Published: October 07, 2009 12:21 pm      

Help control the pet population

It seems odd a city council would consider forcing owners of “picked up” dogs to spay or neuter their pet, or does it? Yes, a city within this newspaper’s readership area has considered that. However, the question came up about responsible pet owners whose every intention was to breed full-blood papered pets that might have happened to slip out.

All that aside, there is a pet population problem, not just in the above mentioned city, but everywhere. Just ask PAWS. Each week, a picture is sent to Ada Evening News of a pet without a home. The sad puppy-dog eyes look hopefully out of the photograph, wanting to catch someone’s eye to bring him home.

The thing is, that pet shouldn’t even be in his situation. PAWS shouldn’t be overpopulated and the streets of cities and towns should not be flooded with starving cats and dogs breeding like rabbits.

Potential pet owners ought to be responsible enough to think out the commitment about to be undertaken. Dogs live about 12-15 years; cats can live up to 20 years. They can be expensive. They have to be fed, taken to the vet, spayed or neutered. If there are no definite plans to breed the animal, stop unnecessary breeding.

The most serious problem related to uncontrolled pet populations is the feral dog herds. Unfortunately, for many residents in the Ada area, a deadly attack may still be fresh on our minds. In October 2007, 65-year-old Rosalie Bivins was attacked and killed by a pack of wild dogs. Even more recently, an elderly couple in Georgia was mauled to death by feral dogs, only to name two incidents.

Controlling the pet population is up to the owners — the humans. Animals are only going to follow instinct. Spay or neuter your pet if you’re not a breeder. In some, if not most cases, it is actually healthier for the animal.