Let’s Do Better on This and Future National Dog Days

Why are we still killing millions of dogs and cats every year?

I today, on National Dog Day, seems an appropriate, if somber day to talk about this. I worked for a large California humane society from 1980 to 1988. Although I didn't work with animals directly, I was nevertheless impacted by the constant influx of dogs and cats. I wrote and published the humane society's quarterly magazine, I provided the photos for the magazine, and I photographed cruelty cases to document them for prosecurtion. 

Now, some 35-plus years later, we are still slaughtering dogs and cats at a rate of between 2.7 million and 4 million every year. Sure, some of these animals are unadoptable due to to illness, injury or behavioral issues. But the vast majority of these companion animals is adoptable, if only someone wanted them.

I have adopted 15 dogs over the course of my adult life. Most came from animal shelters or humane societies, although a few were from rescue groups or were adopted directly from their previous families. Several were purebred dogs, but all were rescues. None were purchased from breeders.

Animal shelters require that adopted animals be spayed or neutered. My Jenny was spayed by her rescue group when she was just a few months old -- too young in my opinion. But clearly far too many people don't have their animal companions spayed or neutered. And clearly far too many don't take the steps necessary to prevent their animals from breeding.

Low cost clinics are available in most areas, so the cost of the procedure isn't the real reason for the population boom. Letting a female dog or cat "have just one litter" so the kids "can experience the miracle of birth" is BS. If people want their kids to experience the miracle of birth, they should also experience the miracle of death on a mass scale.

I had one dog who never got neutered. I was advised to wait until he was at least 2 years old to give the growth plates in his bones time to close. He died of meningitis when he was 2 years and 3 months old. Had he lived, he would have been neutered. Likewise, my daughter's golden retriever will be neutered when he turns 2 in October. She already has made the appointment. 

Dogs bring so much to our lives. They give us unconditional love. They serve as eyes for the blind and ears for the hearing impaired. Some can detect epileptic seizures and diabetic shock before anything bad happens. They can track and apprehend criminals. They can detect hidden narcotics and cash and weapons with amazing accuracy and efficiency. Some dogs can detect cancer and Covid. They are our alert system and our guardians. And they’re joyful, happy and often playful.

Dogs give so much more than they receive. And they deserve so much better.