Animal Guardians of Brevard

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• Responsible Pet Guardianship

• Educational Information

• General

• Cats

• Dogs

Education is the key to enhancing the community's awareness of the animal overpopulation crisis and its causes and effects.  Animal Guardians of Brevard attempts to provide educational information in several ways.  

For example, we distribute brochures about responsible pet guardianship around the county.  We provide information through the radio and print media.  We collaborated with Florida Today's Newspapers in Education Program on an educational publication for distribution to elementary school children around the county.

Animal Guardians of Brevard believes that the animal overpopulation problem will not end until people become responsible pet guardians.  That means choosing the right pet, knowing what costs are involved,  getting him/her sterilized, and providing a safe and loving, permanent home.  It means adopting a pet FOR LIFE.

Relinquishment is the other major factor, besides uncontrolled reproduction, contributing to shelter overcrowding.  Shelters, like breeding facilities and pet stores, can be very hazardous places where crowded conditions heighten the risk for contagious illnesses.  While usually curable, most shelters lack the resources to treat most sick animals.  

Even the cutest, sweetest, nicest purebred puppy or kitten runs a high risk of being euthanized.  Whether or not a shelter has adequate space, an animal that becomes ill is usually euthanized to prevent the spread of disease.  Competition is stiff for the few available homes since only about 18% of people get their pets from shelters.  So when you adopt from a shelter you really do save lives.

The reasons given for turning pets in are often problems that could be overcome with a minimum of effort.  The top reasons for turning in pets are moving, allergies, and behavioral problems.  Before relinquishing your pet, try to find a GOOD, SAFE home for your pet.  After all, if you don't want him/her anymore, why should s/he have a better chance at a shelter?

Moving is no excuse to leave the children behind, yet many feel it is perfectly OK to leave pets behind.  Some do not even bring them to shelters and they are left to die from thirst or starvation in a closed home or wander the streets as strays.  There they suffer miserably as they face a host of hazards including starvation, accidents, poisoning, cruelty, and even being picked up and sent to a lab for experimentation.  

Domestic dogs AND CATS are not equipped to face life on their own.  That's why they're called "domestic."  

There is an ever increasing number of pet friendly living accommodations and rental information sources.  Many places will make an exception for the well-behaved pet of a responsible guardian.  

Allergies can often be mitigated by simply keeping the pet out of the bedroom, avoiding carpeted floors, cleaning well, using HEPA filters and over-the-counter medications.  Recent research shows that children living in homes with pets have a lower incidence of asthma and allergies, and other benefits of having pets are well-documented.     

Behavioral problems often result from failure to train the animal when young and so s/he never learns what is expected.  There are no bad animals.  "Bad" animals are frightened, in pain, protecting their basic needs such as food, or trained by humans to behave a certain way such as to fight.  

However it's never too late to give a pet a chance and good behavioral training for cats and dogs can work wonders with a pet. 

Other more pathetic excuses for throwing away living creatures include: too small, too big, too young, too old, puppy too playful, dog too lazy, kitten too energetic, cat sleeps too much, gets on the bed, doesn't get on the bed, doesn't match the furniture, etc.  And some just don't want "it" anymore.  It's a crime.

SO.....      OR YOUR DOG!!!

Misinformation and "old wives' tales" are also common reasons for relinquishing pets.  A very common myth surrounds cats and pregnancy.  This myth erroneously states that a cat should not be in the home with a pregnant woman or the fetus may be harmed by toxoplasmosis.  Toxoplasmosis is almost nonexistent in cats kept indoors, and a few simple precautions will prevent any problems with any cats.  It is NOT A VALID REASON to relinquish a cat.

Our pets ask so little from us and in return they provide so much joy.  It is our responsibility to keep them safe and return just a little of the love they so freely give to us.