The Importance of Thinking Adoption First When Choosing a Pet - Research Paper Example

THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSIDERING ADOPTION FIRST WHEN CHOOSING A PET Introduction A pet is defined as “any animal that is domesticated or tamed, and kept as a favorite, or treated with indulgence and fondness” (Serpell & Paul 129). The Humane Society of the United States estimates eight to ten million companion animals like cats and dogs are given up to overcrowded shelters each year. Of those, four to five million pets are euthanised. “In fact, euthanasia is the number-one killer of all companion animals” (Fournier & Geller 51). Rather than selecting a pet from an animal breeding farm, adopting an abandoned animal from a shelter, is increasingly gaining importance. Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate why adoption should be considered first when choosing a pet. Further, the use of pets in shelters as resources for adoption by healthcare institutions and other facilities will be examined. The Lucrative Breeding of Animals for the Pet-Supply Industry It was estimated in 2004 that the American pet-supply industry sales produced profits of over $23 billion every year, and that it would to continue rising. The increase in companion animals is considered by professionals in the industry as a positive sign people are appreciating the value of pets. However, a contrasting picture is revealed by the number of these ‘valued’ pets entering shelters and being euthanized. “Because the pet-supply industry is so lucrative, businesses put significant effort into marketing their products to the pet consumer” (Fournier & Geller 61). Media advertising also plays a major role in pet-supply sales, thereby contributing to overpopulation of pet animals. “Puppy mills” is the descriptive, derogatory term used for dog breeding farms that produce and supply puppies to pet stores. Strategies to terminate such enterprises include “educational programs to encourage adoption of pets from animal shelters” (Guither 108), promoting legislation to regulate and license dog breeding enterprises, and requiring pet stores to give the source of the animals they offer for sale. Some animal rights groups claim that policies have not been enforced against commercial dog breeding, and inspectors have not examined the animals in commercial breeding facilities. People wanting to buy a pet are advised by animal rights groups to buy from small family enterprises where puppies are well cared for and free from disease. Most animal welfare organizations “promote spaying and neutering to reduce the number of unwanted animals being born” (Guither 108). These campaigns have resulted in reducing the euthanization of homeless dogs and cats at the shelters. The Abandonment of Pets at Animal Shelters In the United States, every year millions of dogs and other companion animals are abandoned by their owners at animal shelters. Organizations such as the Humane Society operate thousands of shelters across the country, and do their best to provide temporary housing and other services to abandoned animals. Crucially, they attempt to find the animals permanent homes. Unfortunately, however, the numbers of abandoned animals are far greater than the number of people and families wanting to adopt them. Consequently, millions of animals are put to death every year to make room for new pets brought to the shelters. “One of the reasons most often cited by people who leave their former pets, usually dogs, at animal shelters is that the animals engage in problem behaviors” (McDonald, Caso & Fugit 311) that their owners find difficult to deal with. Most of the members of animal rights groups do not approve of pet owning, considering it to be unethical, and a form of “fascism” or dictatorship, based on Americans’ treatment of their pets as materialistic commodities. To maintain ethical values in pet ownership, Guither (p.107) states that stewardship and not ownership should be the norm for companion animal care. The services offered by shelters, spaying and neutering clinics, humane law enforcement and humane educational antidotes are not sufficient to eliminate this societal requirement for pet-related products and pets. Radical and rational initiatives in compliance with the law are required. Promoting the Adoption of Abandoned Animals from Shelters Ingrid Newkirk, co-founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) emphasized that breeding should be prohibited, and pet shops should be eliminated. Hence, if people wished to have companion animals in their homes, “those animals would have to be refugees from the animal shelters and the streets” (Guither 107). McDonald et al (p.311) state that it is essential to develop and implement a program to reduce or or remove problem behaviors in some shelter animals, to make them more adoptable to prospective owners. Additionally, those shelter animals that do not show problem behavior would also