It's Hard to Help Companion Animals if You Hate the Public

Animal problems are people problems. 

• Every dog or puppy you see running loose or lying in a ditch belongs to someone.
• Many, but not all, cats you see outside belong to someone (some are part of the ecosystem).
  
• Every "accidental" litter of puppies belongs to someone.
• Many, but not all, accidental litters of kittens belong to someone.
• Every dog or puppy who ends up in an animal shelter belongs to someone.
• Many, but not all, cats who end up in an animal shelter belong to someone (some are feral and part of the ecosystem).
• Every animal for which rescue placement is sought belongs to someone.

I make these points because I was reminded again this week of the level of hatred displayed by some in the animal shelter and animal rescue communities toward the public. Some attitudes rise to a level I consider toxic. People who lead or work in shelters where the lives of healthy and treatable animals are ended as a population control measure do not want to be called killers and they should not. Applying the act to the actor is inflammatory and counterproductive. Yet those same people who do not want to be faulted for destroying animals (needlessly, I would argue) do not hesitate to blame the public for the fact that animals die at their facilities. Most of them remain ignorant of (or refuse to acknowledge) proven programs that have been available for the taking for 2 decades and which can and should be used to keep more animals alive. This is what I read and hear weekly if not daily.

• If you cared enough you would keep your pets contained and they would not end up in our shelter.
• If you cared enough, you would spay and neuter your pets so their offspring don't end up in our shelter.
• If you cared enough, you would make sure your pet is microchipped so he can be identified if he ends up in our shelter.
• If you cared enough you would come to the shelter to find your missing pet even if it meant getting fired from your job (because the shelter is only open when most people are at work).
• If you cared enough...
• If you cared enough...
• It is your fault animals die here and nothing will change until you become more responsible.

But here's the problem with that us v. them attitude. It does not serve shelters and rescue groups well and it certainly does not serve the public well toward resolving the very issues that cause animals to be in need. Animal sheltering and rescue is not what the public thinks. Or even understands. I blame that in part to television shows and documentary films that have highlighted animal control/shelter operations and on rescue groups that have led the public to have entirely unrealistic expectations of those animal care agencies. Add to this the fact that we all live within the bubble of our own reality and we focus on what is in front of us, what affects us and what we value no matter the subject. Politics. Money. Our troops. Disease. Animals.

Whether people in the shelter and rescue community want to acknowledge it or not, most of the public has no clue of the challenges faced by shelters and rescues related to companion animals because it's just not on their personal radar. Should the public know more about what is happening when it comes to how their personal behavior affects shelters and rescue groups? Probably. But. They. Don't. I once spoke to this in a podcast for which I was interviewed years ago and referred to the divide between the public and animal agencies as like a gorge. On one side of the gorge are the animal loving public. Most of them mean well. They think they are doing all they can but they do make bad choices, they sometimes wait too long for pets to be spayed/neutered and accidents happen that cause dogs to get loose. Most of those people on the public side of the gorge believe animal shelters keep all healthy and treatable animals alive. They also have developed an unreasonable belief that rescue groups are prepared to drop what they are doing and absolve them of responsibility for their pets, a belief that is bolstered by the fact that many in rescue will do just that.  On the other side of the gorge is the animal shelter and rescue community that have such loathing for the public they can hardly function. They are certain the public is entirely to blame for the fact that animals die because people are irresponsible and don't care enough. I'm not sure who all these irresponsible people are. Apparently everyone other than the people who work at or volunteer for the shelter.

I firmly believe that the culture in our communities toward companion animals changes when the shelter leads the way and invites the public they serve to be part of something bigger than themselves. In places where the culture related to shelter animals has changed and more lives are saved, the "irresponsible public" did not move out only to be replaced by more responsible people. Unless and until those in the animal shelter and rescue community stop vilifying the public they expect to behave differently, nothing will change. It is totally counterproductive to say, "it is your fault animals die, but oh, by the way. Can you adopt, volunteer, donate and foster?" You cannot slap someone across the face with your words and expect adoration or cooperation in return. If you want to modify public behavior, please suspend your judgment and check your attitude at the door. Instead try helping people so they make better choices and so there are fewer animals entering shelters or in need of rescue.

