<<Again - please stop complaining so much about the poor behavior of some pet owners. It may be highly visible and unnerving, but it just isn't the root of the problem.>>

No offense, but I'll never stop complaining about that. The misery this causes abandoned animals, even if it is only ONE, is horrible. We can quibble about what is worse (negligent owners vs. puppy mills) but the fact is, there is no excuse for it and animals are harmed as a result, either way. You might just as well argue that guns are the "root of the problem" of murder simply because more people are fatally shot than blungeoned to death by a carrot. And don't tell me to stop talking about death by carrot because I just can't get it out of my mind, now.

-- No more wine for me --

There is a nice article in the Oklahoma Gazette about hopes to go to a No Kill Shelter in a few years. It discusses some of the issues raised in this thread. It was published in mid May 15 so when this thread last petered out, we just missed it.

Is the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter’s goal to switch to being a ‘no-kill’ by 2010 possible? | OKG News.com (http://www.okgazette.com/p/12776/a/2051/Default.aspx?ReturnUrl=LwBEAGUAZgBhAHUAbAB0AC4AYQB zAHAAeAAslashAHAAPQAxADIANwAyADkA)

There is no overpopulation of pets. Read the thread (http://www.okctalk.com/pets-forum/9061-spay-your-animals-2.html#post123049).

There is plenty of room for all the animals in this city that are killed at the shelter each year.

There is a lack of people like you who are willing to rescue and adopt animals and not enough PR effort by the city animal control shelter to convince non-pet owners that owning animals is beneficial to your health and pet owners that owning more than one pet is beneficial for both you and your current pet.

Again - please stop complaining so much about the poor behavior of some pet owners. It may be highly visible and unnerving, but it just isn't the root of the problem.

Boy have you drank the kool aid with that statement.
Why?????????should everyone be forced to take a pet. WIth your statement that is what you are saying. There is plenty of room????????
The irresponsible breeders and the general public are the problem and not as you would claim all the of the households that wont or dont take a pet.

I just pulled in another rescue this week that was destined for the pound.
Dont you dare, dare lecture me Im not doing enough,
Educate the public that not every one even should have a pet. Focer sterilization on them and the pets to......Thats how you will stop the slaughter.
Not a polyanish hope of faith and good will towards man............I will say it again.........the animal over population is because of trashy irresponsible pet owners.:tiphat:

Sorry for the rant folks.........Ive only been arguing with idiots all week and no OKCC Im not calling you an idiot:tiphat:

Thank you Redskin! It is pure idiocy to turn our heads to the over-population of animals in OKC and surrounding areas. And to expect every household to take in a pet is purely unrealistic. The root of our problem is the people who SHOULDN'T have pets, have them anyway. There are also many people who are allergic or just don't have time for a pet. What NEEDS to happen, and I'm talking to you OKCCrime, is that the people who take on the responsibility of getting a pet, take it seriously.

It breaks my heart to see footage of puppy mills - please do not buy from these places. Or to see a person sitting on the street corner at Easter time selling pink rabbits or baby chicks. Or to see a dog roaming a busy city street, knowing that the owners just don't care, or the dog has been abandoned. You don't have to be an animal lover, but please have enough intellegence to NOT get one if you know you're not going to take care of it.