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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsStray dogs in the crosshairs in Harrisburg
from Salon.com:
The secret lives of feral dogs
A Pennsylvania city instructs police to shoot strays, opening a sad window on animal care in the age of austerity
By Will Doig
Want to get people riled up? Institute a new policy about shooting puppies.
The city of Harrisburg, Pa., learned this last week when an internal police department memo went public, instructing officers of the cash-strapped city to stop bringing its growing number of stray dogs to the shelter. Instead, it said, they should release them in another area, adopt them themselves or just put a bullet in them. Now thats the new austerity.
Amid the predictable outcry, the city promised it would reconsider the policy. But the controversy also illuminated a serious and largely ignored urban issue: the soaring number of feral cats and dogs, and cities decreasing ability to deal with them. The problem is way worse than people assume, says Randy Grim, founder of Stray Rescue of St. Louis. Its a topic nobody talks about, but over the past 20 years its become an underground epidemic in most cities.
There are lots of reasons for this reduced animal control, the resurgence of dogfighting but at base, the feral explosion has coincided with our ever-rising demand for furry little friends. America is turning into a nation of pet hoarders. In 1970 we had 30 million pet cats; today we have 90 million. Dog ownership has tripled since the 1960s. And the more we take in, the more we drop back on the street, where they procreate at a speed that would make Rick Santorum beam. The exact number of feral dogs and cats is unknown, but there are certainly well over 100 million at this point. ................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.salon.com/2012/01/14/the_secret_lives_of_feral_dogs/singleton/
whathehell
(29,082 posts)RebelOne
(30,947 posts)There will be some feedback from them.
whathehell
(29,082 posts)for commenting before reading the whole article.
TheWraith
(24,331 posts)Actually preventing cruelty to animals is off their radar.
boppers
(16,588 posts)PETA is pro-euthanasia, as they consider it more "humane" than a stray dog living wild.
whathehell
(29,082 posts)Secondly, I get your point, but there is dispute about whether
one is doing an animal a favor by letting him live at the mercy
of the streets -- cold, hunger, disease, abusers, etc.
I haven't decided which is worse at this point since I think the VERY
best would be to get these animals into homes, or at very least,
no-kill shelters.
FarCenter
(19,429 posts)A bullet through the brain stem is essentially immediate death. Due to shock reactions, pain would not be felt in the second or so it takes for the rest of the brain to stop functioning.
whathehell
(29,082 posts)Tuesday Afternoon
(56,912 posts)xchrom
(108,903 posts)We're #1!
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)whathehell
(29,082 posts)which was butchering pet dogs in FRONT of their owners a couple of years ago.
They had a rabies problem, and it seems
they found slaughter preferable to vaccinatation.
When you realize that Eastern Europe (the old soviet bloc) have VERY little in the way
of animal shelters or rescues, and you'll see that we're actually WAY down the list.
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)sent to me pictures of dogs hung out in restaurants, like slabs of beef. It was really gross! Yep, you are quite correct!
whathehell
(29,082 posts)Countries like China, the Ukraine, Iraq, Afghanistan are FAR more cruel to animals than we are.
Much of the old eastern bloc countries, in addition, have few if ANY animal shelters or rescue
operations....Even Puerto Rico, as I've heard from people on this site, are "behind" in the
animal protection area.
Saving Hawaii
(441 posts)leveymg
(36,418 posts)Don't worry, be happy. The recovery is working and everything in America is peachy.
WHEN CRABS ROAR
(3,813 posts)come on people, do the right thing to change this.
it's your society, don't you know how to run it anymore?
roody
(10,849 posts)FarCenter
(19,429 posts)Marrah_G
(28,581 posts)Many of them not fixed.
unregulated breeding is a big problem.
Sera_Bellum
(140 posts)in a poor economy. Women, children and then finally the pets.
I work with an older couple who have two male dogs. Any time the mention of getting them neutered comes up, the old man has a bit of a tantrum. "Won't do that to my boys" he growls. How many men who own male dogs can not fathom the idea of neutering their male pets? A female pooch can only have around 3 litters a year, whereas a male can impregnate every day if given the opportunity.
As Bob Barker says.
Spay or Neuter your pet!