The reasons for giving up the animal ranges from “he’s old," “kids are allergic," “he’s dumb,” “we’re moving,” “we didn’t know he’d get so big” and more.
The simple fact is that too many people get a pet on impulse without thinking that the pet is a living creature. When an animal is given to the shelter, the life expectancy is likely to be short. We try to find foster and adoptive homes for all our “guests,” but we're not always successful.
Every person who has a pet can help reduce shelter populations by spaying or neutering your pet. Did you know that in just seven years, a pair of cats can produce 420,000 cats and a pair of dogs can produce 50,000 dogs? If you think that you want “one litter," for whatever reason, think of the thousands that will end up in shelters, and likely will be “put to sleep” because there are too many.
Spay, neuter, adopt from a shelter.
— Kathleen Sharkey, Grand Haven Township