Chance and Parker’s PAWSibility #90 – Losing our balls and staying studs
Stray dogs are an abundant feature of Bakersfield, California. I mentioned this fact in my post, What To Do When You Find A Lost Dog.
There is one commonality among all the lost dogs I’ve found and helped get back home. None of them were fixed.
Sterilizing Your Pets Saves Lives
When you spay or neuter your animal, you help prevent needless euthanasia by keeping the pet population low and providing more space in shelters. Overcrowding is the primary reason why 1.2 million dogs and 1.4 million cats are unnecessarily killed in shelters across the nation each year.
Let’s take a look at Bakersfield.
A friend of mine worked at a Bakersfield school that is adjacent to a large, empty field. The people living in this low-income neighborhood with pets tend not to sterilize them. The stray dog population is epidemic.
Unsterilized dogs have high sex drives and tend to wander from their yard in hopes of getting lucky. When a not neutered male crosses paths with a not spayed female, their rendezvous tends to lead to a litter of puppies. Usually, a litter of unwanted puppies.
The puppies get dumped in this field, along with many other dogs that are suddenly unwanted. It happens all the time. As a result, Kern County Animal Control patrols the area regularly. There was a point in time when they were trapping dogs in the field and bringing in four every single day. That’s 24 dogs a week from one field alone.
The numbers start adding up. Especially if adoption rates are low. In 2011, Kern County shelters euthanized 19,776 adoptable dogs and cats. That’s an astounding rate of 64 percent of intake animals killed. The average euthanize rate of shelters across the nation is 50 percent.
The only way to put an end to the needless deaths of healthy animals is spaying and neutering.
By decreasing the pet population and increasing adoption rates, we can eliminate overcrowding in shelters and stop euthanizing dogs and cats who are worthy of living beautiful lives.
The trend in Bakersfield has improved over the last few years. Euthanize rates have made a downward turn thanks to several organizations working to provide low-cost spay and neuter services.
Most communities do offer spay and neuter clinics, or vouchers. Some services are free to those who qualify.
In Bakersfield and Kern County, many residents can obtain vouchers to get dogs and cats fixed. Click here to view the current voucher list provided by Kern County Animal Shelters Foundation and see if you qualify.
In Los Angeles, the Amanda Foundation Mobile Clinic offers free spay and neuter services for dogs and cats to people who qualify. The mobile clinic operates by appointment only. Please call to schedule an appointment at 888-FIX-PETT (888-349-7388). Click here to see when Spaymobile will be in your neighborhood.
What low-cost or no-cost spay and neuter options are available in your city?
I’m all in favor of spaying and neutering all dogs and cats. My problem besides being a disabled senior citizen no longer able to drive due to vision problems and having to live on a fixed, limited income, is that I reside in unincorporated Whittier, L,A, County, and no one seems to provide free or othwise affordable spay & neuter sevices that I can easily access. It’s ike living on the moon. Every one’s boundaries seem to fall short of where I live. This also seems to be an area where people sadly abandon pets. This was the case many years ago when 3 cats, 2 of them very pregnant, appeared in the empty lot adjacent to my home. Not willing to see them starve or die in a county shelter, I began feeding, spaying and neutering as many as my fixed income and limited vouchers will allow. Its been a juggling act ever since. My method sadly leaves alot to be desired. The colony population is barely holding at 3 adult unspayed females, 1 spayed, 7 currently unneutered males and 4 very wild babies. Does anyone know some one who can help? It would be ideal if a mobile unit could come here one day and take care of all the needed spay and neuters. The whole colony is due for vaccines as well. I would gladly give my assistance in any way needed to help facilitate this, and it is my dream that this is possible. Its just a small drop in the vast ocean of our animals in need, but its something I can and do to hopefully help. I continue to pledge my on going love, care and feeding of this lovely group of unwanted, “surplus” kitties. Also, if you know of any one looking for a fine, lovely feline companion please let me know,
Hi Pamela – Thank you for your comment. You obviously have a very big heart. I am reaching out to my contacts in the animal rescue community in Los Angeles to see how we can help you help the animals. What is the zip code of unincorporated Whittier? Is it covered by Downey animal shelter? Thank you for all you do to help the animals!
Im actually watching save our shelter from austin texas, and Im sorry, but Im flabergasted!!!!!!! Yal are located in “beverly hills”, I am having a hard time believing that people who live in the area have not stepped up to donate!?!?!? OMgosh!!!! You would think all yal had to do was pass out or post fliers, or better yet use social media to reach out to people of affluence who would love to give to your foundation. How about reacing out to a local news station. Have yal considered that? For what one of the shopping sprees that a normal shoppers who shop in “beverly hills” spends on a weekend, even one day, could literally fund sooooooooooo much!!! And it wont be something “materialistic”! It would be giving back to living, breathing creatures that bring a kind of happiness to humans and the world that is unexplainable!!!!!!! Im just in disbelief that being in your location, animal lovers and supporters have not stepped up. There are MANY people and celebrities who would actually LOVE to help the amanda nouse and donated to your cause. I would love to hear what you think about this! Thanks sooooo much for your time and consideration. Sincerely, veronika ramirezb