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In the past ten years I have adopted nine homeless dogs and cats. Of my dogs, Shu and Hunny were abandoned by their previous persons at gas stations, Boz was a stray and a Dumpster diver, and Puppy was from an unwanted litter. Of my cats, Tao and Karma were rejected as kittens, Maya was an older cat left at the animal shelter by her former family when they suddenly became "allergic" to her, Circe was tossed outdoors to wander alone and was captured by Animal Control, and Matilda was a homeless stray trying to fend for herself. I've tried to do what I can to give my wonderful and challenging pets a good life. But no matter how many dogs and cats I try to save, I can't save them all by myself. The problem of pet homelessness can only be resolved if we all do our part to prevent it.

Millions of healthy, adoptable animals are "euthanized" at public shelters and pounds each year in the United States because there are too many dogs and cats being born and not enough caring humans willing to give them a home. That our society condones killing homeless, healthy animals is nothing less than barbaric, but presently, this is the principal way animal homelessness is dealt with in the U.S.

Are no-kill shelters the answer to homelessness? No-kill shelters are permanent animal sanctuaries that have sprung up all over the country. They are generally run by well-intentioned people. But sometimes these people try to do too much by taking in too many animals without being able to care for them properly, and the animals suffer. Other no-kills severely limit the number of animals they take in. Unfortunately, no-kill shelters cannot solve the homelessness problem on their own.

There is no question that, since humans have created domesticated cats and dogs in the first place, humans should take responsibility for their welfare. But sadly, it is humans who allow them to roam, humans who abuse, neglect and abandon them, and humans who fail to spay or neuter them, so the cycle of homelessness and suffering is perpetuated. But humans can also choose to end animal homelessness. There are a number of ways to accomplish this on an individual basis.

First, if you're already the guardian of a dog or cat and you haven't already done so, make an appointment with a veterinary clinic or animal shelter to have your pet spayed or neutered. Contrary to popular myth, "altering" an animal does not change its personality or make it sexually frustrated; in fact, it guards against some forms of cancer

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