The old story of walking into a large-scale pet store and leaving
with a brand new puppy is slowly disappearing from the norm.
Animal welfare activists have been investigating these shops over
concerns of canine treatment, and it's leading to some serious
changes.
Boston.com reported that many of these activists are unhappy with
what they've found, such as commercial breeders selling their
puppies to stores, which puts profits over the animals'
well-being. As a result, eight states - California, New Mexico,
Arizona, Texas, New Jersey, Colorado, Illinois and Ohio - have
outright banned the sale of dogs at pet stores in
certain cities. The activist groups hope that these bans
will discourage the spread of "puppy mills," which breed as many
pooches as possible to make money off wholesale distribution.If
pet stores are banned from obtaining dogs from breeders, they
could be more likely to promote the adoption of canines from
shelters and rescue organizations, such as the American Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Commercial dog breeding
is overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service. If breeders own four or more
female pooches for puppies and plan on selling offspring to pet
stores, they have to be licensed by the USDA.However, the license
doesn't mean that breeders are taking all of the necessary steps
to protect the pooches' health. That's why activists are so
adamant about promoting the benefits of adoption from a shelter
over buying from a store.
The top reasons to adopt a canine
Choosing which dog to bring into your home isn't easy, as many
factors come into play, such as breed, gender, size and more. But
the Humane Society of the United States advocates for adoption
and offers various points for its reasoning. For example, getting
a dog from the shelter can literally save a life, as
roughly 2.7 million pets are euthanized each year because
facilities can't find homes for them. This number could drop
significantly if more people adopted pooches.In addition,
adoption gives owners a pet who's excited to be brought into
a home. Shelters thoroughly examine and vaccinate all incoming
canines, as well as spay and neuter them before they're adopted
by families. They'll also closely monitor behavior to ensure the
best fit for each home.
After you adopt a canine, owners should sign up for PetPlus to
accommodate all of their pooch's needs.
How to Reduce Stress in Shelter Dogs?
The majority of dogs that get placed in a shelter find it
stressful even if the shelter is welcoming. They would have
gotten separated from their previous families, they have to live
in confined spaces, and more importantly, have to deal with other
dogs in close proximity. These changes can severely affect dogs
and reduce their chances of getting adopted if steps aren’t taken
to alleviate stress. Dogs under stress will become destructive
and start to defecate or urinate in their kennel. Some dogs might
become inactive and go to the hide in the back of the kennel or
they will stop eating. Others might get aggressive and bark with
increased frequency. Increased stress levels will make dogs more
susceptible to diseases. They will also take longer to recover if
they fall sick. To reduce stress in shelter dogs, take the
following steps:
-
Dog Appeasing Pheromone
(DAP) CollarThere are synthetic canine pheromones
available that are proven to reduce stress in dogs. There are
diffusers available but they only remain effective in small
shelters. The best option is to use DAP collars which remain
effective, irrespective of the size of the shelter.
-
Soothing musicStudies
have shown that dogs respond to music and stress levels reduce
when classical or ambient music is played. The atmosphere
inside the kennel will become calm and the barking will reduce
significantly. Avoid using other genres as it might increase
stress levels rather than reducing them. Observe the dogs for a
while to see if they like the music you are playing.
-
Social contactDogs
are extremely social and love getting attention. Talking to
dogs, petting them, and giving them a gentle massage goes a
long way in reducing stress. Dogs need to know that they will
be loved even when they are in a shelter.
-
Regular
exerciseShelter dogs tend to get stressed out as they
have to live in restricted or caged environments. They love
running around, going for walks, and playing with their toys.
It’s important to encourage dogs to play and run as much as
possible. Exercises are a good way to get stress out of their
system.
-
Minimum noise
levelIt’s vital that you maintain the noise level as low
as possible in a shelter as dogs are sensitive to noise and
high noise levels can increase stress exponentially. Teach the
dogs to remain quiet by giving them treats. If the dog barks
when you get close to the door, walk away from the dog. By
rewarding good behavior, dogs will understand that they
shouldn’t unnecessarily bark.
It’s important that you keep dogs stress-free as much as
possible. It will keep them physically and mentally healthy while
they stay in a shelter.
