Char O'Neil
Approaching the homeless animal population
A former volunteer from Arizona says education about sexual reproduction for animals will reduce the growth in the population of homeless animals.
Jennifer Lane was a former volunteer at Arizona Adopt a Greyhound and Arizona Golden Rescue. Since Lane was a child, she has been interested in caring for and rescuing animals. She has several rescue dogs to this day. Lane also rescued homeless animals that she encountered in her school district.
At Arizona Adopt a Greyhound, Lane volunteered at events and would bring dogs out on walks.
Lane spent time as a placement volunteer at Arizona Golden Rescue, a role where she connected formerly homeless dogs to their new families.
“I served as a sort of matchmaker for these dogs,” Lane said. “I was in charge of connecting these dogs to their new families.”
Lane ran house inspections in order to determine whether a home was suitable for a dog or not.
“I would go to the house and see if the animal would be compatible,” Lane said. “I would interact with the family's other pets or kids.”
Despite Lane’s time as a volunteer, she encountered and rescued more dogs in her school district.
“I was an assistant principal at the elementary school on 30th and Van Buren,” Lane said. “There were lots of stray animals; it was the most experience I got interacting with the homeless animals.”
Since the district was overpopulated with homeless animals, her district began to keep resources on campus.
“There were dog crates and leashes on campus in case we needed to save an animal,” Lane said.
In Arizona, the homeless animal population is larger than 100,000. This 100,000+ is composed of about 61% dogs and 39% cats. The number of homeless animals continues to grow. Arizona also contains 3.28% of the nation's shelter animals.
The states that border Arizona differ in the percentage of these shelter animals. California contains 11.7% of the nation's shelter animals. Nevada contains 1.43% of the nation's shelter animals. Utah contains 1.48% of the nation's shelter animals.
These animals are often in poor condition when they are saved. Lane reflected on what she saw as a volunteer and rescuer.
“The one’s from school had fleas, ticks, and worms and were underweight,” Lane said. “A couple of them were mangey.”
Lane would work alongside rescue groups to get medical care for the animal and to direct it to a system.
Alongside these animal rescue organizations, foster systems, and groups, Lane believes there is more work to be done, and it is in education.
“Overpopulation is an issue, and it stems from a lack of education,” Lane said. “It will be beneficial to get some good advertising and campaigns going.”
Lane said these campaigns should advertise spay and neutering programs.
“There are all kinds of free spay or neuter programs that people do not know about,” Lane said. “These programs are important in limiting accidental dog pregnancies.”
The number of unspayed or neutered outdoor pets is a major contributor to the number of homeless animals on the streets. Therefore, spreading information can cause a reduction.
In a situation where one encounters a homeless animal, or in a situation where one works for an animal rescue organization, Lane advises people to prioritize safety when approaching the animal.
“The first thing is to make sure the animal is safe,” Lane said. “It is even more important to make sure you are safe.”
Once evaluating whether the situation is safe or not, evaluate whether or not approaching the animal is safe. It is important to look at the animal’s body language. Reading the animal will ensure safety for the rescuers; it is more difficult to approach a distraught animal.
Inspect whether or not the animal has big eyes and where their ears are located, such as front or back. It is also important to be aware of where the animal’s tail is located, between the legs, or if the tail is wagging. When it comes to approaching and capturing the animal, Lane says to go alongside them rather than approach them abruptly.
Once the animal is secured, take it to the veterinarian. At the veterinarian, have the animal checked for a microchip and ask the vet to perform a health scan. Following the veterinarian, Lane advises creating advertisements about the found animal, whether online or on paper.
Education about animal reproductive safety, such as neutering or spaying programs, is important in reducing the number of homeless cats and dogs in the state of Arizona.