favour, natural selection will lead it to do so. The ultimate outcome of all this is parasitism, where one animal, the parasite, lives in or outside another, entirely at the hosts expense.

The present day distribution of animals is the result of many differing factors. The continental drift and volcanic activity constantly reshapes the surface of the earth. These geological activities have split up animal groups and created new habitats. One of the most important effects of this is in Australia and Madagascar which have been isolated from the rest of the world for millions of years. Here a whole range of indigenous species live, such as kangaroos and lemurs that are found nowhere else outside their native homes.

Animals are separated when continents drift apart and they are brought together when they collide. The distribution of animals is evidence of such events long after they occur. For example Australasia and Southeast Asia became close neighbours a long time ago but their wildlife remains entirely different. It is divided by “Wallaces Line”, an invisible boundary that shows where the continents came together.

Animals as pets, seems a silly notion to me. The only animals I’ve really kept as pets would be fish. And many animal lovers who have pets, would probably disagree with me as to the classification of fish as pets. Whatever. While I enjoy other peoples animal pets, I’m sure none of them would classify me as an animal lover. A recent turn of events may however have a long term effect on my relationship with animals. Having recently caved to our children’s long term lobbying efforts to have a family dog as a pet, it appears that I will be sharing my home with an animal of the non-aquatic variety very soon.

Stress Out The Dogs

The thought of sharing my domicile with an animal has me a little stressed out. However, that should be short lived, as according to many experts living with an animal is supposed to help relieve stress in humans. Not exactly sure why that is. Perhaps having a creature you can speak your mind to, that has no recourse but to agree with you? Sometimes us human animals just need someone to listen, and agree with everything we say. Maybe the constant reminder of an animal who has no control over what they eat, where they sleep, how they play, and what goofy clothes they wear, makes people realize that maybe things aren’t so bad for them. Could be worse, you could be a dog.

First Puppy Wins US Open

Apparently exercise is supposed to be another benefit of keeping an animal in the house. Taking them out for walks, playing catch, and bending over to pick up dogie poo all seem wonderful. Really? I tend to like my exercise to be more of the competitive variety. Any chance rover can learn to pick up a tennis racquet? Animals playing sports? Now that’s got potential.

Animals As People Magnets

Need to find some new friends? Get an animal. Your guaranteed to meet other animal lovers, as they all walk their dogs / cats / hamsters through the park. Not so sure these are the best kind of people for me to meet though. Never have been much of an animal lover, so I’m not to sure how I’d fit in with this group. Those people with the big nasty attack dogs always scare me a little. It’s not so much the animal I worry about however, it’s really the owners that concern me. What would posses someone to want to own an animal that could kill you while you sleep is truly beyond me.

Animal Therapist

Apparently animals make great therapists. Hmm, maybe they meant animals are good therapy. That whole unconditional love and admiration thing. Not like the animals have much choice. Seems like a pretty one sided relationship to me. Well hopefully all the animal experts are right and there is some good (therapeutic or otherwise) to living with animals. I hope so, otherwise I may soon be the one in need of a therapist. Preferably a human one.

The old adage “you can clue an animal to water, but you can’t make him choice” was definitely coined by somebody who knew nothing about affection-based animal teaching. If that anyone had known about, and had practical the principles of education animals based ahead affection and relationship-edifice strategies, the slogan most maybe would not even survive.

Let’s originate by exploring the center of teaching exotic animals, which is called operant conditioning. This prime education policy lays the foundation ahead which the principles of affection-based schooling are built. Through operant conditioning, exotic animals learn from their own behaviors as they are relevant to the environments in which they exist. The probability that a limited animal conduct moreover increases or decreases is frankly proportionate to the consequences the animal experiences. In other lexis, certain fallout fabricate convinced behaviors in exotic animals, resultant in the enlarged chances that such conduct will be recurring.

