New culture needed to better protect 'companion animals'
Even before the summer holiday season begins, there has been an alarming increase in the number of pets being abandoned across the country. A statistics app on deserted pets shows that 3,336 dogs and cats are protected in shelters nationwide as of July 10. The number has doubled from the 1,669 as of June 23.
It appears many people going on overseas trips for summer getaways cast their pets off rather than pay for their care at pet hotels or with a pet sitter while they are on holiday. This unhealthy trend is testament to the distorted "companion animal culture" in our society.
Over the past few years, public interest in companion animals has grown rapidly, thus resulting in a sharp increase in the number of pets. However, a number of people buy animals so easily out of curiosity but then tire of taking care of and responsibility for them soon after, mainly due to the expense, leading them to irresponsibly abandon them.
Last year alone, more than 100,000 abandoned pets were rescued _ about 30 percent of them had been discarded in the summer between June and August. Considering pets that were not rescued, the number of deserted animals could be much higher. Of the rescued pets, tens of thousands of them found no adopters and were euthanized at the shelters.
Abandoned pets have caused many problems across the nation. Local governments have been racking their brains over how to solve the problem and are spending big money to rescue, protect and care for the abandoned or lost pets. Some of them finance citizens who adopt the unfortunate dogs and cats.
First of all, the widespread trend of cheapening the life of companion animals in our society must be stopped and a public campaign is required to warn against the commercialized though that money can buy pets easily _ without love. As the word companion means, pets are the owners' companions and family members that coexist with humans, and their care is a lifelong commitment.
Even before the summer holiday season begins, there has been an alarming increase in the number of pets being abandoned across the country. A statistics app on deserted pets shows that 3,336 dogs and cats are protected in shelters nationwide as of July 10. The number has doubled from the 1,669 as of June 23.
It appears many people going on overseas trips for summer getaways cast their pets off rather than pay for their care at pet hotels or with a pet sitter while they are on holiday. This unhealthy trend is testament to the distorted "companion animal culture" in our society.
Over the past few years, public interest in companion animals has grown rapidly, thus resulting in a sharp increase in the number of pets. However, a number of people buy animals so easily out of curiosity but then tire of taking care of and responsibility for them soon after, mainly due to the expense, leading them to irresponsibly abandon them.
Last year alone, more than 100,000 abandoned pets were rescued _ about 30 percent of them had been discarded in the summer between June and August. Considering pets that were not rescued, the number of deserted animals could be much higher. Of the rescued pets, tens of thousands of them found no adopters and were euthanized at the shelters.
Abandoned pets have caused many problems across the nation. Local governments have been racking their brains over how to solve the problem and are spending big money to rescue, protect and care for the abandoned or lost pets. Some of them finance citizens who adopt the unfortunate dogs and cats.
First of all, the widespread trend of cheapening the life of companion animals in our society must be stopped and a public campaign is required to warn against the commercialized though that money can buy pets easily _ without love. As the word companion means, pets are the owners' companions and family members that coexist with humans, and their care is a lifelong commitment.
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