Please help control the pet population, work hard to prevent animal cruelty, have consequences for a

Picture a kitten, cat, puppy, or dog outside all alone-abandoned by thoughtless owners, scared, lonely, and hungry.

Picture an animal in a cage in a shelter waiting for its new forever home and not knowing why they are there.

Picture animals abused or neglected by their owners, by angry people, or people who have no compassion for animals.

Picture animals bred and raised in puppy or kitten mills, lived in horrific surroundings, mistreated, malnourished, and then brought to pet stores to be sold for a high price to unsuspecting, thoughtless, or misinformed consumers.

WOULDN’T YOU BE MOTIVATED TO HELP THESE POOR ANIMALS TO HAVE A BETTER LIFE AND SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH?

WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER TO SAVE ANIMAL’S LIVES AND MAKE THE WORLD A SAFER PLACE FOR THEM.

IF WE ALL DO A LITTLE TOWARD THIS GOAL, WE CAN ACHIEVE AND CHANGE A LOT!

I am a big animal lover and a big advocate for animal welfare.  I care about keeping animals safe as well as controlling the animal population. I am making it my mission and goal to focus on increasing public awareness about animal cruelty, animal safety, and ways to control the animal population.  I am very passionate about this mission and I hope to gain supporters who are also as passionate about animal welfare as well as willing to join me in this mission.

            As summer comes to a close, we all know and can be reminded that spring and summer is peak time for new kittens and puppies being born. Shelters are full to capacity due to surrenders, unwanted litters, or found strays, sometimes animals have to be turned away due to space issues, and, unfortunately, abandoned to fend for themselves on the streets after living in a warm, safe home and may encounter unsafe conditions and wild animals, extreme heat or cold, and there is the likelihood these animals would not survive.  In addition, some abandoned or surrendered animals end up in high kill shelters where their lifetime is usually cut short if not adopted or reunited with their families.

What can we do to control these issues so all animals can have a safe, happy life and a loving home? 

1. Get your pets spayed and neutered!! There are low cost spay/neuter options available in your community. All you need to do is a GOOGLE search or check with your local Humane Society or animal welfare nonprofit agency. In Minnesota/Twin Cities, check out the Minnesota Spay Neuter Project(MNSnap) or the Kindest Cut program-they offer low cost assistance or possibly no cost at all.
2. Find positive and safe alternatives to surrendering-friends, family, or assisted living places (house pet).  Do not take the easy way out. Do not abandon them in a park, school yard, or anywhere thinking they will be found by someone, brought to a shelter, or fend for themselves; chances are they will not survive out there on their own. They may meet with a wild animal, starve, or get hit by cars.  Is that really fair to them?
3. Do not support or surrender your pets to a high kill shelter; only support, promote, or, if a last resort, no kill shelters. Pets are not just objects to be thrown out a window, left abandoned on a street, be the target of a person’s anger, or deposited at a high kill shelter knowing they will most likely be euthanized.    Pets are family, they are loyal¸ and have so much love to give; they deserve a chance to be loved as well as be safe.
4. Work hard to make high kill shelters disappear and/or become illegal. Animal cruelty is a felony and what those high kill shelters do is inhumane and, in my eyes, illegal and I do not see why high kill shelters are allowed; what a waste of precious and innocent animals who count on us for food, shelter, and love.
5. Lastly, do not tolerate animal cruelty and neglect. If you see an animal or animals being harmed or neglected, please intervene-save the animal(s) and call the proper authorities-i.e. law enforcement and animal cruelty officers. You will be doing the right thing in saving animals and the animals will be forever grateful.  What a great feeling that is!  Also, if you are angry and feel you may hurt an animal(s) or your very own animal(s), please take a deep breath,  look into the eyes of the animal(s) that give you unconditional love, and see that they do not deserve to be the target of your anger and frustration.  Please get help with anger management instead of taking it out on innocent animals. You will be a better person and your animals will be there giving you unconditional love.
6. Before casting your vote for local candidates learn their views on animal cruelty prosecutions and no-kill shelters. Elect people who share your passion for protecting vulnerable animals and will vote to delegate the necessary funds.

1. Lastly, do not tolerate animal cruelty and neglect.  If you see an animal or animals being harmed or neglected, please intervene-save the animal(s) and call the proper authorities-i.e. law enforcement and animal cruelty officers.  You will be doing the right thing in saving animals and the animals will be forever grateful. What a great feeling that is! Also, if you are angry and feel you may hurt an animal(s) or your very own animal(s), please take a deep breath, look into the eyes of the animal(s) that give you unconditional love and see that they do not deserve to be the target of your anger and frustration. Please get help with anger management instead of taking it out on innocent animals.  You will be a better person and your animals will be there giving you unconditional love.

WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER TO SAVE ANIMAL’S LIVES AND MAKE THE WORLD A SAFER PLACE FOR THEM.

IF WE ALL DO A LITTLE TOWARD THIS GOAL, WE CAN ACHIEVE AND CHANGE A LOT!

Thank you. Please take my advice and take action!!

Linda Hoffman

linda.j.hoffman@gmail.com