It is amazing how parallel affection-based teaching in exotic animals compares to the same techniques when applied to be beings. For instance, a baby who brings home a fantastic account license basically because he chose to request himself at educate is prone to maintain making high marks when he receives recognition and praise from his parents. If the same teen’s parents pay no attention to his accomplishments at teach, it is exceedingly doable that the daughter’s enthusiasm for a job well done will be significantly, if not completely diminished. The teen’s approach promptly changes to a “why worry?” mindset.

Exotic animals reply precisely the same way … No praise, no motivation to recur the assured conduct. Without a confirmed outcome, the animal is far fewer potential to duplicate the certain, beloved behavior.

Acclimating Exotic Animals to New Environments

Building a strapping relationship with an exotic animal should instigate in the first probable playhouse of the animal’s life. Whether you have a young tiger cub, a babe bronzed develop, a baby elephant or any other exotic animal, it is essential that the animal becomes acclimated and is comfortable with the creature proclaim and the soul stir. Begin with container-feeding and elicit the animal as part of your family, much as you would a new baby. As the animal grows, so does the relationship, with the animal accepting you as a part of its tribe.

Again, this part of the exotic animal schooling experience is intriguingly like that of the soul experience. Consider the post in which a new worker comes on stay as the outcome of her issue’s being acquired by your business. If the new employee is treated with a “hands-off” attitude, it is very probable that her potential for high performance on the job will never be realized. However, if she is tenderly standard, treated with reverence and given believe for what she brings to the diagram, it is awfully likely that she will present well in her new business environment and be a valued portion of your lineup.

Positive Reinforcement in Training Exotic Animals

It is a given that exotic animals respond to experience they perceive as corporeal. In other words, a tiger will achieve as preferred if it receives a convinced rejoinder as an experience it can feel, think, see or taste. These forms of reinforcement are important and certain, providing the tiger with a spur, whether as a rub down, uttered praise, food or even opportunities for mating.

An exact and amazing example of how teaching exotic animals with certain reinforcement generates preferred behavior can also be witnessed by observing the outcome in humans when they are also provided their respective stimuli. Think back to your younger time when you and your classmates each expected a crate of chocolates to retail to lift money for your teach. What could perhaps motivate kids to give up riding their bikes and playing ball after teach to go door-to-door difficult to market candy? Simple, it was the imply of an ice-cream troop for the caste who sold the most.

Another practice for teaching exotic animals to exhibit and recap positive behavior involves with conditioned reinforcement. This formed of reinforcement not practice or involuntary, but sooner is scholarly. Your exotic animal will learn over a stage of time and through repetition that if she performs the appropriate and preferred behavior that she will earn a jovial “Good Girl” and a well-deserved back rug.

For an idea of how conditioned reinforcement facility in schooling exotic animals, consider a greatly exotic species we call the being teenager. He would most possibly move gradually each morning the first week of his new summer job. However, once he earns his first wages, he is more likely than not to have a little bounce in his stage the trice week. He has erudite direct, and much to his delight, that departing to work equals a salary, which is his spur. Likewise, if the top yearly producer on your sales employees is recognized with an “all expenses salaried” golf falter, it is an assured bet that he will be an amazing go-getter next year and put onward his best labors towards achieving the same reward.

Regardless of the species of exotic animal with which you are effective, a strategically devised training diagram that incorporates basics of both principal reinforcement and conditional reinforcement ensures you the best outcome in achieving desired results with your animal. Relationships that are established and fostered early on in which the animal is nurtured intensely permit you to become the leader pretty than tiresome to assume the task as master, which inevitably leads to frustration for both you and your animal.

Achieve amazing results in exotic animal training by putting relationship-structure, affection-based training concepts to work for you today. The method ensures best results every time. Both you and your exotic animal deserve the best opportunity for winner, and hands-down, these principles of animal training are the stepping shingle ahead which you can achieve the winner you each deserve.

Shipping animals requires research and choosing an experienced cargo shipping company. When you ship an animal, there are many different things that you will need to consider. Among the most important is which shipping company you are going to use, and what kind of documentation you need to ship your animals.

