Nashville, Implement a Program to Reduce Stray Dog Population

Please sign and share this petition everywhere on social media sites in an effort to encourage Nashville and other cities nationwide to implement some programs that can help to reduce the stray dog population. Animal activists are continually looking into various ways to safely and effectively reduce and control the stray pet population that would and could be effective in Nashville and other cities across the country.

Nashville has recently been faced with an overwhelming increase in their stray pet population, handling the situation by having them impounded by Metro Animal Care and Control where they were put to death. This amounted to more than 8,000 animals. However, that figure is strikingly higher than a number of cities to which Nashville is often compared, adding fuel to the argument by activists that change is sorely needed.

It has been noted that Metro Animal Care Metro has failed to follow the lead of other cities that have better-funded programs and lower euthanasia rates. We need to encourage Nashville to look into other options than presenting these animals into a situation where they are euthanized. First and foremost, pet owners need to learn the proper steps to take with their own animals so that there isn't such an overpopulation of dogs.

Animal control claims that the euthanasia numbers have gone down from previous years but they are still astounding; 81 percent killed versus 78 percent!! Securing additional funding would be greatly helpful in funding the city’s $1.8 million animal control program to assist in managing the overpopulation of stray dogs. There are steps that can be taken that could lower the euthanasia rate immediately.        

According to information at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/18/animal-overpopulation-sterilization-adoption_n_863322.html, some programs implements in other areas of the country includes:

• Enforce a strict program that allows only one dog to a family and ensure all pets are clearly, safely vaccinated. Limiting pets in a home reduces chances for losing a dog.
• Find idealistic ways to promote safe and healthy adoptions of dogs, ensuring that each prospective new owner passes a thorough background and home check for the well-being of the animal.
• Implement a very strict spay and neuter program within shelters and private homes. Veterinarians should be required by law to demand all of their patients (dogs) be spayed or neutered. This should be especially true for felines.
• Work along with the 600million.org organization that proposes an animal sterilization pill to cut down on animal population, and in turn, reduce animal abuse and killings.
• Implement the assistance of PETA in finding creative answers to reducing the pet overpopulation concerns in a safe manner for the animals involved. A spokesperson for PETA states that “It is horrific that many countries that have no laws against cruelty to animals control stray dog populations by poisoning, hanging, throat slitting, beating to death, electrocution, and shooting rather than considering a sterilization program. ”

We have to encourage Nashville to do more to control their overwhelming stray pet population, working with PETA, http://600milliondogs.org/ and other animal activists in an effort to stop the problem drastically in a safe and effective manner. Please sign and share this petition everywhere on social media sites in an effort to encourage Nashville and other cities nationwide to implement some programs that can help to reduce the stray dog population. Animal activists are continually looking into various ways to safely and effectively reduce and control the stray pet population that would and could be effective in Nashville and other cities across the country.