Right now, we are
poised at the beginning of a new century. Do we really want
our legacy to be death of 7 million companion animals yearly?
We need to start
with the children; it is through them that the future exists.
Do you remember
the first time you saw a puppy or a kitten? It is through
these creatures that we can remember our innocence.
One out of every
four puppies and kittens will die in a shelter before the
age of one. Is that the dream we want for our next generation?
You may think that
the problem is too large. The facts remain that 28%
of all shelter pets are adopted, the other 72% are euthanized.
Many animals are
sent to the shelters due solely to behavioral problems.
This is an easy enough situation to fix, obedience train your
animals.
You might feel
that one person cannot make a difference. History has proven
that one person can inspire others to follow, and I ask you,
please look to the Starfish for inspiration.
One day
an old man was walking along the ocean. It was low tide and
the sand was littered with thousands of stranded starfish
that the water had carried in and then left behind. The man
found himself walking carefully, so as not to step on any
of the beautiful creatures. And since the animals were still
alive, he considered picking some of them up and putting some
back in the water.
The man
knew the starfish would die if left on the beach, but he reasoned,
that he could not help them all, and thus he chose to do nothing.
Soon he
came upon a boy who frantically throwing one starfish after
another back into the ocean.
The man
stopped. “Young Man,” he said, “what are you doing?”
“I’m saving
the starfish,” the boy said.
“Why waste
your time?” the man argued. "You can’t save them all.
So,
what difference does it make?"
The boy
stopped for a second and then picked up another starfish.
“It matters
to this one,” he said and hurled it into the welcoming sea.
It’s true,
one person can make a difference. Every happy ending has to
have a beginning. Please be the inspiration that allows others
to reach for their dreams.
The
pets are the stars.
Please help me make them shine. If you
can’t save all the shelter pets, then save just one.
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