You see them outside almost any pet store on weekends; men and women sitting and standing out front surrounded by a collection of dogs in all sizes and colors. Sometimes they are from a county humane society, but more often they represent one of the small, independent rescue groups that have proliferated in recent years. You see representatives of various county humane societies visiting the morning news shows with a dog or cat that is available for adoption, encouraging people to adopt a shelter pet and to spay or neuter all their pets. Those are just the ones you see.

Behind the scenes are the hundreds of people who help in other ways; by providing a foster home for a dog or cat until it is adopted, or by volunteering their time at a humane society. Dog groomers and trainers donate their services to make dogs look more adoptable, and teach them basic obedience. Some veterinarians and vet techs offer their services to rescue groups, examining, testing and treating problems in the animals being cared for there. 

Almost all rescue groups rely solely on donations and receive no help from local governments. In most cases, the members of the small rescue groups use their own money for food and vet care when donations fall short, and hope to get some of it back through adoption fees. Many groups spay or neuter animals before they are adopted, and most others have a requirement in the adoption contract that the pet must have the surgery within a fixed time, and that they be provided proof from the vet. In some cases, legal action is brought against those who fail to comply. A number of organizations offer discount certificates for spay/neuter surgery at local vet clinics, and a number of vets personally offer discounts to people who adopt from rescue groups. And yet, in spite of all the efforts of so many people, who do so much and accomplish a lot, the problem persists.

Every year, in the metro Atlanta counties, 90,000 dogs and cats are killed in animal control shelters. And that is just those that get to a shelter; thousands more are hit by cars, die of diseases, or end up in the hands of people who torture and kill them for amusement. And it doesn’t make a difference; the next year 90,000 more animals will be killed because there are not enough homes for them. The supply never ends. The demand is there, within reasonable limits, because people in this area are pet lovers and care about animals. Supply is the problem, and no one in government seems willing to confront that issue.

Millions of taxpayer dollars are spent year after year by local governments to round up and kill stray and unwanted animals. No county has a real licensing system. The only standard is a state law that pets be vaccinated against rabies. The regulations vary by county, with some counties requiring that you send proof of a rabies vaccination and a small fee, and others not requiring notification. But no one knows how many people actually follow through, or even get the vaccinations.

There are people who cannot afford to pay for spay/neuter surgery, and others who are just opposed to it. A two part program addressing both groups can be effective. Differential licensing laws can make a difference, and have where they are used. Dogs and cats that have not been spayed or neutered are responsible for a large part of the over-population problem  (all of it, actually). However, the difference between a $3.00 fee for an altered pet and $10.00 for one that is intact does not create a real incentive to see the vet. Make it $50.00 for an unaltered pet and see if that gets anyone’s attention. It seems only fair that the owners of these animals contribute to the cost of cleaning up the mess they make.

If a portion of the money that is used to kill animals were used to prevent births, the benefits would be noticeable quickly by the smaller number of animals having to be killed each year. It works in other areas and it can work here. Mobile vet clinics are being used more and more, and can go right to the areas where there are problems. Services can be offered on a sliding scale, from low cost to no cost, and will draw in people with pets who would never have the procedure done otherwise. It would not draw any money away from regular animal hospitals, since no money seems to be forthcoming from these people. The primary goal should be to get every possible animal spayed or neutered, and reduce the number of animals being born. Then maybe supply and demand can equalize.