Animal Shelters
The first work I selected is from the following course/activity: AP English
Grade Level: Junior Year
Explain the Activity in 2-3 sentences: Our class had to write a persuasive paper over an issue that could be argued from two sides. I choose to write about euthanasia in animal shelters.
Grade Level: Junior Year
Explain the Activity in 2-3 sentences: Our class had to write a persuasive paper over an issue that could be argued from two sides. I choose to write about euthanasia in animal shelters.
I choose this item of work because I feel passionately about animals, so when writing this paper, I was interested in what I was writing about. This assignment was more challenging than I originally thought it was going to be. There is a lot of controversy around animal euthanasia in animal shelters, and it was difficult for me to pick a side. This assignment also challenged me with the fact that it was a persuasive paper. I am a fairly indecisive person, so writing about one side of an argument was hard for me. I was too wish washy in my paper and keep jumping from one side of the argument to the other side. I ended up setting in the middle, but I gave my reasoning. From writing this assignment, I learned to do research. It would have been a lot easier to write this paper if I had an adequate amount of research. If I were to write a paper similar to this again, I would write about a subject where I stood firmly on one side of the argument. I would use what I learned about research by researching more about my topic, so I would have more background information.
Animal Shelters
Have you even been saddened when you walk into an animal shelter? If you think about it, most of the animals in the shelter will live in the shelter for most of their lives. That is no way to live. Most animal shelters should euthanize animals after having the animals for two years. A lot of the animals in the shelters will not get adopted, shelters do not give the animals the love they deserve, and euthanasia saves cost on food, veterinarians, and employee costs.
A lot of animals do not get adopted in animal shelters. Only 25 percent of dogs are adopted from shelters, and only 24 percent of cats are adopted. (Animal) Since a lot of animals do not get adopted, shelters should put a limit on how long they can keep the animals. 3.7 million dogs and cats are already euthanized every year. (Culp) The shelters should not keep the animals if they are going to be put down later while still living in the shelter. Some dogs and cats may live in the shelter for multiple years and have to be euthanized because of medical problems or old age. Why should they have to live in the shelter for most of their life if they are not going to get a adopted and have to be put down anyways? Maybe if people saw animals being euthanized, they would spay and neuter their animals to prevent unwanted babies.
A shelter is not a home for animals. Shelters do not give the animals the love they need like a true home would. An animal should not live in a shelter for the majority of their life. The enclosures for animals are often too small for the animals. Most size recommendations for kennels are are not meet by the animal shelters. (Newbury) When an animal is adopted into a home, they have multiple rooms to play in or a yard to play in. Every once in a while, a dog or cat will have a volunteer come play with them in the animal shelter, but in a home, a cat or dog will be able to play with their owner every day.
Euthanasia saves cost on food, veterinarians, and employee costs. Shelters spend a lot of money on animals that will not get adopted in the long run. On average, dog owners spend $231 on routine veterinary visits. Cat owners spend an average of $193 on routine veterinary visits. Euthanasia only costs $50 at certain veterinarian clinics. (Pets) Raising cats and dogs is not cheap. The cost of basis needs of animals could cause some shelters to go into debt. Tax payers spend one billion dollars annually to pick up, house, and euthanize animals. If we could open 250 public low-cost spay/neuter programs, we could only spend $4 million dollars instead of $1 billion.(Statistics)
Some people find it offensive to euthanize animals, but sometimes its necessary. The animals may be sick, old, or too aggressive to be adopted. If a shelter has extra room and bountiful resources, it's great to keep all the animals they can. If there is no need to put the animals down, they do not need to be euthanized. Foster homes are also a great way to house adaptable animals. It costs money to euthanize animals, but it costs more on average to house and feed the animals for a year. (Statistics)
Euthanasia is not a pleasant thing to think about, but sometimes it is the best thing to do. Most animal shelters should euthanize animals after having the animals for two years. It is an exception if the animals are in a foster home, or the shelter has plenty of room and resources to house extra animals.
“Dogs, for a reason that can only be described as divine, have the ability to forgive, let go of the past, and live each day joyously. It’s something the rest of us strive for.”
- Jennifer Skiff
Works Cited
"Animal Shelter Euthanasia." American Humane Association. American Humane Association, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/stop-animal-abuse/fact-sheets/animal-shelter-euthanasia.html>.
Culp, Diana. "Facts and Statistics about Pet Shelters." Humane Society for Shelter Pets. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.humaneforpets.com/resources/facts-and-statistics-about-animal-shelters/>.
Newbury, Sandra, Mary K. Blinn, Philip A. Bushby, Cynthia Barker Cox, and Julie D. Dinnage. Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters.
