Wandtke 1

Braylin Wandtke

Jackie Burr, Instructor

English 2010, Section 5

19 April, 2018

Animal Shelters: Can Transferring Animals Help with Pet Overpopulation?

Animal Shelter, a word that often comes with an emotional image. Over the past 30 years

full residency of the available cages has been a common factor between animal shelters

throughout the United States. Overpopulation of pets has increased due to many factors, but

mainly because of ‘puppy mills’. A newly encouraged practice is the transferring of animals

from one shelter to another, whether being in the same state or neighboring states. But how does

transferring affect the ongoing overpopulation of animals? By transferring animals to different

animal shelters, it allows them to have more opportunities to being adopted- giving the animals

more exposure or allowing them to have needed medical attention, which means a decrease in

the numbers of animals taking residency in animal shelters and euthanization rates.

According to multiple sources, the American Veterinary Medical Association predicted

that there were 154 million dogs and cats in shelters in the year 2006- the Humane Society of the

United States predicts that the number of pets in shelters increases by an average of 8 million a

year (Whitcomb 30; Simmons and Hoffman 1; and Gunter et. al. 2) (see fig. 1- Bar Graph on

page 2). If these numbers were accurate and adoption, transferring, and euthanizations- a medical

procedure to put a living being to death humanely- did not happen the accumulated number for

2018 would be 250 million dogs and cats taking residency in shelters; but adoption, transferring,

and euthanizations do take place and affect this number substantially (see fig. 1- Pie Chart on

page 2).
 Wandtke 2

This huge number is what many professionals in animal related jobs call Overpopulation.

Rachael Whitcomb, in her newspaper article “Understanding Pet Overpopulation”, quotes Dr.

Jeanette O’Quin and Dr. Lila Mill- both past presidents of the Association of Shelter

Veterinarians:

“Overpopulation threatens the lives of companion animals more than any infectious

disease and results from a combination of too many pets for the number of suitable

homes and unprepared pet owners… Responsible breeding isn't the problem, placing the

blame instead on puppy mills.” (30)

Overpopulation is caused by a few factors but the main factor increasing the number of pets in

shelters is puppy mills or more commonly known as irresponsible breeders. In a recent interview

with Deann Shepherd, the Director of Marketing and Communications for the Humane Society

Fig. 1- This infographic is a result of multiple sources contributing to an average number for adoption,
euthanizations, and other factors that occur to many pets.
Bar Graph- is an estimated average of dogs who are in shelters and who are entering shelters for the year 2006.
Pie Chart- is to break up, on an average basis, what happens to dogs when they enter a shelter.
Sources include Whitcomb, Simmons and Hoffman, and Gunter et. al.
 Wandtke 3

of Utah shelter, she shares:

“When you talk about a 1pet store, where they sell cats, dogs, rabbits- stuff like that, they

do not get those puppies from responsible breeders. [Irresponsible breeders] will usually

meet you somewhere other than where the breeding takes place-because the conditions of

the area is disgusting or not even considered a living/breeding area for any animal- and/or

they will sell their liter to pet stores, where the pet stores can now handle the

responsibility of finding a home for the pets.”

Irresponsible breeders usually breed an animal twice a year- meaning the mother does not get a

break from one pregnancy to the other; putting the animal’s health at constant risk. One dog can

have six to even nine puppies in a liter, if this happens twice a year, one female dog can produce

eighteen puppies a year. Overpopulation is mainly due to the mass production of animals

because irresponsible breeders want a quick buck (Shepherd).

Now adoption is a positive thing, but only about 35% of animals brought to the shelter

are adopted (see fig. 1- Pie Chart on page 2). Transferring- the exchange of animals from one

shelter location to another either in the same state or to a different state- can increase adoption

rates. Increasing adoption rates includes strategic, innovative marketing of dogs for adoption,

and utilizing rescue and foster network systems (Chua et. al. 16). Innovative marketing can be

creating a nice caption or taking a nice photo of the pet at the shelter, but it can also mean

1
Also during the interview with Deann Shepherd, she commented on how Pet Store animals are taken so young
from their mothers that they natural create bad habits/characteristics- like barking, marking their territory, biting, etc.
Yes, this is natural to occur in young pets but by taking them from their mother so young, it creates a more
permanent effect. This effects can also be seen in the paper- Dogs in Animal Shelters: Problems, Suggestions, and
Needed Expertise, by David S. Tuber and Deborah D. Miller
 Wandtke 4

transferring the pet around to get more exposure. Shepherd describes transferring in an illusive

way comparing it to an overlooked, maybe old, product from the back of the store and then

moving it to the front to get a different, new exposure. Giving the product another shot, because

“different regions have different wants and needs in terms of pets. Small breed dogs like

Chihuahuas can easily be found in California, but not so much in New York, where small dogs

are in high demand” (Whitcomb 30).

