Tear Down The Cages: Animal Rescue Corps

“Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult standards for people to live up to,” said Alfred A. Montapert, the author of The Supreme Philosophy Of Man. Many animals who have given people their love have been cast off or mistreated. The Humane Society Of The United States(HSUS) has made it their mission since 1954 to prevent this cruelty before it happens. The four founders of HSUS Helen Jones, Larry Andrews, Marcia Glaser, and Fred Meyers, all believed in this mission. I believe that the Humane Society Of The United States has a worthwhile and honorable mission. It is one of the best. Not only does it save thousands of animal lives each year it also works with law enforcement to investigate illegal animal cruelty. HSUS has more than 10 million members and uses its money wisely. If you donate just $19 a month to HSUS you will be doing a grand service and you will join the revolution to stop animal cruelty before it happens. You will be a part of preventing some of the

Zoos have become a very visited place over a person’s lifetime, whether it be for an educational school field trip or for a day of fun. It’s a wonderful experience to be able to see animals up close in a controlled environment, keeping visitors safe from these animals, however do visitors think of what the animals are going through? Zoos are not providing enough space for captivated animals to live causing numerous problems not only involving the animals, but some visitors as well. Zoos should not be allowed to hold animals in captivity unless they significantly increase the size of each cage (change cage into something else).

As a child, many people would often go to the zoo or to the circus and see animals in real life. In circuses, animals would often perform tricks and stunts, dazzling the audience. In the zoo, people would often see animals in their native habitat, or what looks like it. Children were mainly amazed with the animals and were always exited to go see the animals. As the years go by, they start to realize that some of the animals are suffering and are being mistreated, especially in circuses. They see that the animals in zoos are depressed and lonely and the animals in the circuses are chained up. What is worse is that animals in laboratories are often treated very poorly; more poorly than what Americans treat prisoners and refugees. There have been many debates on whether animals should be held in captivity. Some groups believe that animals should not be held in captivity because they have the same capacities as humans. They believe that animals can feel emotion and have a sense of morality. Animals in captivity are deprived of their natural habitat and their instincts. Animals raised in captivity tend to rely more on humans compared to animals raised in the wild. They also believe zookeepers and trainers are putting themselves at risk when taking care of the animals. There have been many incidents including the death of trainers by animals, one highlighted by the movie “Blackfish” by director Gabriela Cowperthwaite. There are others who believe that putting animals in captivity is beneficial for not only the animal, but for humans as well. Humans get more jobs if more animals are put into captivity because there is an increase in the amount of people needed. Another benefit of keeping animals in captivity is that it could help save a species who is endangered and close to going extinct. Another benefit is that it helps increase the amount of food available because some animals are raised for food. Putting animals in captivity wrong unless they are being used for the animal’s benefits.

Living in a world behind bars, having no sense of freedom, no thought of living in an environment where the boundaries are set by mountains, rivers, deserts and oceans. This is the life of an animal living in captivity. What gives us the right to take animals from their natural habitats and put them in an environment or home that doesn't even compare to what their home is. They don’t take us from our home and lock us up in cages in the jungle, so why should we do it to them. Imagine the problems that could come from taking these animals away from their natural habitat. Always having the thought in their head that they are never going back home. This would drive me insane and it probably drives them insane, too. Therefore, Animals should be set free in their natural habitats, because keeping them in zoos is causing their health to go decline.

Animal shelters, giving hope to a weak life, giving hope to a soul not able to save themselves from torture and heartache. Thanks to animal shelters like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) over 1.4 million dogs now have a healthy place to call home. There are between three and five thousand animal shelters in the United States, with an annual intake of five to seven million animals. There are a lot of step that an animal shelter must take before putting an animal up for adoption. The actions and reactions of the animal, allergies, and overall well being and treatment to heal and protect from then on.

After being rescued, along with over three hundred other animals, from an overcrowded animal shelter in Lawrence County, Alabama. Belle the shepherd mix was immediately taken to a temporary shelter where she was adopted by a family during an adoption weekend event and then returned two days later due to being scared of the people who adopted her and not adjusting to the new surroundings.. She was then sent to a rehabilitation center in Madison, New Jersey.

Not only is the owner risking the animal’s life but also putting its own life in danger. An exotic animal’s behavior can change at any time for many reasons in ways we do not understand (“Exotic” 1). There have been cases of animals attacking innocent people without a reason. A couple of years ago, randomly an apparently obedient elephant named Tinkerbell broke the back of a caretaker and the pelvis of another (Gambardello and Flam 1). Even tamed animals sometimes have their outbreaks and attack people. While the animals are young they are cute but as they grow older they grow stronger, and the stress of living in an unknown and unnatural habitat causes the animals to begin to lash out, mostly at small kids (Lallanilla 1). Caging an animal may not be the best solution. It can cause the animal to get more aggressive and react in an attacking mood as well.

