Quote:
Originally posted by Dagnabit
Can someon please explain to me what poor people's excitement is with having tons and tons of animals??!!
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(I've finally figured out how the quote apparatus on this site works, so I'm going to town on it! Yes, I'm the least techie person in this place, but I'm learning, so there! ;-))
Over time, I've become convinced that having more than 3 of any one species of any animal (unless you're on a farm) is a sign of mental illness.
The responsible folks that just adore a given species become private shelters -- it's a bit of paperwork in PA, but you're eligible for discounts on pet supplies and vet care so that you can care for the animals properly. Most of the private (usually no-kill) shelter folks that I know are able to beautifully care for animals that *can* be adopted so that they can subside the few animals they have which have health problems and never will get adopted.
It's the folks that have mental illness (usually something that creeps up over time) that just take in animals, don't have the resources to care for all they have, but needs the affection or company that the animals provide, so they never turn any away. A lot of them end up breeding their own horde as they don't have the resources to neuter the animals. A decently fed cat or dog can have 2 litters/year (although that's not recommended) and start breeding at 6 months -- the numbers start adding up. That's why most of the no-kill shelters neuter every animal that comes through their doors (and since they are registered with the state, a vet can donate services and take it off their taxes)