[January 20, 2018] My cousin was recently contacted by a dog rescue organization located in northeastern Louisiana. They wanted her to help get the word out about their adoption services for abandoned dogs. It appears that there has been an epidemic (her term) in abandoned dogs across the U.S.; somewhere around 75 to 90 million dog are abandoned annually.*
This is a staggering number and far beyond what I thought it might be but the good news is that there are many good folks in Louisiana and across the nation that have stepped up to fix this problem. Leadership often comes from the bottom up and that is exactly what we are seeing … ordinary people stepping up to help where they can and are working to solve a big problem.
Having a dog (or cat or any animal) comes with a particular level of responsibility to care for its needs, including emotional and physical health. The relationship between humans and dogs goes back before recorded history and it is believed that dogs were the first domesticated animals. The close relationship is straightforward when we look at the number of dogs (and other animals) we have in our homes and at work.
Leaders can also learn from a dog. They can learn about loyalty, forgiveness, a positive attitude, protection, etc. Dogs also don’t hold grudges, talk back to you, and don’t judge. Dogs show us those behavioral attributes that we value most in others; particularly in leaders.
Doing something to remedy the problem of abandoned dogs and animals is a solvable problem. Unfortunately, while visibility of the issue is out for us all to see, the problem itself does not seem to be going away. Abandonment and abuse of animals is closely associated with domestic abuse and other social ills which intermingle to make for a complex issue to solve.
So far, the solutions have peculated from the bottom and while there are national organizations like the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), solutions are being applied only at the local level. Admittedly there are laws and regulations that prohibit abandonment of dogs but that does not change the motivation to get rid of an animal improperly.
Abandoned dogs are a problem that will need solving in conjunction with other society issues. This means that our political leaders should focus their efforts on encouraging healthy family relationships, create incentives for families to stay together and raise children (and animals), and lead the way to show that leaders care about family formation.
The solution of abandoned dogs and animals begins at the familial level and with those leaders working locally to improve the lot of such animals. The solution also needs to be applied at the state and local level through good, old-fashioned leadership that shows value in the family and their relationship with dogs, cats, and other animals.
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* The precise number is, of course, unknown and unknowable. Estimates are all over and few sources are willing to make predictions. Looking at most of the information provided by various national groups is how the estimate given is produced.