The Evolution of Shelters



The Evolution of SheltersSarah Williams center850008549640Seinor projectThomas copelandSpring 20141000000Seinor projectThomas copelandSpring 2014Sarah WilliamsMr. CopelandSenior Project Spring 2014The Evolution of Shelters.Animal shelters have played a big role in history and society. Many organizations, shelters and laws have been created to help protect animals and give helpful information about pets. Pet owners must understand the proper care needed to have healthy and active pet. In order to have a full understanding of adequate pet care in shelters, it is best to know some of the history and back ground information on animal shelters.Shelters were not always as equipped as they are today. In fact, Madison County Animal Services was not always located at 389 Long Branch Road in Marshall. In the late 1950’s the shelter was located up on Roberts Hill Road. The building itself was an open block building and had many kennels sitting outside. There was an animal control officer who would go up and sit at this shelter all day long, while watching over the dogs left in his care. The process of euthanasia at that time was nowhere near as humane as it is today. Back in the day, they used an exhaust pipe from a diesel engine and the animals were placed in a closed black room. They basically went to sleep, but some would have seizures or cry to get out of the room. (Guice)The shelter as some people would know today has moved and opened in 2003. The kennels are now both inside and outside, whereas the animal is allowed to choose and travel between the elements or choose to stay inside at will. They now have technicians who perform euthanasia when needed in a very humane way with a simple injection. They remain with the animal offering compassion throughout the very quick process. The euthanasia rate has drastically improved in the past 5 years from approximately 80% to right around 20% with 2% of the animals that are required to be euthanized due to several aggression, safety of the public, or elderly sick canines surrendered by the owner. The shelter works very hard to avoid those situations and any animal that is adoptable, the staff is working day and night to find homes for them by utilizing rescues, transports up north, foster family and adoptions. (Guice)There are many reasons why the public should adopt from an animal shelter vs a breeder or pet store. The most important reason people would be helping an animal in need of a second chance to live its life to the fullest. Dogs in shelters are in need of amazing homes. Homes that are willing to educate themselves on proper care and training in order for the animal to thrive and feel a part of its family. Most of these dogs have grown up in the shelters, while others have been abandoned or abused by their previous owners. When adopting a dog from a shelter people are saving a dog’s life and giving a lovely animal a chance to live out their life in a home of their own. ()There is another place that has animals for sale and that is puppy mills. Puppy mills generally provide inhumane living conditions, little food and water, and cramped into small crates cover in feces. They receive little to none of exercise or socialization. This dogs are only used for having as many puppies and they can in as short a time as possible to make the puppy mill money. Once the dog has a few litters and is no longer viable the owners will usually dispose of the dog. ()Keep in mind that every dog adopted through a shelter is one less dog purchased from a puppy mill. If society can keep these puppy mills from making a profit, these mills could end up going out of business, which is beneficial to all dogs throughout the world. When people adopt they will also be helping out the shelter you adopt from because the Animal Shelters run solely on donations and government assistance. When you adopt a dog from a shelter, the adoption fees help to keep that shelter in business. Plus, for every dog adopted from a shelter, that’s one more available place in a shelter for a new dog in need. This can help keep dogs from being sent to kill shelters and instead find them happy, healthy homes.There are concerns to be aware of when adopting from any shelter such as employees may lack valuable background information about the dog you pick. In most cases, animal shelters will not be able to provide the extensive history on the dog, however they do get as much as possible. The shelter may not know the specific breed mix (unless it’s obvious), and if the dog came to them, they may not know the medical history either. The more experienced workers are able to distinguish breeds based on their knowledge and are able to look at teeth and estimate the age. Madison County can pinpoint a dog’s age within a month or two and are very accurate at breeds and breed mixes simply by their appearance and the personalities of the dogs. However, many shelters will only be able to provide anybody with details they have from their own exams and treatments of the animal. When people think it’s time to adopt and want to go look at dogs/ puppies whoever might end up finding an older dog. Puppies sure are cute, which is why many people want to get a puppy when it comes time to getting a dog. Unfortunately, puppies tend to be the fastest ones to go, and if people don’t act fast enough, you won’t find a puppy at a shelter. Older dogs make great pets too, but if they really wanted a puppy, settling for an older dog could be a downside. When adopting it’s hard to find the exact breed people want in addition they may not get the breed you want. Animal shelters don’t guarantee that certain breeds are available at their shelters. Instead they take in dogs in need and hope to find them homes. If there is a