The Bakersfield Voice
Adoption, not breeding, is answer to pet overpopulation
Adoption, not breeding, is answer to pet overpopulation
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Posted by admin Wed Jul 16, 2008 09:23:46 PDT
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In 2005, Marilyn Stewart felt a calling. She had been a successful real estate broker but was looking for something more meaningful in her life. With a barren, 20-acre piece of land, two dog runs and a will to help the community’s pet population, the ALPHA Canine Sanctuary was born in Northwest Bakersfield.
ALPHA Canine Sanctuary is a local non-profit, no-kill shelter that can house up to 100 dogs at a time. No-kill means that ALPHA dogs that are not adopted get to live out their lives — lives, says Stewart, that are as good, if not better, than dogs living in back yards.
“We become their people,” said Stewart. “But we hope to adopt out as many as we can.”
Adoptions are important, she added, because without adoptions, there is no turnover. And without turnover, new dogs must be turned away.
“We are a no-kill shelter, so when we’re full, we’re full,” Stewart said.
The shelter, which is located at the extreme north part of town, will perform routine home inspections before allowing an ALPHA dog to be adopted, a practice that has led to fewer adoptions in past years, according to Stewart.
Another practice leading to fewer adoptions is people wanting a puppy, but to Stewart, there are disadvantages to purchasing a new puppy.
“With a puppy, you don’t know if it will be good with children, unlike when you adopt an adult dog that is already formed,” said Stewart.
The most egregious drawback in purchasing rather than adopting is that, according to Stewart, it perpetuates the pet overpopulation problem.
“When you buy from a breeder, you aren’t rescuing that pup, you are ensuring that the breeder has another litter as soon as possible,” Stewart said. “The consumer drives the market.”
Every dog on this page is adoptable through ALPHA.
Stewart believes that if adopting dogs and cats became as much of a status symbol as carrying little dogs in designer purses, there would be a lot more adoptions, causing many breeders to go out of business.
“The people bringing a new pet into the home have a choice,” said Stewart. “They can save a life (by adopting a shelter animal), or buy from a breeder and perpetuate the problem.”
Pet overpopulation is an ongoing problem. To help, ALPHA Sanctuary issues $30 spay and neuter vouchers to low-income families and also have a program called “Just the Pits,” offering $100 vouchers to pit bull owners willing to get their dogs fixed.
Cash donations help fund the organization, but they can also use blankets in the winter, towels, dry dog food and volunteers.
ALPHA dogs can be adopted from the sanctuary or off-site at PetsMart or PETCO on scheduled adoption days. For dates and times, visit: www.alphacanine.org or call 391-8212. ALPHA dogs are spayed or neutered, have a 7-in-1 shot and a rabies shot, and are microchip registered. Any dog adopted from ALPHA can be returned anytime during its lifetime.
Dogs can be adopted from the sanctuary (see Web site for directions), from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays and during days hotter than 95 degrees.
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