August 27, 1999

You can't legislate morality and you certainly can't legislate a sense of duty. Too many people disregard that reality and push laws to force the great unwashed to behave like gentlepersons, but even if laws could mandate and enforce "proper" conduct, who would define it? Nevertheless, a host of new regulations is aimed at instilling responsible attitudes in pet owners.

Recently an animal lover contacted me with concerns about the county shelter in Fairfield. She was upset about the high euthanasia rate, lack of a volunteer program, and absence of spay/neuter services on site, among other things. This is a person with keen empathy for animals who walks the walk--literally--exercising and caring for foster dogs until finding them homes.

Though public relations is not always a primary consideration in our agriculture and shelter staffs, they are busy people coping with a heartbreaking number of abandoned and feral pets. Those creatures are cared for as well as possible within constraints of time and manpower, but best-laid plans can't make up for thoughtless owners. Animal Control Manager Bud Prendergast would like a volunteer program, but without a coordinator, voluntary help is spotty. And the shelters' biggest problem is the low percentage of animals who are adopted.

Enter lawmakers, stage left. The Hayden law went into effect on July 1, mandating extra holding days in shelters before animals can be adopted or euthanized. It sounds like a good idea, but according to Mr. Prendergast, it has been a disaster, causing acute overcrowding and lengthy caging of feral cats. A feral cat is by nature better off dead than stuck in a cage for four days, but Mr.Hayden didn't think of that. Worse yet, next January another law will force shelters to hold baby animals until they are mature enough to spay or neuter.

There is no legislative solution. The inevitable answer to the problem of abandoned animals is the same as for abandoned marriages and abandoned priorities to children: personal responsibility. Perhaps public education could help, but I say we try a little old-fashioned social ostracism. It's time to go Amish on the negligent, high-tech style. Animal shelter staff could take Polaroids of abandoning owners and scan copies onto the internet. It could be shaming is our only hope against the shameful behavior of some so-called adults.

© 1999 Cynthia Hahn