Rescue shelters have been around for quite some time, and through the years, they have helped to improve animals’ standard of living. We have all seen countless photos on social media and commercials on television that show us what these animals go through. From being abused by their owners to strays on the streets, these animals are robbed of the love, secure access to food, and proper veterinary services that they deserve. And whenever I saw images like that, I would always ask why. Why would someone abandon an animal that has done nothing wrong to them? Why would someone harm an animal that can’t even defend itself? When I first heard of rescue shelters, I thought that their sole purpose was to rescue animals off the streets or from the homes of their abusers, and then put them in adoption centers where they would hopefully find new loving owners. But through my research I learned that the shelters jobs go much deeper than that, and they do work that goes unnoticed.

 

What first got me interested in animal shelters and their work was the ASPCA commercial. As I watched the commercial play out on my television, a wave of sadness washed over me. I wasn’t able to grasp why a person would turn their back on an innocent animal that they promise to love and take care of. These animals were unable to defend themselves and were vulnerable and alone, with no one to come to their defense because no one was willing to. It angered me because it reminded me of the time when I as bullied. Those who yelled constant insults at me didn’t consider the fact that I had feelings, and the same thing goes for the poor animals who were neglected and abused by their owners. Dog fighting, puppy mill operation, and animal hoarding are common forms of domestic animals, and there are thousands of cases each year.

 

Puppy mills are commercial dog breeding facilities where dogs are housed together in overcrowded and unsanitary condition with a lack of proper veterinary care, food, or socialization (“Puppy Mills”). If you look up puppy mills, you will find photos that show dogs living in wire cages that are stacked on top of one another. Since the dogs are not properly taken care of, they are usually infested with flees, and have diseases like pneumonia, heart disease, and many other health issues. There are many pet breeders that are operating without any government oversight, so it then it became difficult to actually know how many are actually in existence, but there as many s 10,000 puppy mills in the United States today (“Puppy Mills”). If the breeders aren’t able to sell the animals to pet stores, the dogs are either killed or thrown on the streets, where that then become strays.

​

I discovered that another factor that contributes to strays on the streets is overpopulation. Lack of sterilization (Spaying/neutering), adequate pet care, behavior training, as well as humans’ attitude towards pets as objects that can be disposed of when no longer wanted are all caused of overpopulation (Greenebaum pg.289). A major way that shelters work to decrease overpopulation is by fixing every animal that comes through their door. I know from first-hand experience that having your pets fixed has a big price tag, so many low-income pet owners are unable to afford such surgeries, and this leads to their pets having babies that they can’t properly take care of. By shelters providing these procedures for free, or for a reduced price, it takes a major burden off the chest of pet owners.

 

Most animal shelters also advocate for animal rights, which is the general belief that all animals have the same rights as humans and that “humans should not be able to use animals for their own personal gain or benefit,” (DeMeo pg.42). In terms of rescue shelters, this belief is very important because through their work, one is able to see that they fight for the well-being of animals. Many people are unaware of the fact that animals are capable of having feelings. So, when animal rights comes into play, the owner neglects this fact, and shelters, as well as other animal rights advocacy groups, fight to inform the public about the animal mind and the impact that abuse and neglect has on them.

 

Ms. Perri Dale, assistant director at the Tallahassee/Leon County Animal Service Center, explained how the local shelter provides the same service, as well as offers educational classes to owners whose dogs aren’t fixed. When she informed me about the classes, I was shocked because I never heard of something like being offered before, and I feel that it’s a great way to help educate owners about the current issue that exists today. The shelter also has a Facebook, which they use to broadcast many announcements. The shelter has posts that range from requesting donations to posting about upcoming events that they are hosting. They are able use social media as a way of publicizing to the local community about what the animals are in need of.