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the unwanted pet population, but other people do.

It should be illegal to give unfixed (not spayed or not neutered) pets away. Many people who take these pets have no intention of getting them spayed or neutered, and some will not even take care to make sure the pet remains indoors or in a secure yard so that it cannot breed. Most people who give pets away free ask for "good homes" but seldom check to see how good the home really is. When people lose a "free kitten" its cheaper for them to go get another free one rather than pay to recover the lost one from the shelter, after all they have invested no money into it.

Typically it is cheaper to adopt a pet from an animal shelter, than it is to accept a "free" pet who has not had any medical done to it, and have that taken care of on your own. As such there is no reason why anyone would want a "free" pet (except in the case of older ones who are spayed or neutered already).

Identification on pets does not stop them from going missing, but does help them to be reunited with their owners if they do go missing. Microchips and tattoos are permanent identification solutions that are worth consideration by pet owners. However any good owner would check the shelter for their lost pet whether it had identification on it or not, so identification alone will not end pet homelessness.

Back to square one. The only way to stop pet homelessness is to make sure the pets that we have get spayed and neutered so they do not continue the cycle of more pets being born than there are homes for. We need to make sure that pets only go to good homes who will spay and neuter. We need to make sure the only people who breed pets are those who will not breed unless they have homes lined up for their pets young, and who will stand behind those pets for their lifetime.

Does this sound too controlling or impossible? Perhaps, but until everyone who has allowed their pets to breed has been there when a veterinarian has to euthanize a litter of unwanted pets, it is the only solution.

Learn more about this author, Brenda Nelson.
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