Dear Editor,
I was browsing the Swift Current SPCA’s website the other day and noticed that they are wanting to build a larger building to accommodate the over crowding of animals. I, personally do not believe a bigger building is what is needed. It will cost a lot of money for a new building and it will not be helping the overcrowding situation. I think that instead of spending all that money on a larger building they should address the overpopulation of animals head on, not band aid it with a new building. Why not put that money towards trying to fix the problem, by educating the public about spaying and neutering their pets. Spend the money on pamplets that tell the public that not spaying or neutering their pets puts them at risk for many cancers & pyometria (a severe, life threatening bacterial infection in the uterus). Not to mention that unspayed and unneutered animals produce many, many unwanted pets that end up at the SPCA or euthanized thus adding to the overcrowding problem. Why not put that money into having all animals that are adopted out of the SPCA spayed and neutered. Eventually there would be a decrease in unwanted pets because there would not be the 100’s of unplanned litters of crossbred puppies each year. If need be, increase the adoption fee. I think and increase in adoption fee would be a great thing. Studies have shown that animals that cost more than $50 are less likely to go to bad homes, be abused, neglected, abandoned or be returned back to the SPCA. People think longer and harder about buying or adopting a more expensive pet, and therefore increase the chances of these animals being placed in good homes and decreases the chances of them being returned. Also the money could be put towards hiring more staff that have education and training in animals, like trainers and vet assistants. There are a lot of things that can be done to reduce the animals population. People are more likely to adopt an animal that is well trained (even the basic commands), healthy and have no behavioral problems. Behavior problems, such as aggression towards other dogs or people, fear, timidity etc. are definitely not uncommon for dogs that end up in SPCA’s or Humane Society’s but those animals can be retrained to rid them of those problems. Some of them in very short times. If a new facility is to be built or not, some or all of these suggestions should be implemented anyways. Please address the problem not cater to it.
lol
