[Karried]

This is horrific. Please spay or neuter your pets.


The silent slaughter

LINDA CAVANAUGH REPORTING

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma has a problem. It's a problem that's costing taxpayers millions of dollars a year. Unwanted dogs and cats are overrunning our animal shelters.

The problem is so serious that Governor Henry has declared this week, "Ok days to spay." It's an attempt to focus on the need to spay and neuter our pets.

We haven't done a very good job of it. NewsChannel 4 shows the consequences of not neutering or spaying animals.

Critics say something has to be done to stop this "silent slaughter."
It's early on a Monday morning. NewsChannel 4 is at the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter. What happens here happens almost every day of the year.
There are perfectly healthy, happy pups. They are all shapes and sizes, but with only one thing in common. No one wants them.

"No place to keep them. There's absolutely nowhere," says Dan Gannon.

It's Dan Gannon's job to kill them.

"Unfortunately, this animal; there's nothing medically wrong with this animal.
Unfortunately we have to euthanize because of space," Gannon says. "It's very quick acting."

A fatal solution is injected and seconds later the muscles go limp. He is one of 14,000 dogs that will be killed in this shelter in just one year.

Not all euthanasia's are because of over-population. City policy requires all pit bulls, unclaimed by the owner, to be put down. They're not adoptable.

In general, it's a case of too many wagging tales and not enough homes.

"I absolutely hate it," says Dan Gannon. "In the spring, we're overwhelmed. We have mamas having litters all the time."

"It's very emotional. It does make you very sad," says Dr. John Otto who spearheads Spay and Neuter Programs.

Dr. Otto says "People thought building more shelters and sanctuaries will take care of it. That's not it. It's kind of a band aid to what's happening underneath. We need to cut [it] off at the source and that's the spay and neuter program."

Numbers show that two unaltered dogs and their offspring can produce 67,000 more dogs in six years.

"So one spay and neuter can actually have a tremendous result down the road," Dr. Otto says.

It's a concept that's worked in Bristow, Oklahoma. City officials used to kill 1000 dogs a year.

"Now we're down to less than 100," says Mark Harmon.
Mark Harmon, with Bristow Animal Control, has worked with city officials and non-profit groups to institute a nationally recognized spay and neuter program.

"What good is a pretty good dog pound where dogs come to die? We use the money on spay and neuter," Harmon says.

It's estimated that 120,000 dogs are euthanized in Oklahoma shelters each year. A spay and neuter program could cut that number in half and save state shelters an estimated $2.5 million.

Ruth Steinberger is a national advocate of strong spay and neuter policies. She has helped cities around the nation cut their kill numbers.

Ruth Steinberger says we have too many dogs, "It's a costly problem. We can solve it by spay and neuter. It's not brain surgery to say where you have too many dogs, if you spay and neuter, you don't have them."

Yet Oklahoma continues to have one of the highest kill rates in the country.

"The tragic thing is that dogs die silently in Oklahoma. They die by the thousands and burying our head into the sand is not working. It's simply no working. I think it takes guts to show it and it's the right thing to do," Steinberger says.

You can help stop the silent slaughter by spay and neutering your pets and by contributing to the pet overpopulation fund.

This state fund is used to sterilize pets of low income families; a major source of our state's pet overpopulation.

You can contribute by ticking Box 16 on your state income tax form or by purchasing one of the special spay and neuter license tags.

For more information about the program, see the related website link to this story.

[Easy180]

Pure laziness and ignorance for those who don't go through the trouble of spaying their animals...Too bad both of those traits are very prevalent in Oklahoma it seems

[Deni]

how horrible is that??? I have 2 dogs that own me and never once have I thought about not taking care of them.

That is pure stupidity on owners part, if you cant take care of them don't get them... They are the innocent ones in all this they cant tell you what they need.

Take care of them like you would yourself..

[BailJumper]

I think every pet store and group who promotes pet adoption should play Channel 4's news story to every potential pet owner before they buy/adopt a pet.

What burns me though is that we will spend millions of our tax dollars for 'dog pounds' when that money would be better spent offering low cost ($10-$20) spaying/nuetering to every pet owner.

The average cost to spay or nueter is $60-$115.

Many will say that is a small price to pay. But obviously it is an obstacle or it wouldn't be such an issue (other than laziness).

Personally, I would make it a city ordinance requiring a license for each dog or cat a person owns. This would limit the number a person has more effectively and I would offer a discounted rate on the license if the animal was 'fixed.'

[mranderson]

Originally Posted by BailJumper

I think every pet store and group who promotes pet adoption should play Channel 4's news story to every potential pet owner before they buy/adopt a pet.

What burns me though is that we will spend millions of our tax dollars for 'dog pounds' when that money would be better spent offering low cost ($10-$20) spaying/nuetering to every pet owner.

The average cost to spay or nueter is $60-$115.

Many will say that is a small price to pay. But obviously it is an obstacle or it wouldn't be such an issue (other than laziness).

Personally, I would make it a city ordinance requiring a license for each dog or cat a person owns. This would limit the number a person has more effectively and I would offer a discounted rate on the license if the animal was 'fixed.'

There already IS an ordinance requiring dogs to be licensed. Not cats, only dogs. Plus, there is an ordinance that says you may only legally own four adult dogs without a kennel license.

Plus. There is a place on the southeast side (I think around the 200 block of S. Santa Fe) that will spay or neuter dogs and cats for a very low fee if your income is below $30,000. That gives no reason or excuse for not taking responsibility. The only exception is breeding which most breeders are very responsible people.

I saw the KFOR report. Not many things make me sick to my stomach. That one did. Do I think it should be shown in pet stores, etc? No. Maybe to pet adopters as a requirement for adoption unless they can proove they have experience and took responsibility for the animal.

On a related note. One thing that also made me ill was that Oklahoma City has an ordinance requiring the euthanaization of Pit Bulls if they are not reclaimed by owners. It is the owner that makes a dog aggressive, not the breed.

[BailJumper]

There already IS an ordinance requiring dogs to be licensed.

Actually there is NO license required in OKC on a dog - Only some exotic pets.

Vaccinations however ARE required and you can be arrested for it.

I personally think it is insane to only offer low cost spaying for low income.

[mranderson]

Originally Posted by BailJumper

Actually there is NO license required in OKC on a dog - Only some exotic pets.

Vaccinations however ARE required and you can be arrested for it.

I personally think it is insane to only offer low cost spaying for low income.

Incorrect. You must have the dogs rabies tag on it.

Plus. Unless it is a continuing offense, violation is not a arrestable offense. It is by citation.

I use to be an animal control officer and have kept up on the law.

Also. Why give low cost services to people that can afford them? In fact, $30,000 income is too high for a freebie as it is.

[Karried]

my God.. the talents are endless on this board.. tee hee.. now I know where to go if I need oil drilling expertise, tectonic plate movement knowledge, call center advice, customer service hints, policy enforcement rules, political answers, expert advice on dead body disposal, moral rights and wrongs in black and white, child rearing help on respecting your elders, and last but not least, rabid animal regulations policies here in OK...

[mranderson]

Originally Posted by Karried

my God.. the talents are endless on this board.. tee hee.. now I know where to go if I need oil drilling expertise, tectonic plate movement knowledge, call center advice, customer service hints, policy enforcement rules, political answers, expert advice on dead body disposal, moral rights and wrongs in black and white, child rearing help on respecting your elders, and last but not least, rabid animal regulations policies here in OK...

Now we agree. I learned earthquakes in college, learned something about the oil industry from the wildcatters like my dad and Boone Pickens, learned call center and company (what you call customer service) policies from OTJ, political answers from the polticians from a state senator all the way up to a sitting US house speaker, respecting my elders from my parents (something that is rarely taught today), animal regulations from being in the profession at one time, etc, etc, etc. Where the dead body removal came from I do not remember what thread it is in reference to.

So I have a lot of deversified experience and I choose to use it. Not one person can fault me for that.

Originally Posted by HOTTCUTZ

how horrible is that??? I have 2 dogs that own me and never once have I thought about not taking care of them.

That is pure stupidity on owners part, if you cant take care of them don't get them... They are the innocent ones in all this they cant tell you what they need.

Take care of them like you would yourself..