Picking Your Air Freight Service for Shipping Animals

If you are shipping small animals, then you will need an air freight service that can tell you exactly what you need to make the process quick and efficient. Since you will need to care for the animals while they are begin held in quarantine, knowing what you need to provide is just a small portion of the whole shipping cycle. You will also need to bring in documentation that gives you permission to ship the animals.

The right shipping company can prepare you for the shipping, and help you prepare the documentation you need for shipping and customs. If you are shipping a rare or protected animal, then you will also need to provide accurately completed documentation from the country that you are shipping the animal from, and from the institution where you are shipping the animal to. It is illegal to ship animals without going through the proper channels and with inaccurate documentation; the animal could be stuck in customs for quite some time.

Common Issues while Shipping Animals

Shipping animals can be frustrating if you have chosen the wrong cargo shipping company. You can be prepared for the most common imports and customs issues by talking to the customer support center for the shipping company, who should be able to provide you with all of the details that you need to ship your animals.

Typically, when you are shipping animals, you will need to have proof of vaccinations, permission to take the animals out of the country or ownership documentation, and may have to allow the animals to spend some time in quarantine. This is especially true if you are carrying an animal overseas which can have potentially damaging effects on the natural flora or fauna of the country that you are shipping to. There are exceptions, however, such as shipping animals to zoos or other government recognized institutes.

The Costs of Shipping Animals

The costs of shipping animals will vary greatly depending on the type of animals that you are shipping and the kind of care the animals will need during the transportation process. For particularly rare or dangerous animals, a professional handler may be allowed to accompany the animal on board the air carrier or ocean cargo ship.

You will also need to consider the care of the animals while they are being shipped, especially if they are on an ocean cargo ship. Shipping animals can be complicated, but with the help of a good shipping company, you will have nothing to worry about.

The last factor that you will need to consider is the actual price of the shipping services from the company that you choose.

Surely children and pets go together like .. well, jelly and peanut butter, a horse and cart, strawberries and cream? ….. but that’s not always the case. When children and pets are with each other you might be led to believe that whilst your kids aren’t made of snips and snails, they have been created to pull puppy dogs tails. And to tease sleeping cats, chase flocks of pigeons away from the crumbs someone’s scattered for them and squash stranded worms on the pavement.

Regrettably young children and pets don’t naturally interact well, toddlers often see animals, like other objects in the house, as toys to be manipulated for their own entertainment. The long ears, tails, fur, feathers or other interesting features make yanking, tugging, squeezing, squashing and chasing them even more enjoyable.

But because toddlers see this kind of behaviour as fun, that most certainly doesn’t mean that it’s acceptable. After all you want your children and pets to get along together so you’re going to have to teach your toddler respect for animals. Not teaching them to be kind to their pets can have a negative effect on both the children and pets – many creatures have no defence against curious toddlers or alternatively an animal who can defend itself may do so. Try the following to begin to teach your child empathy with and respect for animals:

Find different kinds of animal friends

If your toddler meets different kinds of animals in different settings, they will begin to feel more comfortable around them. Make sure that the owner is present though, and happy for your child to interact with her animals – safety is of course paramount when children and pets are together. Never, ever leave your toddler unsupervised with a pet, no matter how docile you believe that creature to be.

Books

These are a great place to find new animals to introduce to your child. Start with simple books with large, easy to distinguish pictures of familiar animals. Then move on to more exotic and unfamiliar species. Toddlers particularly enjoy books about baby animals or about children and pets like themselves and their pets, which will including animals they are familiar with. Visit my website Scruffy’s Bookshop for a good selection of instantly downloadable animal stories.

Teach your child the art of petting

When children and pets are together, the child’s natural response is to smother the animal with their own particular brand of love. You are responsible for showing your child how to safely pet an animal. You can begin by using your toddler’s collection of stuffed animals to paractice on. “See, this is how you pet Rabbit, gently and slowly, just how he likes it.” Or for even more fun, get your child to pretend he or she is a baby animal that you can pet gently. If you’re feeling really brave, then you can pretend to be the animal yourself and let your child pet you!

