Importance of Animal Shelters
Overpopulation of domesticated animals results in inadequate available care for many, often giving way to animal abuse and starvation all over the world. Animal shelters take in these homeless pets.
Function
Animal shelters take in stray animals and pets that can no longer be cared for by their owners. Some shelters provide vaccinations, sterilization or other veterinary medicine. They may also issue licenses. In addition, shelters usually provide pet adoption services and community animal education programs.
Types
Animal shelters can often be classified in two ways: kill or no kill. Kill shelters will euthanize animals after a certain time period to make room for other animals. No kill shelters keep and care for the animals until they are adopted.
Importance
Animal shelters help to control animal population by encouraging owners to spay or neuter pets, and often offer these services at little or no cost. When a pet is missing, owners can search the shelter intakes to find their pet. Shelters also provide second chances for abandoned or abused pets by encouraging their adoption into caring families.
Misconceptions
Animal shelters are not controlled or regulated by the Humane Society of the United States or ASPCA, although these organizations may make financial contributions to local shelters. Animal shelters are generally a function of city or county government.
Fact
According to the ASPCA, between 5 and 7 million dogs and cats enter animal shelters every year. Of these animals, as many as 4 million are euthanized because of lack of space or resources to care for them.
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