Adam Goodspeed
Mr. Barbagallo
Honors English 12
14 January 2021
Animal Shelters Need Funding
Throughout history animals across the world have been forced to adapt to the changes humanity imposed on them, disrupting their natural ecosystem and habitat through various direct and indirect means. Whether it’s bringing an invasive species to a new land or transforming the natural landscape, humans have consistently uprooted the lives of countless species since the first days of domestication. In modern times new problems have arisen, pollution becoming more damaging, and more species are losing their habitats to human invasiveness. Animal sanctuaries and shelters have become more important than ever before, but with the growing dangers of human progression, the shelters have been struggling to keep up their haven. The increasingly growing population of animals in need of shelter has overshadowed the shelter’s housing capabilities and increased the stress on the shelters. Animal sanctuaries and shelters have become a safe haven for wildlife and must get more funding if they are to continue to keep up with wildlife protection.
Animal sanctuaries generally get their money from various sources. Various grants are given to shelters and sanctuaries by organizations like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and some funding from the government. Private donors make both large and small contributions mainly during fundraising events, directly affecting the number of animals they can take care of. Animal mistreatment is all too common and not all shelters are as friendly as they claim to be, prompting organizations like ASPCA to set up a donation system that ensures that the money goes to proper and verified shelters/sanctuaries. Gathering money from various sources, money is always tight for animal shelters and they can’t afford to take care care of every animal they come across. They choose where to take the animal in and euthanize another, or to turn them away. The rejected animals are either disposed of by their owner, often leaving them abandoned in an unsafe environment or they kill the animal themselves. This is a growing problem as more and more breeding operations are becoming prevalent, resulting in there being more rejections or euthanasias to combat overpopulation.
While progressive solutions are being made to help slow the overpopulation of animals in need of shelter, they are only a means to an end. In Minnesota, the shelter capacities exceed the population of animals in need of shelter, and so they have begun to use their funding for sterilization programs to address the growing wild animal population. Going beyond that, Minnesota is transporting animals from overpopulated shelters and moving them to ones capable of taking care of the excess wildlife, “Safely transporting animals from other parts of the country to the Twin Cities saves the lives of healthy and adoptable animals in southern communities we partner with. It also frees up resources in those communities so that they, too, can invest in expanding spay/neuter programs and address other root causes of animal homelessness”(Animal Humane Society). Not only does this program (temporarily) diminish the need for euthanasia, but also works to set up other shelters by mentoring them and providing medical supplies, while also covering transportation.
Though it’s more than a step in the right direction, the reason is that Minnesota was miraculously on top of its population crisis and went out of its way to help unrelated shelters while covering some of their expenses. Minnesota has had a huge impact on surrounding shelters, but what could they have done if they didn’t need to worry about money? Could their program become more outreached? Could other cities' shelter capacity exceed their local animals in need? Minnesota’s actions have proven that we have the capability and means of saving the unsheltered animals if we provide enough time, effort, and money. Time and effort are already found at most proper animal shelters, but without the money to back them up, they aren’t enough. Animal sanctuaries and shelters are a safe haven for wildlife and must get more funding if they are to continue to keep up with wildlife protection. To ensure donations go to the proper shelters, click here.