Explain that it hurts

Tell your toddler that animals have feelings too, and that tail pulling, ear pulling, kicking and squeezing will hurt the animal as much as it would hurt them. Be very firm with them and absolutely clear that such actions are completely unacceptable.

No teasing

When children and pets are together they often want to play. But what a child sees as an enjoyable game, may in fact be teasing the animal. Teasing animals is not only unkind but potentially dangerous. Actions such as waving a bone out of a dog’s reach or pretending to eat from its bowl may bring about an aggressive reaction from the animal.

Of course children and pets do get along together, and once your child has learned respect and love for the animals in his or her life, you will have laid the foundations for them to enjoy lifetime of happiness and love with members of the animal kingdom.

Through the efforts of organizations and committed individuals, support is growing for the establishment of no kill animals shelters. An alternative to the traditional dog pound or animal shelter, no-kill animal shelters advocate adoption over euthanasia.

Every year, thousands of animals find themselves in the custody of local animal pounds. The primary function of these facilities has been to collect unwanted animals, hold them for a prescribed amount to time, and then euthanize the animal. Often, the method of euthanasia is less than humane.

In defense of some local shelters staff members work long and hard to find unwanted animals an adopted home. It is common for local shelters to work with the Human Society or other animal advocacy groups to reduce the numbers of unwanted animals. These efforts include low-cost or free-of-cost spay and neuter clinics. In many cases, local governments support these efforts with additional funding and staffing.

Sadly, even the most gallant efforts are not enough to stop the euthanasia of thousands of animals every year. The truth is that most local shelters lack sufficient funding to hold animals for a prolonged period of time. Shelter cost is minimal but the cost of food, supplies and veterinary care can quickly outstrip meager shelter budgets.

My own local county-run shelter has placed a tremendous effort on educating the public about the plight of unwanted dogs. Much of their effort has been toward finding suitable adopted homes for the dogs in their care, often holding dogs longer than the minimum time allowed by law. In contrast to past practices, the change in focus has born fruit with a sharp increase in the numbers of adoptions. Perspective owners must pay a fee that helps to defray some of the operational cost, including veterinary care.

Still, the shelter is forced to kill many more dogs than are adopted. The stark reality is that there are always more dogs than adopted homes. A casual drive through the county often results in many dogs on the loose, abandoned or otherwise without homes. Abandoned and lost dogs on the loose only compound the problem, assuming that most of these wandering souls have not been spayed or neutered.

The situation is worse for cats, since the only local, no-kill cat shelter closed due to lack of funding. Cats that otherwise might have been sheltered and cared for until adoption now roam the countryside doing what cats in the wild do best – make more cats.

The No-Kill Philosophy

One way to think of no-kill animal shelters is to think of sanctuary for lost and abandoned souls. Animals who might otherwise find themselves the victims of the elements, lack of food or highway traffic are given a place to stay. As the term implies, no-kill means exactly that. Animal guests are not put to death after a defined period of time. Those animals in need of medical attention received it. Many shelters will accept animals without question or judgment.

The idea behind most no-kill animal shelters is to keep and care for lost or abandoned animals until the owner arrives or the animal can be given a new adopted home. There are obvious challenges to this type of operation. Space and funding are the biggest hurdles and it takes a dedicated fundraising effort to support these unique shelters. As the numbers of animal guests grows, space can be a limitation, even if adequate funding can be generated.

Like many non-profit organizations, no-kill animal shelters rely on the efforts of dedicated volunteers. Community members, veterinarians and other animal lovers are a vital part of these animal shelters. Corporate sponsorship is often received in the form of food and medicines.

In virtually every state, there is a no-kill shelter available. While local shelters will care for animals until the day comes for euthanasia, no-kill animal shelters are a wonderful alternative.

I would like to challenge you as an animal lover to visit your local pound and spend a good portion of your day there . As you visit with the animals it will dawn on you that many of societies cast offs will not see another tomorrow. They will not feel the touch of their special owner when they need comfort. They will not be able to chase their favorite tennis ball in the big front yard or wait anxiously for their master to toss it for them. They will not be able to greet their favorite loved one at the door after a long day at work. They will not live to see another day… that is the plain hard truth that many of us choose to ignore.

