The Cruelty of Animal Abandonment

Animal shelters and rescue organizations are over capacity. Humane Societies and SPCAs are filled with animals left by people who can no longer afford to care for their pet, by people who must move and cannot take their pet along, or by people who no longer want their pet. The number is staggering and continues to grow.

Shelters in major metro areas report that pet surrender rates doubled in 2008 and have risen annually since that time. While dogs and cats are the most common animals found in shelters, more pet rabbits, ferrets, hamsters, and small domestic animals are being surrendered.

Still, the animals surrendered to shelters are the lucky ones. Sadly, many pets are simply abandoned; either released into the wild or dumped in the woods, at parks or along roadsides.

Summer Pets

Animal abandonment is a practice that is common in resort communities when vacation season ends. This practice is so prevalent, in fact, that there is a name for the abandoned animals: 'summer pets.'

The term 'summer pet' refers to an animal that is adopted for the summer and taken to a vacation home for the duration of the season. The vacationers enjoy the comfort and companionship of the pet during the holiday and then have no more use for the animal when it's time to go home. So instead of taking the animal to a shelter, many of these pets are simply left to fend for themselves.

While it is impossible to put a firm number on it, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimates that 20 million pets are discarded each year.

Animal Abandonment Consequences

Abandoning an animal is cruel, yet people continue to dump animals that they no longer want or can no longer afford. The attitude is that if they let the pet go, someone will find him and bring him in. Oftentimes, people do not think of the consequences of domestic animal release, the consequences to the animal.

Domesticated animals are unable to fend for themselves. Most companion animals quickly become dehydrated, injured or sick and suffer tremendously. Smaller animals fall prey to raccoons, hawks, and other wild predators.

In addition the cruelty of animal neglect, animal abandonment is considered a crime in many states. Penalties vary; in some states the crime is punishable by a heavy fine or a year in prison or both.

Be Responsible

Always remember that pet adoption is a lifetime responsibility.

If there is any reason that a pet cannot stay with the family, find a new home or surrender the pet to a local humane society or SPCA. At the very least, give the pet the chance to get adopted by another family.

Sources:
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
http://www.nytimes.com/: Forsaken Vacation Animals