Do people know that there's a problem with pet overpopulation?

Question

I'm being serious here. Do people in general know that millions of perfectly healthy, lovable dogs (including purebreeds) are killed each year in shelters? Do they choose to not spay/neuter in spite of this fact? Or even worse, do they choose breed their pet quality dogs and just ignore the problem?

Is it just the people that work with these animals that know the horrible facts and try to help alleviate the situation?

Abandonment is a part of the problem that can be attributed to irresponsible breeders selling their dogs to just anyone who shows up with them money, without screening them to make sure they're suitable to own a dog. IMO, when a breeder produces a pup, they are the one who is ultimately responsible. If the buyer can't take care of the dog, the breeder should be prepared to take it back or at least rehome it.

Answer 1

Thanks for posting this question.

Some people know it, others don't.

Many people believe that dogs from shelters have "issues". Other's believe you can't get purebred dogs there. Or you can't get puppies.

Then you have the people who just dump their dog like it's yesterday's garbage.

Some people just prefer to get a dog from breeders.

It's all about education.

Until people are responsible about their pets; spaying and neutering most animals AND realizing that pets are not disposible, we will continue to have this problem - unfortunately.

Answer 2

So do, some don't, and some just don't care. I love the ones who won't go to the shelter to adopt a pet because "its too sad."

The spay rate for domestic housecats that are owned in my area is quite high - 80% - but there is a feral cat problem where most of our kittens come from. Someone noted to me the other day that you don't see kids with a box of kittens in front of the supermarket anymore (thank goodness). So as far as cats actually owned by people, people are mostly doing the right thing. And we have a trap neuter release (TNR) organization in our area trying to deal with the ferals but they are small and on a shoestring budget and trying to make a dent in a big problem.

With dogs, the problem seems cultural for us anyway. The Hispanic population in my area generally does not believe in spaying & neutering, so we have an overabundance of certain breeds in our shelters (ranch dogs from herding breeds, chihuahuas and pit bulls in the more urban areas). Unfortunately, these dogs are often not in high demand for adoption. Then you have the backyard breeder set and those that think that spaying and neutering dog is "cruel."

Answer 3

People know - and a lot of people care and want to help, but all too many people seem to have no empathy and proclaim that it is their "right" to breed their animals if they want.

While anyone who has ever been to a kill shelter, or does rescue, has trouble understanding how people can be so self centered, it is still a fact.

A lot more needs to be done to shove this horror into the public's eye, and it sure doesn't help when some idiot t.v. network does a show about cute "designer" breeds the way one did last year, or when Animal Planet does "Breed All About It" extolling the virtues of breeding your pooch.

The only way puppy mills and back yard breeders will be put out of business is if everyone refuses to buy their "stock" - and all too many people want that cute puppy, no matter what misery it costs to the breeder dogs living in filthy, sickly, underfed and unloved conditions.

We need to require a license to breed ANY companion animal, and there should be a limit on how many animals can be bred in one place, certainly only one breed per breeder - puppy mills churn out hundred of dogs, sometimes thousands, all breeds, anything that sells. To be able to treat living, thinking, feeling animals as if they were cabbages is barbaric.

Answer 4

Ofcorse they know, but they don't care about anything beyond their own homes. Too many people think pets are disposable, and if you don't want them they can be dumped at a shelter, or worst on the street because the owners are too bloody cowardly to face facts that they're a **** human being.
I love my dog, but she was from a breeder. I'm hoping to get another dog in 3 or 4 years, which will be from a shelter.
More people should be educated, there are so many people that think the shelter dogs are vicious mutts. Shelter dogs are just dogs who had bad owners, or owners who made the smart decision to give their pet up if they could not care for it anymore. I wish there were enough homes to take shelter dogs, then it would simply be a case of advising people to rescue, but there are not.
It's not just dogs, there a huge overpopulation and homelessness of animals and children in western countries. I realy hope our new Prime Minister takes steps to ensure animals are treated as well as humans atleast.
Edit:
I don't volenter at a dog shelter, as somebody above suggested but I volenteer at a farm twice a week. 9am-4pm. The nearest dog shelter to me is an hour away, and I'm too young to drive.

Answer 5

People say they do but if they truly did they wouldn't be asking for breeders on here and so on. If people would care for a dog and not worry about a certain breed, if they would fix their pets and stop buying from walmart breeders and other puppy mills and save the ones that are born now in shelters we wouldn't not have AS big of a problem.

Answer 6

I think people know it, but because they don't have to see it, it is easy to dismiss it.
It's too easy to think that everyone else is the problem, not you. So people act irrespnsibly and blame everyone else.
I think everyone should have to volunteer at least one day at a shelter and see what the animals and the workers go through. I do one day a week in the shelter and I seldomly leave when I am not in tears. There are so many wonderful dogs getting put to sleep that it makes me physically ill. The older dogs constantly get passed up for the younger, cuter puppies, and then 80% of those puppies come back as older dogs that will get passed up. It's just wrong.

Answer 7

some people know, some people don't
I volunteer at the humane society, and I've been working with rescued animals on my father's animal rescue and petting zoo since I was a small child...
sometimes people know about the problems of over-population before they ever come in to adopt...
other times we tell people and it shocks them, they feel sorrow for not knowing and they promise to do what they can to help...
however, sometimes people hear what we say and they don't believe us...they think that all the stuff they hear about over-population is a lie, they think that the only animals put to sleep are violent or sick because there's no way anyone could ever put a nice, healthy dog to sleep...
then there are the really sad people, people who adopt a mutt at the shelter and then refuse to full-fill the contract which states all animals must be altered...they breed their mutt dog and a few months later they are back to drop of a litter of mutt puppies that they don't have room for...
some people will always be ignorant to the problem with overpopulation, others are more willing to learn

Answer 8

I think many people know but they think they are too good for a shelter dog and insist that they pay a lot of money for a purebred that is no better than any dog in a shelter. As far as people spaying their pets I think way too many people want to breed their dogs for the income that the puppies can bring.

The most irritating thing to me is that people are intentionally creating mutts and charging a ton of money for them when millions of mutts are killed every year in shelters.

Answer 9

Many people have the misconception that it is cruel not to allow an animal to breed at least once or, in the case of male animals, men apply their own sensibilities to the animals and think it is cruel to neuter. Neither is correct. Being spayed or neutered sure beats the heck out of starving and being homeless and the beauty is that they don't know its going to happen and don't miss it after its done.

I wish people would wise up. I have had 5 rescued cats and a rescued dog and they were all wonderful pets. ALL of them were neutered and seemed quite happy and content.

Answer 10

Well unless the were living under a rock somewhere than yes they know. The question is here is if they care!

I do but then I'm not breeding my whatever to my whatamacallit either.

Everyone thinks their pups will never end up in a shelter until they face that decision themselves. All we can do is keep telling them and hope that someone will listen for a change!