• Seek grants or fundraise to help people afford to have pets spayed or neutered. Municipalities that invest in low income spay neuter programs see intake drop over time.
• Host a microchipping or rabies vaccination event in the community with the help of a volunteer veterinarian using donated funds or grant money.
  
• Collect donated dog collars (and breakaway cat collars) on which a phone number can be written in permanent ink and give those away to the public.
  
• Help people whose dogs live outside by providing dog houses, run lines (where legal) and wheat straw in cold weather. This can be done using donated funds or grant money.
• Open a pet food pantry with donated food to help people who are struggling financially.
• Offer free or low cost animal training and behavior support with assistance from volunteer trainers and those who focus on animal behavior.
• Start a dedicated fund to help people pay for nominal veterinary costs they otherwise could not afford or pay a pet deposit.
  
• Host a pet safety outreach event prior to traditional use of fireworks (4th of July, Labor Day, etc.)  to give advice on keeping pets contained during stressful events so they don't end up running loose.

And some suggestions for everyone involved that are a reality check.

For animal shelters:

• Please learn about the programs and services of the No Kill Equation toward reducing your intake, shortening length of stay and promoting pubic safety while helping the public. Implementing even 1 program a month will help you. It is a DIY solution that can be molded and shaped to help any community and many programs cost nothing.
• Engage with your community to get animals adopted and find foster homes. As long as you treat the public you serve as unworthy, you will never modify behavior locally. Not every placement has to be with a "unicorn" home.
• Stop taking owned animals with no questions asked and do pet surrender counseling to learn what is really happening and possibly divert that intake. Absent a local law or contract, tax-funded animal shelters are no more obligated to take owned animals than cities or counties are obligated to take old cars or computers.

For rescue groups:

• You are part of the solution. You are not THE solution. To the extent you try to save every animal of which you become aware, you are taking on a burden that is not yours to carry and you do so to your own physical, emotional, mental and financial detriment. I would also argue there is no incentive for elected officials to do better if you are literally coming to the rescue.
• Learn about the No Kill Equation so you better understand the 30,000 foot view of animal sheltering and the ways you can help the public not by taking animals but by keeping them in existing homes.
• Rescue responsibly by only helping those animals for whom you have resources - money, fosters and volunteers. Taking on animals for whom you lack resources and then begging for immediate donations is a path to failure. 
• If you do not say "no" and you try to save every animal of which you become aware, no matter where they are located, please don't go on social media and complain how miserable you area and seek validation for your choices. This type of halo polishing puts the focus on you when it should be on the animals you are trying to help or place.
• There are laws about abuse and neglect for every state and most communities. Not everything you see is illegal even if you don't approve. Report suspected abuse and neglect to local law enforcement to get help. If you steal animals, expect to be arrested.

For the public:

• Your pets are your responsibility. There is no emergency number you can call to have someone come to get your pet from you with no notice and on some whim. If you think you don't have enough time for your pets, remember that most cats sleep 15 hours a day and most dogs sleep 12 to 16 hours a day. The best place for your pet is with you.
• Make a plan for your pets in the event of your death, incapacitation, incarceration or some other life crisis. Do not assume your family will take your pets. If they do not and your pets end up in a shelter, their lives may be ended there. You owe them better.
• If you need help to keep your pets, reach out and ask for help. Many communities have resources to help with food, basic supplies, nominal veterinary costs and even pet deposits. If you are having behavioral issues with your pet, that does not get better with time. Speak with your veterinarian to determine if there is a physical reason for the behavior or talk to a trainer or rescue group to see if they can offer some advice.
• If you become aware of a family member who has more animals than they can care for but they keep getting more, won't let you visit and won't see help. this may be a form of mental illness. Seek assistance from local law enforcement and the local mental health agency or Department of Human Resources.
  

This week I have been called insane, clueless, delusional and told to "F off" multiple times. Name calling and profanity by those who refuse to acknowledge that animal problems are people problems are tactics of desperation. One woman told me to "hush." Alrighty then. I have also been told I am not allowed to have an opinion about tax-funded animal shelter operations if I have never done that job myself. I simply do not  agree. I have plenty of contacts across the country who do run animal shelters and with whom I have interacted for years. And I think we can all agree I am not expected to fill potholes, mow city parks or stand in the street and direct traffic to have an opinion about how tax dollars are spent by other municipal departments that do not make life and death decisions daily.