Christian County Animal Shelter struggles with overpopulation
Kat Russell, Photojournalist
Kentucky New Era
July 11, 2013
http://www.kentuckynewera.com/news/article_1dc3aa90-ea9c-11e2-9169-0019bb2963f4.html
Photo Credit: Kat Russell / Kentucky New Era
Each year Christian County Animal Shelter is overrun with animals — strays and those surrendered by their owners. Currently, more than 200 animals are housed by CCAS — far more animals than the shelter is actually meant to house.
On average, the shelter takes in more than 500 animals each month and less than half of those animals end up being rescued or adopted leaving the rest to be euthanized.
Edith Reed, public and media relations representative for the shelter, said they try to keep the animals for as long as they can, but they simply don't have enough space for all of them. Reed went on to say that in the spring, the local kitten population explodes and at times they have had to line up cages along the shelter’s hallways and convert their employee break room into additional housing space.
The shelter is currently housing about 50 kittens, a large portion of which are still nursing, 30 cats, 10 puppies and 120 dogs. Basically, the shelter is filled far beyond its actual capacity.
The Humane Society of the United States estimates that animal shelters take in six to eight million animals nationwide each year. Of those, three to four million are euthanized. The national cost of impounding, sheltering, euthanizing and disposing of shelter animals is estimated at $2 billion per year, according to the HSUS.
The cause
Irene Grace, director of CCAS, believes that 75 percent of pet owners who do not spay or neuter their animals don’t do it because they cannot afford it. The other 25 percent she attributes to carelessness or irresponsibility on the pet owners’ part.
Tammy Stratton, founder of Max’s Hope Pet Rescue, a local no-kill animal rescue, has worked in tandem with CCAS helping to find foster homes or placement for their animals in addition to the ones that come to Max’s Hope.
“In a perfect world, everyone would spay or neuter their animals,” said Stratton. “Part of taking care of your animal is to spay and neuter it to prevent it from having babies.”
Stratton went on to say that she wished every person would spend at least one hour a month volunteering in an animal shelter so they could see the animals come in and go out and so they could watch the employees have to make the tough decision when it comes to putting an animal down.
Both Stratton and Grace commented on a common misconception they encounter in pet owners in thinking they can control whether or not their animals will breed.
“People don’t understand that animals can’t choose whether or not to breed — they just do,” said Grace. “As people we can choose to have kids or not, but animals don’t. If an animal is not spayed or neutered it will breed, it’s in its nature to do so.”
Additionally, both Grace and Stratton agree that the cost to spay or neuter an animal is far lower than the cost of caring for a pregnant animal, not to mention the cost of ensuring the health of a litter after birth.
The HSUS reported there are many misconceptions about spaying and neutering animals — that doing so would make them fat and lazy, that it’s healthier for female animals to have one litter first, that dogs will not be as protective or that it would change their personality. To all of these concerns, the HSUS argues that spaying or neutering a pet is the healthiest thing an owner can do for an animal.
In females, spaying before the onset of her first reproductive cycle greatly reduces her chance of developing various forms of cancer. In males, neutering will prevent him from going out in search of a mate and will also reduce the probability of him marking his territory by spraying. The HSUS also argues that in no way does spaying or neutering change the personality or protectiveness of an animal.
The solution
Stratton believes that education is the key to reducing the homeless animal population.
“I believe that education should begin at the grade school level” she said.
Stratton has started going to local classrooms to talk about the importance of proper animal care, including sterilization practices.
The HSUS also works to provide educational materials through its website and through community outreach and programming.
Stratton also believes that the community must take responsibility for the animals. She advocates for tougher spay and neuter laws and local funding for low-cost spay and neuter clinics which she believes would greatly reduce the number of young animals brought in to shelters and euthanized.
Additionally, she wants to see community members step up and do their part.
“If you see a stray cat, don’t just feed it, go one step further and get the animal fixed,” Stratton said.
Spaying or neutering a pet is the only 100 percent effective way to reduce animal population, she said.
In 1970s, it is estimated that 12 to 20 million dogs and cats were euthanized in shelters before the onset of public awareness. Today the number has dropped significantly, however, despite the increased awareness and education, three to four million animals are still euthanized annually, according to the HSUS.
Between the two of them, Christian County Animal Shelter and Max’s Hope Pet Rescue have more than 300 animals available for adoption and they encourage would be pet owners to stop by and meet their animals.
On average, the shelter takes in more than 500 animals each month and less than half of those animals end up being rescued or adopted leaving the rest to be euthanized.
Edith Reed, public and media relations representative for the shelter, said they try to keep the animals for as long as they can, but they simply don't have enough space for all of them. Reed went on to say that in the spring, the local kitten population explodes and at times they have had to line up cages along the shelter’s hallways and convert their employee break room into additional housing space.
The shelter is currently housing about 50 kittens, a large portion of which are still nursing, 30 cats, 10 puppies and 120 dogs. Basically, the shelter is filled far beyond its actual capacity.
The Humane Society of the United States estimates that animal shelters take in six to eight million animals nationwide each year. Of those, three to four million are euthanized. The national cost of impounding, sheltering, euthanizing and disposing of shelter animals is estimated at $2 billion per year, according to the HSUS.
The cause
Irene Grace, director of CCAS, believes that 75 percent of pet owners who do not spay or neuter their animals don’t do it because they cannot afford it. The other 25 percent she attributes to carelessness or irresponsibility on the pet owners’ part.
Tammy Stratton, founder of Max’s Hope Pet Rescue, a local no-kill animal rescue, has worked in tandem with CCAS helping to find foster homes or placement for their animals in addition to the ones that come to Max’s Hope.
“In a perfect world, everyone would spay or neuter their animals,” said Stratton. “Part of taking care of your animal is to spay and neuter it to prevent it from having babies.”
Stratton went on to say that she wished every person would spend at least one hour a month volunteering in an animal shelter so they could see the animals come in and go out and so they could watch the employees have to make the tough decision when it comes to putting an animal down.
Both Stratton and Grace commented on a common misconception they encounter in pet owners in thinking they can control whether or not their animals will breed.
“People don’t understand that animals can’t choose whether or not to breed — they just do,” said Grace. “As people we can choose to have kids or not, but animals don’t. If an animal is not spayed or neutered it will breed, it’s in its nature to do so.”
Additionally, both Grace and Stratton agree that the cost to spay or neuter an animal is far lower than the cost of caring for a pregnant animal, not to mention the cost of ensuring the health of a litter after birth.
The HSUS reported there are many misconceptions about spaying and neutering animals — that doing so would make them fat and lazy, that it’s healthier for female animals to have one litter first, that dogs will not be as protective or that it would change their personality. To all of these concerns, the HSUS argues that spaying or neutering a pet is the healthiest thing an owner can do for an animal.
In females, spaying before the onset of her first reproductive cycle greatly reduces her chance of developing various forms of cancer. In males, neutering will prevent him from going out in search of a mate and will also reduce the probability of him marking his territory by spraying. The HSUS also argues that in no way does spaying or neutering change the personality or protectiveness of an animal.
The solution
Stratton believes that education is the key to reducing the homeless animal population.
“I believe that education should begin at the grade school level” she said.
Stratton has started going to local classrooms to talk about the importance of proper animal care, including sterilization practices.
The HSUS also works to provide educational materials through its website and through community outreach and programming.
Stratton also believes that the community must take responsibility for the animals. She advocates for tougher spay and neuter laws and local funding for low-cost spay and neuter clinics which she believes would greatly reduce the number of young animals brought in to shelters and euthanized.
Additionally, she wants to see community members step up and do their part.
“If you see a stray cat, don’t just feed it, go one step further and get the animal fixed,” Stratton said.
Spaying or neutering a pet is the only 100 percent effective way to reduce animal population, she said.
In 1970s, it is estimated that 12 to 20 million dogs and cats were euthanized in shelters before the onset of public awareness. Today the number has dropped significantly, however, despite the increased awareness and education, three to four million animals are still euthanized annually, according to the HSUS.
Between the two of them, Christian County Animal Shelter and Max’s Hope Pet Rescue have more than 300 animals available for adoption and they encourage would be pet owners to stop by and meet their animals.
