Membership

		Won't you please join us in ending animal overpopulation in the Verde Valley?
		Please support Animal Aid Network by becoming a member! The Animal Overpopulation Problem Every year U. S. shelters euthanize between 4 and 5 million cats and dogs, yet the pet population continues to grow. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that 2,500 to 3,000 puppies and kittens are born every hour. There are so many unwanted pets in the United States that the shelters have been overflowing for years. The Verde Valley is not immune to the animal overpopulation problem. There were over 1800 animals euthanized at local shelters in 2000. Unfortunately, not all animals make it to the shelters. For whatever reason, people also abandon their unwanted pets in the desert. Domestic pets cannot survive in the wild; they die slow agonizing deaths from starvation, thirst and disease. The ones that enjoy a quick end to their suffering will be eaten alive by predators. Those that survive will feed on the local natural wildlife, damaging the ecosystem. The Cost to You Hundreds of thousands of dollars of your money is being spent in the Verde Valley on animal control. For shelter facilities, staff salaries and the expense of expansion. For Animal Control Officers , vehicles, equipment and other costs too numerous to mention here. Shelter staff, volunteers and officers do the best that they can to deal with the problem of animal overpopulation. Since "one unaltered cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats in seven years, and one unaltered dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 dogs in six years," (HSUS) it becomes apparent that they are fighting a losing battle. There are just not enough homes for all of these animals. The reality is that most will have to be euthanized and the majority will be puppies and kittens. These birth rates together with the estimated growth of the Verde Valley, will mean that more of your tax dollars that could be better spent on human services, are going to be dedicated to animal control. Prevention is the only solution and there is only one answer to the animal overpopulation problem in the Verde Valley . . .Spaying or Neutering pets! Other Costs While there are strong ‘Dog at Large’ laws keeping the wild dog population low, there are no ordinances governing feral cats. “Free roaming cats prey on small mammals, songbirds, and other wildlife; spread zoonotic diseases such as rabies and cause car accidents among other problems” (HSUS). Many tourists are drawn to the Verde Valley because of our diverse natural habitat, a dramatic loss of wildlife caused by feral cats could impact the millions of tourist dollars currently being spent here. Furthermore, “from nips to bites to actual attacks, dog bites are a serious problem. Dog bite victims requiring medical attention in the United States number 500,000 to 1 million annually. Countless more bites go unreported and untreated. On average, about a dozen people die each year from dog bites” (State Farm Insurance). The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates half of all children 12 and younger have been bitten by a dog. “Of the nearly twenty fatalities caused by dog attacks investigated between 1992 and 1994, we have found that none was caused by a spayed or neutered dog” (Dr. Randall Lockwood, Ph D, vice president for Training Initiatives). In addition to the medical costs being spent on dog bites and attacks, there are legal costs as well. There are no quick or easy solutions to the problem of unwanted pets numbering in the millions. Spay/neuter programs appear to be working . . . slowly. Medically, there is no reason not to spay and neuter, therefore we must educate pet owners to be responsible and provide the funds necessary to sterilize their pets, so there is no excuse not to. Only by reducing the number of animals capable of breeding will we be able to reduce pet overpopulation. Join us in our mission!		Please help us end animal overpopulation and euthanasia in the Verde Valley! Become a member of Animal Aid Network today! Membership in Animal Aid Network entitles you to our quarterly newsletter, "DeTails" which will keep you informed of events, projects and fundraisers, including interesting articles and information for animal guardians. Please click on the button below to join!