certain breed of dog in mind, there’s no guarantee that they’re going to find it at a shelter, which means that they have to settle for a different breed. There is a lot to learn about owing a new dog. ()Owning a dog is a big time lifetime commitment. Animals develop deep bonds with their new family. Any change in ownership can be extremely traumatic for a dog or cat, the family needs to be prepared for the responsibility involved in dog or cat ownership. Dog and cat owners need to be able to provide shelter, food, water, medical care, and love and attention. When the family has decided to buy or adopt an animal is a considerable financial commitment. The average care for one dog, which includes food, supplies, and basic medical care, averages $800–$1,000 a year. Emergency care can range from $250 to $5,000. There all a lot of things the family needs when bringing the new dog home there all a lot of things to have for the dog or cat, make sure they have all the basic supplies. These include a collar, ID tag and rabies tag (the owner should be able to put two fingers between the collar and the dogs neck, and the leash should be four to six feet long), food and water bowls (steel, glass, or ceramic preferred), a comfortable dog bed, and toys. When adopting a dog especially a puppy make sure to “dog proof” the home also be sure to keep things put up and out of reach that may be toxin to your pet. There are some key thing to look out for, poisonous plants, plastic bags, and cleaners. The ASPCA Poison Control Hotline is a good resource for more information and help if the animal get into anything (888–426–4435). Every dog needs to be socialized thorough out his/hers life. Socialize the dog early on, exposing the dog to various people and environments, it will become a more stable, happy, and confident animal. Be sure to continue socialization beyond the puppy years and thorough it puppy years introduce it to 100 new thing before it turns a year old. Socialization reduces the likelihood that the dog could become fearful or aggressive toward other people and animals. Some dogs need to be groomed on a regular basis. Short hair dogs don’t really need to be groomed mostly just brushed. Making sure to ease into a grooming routine. Begin with shorter sessions, and gradually increase to the normal grooming session. Be sure that whoever is grooming the dog or pet that the dog is rewarded in the end. Dog’s nails should not touch the ground, and the dog should be brushed regularly. This will prevent tangles and reduce the risk of skin irritation. Anybody’s friend or their vet can help plan and give you a good recommendation on someone who would be good and grooming the type of dog. Everybody wants their dog’s teeth to be sparkling white just like anybody would want their teeth to look like. Brush the dog’s teeth regularly, this will prevent dental diseases. Three to five times a week is recommended, and the vet can give the owner a lesson as well as recommend an appropriate toothbrush and paste for the breed of the dog. Most of all make sure the dog whoever is getting is the best decision the family agrees on there all a lot of responsibility in getting a do. It is important to start training the puppy or dog as soon as they bring it home. This can be done by anybody even the children or they can get it done professionally. Ask doggy friends or vet for reconditions on training class if the family would like to take a class with the dog. ()There are lots of training the family would like to do with your puppy or dog. Behavior training prevent or corrects bad habits that they may have picked up from other puppy’s or dogs, but they may also develop such as jumping, chasing cars, begging, chewing on things, and even jumping on you furniture. There is a lot more of bad behavior those are just a few. There is a lot of patience and hard work when training an animal. If the owner doesn’t want it chewing on shoes don’t let it do it as a puppy even getting it on the couch, they have to be consistent during the training process. Obedience training takes a lot of patience when getting the dog to obey a command. There are certain commands as sit, stay, come and teaching how to heel. Training sessions shouldn’t be long so the dog doesn’t get bored the sessions should only be about 15 minutes long about two to three times a day. To have the dog more interested in doing the things the owner commands, train them before every meal. When training the dog first thing to do is get its attention by saying their name, then speak a one word command such as “sit”, “stay”, “come”, “Heel”. When doing this the owner can’t be impatient, they will probably need to repeat the command more than once. When speaking the commands, say them loudly and clearly, repeating them often. The dog may have to hear the commands over and over, but will soon begin to associate the word with its meaning. Always remember to praise the dog when it responds correctly. This will encourage the dog to perform correctly the next time. The owner may either use food, or affection such as a belly rub, a pet or verbal praise as the reward or both. Never have a negative tone of voice, do not call the dog over to punish them, this will teach the dog not to come on command. Be sure to keep any frustration out of any tone of voice. If the owner can feel them becoming frustrated, take a break. The dog can sense this and will start to associate training with your unhappiness. The person cannot hide their frustration from a dog. People cannot pretend. Dogs can feel human emotion, so stay relaxed, firm and confident. People need to know how to properly take care of their dog and train them without getting frustrated. () ................
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