Short...reminder about the reality of euthanisia.

It's 2009...and when it comes to companion animals, there are three rules:

ADOPT! SPAY/NEUTER! LIFE-LONG GUARDIANSHIP!

Please help PREVENT the overload of homeless animals in shelters. How?

(1) Save
ADOPT
-That's right, no breeders, no shops -- a cool guy or gal adopts!!

(2) Care
SPAY/NEUTER and get regular vet check-ups
-A healthy pet is easy on the wallett! and on shelters taking in unwanted litters caused by escaped, unfixed pets and irresponsible backyard breeders.
-Cats and dogs that go unfixed are also at much greater risk for certain types of cancers and other infections --preventable via spay/neuter surgery.

(3) Love
COMMIT to caring and protecting your animals for their entire lifetime.
-Do your research, consult a shelter/rescue group adoption rep, ask questions, be honest in the adoption process, and know what you're getting into.
-Dogs and cats can live up to or over 20 years! and they'll need your love and protection for each one of them.

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It is 2009, and we are in a crisis situation. There is no excuse for buying from breeders, if one knows about adoption, if one knows where their shelter is, if one watches the news...
There is also no excuse for turning a blind eye. Talk about the issues, encourage your peers and friends to "stray" from buying and look into adoption.

You do not have to look very hard to find evidence in your community of the reality of overwhelmed shelters, rescue groups, and deaths of healthy, adoptable animals in all of America.

One of the things that will never cease to bring tears to my eyes is thoughts of the reality of euthanasia in the U.S. Today our citizens continue to put money into breeders and mills, usually because they believe they must have a certain look in a dog or cat, a certain breed, a popular breed, or just a puppy or kitten for the day. Such motivations and intentions are wrong when dealing with live animals -- thoughts like the above apply to inanimate objects and products, not to cats, dogs, rabbits, horses and other animals that families typically keep as so-called pets... who can't speak up and say "Look, I know you may not want me anymore, but I need you. Please don't neglect me because you've changed your mind. Please don't take my home away. Please don't let me die".

It is still way too easy to buy an animal and it is too easy to also get rid of an animal. While that probably won't change any time soon, we must advocate for adopting as well as being responsible and showing love for household animals for their entire lifetime.

To those who feel they must have the dog their friend has, the dog they saw in a movie, the one their friend has or a celebrity shows off on TV... it is not always about what YOU want, but what animals need.

Saving a life, caring for an animal that needs you far outshines buying an animal that looks like the product you want or what everyone else has.

YOU are the only one that makes these decisions. Think about YOUR decisions only, do not feel that you need to change the minds of others. You cannot single-handedly stop the gassing of cats and dogs who have outlived their stay at shelters and die in metal boxes like this one pictured here. You can contribute to saving lives by making the right decision for yourself. Individuals buying from shops and breeders or having their animals give birth, and others who give up their animals to shelters have slowly contributed and helped build up the problem we are facing right now. In the same fashion, we can all do our part to reverse this and reduce, eventually eliminate, the market for buying and selling animals.

Again, the best way to do your part is to make the right decision for yourself -- adopt, spay/neuter and vaccinate, and commit to lifelong guardianship of your animals' lives. Be proud of doing something good for our communities. Others will take after you and reap the same rewards. If you have children, your children will learn something you cannot teach them with books or words.

Don't forget -- Euthanasia is NOT a solution to overpopulation. PREVENTION is the SOLUTION. Millions of cats, dogs, rabbits, and other companion animals are sentenced and put to death every year.

AND if you think death is quick and painless for unwanted animals... watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0KucYppXO0.

We do not need to deal with this sadness, these feelings of helplessness, if we take steps to prevent it and educate others to do the same.