Why some animal types are left
Certain breeds of dogs and cats are abandoned or left at shelters over others because of breed discrimination. There are various reasons why this may happen, for example, people deem certain animals as being “aggressive breeds” because of the common misconception that they are not good with kids or other pets. The special needs pets are also over-looked very frequently because of the extra care they require,Pets that have gone through an abusive home already and can be extremely reactive to situations with people or other pets, pets that are over bred in animal farms, pets that need time put into training or retraining pets.
Dog Breeds Frequently Found In Shelter
Pit-bulls are one of the most common dogs found in shelters because of the common stigma of them being too aggressive and dangerous. Pit-bulls, like many dogs, were bred to guard and fight, and even though dog fights were banned, it left a mark on the dogs’ image, and the media’s portrayal of the dogs doesn’t help either with Tv shows and movies portraying some dog breeds a violent dogs that attack on site or will case you down. Most people who own pit bulls say they are gentle and very loving, and if introduced slowly, they can all be very patient and wonderful dogs with proper training and care.
Another mistreated breed of dog is the German shepherd. Some of the reasons for this breed being left in shelters is because they are extremely active, playful, over bred, and have many physical and emotional needs. German shepherds are one of the easiest dogs to train, but many people read their silly nature as them not being able to adapt to training skills, and the owner will give up on the dog by not teaching it or finding someone else to train their dog.
Beagles are also found in shelters for a variety of reasons. Beagles are bred to be hunting dogs (primarily rabbits and hares). Because of this, they tend to hunt or go off on their own, chasing scents of other animals. Another downside to Beagles being hunting dogs is that people will dump their dogs when they are no longer able to hunt either from old age, injury, or sickness. The breed is also described as having a powerful bark which can put some people off of this certain dog breed.
There are plenty more dog breeds that are seen in shelters very often, although this can also vary depending on the location of the shelter/region. A few of the dogs not named are mutts (a dog with no main breed), Chihuahuas, Boxers, Labradors, and any kind of working or farm dog/especially breed hunting dogs.
Cat Breeds
Domestic short-haired cats are the most common to see in shelters. The main reason domestic short-haired cats show up into shelters the most is because they are the most popular cat in America. Many domestic short hairs don’t end up in the shelter until their older years when families “lose interest” and will give their cats to a shelter or put domestic cats outside.
Black cats have one of the hardest times getting adopted because of the long-running superstitions pushed by stories and media involving witches and their families casting spells. some people have stated that they just think black cats are boring and there are too many of them.
Those are the most frequently found cats in shelters, some of the others that might be in a shelter more often than others are, again any kind of mixed cat breed or when the cat looks like no certain breed, black and white cats, elderly cats, or special needs cats.
Why does it matter?
Even with shelters and fostering of pets, a quarter of all pets will end up in kill shelters or will get put down because they don’t find a home. Most of the pets put down are elderly or disabled, but not limited to any other cat that has been in a kill shelter for too long. Limited admission shelters are an alternative to kill shelters but they can only hold a certain amount of animals and will turn pets away if they are full. Both of these shelters can only help so many pets, but with limited funding and more and more pets getting overbred or abandoned by their owners, shelters can’t provide for all the pets in need of assistance.
What can be done?
Shelters try their best to help as many animals get adopted as possible. With the overwhelming amount of animals from over-breeding and the lack of resources especially if they need to get medical help for an animal in their care, and a limited amount adopting families it can be difficult to get all the pets homes.
There are a few things that can be done to help these mistreated breeds and the shelters they reside in. Shelters are always in need of donations but there are other ways to help if that’s not feasible. Leftover cat or dog food, litter for cat boxes, blankets for the animals, toys, fostering animals to free up space in the shelter, and if available, taking the time to play with the animals or help with anything else they need to take care of. The biggest way to help is to spread the word about over-breeding and puppy farms because of the overpopulation that is a direct result of the breeding.
