We came across this post the other day http://yesbiscuit.wordpress.com/2012/08/22/stop-condemning-those-who-bring-pets-to-shelters/ from one of my favorite pet rescue bloggers. She makes a great case for the issues with speaking out against people who take animals to shelters.
I think the salient points are: 1) dropping animals off at shelters is better than tying them to a fence or doing something worse, 2) a shelter can be a great source for information for people who no longer wish to keep thier pet, and 3) to the extent shelter animals are stigmatized the animals have much more difficulty being adopted.
People give up their animals for many reasons and though we are not endorsing dropping pets off at the shelter an individual’s exact life circumstances are difficult to judge. Perhaps someone has a terminal illness and could no longer take care of a pet. Perhaps their dog was aggressive toward a child and needs to be placed in a different home without children. Perhaps they can’t afford dog food or a necessary surgery. Of course, there are tons of people who just don’t want the responsibility or do not want adjust their living situation for their pets, but this is not the case for everyone. The moral of the story is dogs and cats are better off being dropped at a shelter than let loose on the street or abused.
The solution is informing people, not shaming them. We need to inform would be pet owners why they should adopt. We need to inform people who are in financial distress that there are resources out there who can help them pay for their pet related expenses. We need to inform people that when they take in a dog, it is a serious, 10+ year commitment. If we can help educate people, we can limit the number of unnecessary surrenders, shut down puppy mills, increase spaying and neutering, and end euthanasia at animal shelters.