One of A Kind Education

We usually try to keep things upbeat and/or educational for our subscribers. Who wants to read about gloom and doom, right? Sometimes, however, the facts need to be shared to bring awareness to a desperate situation. This is the case with this week’s message.

Though Covid is still very much with us, we can all appreciate the fact that we are not in quarantine with everything closed and unavailable. We can enjoy holiday parties, dining in public, attending school, and shopping in person again! However, the effects of the pandemic are being felt every day in the rescue world, and the pains are severe.

In April of 2020, veterinary practices were told to limit treatments to only the essentials to preserve medications and supplies for human medical facilities. Some veterinary practices completely closed. Several doctors and medical support staff who had been in the industry for decades, decided to retire. Spaying and neutering were not considered essential treatments and were discontinued during 2020. During the year of the pandemic, it is estimated by the Best Friends organization that over three million companion animals went unfixed. All of this is very bad math.

Those who were quarantined and working from home thought this would be a great time to welcome a new furry family member into the household. After all, when everyone is home from work and school, they can take turns with training, feeding, and all pet care responsibilities. Breeders increased their numbers exponentially to keep up with the demand. It is estimated that 23 million Americans adopted a pet during the pandemic. Fast forward to spring of 2021 and everyone is returning to work and school, leaving the pet home alone. This isn’t entirely a bad thing, but some decided they couldn’t keep the pet and returned it or surrendered it to a rescue or shelter. Additionally, once the demand ended, the high-volume breeders began surrendering their breeders. To make matters even worse, some of the three million animals who went unfixed are now having accidental litters. Shelters are packed. Rescues are jammed. Unwanted companion animals are everywhere and being dumped at the end of dirt roads. Remember all the doctors who retired? Getting an appointment for a spay/neuter surgery is months out, causing the problem to continue.

If you are wondering how you can help, we can provide a few simple steps. Please encourage your family and friends to only adopt and not purchase from breeders and especially pet stores. The more pet stores sell, the more the volume breeders produce. If you are able, please volunteer. Even a couple hours each week helps the staff who are tirelessly working to care for all these animals. If you can open your home, consider fostering pets who are waiting for their forever homes. This relieves the staff and helps the pet acclimate to a home environment. If you are financially able, consider donating. The more animals we rescue, the higher all our costs soar. Any and all support is always appreciated.