Dismaying Story

Will dismaying story move readers to help?
Kalamazoo Gazette
Sunday, February 11, 2007

It would not be surprising if many of our readers are shocked and dismayed when they see the stories and photos about the huge number of cats and dogs that are put down each year at the Kalamazoo County animal shelter.

In fact, we hope readers are shocked and dismayed.

Shocked and dismayed enough to spay and neuter their pet dogs and cats, to adopt a cat or dog from the animal shelter and to help the Kalamazoo Humane Society raise the funds it needs to build a bigger, better facility so that shelter workers will not be forced to euthanize perfectly adoptable dogs and cats simply for lack of space.

The destruction of unwanted surplus animals is a grim fact of life at animal shelters across the country. Yet, it is out of sight and, therefore, out of mind for most people, including those who love animals.

We lay out the bleak reality for our readers in hopes they will:

Make certain their pets have been spayed or neutered to limit the never-ending supply of unwanted kittens and puppies that eventually end up being euthanized at animal shelters.
Choose to adopt a four-legged friend from the shelter, instead of purchasing from pet shops that often are supplied by puppy mills. Shelter staff work hard to make certain that cats and dogs offered to the public have personalities suitable for adoption.
Consider contributing to the Kalamazoo Humane Society's campaign to build a new shelter to replace the county's inadequate building on Lake Street. A new shelter would have enough space for 300 to 400 animals, compared to the current shelter's capacity of 120 animals.

Unwanted pets are the most vulnerable of creatures -- unless people speak up and work on their behalf.