The purpose of this letter is to encourage legislation to control the over-population of helpless animals, and to persuade citizens to adopt helpless dogs and cats from animal shelters.
Too many animals are allowed to breed, producing a heavy burden on animal shelters throughout the U.S., thus causing innocent animals to suffer.
The following example is about a 20-pound beagle named Daniel who surprised animal control officials after escaping death in a gas chamber. After no one claimed the stray dog at a shelter in Florence, Ala., Daniel and 17 other unadopted pets were sent to the gas chamber. When the attendant opened the door, one dog was still alive. What a miracle!
I run a shelter for unwanted dogs. I can see their aggression at different times, and all dogs show it. Animals are more sensitive than humans, and pick up on disaster that is about to occur. Animals who are about to be put down, either gassed or by injection, are frightened. Those put in a gas chamber will respond accordingly. A frightened dog will fight, and bite, and attack any other dog who is weaker. What a horrible way to treat animals! Will people ever learn that hurting someone or something weaker also results in equal, if not more, pain and suffering for the perpetrator?
Legislation has been passed in Alabama, going into effect Dec. 31, to stop the use of gas chambers to euthanize discarded animals. What about the thousands that will be put down between today's date and Dec. 31?
In other states dogs are injected with drugs to shut down their hearts. This too is horrible. No dog should be euthanized, but laws should be in place to attend to the negligence of citizens for not spaying and neutering their pets. Each state must address the irresponsibility of pet owners which adds to over population.
“Before unwanted animals are conceived” is the end where the astronomical numbers of animals should be lessened, not the other end of the spectrum, where loving animals are made to suffer because of pet owners’ negligence and legislators’ disregard and lack of intervention. Citizens must encourage legislation to attend to this horrific problem. Legislators must set legislation in place to stop the suffering of these loving dogs and cats.
Another story from Cobb County, Ga. tells about a dog who saved his owner's life by waking his owner up when the house had caught fire. Sadly, the dog died in the fire, but the owner is alive to tell about the heroic intervention of his dear friend.
There are other stories of wonderful acts of loving dogs who saved their owner’s life. My mom and dad were also saved when their Chihuahua, Dolly, woke them during the onset of a fire caused by the overheating of a space heater.
Dogs are wonderful companions, and deserve the same level of love and appreciation that dogs show to humans. If people would only open their hearts to a loving dog, they would realize what a dog has to offer their lives. A dog is such a loving animal and is truly “man’s, and woman’s, best friend." But many of these loving animals are discarded as nothing.
There are thousands of dogs across the U.S., trembling in animal shelters, waiting their turn to be euthanized. I am encouraging each citizen to visit the animal control/shelter in their county for the purpose of adopting an unwanted, discarded precious dog. There is one such animal eager and waiting to be a friend and companion. A person who opens his or her heart to a dog will be saving the precious life of a doomed dog and maybe, just maybe, this precious dog will return the favor.
Some people may be wondering how they can make this world a better place. Getting on board and helping save helpless dogs, and cats, is a good place to start.
God bless you for your achievements in this effort.
— Trecia Watson
Cleveland
