Overpopulation (animals)
Encyclopedia
The phenomenon of overpopulation in companion animals refers to the large number of homeless domestic cats and dogs. In the United States alone, between 3 and 4 million cats and dogs are euthanized
each year because no one volunteers to adopt them. As a result, most humane societies
, animal shelter
s and rescue group
s urge animal caregivers to have their animals spayed or neutered to prevent the births of unwanted and accidental litters.
and abandonment
, deplorable living conditions, insufficient or nonexistent veterinary care
, and substandard veterinary practices. Such animals are often victimized by people who treat them inhumanely, due to poverty, lack of knowledge of how to provide care, absence of animal welfare legislation and enforcement, apathy, personal beliefs, and intentional cruelty.
animals. Many people prefer purebred, young, healthy animals, and choose to purchase animals of said description, often at significant cost, from breeder
s. That breeders continue to breed animals while animals are killed in shelters each year is a point of contention for many animal rights
groups.
Recognizing the high demand for purebred animals, some people choose to engage in backyard breeding or operate puppy mill
s, practices where people breed purebred animals for profit, often without concern for the health or welfare of any of the animals involved. These animals may be sold through pet store
s or directly from the breeders themselves.
Additionally, individuals seeking purebred animals may not realize that a homeless animal adopted from a shelter can have many advantages: often the shelter will have performed all necessary veterinary procedures, such as spaying or neutering
, vaccination
, deworming
, microchipping, etc. Also, the personality of a kitten or puppy is not always an indicator of how the animal will behave in adulthood. Many shelter animals have reached adulthood and their personalities are apparent, allowing the would-be caregiver to select an animal with a personality that suits them.
and animal rights
groups. Companion animal overpopulation can also be an ecological concern. It is also a financial problem: capturing, impounding and eventual euthanasia
costs taxpayers and private agencies millions of dollars each year.
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
each year because no one volunteers to adopt them. As a result, most humane societies
Humane Society
A humane society may be a group that aims to stop human or animal suffering due to cruelty or other reasons, although in many countries, it is now used mostly for societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals...
, animal shelter
Animal shelter
An animal shelter is a facility that houses homeless, lost, or abandoned animals; primarily a large variety of dogs and cats.Parrots, for example, are the third most common pet owned by people...
s and rescue group
Rescue group
An animal rescue group or animal rescue organization is dedicated to pet adoption. These groups take unwanted, abandoned, abused, or stray pets and attempt to find suitable new homes for them...
s urge animal caregivers to have their animals spayed or neutered to prevent the births of unwanted and accidental litters.
Effects upon animals
Unwanted and stray dogs and cats suffer from neglectNeglect
Neglect is a passive form of abuse in which a perpetrator is responsible to provide care for a victim who is unable to care for himself or herself, but fails to provide adequate care....
and abandonment
Abandonment
The term abandonment has a multitude of uses, legal and extra-legal. This "signpost article" provides a guide to the various legal and quasi-legal uses of the word and includes links to articles that deal with each of the distinct concepts at greater length...
, deplorable living conditions, insufficient or nonexistent veterinary care
Veterinary medicine
Veterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...
, and substandard veterinary practices. Such animals are often victimized by people who treat them inhumanely, due to poverty, lack of knowledge of how to provide care, absence of animal welfare legislation and enforcement, apathy, personal beliefs, and intentional cruelty.
Purebred preference
One contributing factor in companion animal homelessness is cultural preference for young, purebredPurebred
Purebreds, also called purebreeds, are cultivated varieties or cultivars of an animal species, achieved through the process of selective breeding...
animals. Many people prefer purebred, young, healthy animals, and choose to purchase animals of said description, often at significant cost, from breeder
Breeder
A breeder is a person who practices the vocation of mating carefully selected specimens of the same breed to reproduce specific, consistently replicable qualities and characteristics....
s. That breeders continue to breed animals while animals are killed in shelters each year is a point of contention for many animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
groups.
Recognizing the high demand for purebred animals, some people choose to engage in backyard breeding or operate puppy mill
Puppy mill
A puppy mill, sometimes known as a puppy farm, is a commercial dog breeding facility that is operated with an emphasis upon profits above animal welfare and is often in substandard conditions regarding the well-being of dogs in their care...
s, practices where people breed purebred animals for profit, often without concern for the health or welfare of any of the animals involved. These animals may be sold through pet store
Pet store
A pet store or pet shop is a retail business which sells different kinds of animals. Pet stores also sell pet food, supplies, and accessories....
s or directly from the breeders themselves.
Additionally, individuals seeking purebred animals may not realize that a homeless animal adopted from a shelter can have many advantages: often the shelter will have performed all necessary veterinary procedures, such as spaying or neutering
Neutering
Neutering, from the Latin neuter , is the removal of an animal's reproductive organ, either all of it or a considerably large part. The process is often used in reference to males whereas spaying is often reserved for females. Colloquially, both terms are often referred to as fixing...
, vaccination
Vaccination
Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens...
, deworming
Deworming
Deworming is the giving of an anthelmintic drug to an animal to rid it of intestinal parasites, such as roundworm and tapeworm...
, microchipping, etc. Also, the personality of a kitten or puppy is not always an indicator of how the animal will behave in adulthood. Many shelter animals have reached adulthood and their personalities are apparent, allowing the would-be caregiver to select an animal with a personality that suits them.
Global effects
Dealing with a population of unwanted companion animals is a major concern to animal welfareAnimal welfare
Animal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals.The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights...
and animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
groups. Companion animal overpopulation can also be an ecological concern. It is also a financial problem: capturing, impounding and eventual euthanasia
Animal euthanasia
Animal euthanasia is the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, an animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress...
costs taxpayers and private agencies millions of dollars each year.