Culver City News
January 7, 2010 spcaLA Offers Advice Dear Editor, The real end to the pet overpopulation problem and its attending euthanasia rate can be brought about quite simply. By melding the laws of supply and demand with the practices of non-profits, rapid change on a grand scale can be achieved almost immediately. Los Angeles has a glut of Chihuahuas, while Denver has does not. In our care they could wait for months for a home. In Denver they could be adopted in days. Rather than forcing those in Denver who want this breed to essentially have more “made” at an exorbitant cost, courtesy of puppy mills, unscrupulous backyard breeders and the like, spcaLA, Denver Dumb Friends League and a philanthropist joined forces and flew 35 Chihuahuas from Los Angeles to Denver this past New Year’s Eve. Imagine if this were done routinely. The supply of existing homeless pets would be relocated to where the demand existed, thus eradicating the market for those who would abuse animals for profit. We would be finding homes for existing pets while simultaneously drying up the need for unprincipled breeders to produce more. Intelligently managing this would rapidly reduce the shelter populations, the euthanasia rates, and satisfy our clients as they would receive the pet they desire. An ancillary success would be to ignore dodgy breeders out of business and perhaps force pet shops to fill their inventory with shelter pets. Finally, it would eliminate the need to spend resources dealing with poor puppy mill legislation drafted by clueless organizations that even if perfect would target one offender at a time. Let us resolve together to do this. The CEOs of legitimate shelters across the country can communicate easily to assess supply and demand. Philanthropists can be individual, school groups, block associations, etc., that can fund the transfers. Together we can find every adoptable pet a good home — wherever that may be. Could this not be a truly great New Year’s resolution? Madeline Bernstein President, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals |
