Back on my soapbox...

"To a man whose mind is free there is something even more intolerable in the sufferings of animals than in the sufferings of man. For with the latter it is at least admitted that suffering is evil and that the man who causes it is a criminal. But thousands of animals are uselessly butchered every day without a shadow of remorse. If any man were to refer to it, he would be thought ridiculous. And that is the unpardonable crime."

- Romain Rolland, Nobel Prize 1915

Everyday on my way to work, I pass at least two stray animals. Some – like Haskell was – are hurt, others malnourished or starving.

Additionally, I see many more animals – especially dogs – with collars on that are allowed to roam the streets in their neighborhood freely. The males are clearly not neutered, and the females give birth regularly to a new litter of puppies.

In an effort to help, I’ve done all I can think of to do:

• Called the SPCA – they do not have the resources to pick up stray animals and only have limited space (available by appointment only) to take in new dogs and cats every day/week.



• Notified Dallas Animal Services - who promises to send an Animal Control Officer to the area in question sometime in a 28 day (four week) period. By then, many of the animals have moved on, died, been hit by cars, or have simply disappeared.
  
  
• Picked up stray or abandoned animals and tried to foster and/or find permanent homes for them (i.e. Haskell, Carla, etc.). Or finding someone else who could (i.e. Toby, Bob, etc.).
  
  
• Left food out for hungry or starving animals to ease their suffering.



• Reported dead or dying animals to 311.



• Donated money and resources (food, old towels/blankets, etc.) to the SPCA and other local animal groups and shelters.



• Participated in walks to raise awareness about pet overpopulation, the benefits of spay/neuter, and to encourage the adoption of shelter and/or rescue animals.
  

While I feel as though I am making a difference in my own small way, I am more than aware that the problem is still spiraling out of control in many parts of Dallas. Pet overpopulation is on the rise, and thousands of dogs and cats are euthanized in shelters around the city every year. I believe that something needs to be done, or the issue will only continue to get worse.

Below is a letter that ran in the most recent issue of PAW PRESS (put out by the nonprofit organization PAWS IN THE CITY). Included is a link to an online petition in support of the recently proposed changes to the City of Dallas’ animal ordinances, which involves mandatory spaying/neutering of household pets and a formalized breeder registration. I believe it is a step in the right direction to help curb the high number of unwanted dogs and cats in the City.

Please take a second to read the letter below. I hope you will consider adding your name to the petition and/or passing this information along to others who may be interested in the subject.

HELP US PUT AN END TO COMPANION ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION

According to the book "One at a Time: A Week in an American Animal Shelter", an animal is put down every 9 seconds in a US shelter. If the City of Dallas made changes to its animal ordinances that reduced the number of animals being killed at taxpayer expense in our shelters, and improved public health and safety on our streets, would you support those changes?

We need your help. If you do nothing else, take a minute to sign our petition now at http://dallasanimaladvocates.wordpress.com/. ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED IS ON THIS SITE! To find out more before you sign, please read on.

The City of Dallas Animal Shelter Commission has recently proposed several changes to the City's animal ordinances, the most significant of which is Mandatory Spay/Neuter with Breeder Registration. Many people maintain that the decision to sterilize a pet should be left to the owner. Well, that approach has left Dallas facing a pet overpopulation crisis. Last year, 26,979 dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens were put down in City of Dallas shelters, while another 13,000+ strays or abandoned animals were found dead in the streets. Our city shelters are overcrowded and unable to keep up with the flow of animals abandoned or surrendered to Dallas Animal Services every day.

We have tried to address this issue with voluntary programs. We've educated people about the benefits of spay/neuter; we've offered free spay/neuter services; we've even tried to pay people to spay or neuter their pets.

Clearly these measures have not been enough. The rampant breeding cycle continues and the City of Dallas is forced to use its limited resources dealing with growing numbers of excess pets every year.

The issue is bigger than the huge number of animals dying, though that is unacceptable. Sanitation, public health and even the environment are impacted. Large numbers of stray animals defecate freely in the streets and raid garbage dumpsters for food. They can spread diseases and - as a result of abuse or because they're simply starving - may be aggressive, increasing the risk of injury to the public. Animals that die in the street or are put down in the shelters require transportation by the City's sanitation department - to the local landfill, where they become food for scavengers. Animals that have been put down retain enough sodium pentobarbital in their bodies to kill the wildlife that feed on them.

This is a problem that needs to be fixed, however we need your help urgently. Please let the City Council know that you support these proposed changes - fewer unwanted animals on our street and in our shelters will reduce risk to the public and save lives.

Here are some ways you can have an impact on this important issue:

(1) Get educated about the proposed changes and why they should be passed. Metroplex Animal Coalition and Companions For Life have joined together to create Dallas Animal Advocates, an online resource for information, statistics, talking points, links, updates, and more.

(2) Sign the petition we will be sending to the Mayor and the City Council - our goal is 10,000 signatures by mid-June, so please ask your friends and family to sign the petition as well.

(3) Write a letter to the Editor of the Dallas Morning News expressing your outrage at the existing situation and calling for change.

(4) Call, email or write to the Mayor and other Council Members, supporting the new ordinances. Complete contact information is available at Dallas Animal Advocates.

(5) Speak at City Council meetings to really get your point across.

(6) Visit our Dallas Animal Advocates blog - leave comments or forward on to a friend; link to it from your blog or website.

This is not the time to stand by and watch as our City continues to be overwhelmed by a growing deluge of unwanted pets - anyone who lives or works in Dallas can be part of the solution. Think you don't have time to take action? We challenge you to take less than one minute to sign the petition - every signature counts!

Thank you for your efforts on behalf of Dallas' animals!

Elaine Munch, President
Metroplex Animal Coalition

Lorrin Maughan
Companions for Life