At some point during your visit you will be overwhelmed as you look into the pleading eyes of the doomed animals. You will feel helpless as yearning hearts look at you begging to be your new best friend. You will be filled with sorrow for all the neglected unwanted animals that I promise you. Your heart will break for the litter of puppies barely old enough to eat , their only crime was being born. Your soul will ache for the little kitten who was thrown out by the curb because her owner could not give her away. Your soul will scream out for the old crippled dog who’s only infraction was that he was just getting too old. The endless reasons an animal ends up at the shelter goes on and on. The reasons to me are not justified . The responsibility lies totally with the people.

We as humans can do better by our pets and the animals of the world. All it takes is time and education of the public. The first and most important step is to educate the public about spaying and neutering of our animals. I have heard so many excuses from people about why they can’t spay/neuter their animals and the most common one is “ I can not afford the surgery for my pet”. To me this one really bothers me and is often times without merit. If a person can not afford to pay for a one time procedure that is so important why do they even own a pet? If it is looked at it this way it all comes in to perspective. If a person can buy a pack of cigarettes per day for a month they can pay for spay/neuter. Cigarettes cost almost $3.00 per pack that is $21.00 per week which in turn equals $88.00 per month that is normally enough to neuter any male animal and spay a small female animal. If a person pays a cell phone bill every month that averages $100 per month then they could sacrifice a months service to take care of their animal. If a person goes out to eat once a week at a nice restaurant then they probably spend around $25.00 that totals out to $100.00 per month. Can you give up some of your luxuries to do the right thing by your pet? It’s only fair that you do. A person should be aware that one unspayed female can result in 50,000 to 350,000 offspring in only 5 years. A person should burn those numbers in their memory and think about them daily. Just consider all the suffering that will result when most of those animals die by being gassed at the pound.

Another step in spay/neuter education is spreading the word about low cost spay/neuter programs for those who really need help financially. You can get a list of low cost services in the US at the web site Love The Cat http://www.lovethatcat.com/spayneuter.html#states . You can also find options at the local Humane Society in your area. You can find a listing of Humane Societies on the web site Green People. Org at http://www.greenpeople.org/humanesociety.htm.

We can also help support services like the FREE animal placement services such as 4 The Luv Of A Critter at http://www-4-the-luv-of-a-critter.com. They offer assistance with placing an unwanted pet in another home. They list any animal no matter the location or type of animal on their website for free. In turn those looking for a specific type of animal can search the database for a listing in their area. The founder funds the website and all efforts herself with no expectations of being paid for her service. Her vision is to help make pet owners aware there is other options out there for their unwanted animals instead of dumping them off at the pound. The shelters are over crowded as it is and the truth of the fact is about 85% of all animals sent to the pound do not make it out alive. They leave on the back of a truck to be dumped at the local landfill.

We can help raise awareness of animal care,rescue & over population by creating an on line presence. The more information that is out there the better. People should not under estimate the power of the Internet to get a message to a broad array of audiences. So if you do rescue work I would suggest that you have some one to design a website or do it yourself. With most rescues being on a limited budget you could employ services such as the one Techbydesign offers at http://www.techbydesign.org. They offer discounts to animal rescues as well as low affordable prices. They sell & donate design services and also offer webhosting options for those who want to build their own site. They even offer FREE hosting accounts in some instances. The staff at Techbydesign are always willing to help tutor anyone who may need help with any aspect of designing a website. A person should realize that creating an online presence is not that expensive. It could go a long was toward getting the word out about your animal cause.

We as humans owe the animals of the world respect and compassion. Together we as animal lovers can unite together and make a better life for all the animals of the world. We can commit to educating the public on ways to help prevent over population. We can educate people on ways to re home unwanted animals other than sending them to the pound. Last but not least we should never turn a blind eye to an animal in need !

Animals are the reason I live and breathe…without them in my life I would just as soon be dead! ~ ~ quote Betty Sue Haynes