Looks like we made it to another Friday and I know I’m preaching to the choir, but we simply must try harder. That which we want the most always seems just out of reach. And that is the T.G.I.F. for today, The Gotcha Is Frustrating!
You see, I just saw a recent some numbers that were kind of depressing to me:
- Only 24% of all cats that enter shelters are adopted
- Only 25% of all dogs that enter shelters are adopted
That’s really kind of sad, isn’t it? Even more disturbing is that roughly 64 percent of the total number of animals that entered shelters were euthanized — approximately 2.7 million animals in just 1,000 shelters. Unfortunately these numbers are from 1997 as there just isn’t a good reporting mechanism to get the current, true and accurate data as so many shelters do not report the numbers.
We all celebrate the Gotcha Days when they happen and we are just thrilled when they happen. But there are not nearly enough Gotcha Days going around. I know, I know, we all are trying our best to do our part. But purrsonally, I’m going to try to do just a little bit more. Y’all read the Gotcha of Sister Dolly, and her wonderful Gotcha would not have happened if someone had not tried to tell just one more about a critter in need. I just know we can all make a difference, one life at a time, I just know it!
Remember, adopt cats, we deserve it!!!!! Purrrrr! Zip! Later!
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It is a sad commentary, Brian, and it’s always the innocent who suffer because of human ignorance or when money is tight. No-kill shelters can happen and there are organizations who have changed how we care for abandoned pets. It’s very sad, but there are many like yourself and on the CB who are committed to doing everything we can to make a difference!
Hugs, my furriend, and keep doing the wonderful awareness work you do!
Tom & Julie
xoxo
Oh you are so right Brian. We do need to try a little harder or at least our Mom needs to do a little more. We need to put more on Facebook and Twitter. You just never know when someone will be reading those two things. We will do some serious thinking about this. What a good reminder. Thanks. Hope all of you have one heck of a good week end.
Those are very sad stats Brian. Hope you catch that pesky yellow mouse.
Those are indeed very sad statistics. 🙁
xo Catherine
Brian – what sad statistics…. but, i know that so many pets have found wonderful homes due to you and your family’s efforts…. and that just makes my heart smile.
Mommy wants to cry for all the animals that don’t get adopted – she says they can’t adopt any more now, so she is also apologetic for not doing more herself.
I wish I could give a sweet kitty a “Gotcha Day” but my living situation doesn’t allow me to have a cat for the moment. (Yes, I have Fluffy, but I’d like to give him a brother or sister!) I am hoping so much that the day will come when I can adopt a furry friend!
One of mum’s friends fosters cats until furever homes can be found – some go quickly but others live with her for many months or years.
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
We hope you catch the yellow dangely! It is very sad about all the critters that do not get a home!
It’s a very sad and depressing statistic, Brian, one that would go down if humans would SPAY and NEUTER and NOT think their cat should experience motherhood or some such nonsense.
The statistics are indeed very troubling. Let’s hope things have improved since 1997. Around here it seems that more rescue groups are forming and grabbing a lot of animals from the “kill” shelters. This is good, but what happens after this? More foster homes are needed too if a forever home isn’t available immediately. If a person is able to foster even one or two animals, they should think very seriously about doing it. The animals need us.
We are moving to our new house the last weekend in October. Rumor is we will be bringing home a new kitty once we get settled in November.
Your pal, Pip
Perhaps we should have a homes project for people and pets–you know instead of having to have a job to qualify for a home loan they should have to have a pet. Or both.
Every so often it’s good to see those depressing stats in black and white because it’s easy to forget the reality. We must remain ever vigilant in our fight. I like what Chey said.
Those statistics make me sick. What really makes me mad is that a large number of those animals were simply dumped at the shelters (not a good name for them) by their owners. Unfortunately, to many people, pets are still disposal items. GRRRR!!!
This is truly sad. I believe it’s a sign our country as a whole is not in touch with caring and compassion.
