It always happens when the economy is in trouble — animal shelters fill up, as people face a financial crunch. The current inflationary period, plus all those pandemic pets whose owners can no longer keep them, is just the latest example. And Santa Barbara County is no exception. Our shelters are full.
We’re lucky, so far. Kern County, just a few hours north, is already euthanizing hundreds of dogs (including cute, healthy puppies) each month, as they face far more animals than they can care for. We aren’t there — yet. And we can avoid most of that … but only if the community steps up and helps out. Otherwise, healthy, friendly animals will die simply because we don’t have the resources to care for them all.
What can we do? There are several steps short of euthanasia, but they take community commitment. Here are some key ways to avert the nightmare of killing healthy animals for space: