A Riverside County animal shelter is pleading with cat and dog owners to stop surrendering unwanted animals until after 4 July. This particular shelter has a night drop zone where people can surrender their cats and dogs anonymously overnight. It is meant to be used for vulnerable animals in need and without homes but is being abused it seems to me by people who want to surrender unwanted pets anonymously because they are embarassed. For example, one person surrendered a blind and deaf dog because he had become troublesome. Was there another reason? Is this a crime?
Historically, during 4th July celebration fireworks, cats and dogs can be spooked and go missing. If and when found they can be taken to the shelter where they can be reunited with their owners if they have microchips. This puts added stress on the animal shelter which is why they are asking people to stop surrendering at the moment just prior to 4th July to allow them to cope with the added influx afterwards.
Comment: This is an interesting human dilemma. You can see that both problems, by which I mean fourth July celebrations and a lack of responsible cat and dog ownership, leads to animals being without homes. They should and need to be in loving homes. This is a human problem and it needs to be dealt with in a decent, human way.
Solution: Only have one communal firework display on 4th July. All other firework should be barred. And all kids should be educated at school on companion animal husbandry. Are these proposals too draconian? I don’t believe so.
P.S. I believe the shelter is in California north of San Diego.
