These homeless dogs, all too many of them abandoned pets, deserve better of us. That’s why even the mangiest stray still knows how to make puppy eyes. Dogs have been such a part of human life, over thousands of years, that they’re one of the very few animals that can understand our voices and gestures.Įven stray dogs can read and react to human gestures, and they in turn retain their domestic parents’ ability to communicate with us. It’s a sad end for an animal we’ve always called our species’ best friend. In parts of Asia and Africa, where stray dogs are major carriers of rabies, hundreds of thousands of stray dogs are culled every year. This has led to cities in some countries being overrun by packs of stray dogs. It’s estimated that a single pair of dogs can breed a total of over 300 dogs over just 3 years, as within that time the earlier litters will also be breeding. The problem is only made worse by the dog’s incredible fecundity. As much as 80% of these animals were healthy and could have been given new homes through adoption. In the United States, about 6-8 million cats and dogs are brought to shelters each year, of which about 3 million are euthanized annually. The World Health Organization estimates a total of more than 200 million stray dogs worldwide. Stray dogs are a growing problem worldwide, not only in developing countries but even in First World nations. You give in and break the chocolate doughnut you’ve been snacking on to give the poor stray half.Īre you sure that’s good for a dog? Is it a good idea to feed it here, in the public playground where you take your kids? What will be the consequences of feeding this stray? Can you get in trouble with the law for feeding stray animals? Those soulfully begging eyes just melt your heart. Yet another city stray, sick, starving, and desperate. Its fur is patchy, and you can count all its ribs. The scrawny dog approaches you hesitantly, ready to shy away at the least hint of threat, but with hopeful eyes.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |