On Fri, 31 Jan 2003 18:15:44 -0400, L.D. Best wrote: <snip>
> What options are left? Turn the animal loose to fend for itself? > Euthenasia? Find a new owner who might also be shipped out, or about > whom you know little or nothing? If you turn a dog loose in the wild it will likely join a pack and become ferral and attack livestock in order to survive. The livestock owners will shoot them. It is perfectly legal for them to do so if the dog is seen on their property and seen in the act of chasing after their livestock. Usually the livestock owner will try to contact the dog's owner if he can, or he will call the animal warden to set some humane SPCA-approved traps for the dogs and have them caught and sent to the animal shelter before he would resort to the more drastic but perfectly legal measure of just shooting the poor dogs. Most animals which go to the animal shelter will be euthanised because there are not enough people interested in adopting them. If you turn a cat loose in the wild it will probably succeed at fending for itself and surviving quite well and even producing many offspring. This results in disturbing the balance of nature. Many wild birds will start disappearing as well as the squirrels and rabbits. The cat population will eventually have to be culled. What to do about pets that can no longer be cared for properly due to circumstances beyond the owner's control is a very serious problem. > I will admit I hadn't thought about this aspect of war, and I'm a pet > owner and even work when I can with a pet recue group. Luckily, I have > a friend who does think such things are important and who found out > about options for those pets left behind. > If you care, or know of someone who might, please act upon or share the > information she sent to me: There are many farmers who will gladly accept the gift of some cats or some kittens to help control the mouse and rat problem around their feed and grain bins. I once was able to give away an entire litter of six little kittens to a family who lives on a farm. The family was very delighted and happy to receive them and I know that the little kittens by now have all grown up to become very happy and contented fat cats. One of the reasons why cats and dogs which go to the animal shelter are not likely to be adopted is that the persons adopting such animals must agree to have them spayed or neutered at their own expense. These operations are expensive. The animal shelter will demand that the adopting owner show a certificate signed by a veterinarian attesting that the operations have been performed as agreed. > ----- Forwarded message begin ----- > How about helping spread the word about Operation Noble Foster (pets) to > help the people fighting for our country: NetPets Foster > http://www.netpets.org/netp/foster.php > Better yet, maybe sign up as a foster for a pet or two?? Maybe we can > help do something to help our military people keep their animals. > Many are having to leave their pets behind as they deploy for the Middle > East. Yes, they should have thought all this over long ago, but many > need help now. > ------ Forwarded message end ------ Sam Heywood -- This mail was written by user of The Arachne Browser: http://browser.arachne.cz/
