Help the animals!
Some people don't think of dogs as pets. They see them as vermin to be slaughtered.
In some countries, dog control officers armed with shotguns randomly shoot animals in the crowded streets of the city. They're allowed one cartridge per dog. If not killed instantly, dogs are thrown into an open-top truck and left to slowly die. Others, yelping in pain and fatally wounded, stagger off into the darkness to endure their final agony. All for no reason, because this incredibly cruel method of 'dog control' is totally ineffective against the problem.
Of course, stray dogs can be found in many communities. Around the world, there's an estimated 400 million stray dogs which represents an animal welfare crisis on a huge scale. Millions of underfed and untreated dogs roaming the streets pose a health risk to each other as well as to humans.
For stray dogs, life can be short and incredibly difficult. They have to compete with others, desperately scavenging for what little food there is. Living by their wits on the streets, they're constantly at risk of becoming infected with fatal diseases like rabies. And there's always the threat of being shot or painfully wounded.
A combination of factors is causing a worldwide surge in stray dog numbers.
War, famine, poor sanitation and poverty all combine to create a huge global crisis. Countries in political and financial crisis may simply lack the knowledge, resources and finances to bring about long-term change. Often, the knee-jerk response to this out-of-control breeding has been the random slaughter of animals. Many communities believe the only way they can stop the ever-increasing cycle is by shooting, drowning, hanging or electrocuting stray dogs. But this is not a solution at all.
WSPA has a holistic approach to reducing the number of stray dogs.
On the street and in many rural communities, WSPA is providing practical solutions. To help prevent the cycle of uncontrolled breeding before it can start, we're training vets to neuter young dogs. This specific training is needed because vets are usually only taught how to neuter dogs that have reached breeding age, and because there are added complications with younger dogs.
One of the best ways WSPA can get help where it's needed is through the use of our mobile clinics that we buy and fit out with the necessary equipment and medical supplies. These enable vets to visit rural communities where proper care for dogs would not otherwise be available.
Over the longer term, WSPA is helping reduce stray dog populations by educating people about responsible dog ownership. We're making sure owners know about sterilizing and caring for their animals. So that people won't abandon dogs, we're encouraging them to register their pets and we're getting governments to help through compulsory registration. WSPA is also helping enforce animal welfare legislation so people will treat pets humanely.
In some countries, dog control officers armed with shotguns randomly shoot animals in the crowded streets of the city. They're allowed one cartridge per dog. If not killed instantly, dogs are thrown into an open-top truck and left to slowly die. Others, yelping in pain and fatally wounded, stagger off into the darkness to endure their final agony. All for no reason, because this incredibly cruel method of 'dog control' is totally ineffective against the problem.
Of course, stray dogs can be found in many communities. Around the world, there's an estimated 400 million stray dogs which represents an animal welfare crisis on a huge scale. Millions of underfed and untreated dogs roaming the streets pose a health risk to each other as well as to humans.
For stray dogs, life can be short and incredibly difficult. They have to compete with others, desperately scavenging for what little food there is. Living by their wits on the streets, they're constantly at risk of becoming infected with fatal diseases like rabies. And there's always the threat of being shot or painfully wounded.
A combination of factors is causing a worldwide surge in stray dog numbers.
War, famine, poor sanitation and poverty all combine to create a huge global crisis. Countries in political and financial crisis may simply lack the knowledge, resources and finances to bring about long-term change. Often, the knee-jerk response to this out-of-control breeding has been the random slaughter of animals. Many communities believe the only way they can stop the ever-increasing cycle is by shooting, drowning, hanging or electrocuting stray dogs. But this is not a solution at all.
WSPA has a holistic approach to reducing the number of stray dogs.
On the street and in many rural communities, WSPA is providing practical solutions. To help prevent the cycle of uncontrolled breeding before it can start, we're training vets to neuter young dogs. This specific training is needed because vets are usually only taught how to neuter dogs that have reached breeding age, and because there are added complications with younger dogs.
One of the best ways WSPA can get help where it's needed is through the use of our mobile clinics that we buy and fit out with the necessary equipment and medical supplies. These enable vets to visit rural communities where proper care for dogs would not otherwise be available.
Over the longer term, WSPA is helping reduce stray dog populations by educating people about responsible dog ownership. We're making sure owners know about sterilizing and caring for their animals. So that people won't abandon dogs, we're encouraging them to register their pets and we're getting governments to help through compulsory registration. WSPA is also helping enforce animal welfare legislation so people will treat pets humanely.