be benefited, by developing behaviors desirable to several potential adopters. Dogs forming a large percentage of shelter animals, particularly respond extremely well to the operant conditioning principles used in behavior modification programs. Promoting adoption from shelters should include moving shelters into more visible urban areas, posting signs to advertise their location, and renovating them for improved appeal (Fournier & Geller 58). Funds will have to be allocated for renovation and relocation. The Standards of Excellence program help shelters upgrade their care of unwanted animals. A major problem faced by animal shelters is the disposal of surplus and unwanted dogs and cats. Legislation supported by animal rights groups prohibit animal shelters from selling or giving their surplus animals to research laboratories. Therefore, euthanasia is the most common method of disposal employed (Guither 109). However, most employees working in close association with the animals at shelters find it difficult to administer euthanasia to animals they help care for (Arluke 147). They support public education against people abandoning their pets at shelters, and promote increased adoption of the shelter animals, to counter the flow of incoming animals. Fournier and Geller (p.56) argue that to control the current surplus, the shelter animals should be considered as resources to help human health and well-being. Research evidence (Allen, 2003; Fine 2000) reveals that companion animals have a highly beneficial impact on the physical and mental health of humans. The intervention using surplus shelter animals as a resource for these purposes also helps in reducing the number of animals administered euthanasia. Further, companion animals can help in institutional settings particularly for medical and psychiatric inpatients, in nursing homes, juvenile detention centers, and in prisons. The animals should be trained in the specific desired behaviors for therapy or service organizations, and placed in programs. Similarly, social workers working with elderly clients living alone who do not own a pet but are capable of caring for one, should carefully evaluate adopting animal companions from shelters and getting them trained appropriately (Ebenstein & Wortham 727). Conclusion This paper has highlighted the adoption of pets from shelters where companion animals are abandoned by their previous owners. The evidence indicates that there is a lucrative breeding industry supplying pets to stores. Millions of companion animals are given away at shelters every year. Many of these have to be put to death by euthanasia, to make room for the flow of abandoned animals brought in. To prevent the excessive surplus of companion animals, and the consequent termination of their lives, it is crucial to consider adoption first when choosing a pet animal. Further, selected animals at the shelter can be trained to serve at mental and other health care facilities, and at prisons and juvenile detention centers. Therapy with companion animals has been proven by research to be highly effective in bringing about overall well-being among the physically and mentally disabled as well as others who benefit from the companionship provided by pets. Moreover, adoption from shelters should be promoted through house training the animals, teaching them basic skills, and renovating and relocating the shelters. Works Cited Allen, K. Are pets a healthy pleasure? The influence of pets on blood pressure. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12.6 (2003): pp.236-239. Arluke, Arnold. Managing emotions in an animal shelter. In Manning, Aubrey & Serpell, James (Eds). Animals and human society: Changing perspectives. New York: Routledge. (1994). Chapter 8: pp.145-165. Ebenstein, Helene & Wortham, Jennifer. The value of pets in geriatric practice: A program example. In Turner, Francis J. (Ed). Social work diagnosis in contemporary practice. New York: Oxford University Press. (2005). Chapter 73: pp.719-728. Fine, A. Handbook on animal-assisted therapy: Theoretical foundations and guidelines for practice. California: Academic Press. Fournier, Angela K. & Geller, E. Scott. Behavior analysis of companion animal over- population: A conceptualization of the problem and suggestions for intervention. Behavior and Social Issues, 13.1 (2004): pp.51-68. Guither, Harold D. Animal Rights: History and scope of a radical social movement. Illinois: Southern Illinois University Press. (1998). McDonald, Theodore W, Caso, Rafaelito & Fugit, Dee. Teaching and learning operant principles in animal shelters: Perspectives from faculty, students, and shelter staff. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 32.4 (2005): pp.310-322. Serpell, James & Paul, Elizabeth. Pets and the development of positive attitudes to animals. In Manning, Aubrey & Serpell, James (Eds). Animals and human society: Changing perspectives. New York: Routledge. (1994). Chapter 7: pp.127-144. Read More