How many loose pets do you see a day? Whether it’s a dog, a cat, or even a horse, do you stop and wonder how many of those pets are lost or how many have been abandoned? When you see that wandering pet do you attempt to help them or do you just acknowledge it and move on? How about that neighbor that just moved away and left their pet? What would you do?
The reason for this proposal is to bring awareness to animal abandonment. Today, there are many who have become numb to seeing an abandoned animal, to see a dog or cat trying to dig through trash in order for them to grab something to eat. We’ve become so used to seeing this that we know just let it happen and don’t attempt to do anything about it. We see our neighbor always having puppies and we think, “aw, they’re so cute”. But do we stop and question how they’re going to take care of them, provide for them? Or are they just going to let them go after they can’t maintain them anymore.
A big problem that contributes to many animals being abandoned is adoption. Many adopt a cute kitty or a cute puppy because it’s a Christmas present, a birthday present, or even because it’s Easter. They’ll be amazing companions and will be there for you through hard times. But what if they become one of those hard times? Many of the adopted pets are adopted when they’re small and cute, when they’re manageable. But as they get older, they become more of a “burden” for some because they haven’t taken the time to train their pet properly. Many say their pet has become aggressive but in reality they never properly trained them not to be, they didn’t take the time to do so when they were little. This leads to people leaving their dogs, which was something that happened during quarantine. Many bought or adopted pets to spend time with them at home but they eventually had to go to work, what happened to them now?
You could help this big issue by being aware of those around you. If you know someone who is debating adopting or purchasing a pet, let them know to think it through, to think about the future. Will they still be able or willing to take care of this pet eight years from now? Tell them to do their research and if they do go through with them, to take the time to train their pet. This could potentially save a pet from dying a lonely life or having a painful death.
What inspired me to write this essay is the problem my neighborhood has with loose dogs. Although some of the dogs don’t seem aggressive, they do lunge and run up to people which could end up scaring them. It's especially dangerous if there are families walking around. My writing process consists of trying to figure out what to write about first which is the most challenging part for me but after deciding on a topic it comes together.
You are 100% right about this, I have gotten used to seeing pets on the streets. On my street we have around 5 abandon bunnies, we have tried talking to the owner but he doesn´t care. I hope people start thinking before getting a pet.
--Samantha Gaona