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Animal
outlook much different in the North
March 15, 2007
In a previous column, I celebrated the contributions of our wonderful
volunteers, including one of our long-timers, Callie Black, who recently
relocated to Maine. Callie stays in touch by e-mail, which we've dubbed
"dispatches from Maine," and shares observations on her new life.
In a recent message, Callie described her efforts to volunteer at the
local animal shelter, where she was told they didn't need many more
volunteers now because they didn't have that many animals.
They told her that she'd be called if there was something for her to do,
she said.
Imagine a community where there are more people than there are needy
animals? On the day Callie visited the shelter, there were only two dogs
available for adoption! It's hard to picture that when on any given day
at the Louisiana SPCA there are many, many wonderful animals that need
homes.
Just as our food is spicier compared to food in Maine, there are other
differences in our cultures. When you combine a dash of geography and a
hint of sociology, you begin to get a clear taste of why Maine's animal
population pales in comparison with our high numbers.
The cold weather plays a big part. Dog and cat breeding seasons thrive
in warm, springlike temperatures. As Callie observed in her letter,
she's been experiencing below-zero temperatures in recent months, while
we're enjoying temperatures in the 70s in recent weeks. Our shelter is
already welcoming new puppies and kittens well before the start of
spring and Jazzfest.
Another spice in the mix is distinctly cultural. In general, the
Southeast lags behind the rest of the country in pet sterilization. Some
people in our region point to religion and say they believe it's not
appropriate to take away what God has given. Others say they want their
child to experience birth and that watching a pet have a litter is a way
to achieve that goal.
I don't think people in other parts of the country are less spiritual
than those in the South, nor do I think watching the birth of a kitten
or puppy is more helpful than watching one of many available videos
showing childbirth for educational value. Those reasons leave me
wondering when our region will jump on the spay-neuter bandwagon for the
overall benefit of our community's well-being.
Spaying and neutering also is a generational practice. If parents don't
spay and neuter the family pet, their children are less likely to do so.
Because the Northeast has such a small number of dogs available for
adoption, shelters like the Louisiana SPCA transport dogs to this part
of the country, where homes are waiting for them.
Cats, on the other hand, continue to have a high population across the
country. In Maine, as Callie noted in her dispatch, "they do have a lot
of cats and work hard to get them adopted."
I'm not sure, but I suspect that people allow cats to live outside
across the country and believe they are more likely to fend for
themselves without human intervention.
There are many wonderful things about our culture, our food, our zest
for life, our openness and friendliness. Hopefully, reducing our animal
population numbers will one day stand alongside the other wonderful
aspects of our culture as a role model for others to mimic.
- Laura Maloney
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