Preventing Animal Abuse and Neglect - 3 Things That Work
by: Kate Garvey
Many of us feel overwhelmed by animal abuse, neglect and over population. The following methods have been helpful in the welfare of animals.
1.Leash Laws
Creating and enforcing leash laws is one of the easiest ways a city or township can begin reducing the number of unwanted animals. Many cities may have a leash law for dogs, but not one for cats, ferrets or domestic rabbits. In order to be successful, the leash law must be comprehensive and apply to all animals; dogs, cats, ferrets, rabbits etc. There needs to be a stiff penalty for people who ignore the law. Having a leash law creates several benefits; it’s easy for animal rescue workers to determine which animals are strays, it prevents unplanned breeding, it keeps pets from roaming so they are not likely to be hit by cars, it prevents dogs from fighting, it reduces the number of cats killed by prey dogs or dog packs, it reduces the spread of disease such as Feline Aides and Leukemia, it helps keep public opinion favorable.
2. Humane Education
Humane Education is when caring individuals or groups talk to school age children and teenagers about animals and animal care. The ASPCA website has great information about how teachers can incorporate humane education into a classroom lesson. Ideally, humane education should start in early childhood and continue through adolescences. The Humane Association of Michigan website has information about their very active outreach program. If you don’t have a humane education program, consider starting one at your children’s school. It takes very little time and can be great fun.
3. Zoning Laws
When cities and counties establish zoning laws that regulate how many animals a single person or household can have, it helps prevent overpopulation. Many cities have a rule that a person can only have 4 to 5 pets in a single family home. Condominium associations typically allow up to 2 pets. Since many dogs and cat produce litters of 6-8 offspring, the homeowner is violating zoning law by allowing their animal(s) to breed. Zoning laws help reduce the number of people who breed animals for profit.
About The Author
Kate Garvey is the founder and director of
http://www.PetCareRCA.com which provides free pet care and animal welfare tips. She is also a freelance writer
http://www.kategarvey.net and the author of several non-fiction books. Areas of expertise include real estate, business, web content, newsletters, womens issues and self- esteem.
source:
http://www.articlecity.com
