ARFF - Companion Animals


	It is estimated that over 800,000 unwanted & stray dogs and cats are killed in Florida shelters each year (2000+ each day!), simply because there aren't enough homes for them. Despite this tragedy, millions of animals continue to be bred and sold each year by pet stores and breeders in the United States. Did you know? Every day 10,000 humans are born in the US. And every day 70,000 puppies and kittens are born. As long as these birth rates exist, there will never be enough homes for all of the dogs and cats. As a result, millions of healthy, loving cats, dogs, kittens and puppies face early deaths as a form of animal control. Others are left to fend for themselves against traffic, the elements, other animals, and cruel humans. You can help end the unnecessary suffering by having your animal spayed or neutered and encouraging others to do the same. 1 x 1 = 67,000???!!! That’s right. Over a 6 year period of time a female dog, her mate, their puppies, and all of their puppies’ puppies, if none of them are spayed or neutered, add up to an astronomical 67,000 dogs!

	Top 10 Spay/Neuter Myths 10. Spaying/neutering my dog or cat will change her/his personality. Spaying or neutering your animal will make him/her less frustrated and more tranquil. Two changes for the better! 9. Spaying/neutering my animal will make her/him fat and lazy. Too much food and not enough exercise will cause weight gain, spaying/neutering will not! 8. A female dog should have at least one litter for health reasons. There is just no scientific evidence to back this claim. Instead, the research shows that spaying your dog/cat greatly reduces the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer and uterine infection, which are common occurrences in unspayed females. 7. I couldn’t look my animal in the eye if I had her/him spayed/neutered. Your animal will be able to look you in the eyes for a lot longer if she/he is spayed/neutered. Spayed/neutered animals on average live longer! 6. It’s not natural. Maybe. But, the bigger concern has to be the hundreds of thousands of animals being killed at shelters because there simply are not enough homes for all of them. Think birth control v. killing unwanted puppies and kittens. 5. My dog/cat is so cute and unique; there should be more of her/him. Animal shelters are full of cute and unique dogs and cats, most with only a few days left to live. If you think you can help find homes for animals, PLEASE, volunteer with your local shelter and help find homes for those who are already here. 4. I want the children to witness the miracle of birth. There are many excellent videos on the subject that won’t result in adding yet another litter to the existing population of homeless dogs and cats in our community. 3. We will find homes for all the puppies/kittens. Do you really know where your animal’s offspring are? And the offspring’s offspring are? The current companion animal overpopulation crises demands that we halt the breeding of dogs and cats until we can find homes for those who are already here. 2. My dog/cat doesn’t run loose, so she/he doesn’t need to be fixed. Murphy’s Law says otherwise— anything that can go wrong will. Please don’t let your dog or cat be a possible number in the companion animal overpopulation equation. Be certain. Spay/neuter. 1. Just one litter won’t hurt. An unaltered female dog, her mate, and all of their puppies and their puppies puppies, if none are ever spayed or neutered, add up to 16 dogs in 1 year; 128 in 2 years; 512 in 3 years; 2,048 in 4 years; 12,288 in 5 years; and 67,000 in 6 years (similar numbers apply to cats.) (information from SpayUSA.).

	Puppy Mills Most puppies and kittens sold in pet stores in Florida come from puppy or kitten "mills." These for-profit facilities breed cats and dogs by the thousands with little concern for the health and well-being of the animals. Dogs and cats used as "breeding stock" live lonely lives in cramped, filthy cages and are forced to produce litter after litter. As babies are born, they are taken from their mothers (often prematurely with a falsified date of birth) and transported in terrifying and sometimes lethal conditions to pet stores hundreds of miles away. Those that survive often arrive sick or with some type of physical or behavioral problem. Unsuspecting buyers of "mill" animals often incur huge veterinary bills. American Kennel Club "papers" do not ensure a healthy animal. You can not rescue an animal from a pet store. However well-intentioned, buying a pet store animal will quickly result in the animal being replaced by another raised in equally dreadful conditions. This will encourage pet stores and breeders to continue contributing to the pet overpopulation crisis — resulting in millions of animals making that heartbreaking one-way trip to shelter killing rooms. You can help prevent this suffering by promoting spaying and neutering, and by encouraging people to adopt animals from shelters rather than purchasing them from breeders or pet stores.

	Click here to download ARFF's brochure about captive exotic birds (PDF file; black and white version).