Jacob SchwintMaggie Grapevine

Pd.7

People Should Take Better Care of Animal

Shelters

Dee, a pit bull terrier mix, stares out of her lonely cell. Six to eight million dogs and cats are living in animal shelters in the

United States per year.

Frank, the pug to the right, has been living at the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society for over three

years.

Rita, a four month old cat, was surprisingly energetic and optimistic about her situation.

Staring deep into my eyes, Charlie slowly withdrew his paw back into his cage. Seventy-one percent of cats will

be euthanized in animal shelters compared to fifty-six percent of dogs.

Begging everyone that wanders by for attention, Trooper, a pit bull terrier mix , faces a difficult road to adoption. Pit bulls are often

wrongly classified as a “aggressive breed”, therefore less appealing for adoption. Pets associated with aggression or that

have disabilities are the first ones to be euthanized.

Numerous missing pet notices clutter the bulletin board at the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society. The majority of lost pets that are

rescued by shelters will not reunite with their owners. Only two percent of cats and fifteen percent of dogs will be reunited.

Popular pets, like dogs and cats, are not the only pets

affected by animal abusers. Smaller

pets, such as guinea pigs, rabbits,

hamsters, rats, and gerbils also fall

victim to neglect and abuse. People adopt smaller pets thinking they will be easier to take care of. These pets often need just as much care and

love as cats and dogs do.

Bella sits in her clean cage thanks to the Project Safe

Haven. The project sponsors the upkeep of dog kennels with money donated from

people or companies. $131,213,883 were donated

to the American Humane Society in 2010 alone.

Leaving donations in your will is another popular way to

aid an animal shelter.

A cat savors his food in the Cat Sanctuary at the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society.

Contributing food is a wonderful gift to help

alleviate the basic necessities that shelters

must provide.

Most animal food, like the rabbit food to the right, is provided

through generous donations. These donations save animal shelters a

enormous deal of money. One dog alone could cost a shelter about

$150-250 per year to feed without donations.

Donating items that you no longer desire, like a polar bear stuffed animal, is a

immense way to brighten the spirits of shelter pets.

Little ideas like this can make all the difference to an animal in a terrifying

atmosphere.