- Birds
- Be Kind to Animals Week®
- Could I Be Allergic to My Best Friend?
- PetSmart Brannon Crossing Grand Opening
- Cats
- Summer Safety Tips for Dog Owners
- What to Do if Your Pet is Poisoned
- Stop Your Cat from Scratching Furniture
- Exotic Animals
- PetSmart Brannon Crossing Grand Opening
- Be Kind to Animals Week®
- Enriching Your Lizard's Life
- Fish
- PetSmart Brannon Crossing Grand Opening
- Freshwater Fish Aquarium Basics
- Be Kind to Animals Week®
- Horses
- Seton Catholic students raise money for hungry horses
- Be Kind to Animals Week®
- Endurance riding team receives grant from the kentucky horse council
- Local News
- Kentucky Horse Park to Assist Kentucky's Hungry Horses
- America’s Uptown Hounds Luxury Resorts, a Sight worth Howling About
- Upcoming Pet Adoption Day and Tribute at the Kentucky Horse Park
Animal Welfare Isn't a Headline
04/11/2008 - By Madison H. Carey Oprah’s investigation of puppy mills created quite a stir among viewers this past Friday. The exposure has generated increased interest in animal welfare, however too often stories such as these often fade once the novelty wears off.
The problems of puppy mills and animal overpopulation are daily realities here in our community. In Central Kentucky, there is an out-of-control overpopulation of stray, abandoned, and homeless dogs and cats. As the largest open-door shelter in Central Kentucky, the Lexington Humane Society (LHS) is confronted with this problem daily. Animal welfare is not the task of one single person or organization; rather the community as a whole has a responsibility to strengthen animal welfare.
Below are tips from the Lexington Humane Society on how you can help make a difference:
• Support spay/neuter services and always spay or neuter your pets!
As seen in other communities, pet overpopulation has an effective solution through spay/neuter and education programs. Results of these programs include drastic reductions in stray animal intake and euthanasia rates as well as significant tax dollar savings. Not only does LHS spay/neuter every pet adopted out, they also have a low-cost spay/neuter program for qualified Fayette County residents called Spay’sTheWay. Since its inception in mid 2005, the program has provided 2,800 free and low-cost surgeries in Fayette County, and the goal is to provide 2,000 additional Spay’sTheWay surgeries every year. “We want to stress the importance of spay/neuter and to make sure these services are accessible to all who need them,” says Kristin Palmgreen, Manager of Special Projects. By spaying or neutering your pets, you are part of the solution.
• Support and adopt from your local shelter!
Pet overpopulation is the most important issue facing pets today, with an estimated five to six million dogs and cats annually entering into shelters nationwide. Unfortunately, statistics show that less than 20% of animals entering into homes actually came from an animal shelter. LHS alone cares for over 11,000 homeless, abandoned, and unwanted animals every year. As Theodore Roosevelt quoted and LHS President, Susan Malcomb, often repeats, “Do what you can, where you are, with what you have.” Whether it is the gift of time, money, or love; give to your local shelter and in turn you’ll be providing shelter animals the chance of a forever home.
LHS has hundreds of animals of all ages and breeds available for adoption every week and it is estimated that 25% of shelter animals are purebred. Do your research before adopting and allow Adoptions Specialists to assist you in finding the perfect match. To view LHS adoptable animals visit www.lexingtonhumanesociety.org
Show your support today and take a stand against cruelty to animals.
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