For animal lovers, seeing homeless pets roam the streets is heartbreaking. So much so that many might try to feed them, give water, or take them in so they have a dry place to sleep. However, this doesn’t really help achieve the goal of stopping pet homelessness as it takes more than rehoming one feral cat to make a difference. But if you’re ready to do more to help combat animal homelessness in Florida, here are four things you can do today:
No More Homeless Pets: 4 Things You Can Do Today to Combat Animal Homelessness
1. Donate to Your Local Animal Shelter
Your local animal shelter does more than just take care of stray cats and dogs. They nurse hurt and homeless pets back to health, offer spay and neuter services, educate the community on pet overpopulation, and provide foster and adoption services.
Donating to your local animal shelter helps us reach a goal of no more homeless pets in Florida. And that doesn’t necessarily mean money either. Volunteering your time or donating pet supplies can go a long way to combating animal homelessness.
2. Spay and Neuter Your Pets
Spaying and neutering your dogs and cats is one of the best ways to prevent pet overpopulation. It also has many added benefits, especially for cats:
- Prevents cancer
- Protects against other diseases
- Reduces cat roaming
- Keeps your house clean
If you have questions about spaying or neutering your cat or dog, read 2019 Recommendations on Spaying and Neutering.
3. Learn About Feral Cats in Florida
Not all homeless cats need rescuing. Community cats, also known as feral cats, are unowned cats that live in the wild. You’ll know if a feral cat in Florida is indeed a feral cat because they’ll have a clipped ear. This means that the cat has gone through the TNR program (trap-neuter-release) to protect him or her from diseases and reproducing.
If you see a stray cat without a clipped ear, you can call your local animal shelter and they’ll be able to determine if the cat is a candidate for the TNR program or possibly adoption.
4. Get Your Florida Dog License
In Florida, dog licenses say that your pup not only belongs to you, but is also free of rabies too. And if your dog ever gets lost, an animal shelter will be able to check the licensing system to see your dog’s vaccination history, vet info, and your info – effectively telling the shelter that your pup has a home and is not a stray.
Florida Animal Friend helps save the lives of cats and dogs through grants for low-cost spray and neuter programs. For more information on Florida Animal Friend, or to contribute to the cause, please purchase a plate or donate today.