For those reading this, check out my cat blog archives for some informative posts and archived stories about the cat abandoned/feral colony I manage.
https://homelesscatcare.blogspot.com/
https://homelesscatcare.blogspot.com/2011/05/helping-my-cats-with-work-at-home.html
Debby in Arizona
well said…..and people need to remember that they save two lives by adopting from shelters – the one they adopted and the one that the shelter can now take in. 🙂
It depresses me to no end when I think of all the lovely lives lost, or languishing in shelters without a forever home. And sometimes I feel so helpless, like one person can’t possibly make a difference for those statistics. Yet I know that is not true, and so I do what I can as one, and together we can all make those numbers better… day by day, year by year.
We will be participating heavily with our partner Iams in the Iams Home 4 the Holiday program. Check out their FB page everyone, there is A LOT that you can do as bloggers to help out orphaned animals.
Nubbin wiggles,
Oskar
We agree, more animals need to be Gotcha’d!
Oh Brian those statistics are so sad. The one thing I have been meaning to do (and have decided now that I WILL do after reading this) is to make a will to make sure my cats are suitably cared for if anything was to happen to me and my husband. I know it’s morbid but I’d hate to think of them suddenly finding themselves without a home.
On a happier note, have a fab weekend my lovely!! =^..^=
Brian amiguinho querido.
Bom final de semana com muita alegria e diversão.
Aus da amiguinha doguinha do Brasil …
KIPPY
Brian
It is so hard to read those statistics although we know that they are true.
We wish everyone would spay/neuter that helps animals and humans.
It is so sad that only 25% get adopted.
so sad.
purrs
>^,,^<
♥Abby♥Boo♥Ping♥Jinx♥Grace♥
Wow… I didn’t know those numbers. Yes, we need more gotcha days. That’s for sure.
pawhugs, Max
I wish spaying or neutering were not as expensive as it is. In many places it’s close to 200.00 and I wish the Vet’s would do the humane thing and charge less. If nothing else, charge less for the males..as it is minutes before they’re done.
A good part of the problem is twofold: 1) not enough spaying and neutering and 2) owner ignorance. If these two problems were dealt with, there would be less kitties in animal control to begin with. ‘Cause the sad, sad truth right now is that there are more cats out there than there are humans who can adopt. There need to be less unwanted kitties in addition to reaching out to more potential adopters.
Awwww sweet Brian!! These are horrible statistics and goodness only knows what the ones are globally! 🙁 It’s very sad really – me and Charlie think that responsible ownership of animals truly needs to be ingrained into everyone!
We send you and your amazing sisters Sascha, Dolly, Gracie, Precious and Zoe lots and lots of hugs too! Take care
x
Its so sad, and enough to make you sick. Probably the majority of them are older animals too, or ones not deemed “adoptable”. Kittens are so cute and so much fun, but I’ve been trying to adopt older animals. I’ve always wanted a pure bred but can’t make myself do that either with so many in kill shelters.
Oh, Brian…what sad statistics. We hope things are better now than what they were in 1997, but probably not. That’s why we are so happy that in our area we now have a low cost spay/neuter clinic. A normal neuter of a male cat…only $45!! We wish there were clinics like this everywhere!!
Those statistics are very sad. Years ago our mum’s neighbour had 20+ cats none of whom had been neutered. As our mum worked for a vet at the time she offered to take them all in and help with the cost. The neighbour refused saying it was not natural to spay or castrate and let the cats continue to interbreed. It made our mum very sad.
Horrible Brian, horrible. And that’s just the USA. You’re right, we need more Gotcha days.
Those are sad statistics. We hope that spaying and neutering and responsible ownership will reduce the numbers that even end up in a shelter in the first place. Purrs.
Shelter statistics are appalling! And depressing.
Those are sad numbers. There are homes out there too. We sure wish the gotchas were easier and in all cases furrever! have a good weekend, Brian!
Pip, Smidgen, Minnie, Hollie
Those are horrid statistics. Guess we’ll all have to start working harder to more anipals are adopted.
This is indeed very sad. I try not to go to shelters because it breaks my heart to know the fate that will meet most of them. It is really depressing. I had to go to the shelter a few days ago to look for my brother’s dog and it really got to me, seeing that many dogs caught by the council because people just don’t neuter their animals.
I hope you manage to catch that pesky yellow mouse soon, Brian!
Get that mousy. 🙂