2010.
"Pets by the Numbers." The Humane Society of the United States. The Humane Society of the United States, 30 Jan. 2014. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/pet_overpopulation/facts/pet_ownership_statistics.html#.Uz4SWaLvvsb>.
Skiff, Jennifer. "The Divinity of Dogs Quotes." Good Reads. Goodreads Inc., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/19112407-the-divinity-of-dogs-true-stories-of-miracles-inspired-by-man-s-best-fr>.
"Statistics & Facts." The Dog Rescuers. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. <http://www.thedogrescuers.com/statistics--facts.html>.
Have you even been saddened when you walk into an animal shelter? If you think about it, most of the animals in the shelter will live in the shelter for most of their lives. That is no way to live. Most animal shelters should euthanize animals after having the animals for two years. A lot of the animals in the shelters will not get adopted, shelters do not give the animals the love they deserve, and euthanasia saves cost on food, veterinarians, and employee costs.
A lot of animals do not get adopted in animal shelters. Only 25 percent of dogs are adopted from shelters, and only 24 percent of cats are adopted. (Animal) Since a lot of animals do not get adopted, shelters should put a limit on how long they can keep the animals. 3.7 million dogs and cats are already euthanized every year. (Culp) The shelters should not keep the animals if they are going to be put down later while still living in the shelter. Some dogs and cats may live in the shelter for multiple years and have to be euthanized because of medical problems or old age. Why should they have to live in the shelter for most of their life if they are not going to get a adopted and have to be put down anyways? Maybe if people saw animals being euthanized, they would spay and neuter their animals to prevent unwanted babies.
A shelter is not a home for animals. Shelters do not give the animals the love they need like a true home would. An animal should not live in a shelter for the majority of their life. The enclosures for animals are often too small for the animals. Most size recommendations for kennels are are not meet by the animal shelters. (Newbury) When an animal is adopted into a home, they have multiple rooms to play in or a yard to play in. Every once in a while, a dog or cat will have a volunteer come play with them in the animal shelter, but in a home, a cat or dog will be able to play with their owner every day.
Euthanasia saves cost on food, veterinarians, and employee costs. Shelters spend a lot of money on animals that will not get adopted in the long run. On average, dog owners spend $231 on routine veterinary visits. Cat owners spend an average of $193 on routine veterinary visits. Euthanasia only costs $50 at certain veterinarian clinics. (Pets) Raising cats and dogs is not cheap. The cost of basis needs of animals could cause some shelters to go into debt. Tax payers spend one billion dollars annually to pick up, house, and euthanize animals. If we could open 250 public low-cost spay/neuter programs, we could only spend $4 million dollars instead of $1 billion.(Statistics)
Some people find it offensive to euthanize animals, but sometimes its necessary. The animals may be sick, old, or too aggressive to be adopted. If a shelter has extra room and bountiful resources, it's great to keep all the animals they can. If there is no need to put the animals down, they do not need to be euthanized. Foster homes are also a great way to house adaptable animals. It costs money to euthanize animals, but it costs more on average to house and feed the animals for a year. (Statistics)
Euthanasia is not a pleasant thing to think about, but sometimes it is the best thing to do. Most animal shelters should euthanize animals after having the animals for two years. It is an exception if the animals are in a foster home, or the shelter has plenty of room and resources to house extra animals.
“Dogs, for a reason that can only be described as divine, have the ability to forgive, let go of the past, and live each day joyously. It’s something the rest of us strive for.”
- Jennifer Skiff
Works Cited
"Animal Shelter Euthanasia." American Humane Association. American Humane Association, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/stop-animal-abuse/fact-sheets/animal-shelter-euthanasia.html>.
Culp, Diana. "Facts and Statistics about Pet Shelters." Humane Society for Shelter Pets. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.humaneforpets.com/resources/facts-and-statistics-about-animal-shelters/>.
Newbury, Sandra, Mary K. Blinn, Philip A. Bushby, Cynthia Barker Cox, and Julie D. Dinnage. Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters.
2010.
"Pets by the Numbers." The Humane Society of the United States. The Humane Society of the United States, 30 Jan. 2014. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/pet_overpopulation/facts/pet_ownership_statistics.html#.Uz4SWaLvvsb>.
Skiff, Jennifer. "The Divinity of Dogs Quotes." Good Reads. Goodreads Inc., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/19112407-the-divinity-of-dogs-true-stories-of-miracles-inspired-by-man-s-best-fr>.
"Statistics & Facts." The Dog Rescuers. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. <http://www.thedogrescuers.com/statistics--facts.html>.