Make reporting pet abuse a priority
By Christine Cowett Robinson
Special to The Star-Herald
The pet overpopulation problem in America, and the world, is a dire one. The cat’s body is capable of producing multiple litters a year, making the cat overpopulation problem even more complex.
Cats can have their first litter as young as four months of age. Puberty can range from four to 12 months of age. Many litters are born because people think their cat is too young to bear offspring. They are caught by surprise and end up with four to six more mouths to feed. The gestation period itself ranges from 58-65 days. This rather short time of pregnancy can allow a cat to possibly have up to three litters a year.
Considering all these factors, a breeding pair of cats can cumulatively foster 420,000 offspring in seven years. This total balloons to 10 million cats after only 10 years. With these numbers, it is easy to see that we have an excess in the number of cats in this country. Spaying or neutering your pet helps to ensure that there will be less hungry kittens and cats roaming our streets and suffering needlessly.
STUDENTS MAKE DONATION — For Christmas, Marianne Dyer’s 7th graders from Presque Isle Middle School collected many items and approximately $500 for the animals at the Central Aroostook Humane Society in Presque Isle. On the Thursday before Christmas, they came to the shelter for a tour and to visit the animals. While at the shelter, they took a tour, helped fold papers, walk dogs, bathe dogs and socialize cats. You kids rock! Pictured in front and middle, from left: Adam Burns, Gavin Kelley, Caleb Page, Edmund Cote, Makayla Butler, Jenna Perkins, Marya Michaud, Marianne Lafland, Hunter York, Kevin Blood, Destiny Saucier, Hannah Chalou, Mackayla Pineau, Emma Curtis, Calli Ambrose and Katrina Bragg. Back row: Leigh Buck, Isaac Demerchant, Jacob O’Berry, Isabelle Weiland, Nicole Theriault, Amy Seeley, Ian Tuttle, Keith Pelletier, Noah Garrison, Austin McNally and Page Kidney.
When you spay or neuter your cat, you not only help fight the overpopulation problem, but you also may help your cat lead a healthier life. Certain forms of cancer are less prevalent in altered cats. Also, the roaming distance of a male is usually decreased, thus reducing the chance for him to run into trouble (cars, dogs, etc.). So, view spaying and neutering as a benefit to your cat as well as society. Please check out Maine’s Help Fix Me program at www.maine.gov/agriculture/aw/fixme.html to find out more about their low-cost spaying and neutering program.
Have you ever witnessed animal abuse? Many studies in psychology, sociology, and criminology during the last 25 years have demonstrated that violent offenders frequently have childhood and adolescent histories of serious and repeated animal cruelty. The FBI has recognized the connection since the 1970s, when its analysis of the lives of serial killers suggested that most had killed or tortured animals as children. (Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Albert DeSalvo, the “Boston Strangler,” Patrick Sherrill and Carroll Edward Cole are all serial killers; they were also all animal abusers.)
Other research has shown consistent patterns of animal cruelty among perpetrators of more common forms of violence, including child abuse, spouse abuse and elder abuse. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association considers animal cruelty one of the diagnostic criteria of conduct disorder. (Pet-abuse.com)
Another alarming fact is that many of the students who have committed school shootings were animal abusers. Sadly, in many of these cases, childhood violence went unexamined — until it was directed toward humans. As anthropologist Margaret Mead noted, “One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a child is to kill or torture an animal and get away with it.”
It is up to us to be the voice of the voiceless. By stopping animal abuse and neglect, you may save the animal’s life and also that of a family member. It takes a lot of courage to get involved, to stick your neck out; but if you don’t, then who will?
You can check information on this subject at the following sites: Pet-abuse.com and HSUS.org. There is enough information on these sites to keep you busy for a while. Education is power — it is the power to fight violence of any type. If you suspect violence towards an animal or witness it, please contact your local law enforcement or animal control officer. You can also report abuse directly to the State Department of Animal Welfare at 877-269-9200 or 287-3846. For a listing of animal control officers, go to www.maine.gov/agriculture/aw/ACOs.shtml.
If you are looking for a friend for life, contact the Central Aroostook Humane Society. We are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday, or give us a call at 764-3441. You can view our available pets online at www.centralaroostookhumanesociety.org.
Please have your pets spayed or neutered.
