PETA's 'Make America a No Birth Nation' Campaign

Lately, the rescue that my mommy and I work with, Tails of the Tundra Siberian Husky Rescue, has gotten a lot of calls and emails from people that can't keep their dogs. Some people can't keep their dogs because of circumstances out of their control: divorce, illness, financial difficulty. But many people act as if their dogs are disposable, as if it's easy to just "return" a dog the way you "return" a stereo or microwave that you decide you don't like that much. One family who adopted a Husky from the rescue group four years ago called recently and said that they want to give her back because they've had a child since then and are now expecting twins, and the dog is just "too much work". Mommy said that she thinks the kids are probably more work, time and money than the dog, but you don't see people calling government agencies about wanting to surrender their kids because they are "too much work". Mommy muttered something about how these people must not have heard about planning ahead, or "taking precautions", whatever that means.

I think that when people go get a puppy or dog, or cat or kitten, right then while they are in the "Awwwww, it's so cute!" phase, they should have to look into that animal's eyes and promise "If/when I have children, they will not suddenly take priority over you, and make you disposable. You are a member of our family, and as long as I am able to, I will love you and take care of you." Mommy thinks that would make a lot of people think twice about the responsibilities and commitments of pet ownership.

It's also very sad that so many people continue to breed more dogs and cats, when so many dogs and cats enter shelters every year. There is no animal shortage - the United States has more animals than it can take care of! According to the the Humane Society of the United States:

The HSUS estimates that animal shelters care for between 6–8 million dogs and cats every year in the United States, of whom 3–4 million are euthanized. This is certainly a tragedy. There are simply not enough responsible homes for all of these wonderful, innocent animals. At this point in time, it would be impossible to humanely house every unwanted animal in the United States.

For this reason, my mommy and I, as well as many other people involved in animal rescue, feel very strongly that dog and cat breeders in the United States should do more to help homeless animals and stop breeding more dogs and cats. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has a campaign called No Birth Nation. The No Birth Nation campaign's goal is to reduce and eventually eliminate the need to euthanize unwanted and homeless animals by not breeding dogs and cats, and focusing on caring and providing homes for the animals that are currently in need.

The United States will never be a "no-kill" nation unless it becomes a no-birth nation. Why? Every last one of the millions of deaths of animals at shelters and in the streets, alleyways, fields, basements, and back yards that occur every year could be prevented through spaying and neutering. Every single stray cat, every neglected dog, every rabbit kept in a hutch in a drafty garage—came from an animal who wasn't spayed or neutered. Animals must be killed and euthanized by the millions every year because prospective guardians choose to purchase animals from pet shops and breeders and still don't sterilize their dogs and cats.

Makes sense to me.