Another way transferring can affect adoption rates, is transferring allows a pets more

exposure- allowing them to connect or disconnect with a lot of people. The main 2 reasons why

someone adopts a pet is for appearance and for behavior (Weiss et. al. 150). By transferring pets,

it allows multiple people to witness the behavior and physical markings- for most people

physical markings are what draw the adopters into adopting. From personal experience looks do

play a part in the end result. The extra exposure an animal can have can be a life saving variable.

Not every pet in a shelter matches the mold of the local community, transferring allows pets to

be themselves- different in their own ways- but with the ability to eventually find a place where

they fit the mold.

Last of all, shelters in certain states and regions have different fundings and financial

support, very few shelters have the ability to pay for medical attention for the animals, whereas

most do not have financial access to help injured or sick pets- thus increasing euthanization rates.

Transferring can decrease euthanizations rates and increase adoption rates by allowing sick or

injured pets to get the medical attention needed enabling them to be healthy adopted. There is

also the possibility that the injury is not physical but mental, transferring allows mentally injured

animals to find a clinic or shelter with a staff able to take on the responsibility of making them
 Wandtke 5

whole again. Financial fundings play a huge part into an animals outlook for being adopted.

Transferring may cost a little to safely transport the animals to different locations but it

immensely affects their ability to finding a home.

A shelter in Utah has seen transferring as the next step in the right direction. The Humane

Society of Utah, where Deann Shepherd works, takes transferring seriously. They believe it to be

an opportunity for the animals to find a fitting, loving home. Shepherd claims that pets never were

a pet, but a part of the family, exclaiming that her hopes is to find a home that treats them as hairy

kids rather than wild animals. Shepherds hopes can be visually seen in Figure 2, with the help of

Fig. 2- This is to visually show how important transferring is to the Humane Society of Utah. For if it was not
important the numbers would not be as high as they are.
United States outline is to depict the number of shelters the Humane Society of Utah works with when it comes to
transferring.
Bar graph- is to show the amount of animals they transferred for the given years- starting with 2013.
 Wandtke 6

her communicating skills and other staff members, they are able to accomplish their hopes.

Through transferring 97.8% of the rescued animals were adopted for the year 2015 (Shepherd).

The Humane Society of Utah is just one out of the many shelters, who practice transferring, to

have major success and results.

In concluding this paper, irresponsible breeding is the root cause of overpopulation and

high euthanization rates, but with the help of transferring- whether to expose the animals more,

or to give them the medical attention needed- these numbers are starting to drop. Obviously the

production of animals outweigh the adoption rates, but by encouraging shelters to transfer

animals allow pets another opportunity to being adopted. Transferring is the next step in the right

direction if we care for our pets as much as we say we do.

 Wandtke 7

Citations:

"Adopting from a Shelter." ​Martha Stewart Living​, no. 122, Jan. 2004, p. 68. Web. 28 March.

2018.

Chua, Diana, et al. "Surrendered and Stray Dogs in Australia--Estimation of Numbers Entering

Municipal Pounds, Shelters and Rescue Groups and Their Outcomes." ​Animals

(2076-2615)​, vol. 7, no. 7, July 2017, pp. 1-28. EBSCO​host​, Web. 28 March. 2018.

Gunter, Lisa M., et al. "What’s in a Name? Effect of Breed Perceptions & Labeling on

Attractiveness, Adoptions & Length of Stay for Pit-Bull-Type Dogs." ​Plos ONE​, vol. 11,

no. 3, 23 Mar. 2016, pp. 1-19. EBSCO​host​, Web. 28 March. 2018.

Shepherd, Deann. Personal Interview. 6, April. 2018.

Simmons, Kaitlyn E. and Christy L. Hoffman. "Dogs on the Move: Factors Impacting Animal

Shelter and Rescue Organizations' Decisions to Accept Dogs from Distant Locations."

Animals (2076-2615)​, vol. 6, no. 2, Feb. 2016, pp. 1-14. EBSCO​host​, Web. 28 March.

2018.
 Wandtke 8

Tuber, David S. and Deborah D. Miller. "Dogs in Animal Shelters: Problems, Suggestions, and

Needed Expertise." ​Psychological Science (0956-7976)​, vol. 10, no. 5, Sept. 1999, p.

379. EBSCO​host​, Web. 28 March. 2018.

Weiss, Emily, et al. "Why Did You Choose This Pet?: Adopters and Pet Selection Preferences in

Five Animal Shelters in the United States." ​Animals (2076-2615)​, vol. 2, no. 2, June

2012, pp. 144-159. EBSCO​host​, Web. 28 March. 2018.

Whitcomb, Rachael. "Understanding Pet Overpopulation." ​DVM: The Newsmagazine of

Veterinary Medicine​, vol. 41, no. 4, Apr. 2010, pp. 30-32. Web. 28 March. 2018.