Research Paper

    

      Over the summer I volunteered at two different animal shelters. One was a “kill” shelter and the other was a “no-kill” shelter. I noticed that the no-kill shelter had to reject most animals that were abandoned because it was overcapacity. They refused to euthanize the defective dogs and cats and kept all of the “aggressive” dogs. The kill shelter had to reject as well. Even though they euthanize the unhealthy and aggressive animals, they still did not have enough room to take in the healthy animals. This made me realize that animal overpopulation is a gigantic problem in the United States, and all animal shelters are suffering because they cannot provide accommodations for these animals.

     The purpose of my research would be to find suitable options to contain companion animal population in the United States. I will have to explore the idea of euthanasia. The effect of “no-kill,” “low-kill,” and “high-kill” shelters will have to be addressed. Also, in the paper I will describe how spaying and neutering helps reduce animal population. Private dog/cat breeders will also be researched thoroughly, as well as “puppy-mills.”  Animal trapping, especially cat trapping will also be explored, as this is a new method of population control that has just recently been used.

      Many of the population control methods are very controversial. Many people are against any type euthanasia, and thus there will be some counterargument dealing with this, especially from large organizations such as PETA. Dog/cat breeders, as well as “puppy mills,” are controversial as people make a living out of breeding animals, and their livelihood is dependent on their animals. Animal trapping has also had a lot of reprisals, especially from wildlife associations who claim that trapping a feral cat for spaying or neutering is illegal as they are “wild” animals not pets.

      My research would involve looking at data that deals with how spaying and neutering has helped (or not helped) reduce the animal population in an area. Additionally, I would look at scientific journals written by veterinary researchers about euthanasia and its effects in animal control, as well as animal shelter productivity. Moreover, I would have to find sources that would define the differences between animal breeders and animal mills subjectively. This would help determine what the problems are with these types of breeding sites.

    I have found several sources to help me determine the correct method that would help contain the pet population in America. One source is called Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution in America. This book argues that animal shelters are unnecessarily killing thousands of animals every year. They describe a humane plan to protect and help animals. Another book called Shelter Medicine for Veterinarians and Staff talks about feral cat programs (cat trapping) and euthanasia (its pros and cons). This takes on a more objective and medical perspective. Another good source I have found is called Rescuing Rover: Saving America’s Dogs which discusses the dog overpopulation problem, covering puppy mills, pet stores, and backyard breeders.