The Value Of A Single Life And Its Meaning

Close to 6 million innocent animals enter shelters each year. All across the world, people are faced with the issue of how to deal with the overpopulation of stray animals. However, the murder of these animals should not be justified just because the problem is a tough, expensive one to solve. Animals on the streets have just as much rights to a warm home and loving family, as do the ones with these privileges already. Animals enter shelters for a variety of different reasons. Some are dumped on the streets, while some wander away from home and get lost. Shelters are overcrowded, and many see the solution for saving space and money as getting rid of the less adoptable animals in order to stock the shelter with ones who have a higher chance at being adopted. This unfair and inhumane solution should be reworked, along with new methods created, to allow all adoptable animals a chance at survival. Although Kill Shelters have been deemed necessary to protect the health and safety of the animal population, No Kill Shelters and organizations should play a larger role in today’s world because they show the value of a life and force individuals' to come up with alternative measures to keep the animal population under control.

Despite opinions that argue kill shelters are the only solution to animal overpopulation, there are more effective, humane procedures that don’t involve compromising animal rights. As the number of strays entering shelters increases, so does the demand for supplies and space. Many falsely begin to warrant the killing of these animals with the idea that death is in their best interests, and that it is better for them to be put down rather than struggling to find meals on the streets. They also argue that the costs remain low since less animals have to be taken care of. PETA, an organization that advocates for the best circumstances for animals, believes that euthanasia is the best gift animals could have ever had (Winograd). Although this may be true in certain situations where suffering derives from something unfixable and the living conditions are poor, they fail to address that nearly 80% of the animals that get put to sleep were healthy and treatable (“Pets by the Numbers”). Individuals have to ask themselves: How much value is in one life? Animal lives have the same value as humans’. They have strong personalities and attributes, just as humans do. Where is the line drawn between what is humane to do to a human being versus animal? The killing of these animals is unnecessary and not the solution to the problem. Communities should be looking into other available options that can prevent this from becoming needed, such as an increase in the management of organizations and education. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is an organization that takes in animals from all across the nation, especially ones who are going to be euthanized, and work with them to make them adoptable. They trade out adoptable animals for the less adoptable ones and repeat this cycle with the help of volunteers. Certain animals who will never be adoptable are kept permenantly at the sanctuary where “'animals are not destroyed except in cases of terminal and painful illness, when compassion demands euthanasia because there is no reasonable alternative' (Evans). This organization alone demonstrates the possibilities that can and should be thought of.

Although death may be the best option if the animal is in constant, unrelievable pain, all animals deserve an equal chance at recovery. Rather than forcing animals into poor, overcrowded living situations, the shelter systems should be reworked, to provide other possible solutions to preventing overpopulation. By arguing that putting down animals is the only answer, better options that could save lives are being cut off, and preventing the problem from being solved.

Kill shelters are severe course of actions, and the abolishment of them will lead to the establishment of better means to keep the animal population under control, while also protecting the life of each animal. Countries have failed to outlaw breeders, who trick people into adopting animals from their organizations for the money, rather than from shelters where the animals fight to remain alive by being adopted. When looking for a pet, there should be an increase in the encouragement towards adopting from shelters rather than breeders. Shelter adoption could save some lives while also discouraging the breeder’s businesses: “If the markets for the shelter increased by only 3%, we could eliminate shelter killing” (Pierce). This demonstrates the dramatic difference that could be made possible if restrictions were placed over private breeders or organizations. An increase in education on why to adopt from shelters or rescues could also help make it possible. By decreasing the number of pet stores and breeders, shelter killing could be eliminated entirely. The average dog has a litter consisting of around 5-6 puppies. As these puppies grow up and give birth to their own, the number of their descendants becomes very large. Birth control methods, such as fixing animals have many upsides to them. These methods not only lower undesirable behaviors but they also display an increase in savings. Animals are more prone to reproductive cancer which can cost “five to ten times as much as a routine spay surgery.” (...) Animals who don’t receive this surgery are also likely to show more signs of aggressive, destructive behavior in addition to excessive barking and roaming. This demonstrates how by spaying or neutering animals, not only will the overpopulation problem be fixed, but so will many others. Measures to keep the population under control should be looked further into while organizations that include mass breeding for money should be better managed.

Although kill shelters are successful at keeping the animal population under control, communities should work towards the goal of preventing adoptable animals from being killed by agencies. Killing innocent animals is not justifiable by any means. It is unnecessary unless made necessary by a lack of effort on people’s parts. People should be working together as a whole to come up with smarter and more efficient housing as well as protection for these homeless animals. Other steps can and should be taken to lower the number of stray animals. By lowering the number of side adoption organizations such as breeders and implementing rules about fixing animals, kill shelters will be unneeded. Stricter background checks should also be involved when adopting an animal, to ensure that the animals are going into a safe and hopefully permanent home. Individuals across the world need to unite together to work on the reconstruction of shelter systems to guarantee that the cruel, unfair killing systems of guiltless animals is stopped. If people put in more effort and work, changes will be noticed, as all dogs get a fair chance at a better life.