There are many animals that are abused everyday, or put in animal shelters due to owners disowning them. Every year about 70.1% dogs die from dog abuse. A quarter of them are killed in animal shelters due to no one adopting them, because so many people drop off dogs that there is no room in the shelters so they kill the dogs that have been there longest. Just think, at least one dog is killed every 72 hours. More than likely, a dog is killed in an animal shelter somewhere in the world every

Nationally, roughly four million animals are killed in shelters every year. Of these, roughly 95% of all shelter animals are healthy and treatable. (No Kill Advocacy Center). No animal should have to ever be a part of these awful statistics. What will it take to help save these innocent animals from being killed senselessly? Animal kill shelters are horrible, inhumane, and overall completely unnecessary for multiple reasons: No Kill shelters improve adoption rates, all animals lives are valuable, and No Kill shelters save more money than other shelters.

The captivity of wild animals has been a highly debated topic for many years. Zoos and aquariums are huge attractions and can be found all over the world. Movies such as Black Fish and Unlocking the Cage showcase some of the troubling behaviors animals in captivity portray. Advocates for animal rights can use these movies to push their agenda and people who oppose these films say they are forms of propaganda. The fact of the matter is that it does not matter what side of the argument that you are on it cannot be denied that these moves spark mass discussion. The question can be asked are animals places on this earth for our amusement and entertainment or they here that we may cohabit with all aspects of life. Science has proven that some animals have shown signs of distress while being in captivity.

Animal cruelty is when someone hurts an animal or does not care for its well-being. For example, depriving animals by not giving them food and water or locking an animal in a kennel for days or weeks without showing them any love and affection. Animal abuse and cruelty is wrong. Animals aren’t given their rights that they are supposed to have in the first place. Using animals as "lab rats" is cruel and unfair. Most animal abuse or cruelty goes on with nothing being reported. The punishment for abusing an animal isn't as harsh as it should be. There are not enough laws preventing animal abuse. Animals being caged up is unfair to the animals themselves. The cruelness of caging an animal up for days, weeks, months, or even years at a time with no food, water or care is the cruelest thing any human being could possibly ever do. Cruelty and neglect are also two subjects that must deal with animal abuse. Most animal abuse goes unreported and nothing has been done to fix the problem. Owners locking their pet up and leaving them for extended periods of time without food, water, or care is humane. The most common form of animal abuse steams from an owner locking their pet up for an extended period. By completely neglecting them and not giving them any care or attention. More than half the cases involving animal cruelty had to do with pets.

ASPCA states that there are a lot of animal euthanized in shelters in the United States every year. Many of those animals are being killed for old age, bad behaviors, or for no reason due to the capacities the shelter can only take. Many of the animals that come in are not yet spay/neuter which only means there can be more pups or kittens out there being either in happy homes or dying in the street. This newsletter helps us understand many of the animals coming in have a big chance of being killed for no reason due to the capacity of the shelter, or its behavior. By behavior, it means the animal has a history of aggression by being mistreated by the previous owner reason of kill would be for the safety of the people. This helps us understand on why the animal shelters are being over populated and the effects on the animals.

Approximately 6 to 8 million animals are handled by animal shelters in the U.S. each year. Even though some are reclaimed or adopted, nearly 4 million unwanted dogs and cats are left with nowhere to go. Animal shelters cannot humanely house and support all these animals until their natural deaths. They would be forced to live in cramped cages or kennels for years, lonely and stressed, and other animals would have to be turned away because there would be no room for them. Trying to build enough animal shelters to keep up with the endless stream of homeless animals is like putting a bandage on a gunshot wound. Turning unwanted animals loose to roam the streets is not a humane option, either. If they don’t starve, freeze, get hit by a car, or

A poor helpless animal is stuck in a cage against their will. This is just like our citizens who are sitting in prisons like caged birds. In today’s society we believe that it is acceptable to take animals out of their natural habitat and keep them in cages for our own personal gain. This is almost identical to what is happening in the prison system. We are capturing individuals off the streets and keeping them behind bars, so we don’t have to worry about them committing “crimes”.

Finally, the end is here..for junior year that is. For some, this means no more volunteering and for others, it may mean more. As for myself, I believe I will keep volunteering after my community service hours are done. In a way, it has become sort of a procedural memory for me. Every Wednesday my brain refers to its long-term memory and how to perform the skills, operations, and actions needed for cleaning kennels or walking dogs that day. My day at the Animal Rescue Center (ARC) of Carroll starts with being greeted with barks from the dogs. Next, my brain pulls out from long-term to get doors down so the dogs can’t get outside, get my cleaning supplies needed, get the keys to unlock the outside kennel doors, and get to work. And when I