Special Request, Help for Ralph: Shelbyville-Bedford County Humane Assoc.

There's some truth in what you say.

Legitimate pet stores could thrive as people purchased items for their animal companions and linked up with vets, groomers,trainers,daycare providers,etc.

After all,Baby Gap and Toys R Us don't require a tie-in to some place that churns out human infants to make their profits.

Lose the critter mills,require "parenting classes" and home inspections for pets,see that breeders raise healthy,socialised pets in a humane setting,remove any policies that would encourage euthanasia for a healthy pet and limit pet births to one litter per year per dam from ages 2-6.

If the pets making pets were restricted to the soundest,most stable individuals and if they were homed with families that were responsible and informed,we'd have fewer surplus animals.

If more of our "excess" were examined to see if they could work as therapy or service animals,we'd have even fewer animal lives going to waste.

Carefully selected institutionalised humans could help feed,groom,train,play with and hug these pets allowing both the humans and animals to benefit from the process.

Ideally,our animals hone our ability to be loving and responsible.

They are not toys or accessories.

They shouldn't have to be left behind when people move any more than an elderly parent or a human child.

Who knows,if we spread the notion that every puppy born should have a decent,loving family of competent adults waiting to commit themselves to its needs,the idea that beasts deserve to be treated as individuals with feelings might be extended to other species: cats,birds,horses,ferrets,bunnies-even humans.

It might be worth a try.

Thanks!!!!!!!!!