I totally agree with you. As a matter of fact, when we first adopted our dog, she wasn't old enough to be spayed. The fee we paid to adopt her, included spaying once she was old enough.

As soon as she was ready, we had her spayed. We have had her now for over 3 years and she is the best dog I have ever had. We take her often to get groomed and we always keep up with her yearly shots. She is part of our family.

[BailJumper]

Incorrect. You must have the dogs rabies tag on it.

Plus. Unless it is a continuing offense, violation is not a arrestable offense. It is by citation.

I use to be an animal control officer and have kept up on the law.

must you promote your ignorance so flagrantly Anderson?

Actually, arrests for failure to vaccinate ones dog are (though mind numbingly stupid) fairly common and usually are the result of a dog owner with an attitude.

The charge is coded as "FAIL VAC DOG CR AD5."

I would think a former accomplished dog catcher such as yourself would know you 1.) Don't need a "dog license" as you previously and incorrectly stated and 2.) you can and people do get arrested for not vaccinating their dog.

[mranderson]

Originally Posted by BailJumper

must you promote your ignorance so flagrantly Anderson?

Actually, arrests for failure to vaccinate ones dog are (though mind numbingly stupid) fairly common and usually are the result of a dog owner with an attitude.

The charge is coded as "FAIL VAC DOG CR AD5."

I would think a former accomplished dog catcher such as yourself would know you 1.) Don't need a "dog license" as you previously and incorrectly stated and 2.) you can and people do get arrested for not vaccinating their dog.

First. I am not ignorant, and the use of that term is an insult. How would you feel if someone called you that?

Second. The term is Animal Control Officer. Not dog catcher. An Animal Control Officer is a specialized, commisioned peace officer. Many have the same level of authority as any police officer. All can do misdomenor arrests, cite people, etc.

And. Yes. You do need a "license." It is called a tag. And it must be displayed on the dog.

Plus. The only time someone gets physically arrested for a violation of the vaccination laws is for either repeat offenses or if they defy the authority of the officer. It is VERY rare. It is only a citable offense in 99.99999% of cases.

[BailJumper]

How would you feel if someone called you that?

I've been called much worse - but i don't run off and cry about it to the mods.

There are many things I openly consider myself 'ignorant' about; car repair, electrical work, carpentry, literature.... The list goes on. The difference between you and I is that I can acknowledge my weak areas.

I called the city and they were very clear - "you do not need to purchase a 'dog' license or any other license for a common domestic pet. Only exotic animals."

The only 'tag' they said that needs to be on the dog is one that shows it has been vaccinated - No dogs name, owern's addresss or anything else is required.

The only time someone gets physically arrested for a violation of the vaccination laws is for either repeat offenses or if they defy the authority of the officer.

Nice little shuffle there ex-Dog Catcher. I actually said it was usually the result of a dog owner with an attitude. I can get the numbers on Monday if you like, but I was told about 7-12 people per year are arrested in OKC for the charge of failure to vaccinate.

[mranderson]

This is the link to SPOT, which is an acronym for stop pet overpopulation now. This is the free or low cost spay clinic.

Welcome!

[mmm]

spot, eh? more like spot remover...

-M

[AFCM]

I accidentally spilled spot remover on my dog, and now he's gone.

[OKCComputers]

Hello everyone, new here and wanted to ask if anyone knew of any "pet homes" in the area. Our cat popped out a few cute furry kittens (any takers?) I have a couple weeks untill I can give them away... but I would MUCH rather find somewhere to take them to ensure they find good homes. Any advice?

Thank you all!

[BailJumper]

This is the link to SPOT, which is an acronym for stop pet overpopulation now. This is the free or low cost spay clinic.

Hmmmm, not that i would dare question Anderson but wouldn't that be S.P.O.N.

[mranderson]

Originally Posted by BailJumper

Hmmmm, not that i would dare question Anderson but wouldn't that be S.P.O.N.

Actually, the one to question would be the clinic.

[BailJumper]

Actually, the one to question would be the clinic.

Why's that? They clearly state their name as Stop Pet Overpopulation TODAY = SPOT

[mranderson]

Originally Posted by BailJumper

Why's that? They clearly state their name as Stop Pet Overpopulation TODAY = SPOT

I guess I misread it.