The Harsh Reality

In 2013 the Dogs Trust reported that 9000 dogs were put to sleep in 7-day pounds, the majority of these dogs were abandoned and/or unclaimed strays. In 2012 the RSPCA reportedly put to sleep 53,000 dogs that were mostly healthy, just classed as "unrehomable". And these numbers don't take into account the dogs put to sleep at smaller shelters. Nor do they account for the dogs that do not make it into the rescue kennels.

Meanwhile, in 2013 the Kennel Club registered 223,770 new dogs - this number includes puppies from registered litters, imported dogs, ownership transfers and changes of names. Outside of this the number of puppies bred in the UK by backyard breeders and those not registered with the Kennel Club is unknowable. However, a quick search for 'Puppy' on the Preloved.co.uk free online market reveals 7125 relevant adverts, and 18, 649 adverts for 'Dogs' on Pets4Homes.co.uk, although these also include adverts for dogs at stud and some KC registered puppies and dogs looking for homes.    

For every home that one of these thousands of puppies are sold into, the higher the chance one of the thousands of dogs in rescue will be put to sleep through no fault of its own, simply because there are no homes willing or able to adopt. This disconnect between those who breed dogs, those who work in rescue, and those who want to provide homes for dogs, is fueling this issue of overpopulation.

Presumably both breeders and rescue workers love dogs, presumably both have the same desire to put dogs into homes and save dogs from being PTS. The problem is that for breeders they are mostly motivated by profit. However, rescue centres are not without fault, often turning away good, loving homes due to working hours, age restrictions or being too strict, (i.e. some rescues refuse to rehome Staffies into homes with other dogs, without taking into consideration the Staffy's individual personality). For those who want to own dogs they find themselves stuck between the restrictions of rescue centres, as well as misconceptions of the dogs that find themselves in rescue, and the morally ambiguous ease of buying a puppy. Many people give up on rescue dogs because they are turned away, and so they buy a puppy. Others fear the issues that a rescue dog may have and so don't even try. And even more don't realise that the breed they specifically want to own may be in rescue, so they too don't even bother looking at shelters.

It is great that the puppies are finding themselves homes, however even this isn't always a permanent situation as according to the Guardian article linked below the puppies bought in time for Christmas end up filling the rescue centres periodically in March - when the puppies stop being adorable cute fluffballs and turn into preteen, highly energetic dogs that can be difficult. Puppies are extremely time consuming pets and require a lot of care and attention, and the novelty can wear off pretty quickly. For the dogs that are in rescue being beaten out of homes by the puppies people will sometimes pay thousands of pounds for, the outcome for them is very likely to be death. And if not death, psychological trauma from staying in a kennel for months or years on end.

It is time that breeders, rescues and owners start working together to reduce the number of puppies being born without homes for them to enter and to reduce the number of dogs dying in rescue. Rescues need to be less stringent on who they allow to own dogs, and owners need to forget the myths they have been sold as truths and realise that many of the dogs in rescue are not there due to behavioural issues.

I came across an article today that really emphasises the reality of this issue. It puts a face on these numbers of dogs in rescue dying so often cited. If you are a dog lover then please look at this article and if you are ever considering bringing another dog into your home, please just walk around your local rescue centre first - don't get lost in the statistics and the myths. Visualise the reality that these dogs are living in and then decide on whether you want to buy that puppy, or whether you want to give the dog (which may also be a puppy) in rescue a second chance at having a life.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/these-powerful-portraits-of-dogs-minutes-before-being-put-down-show-the-harsh-realities-facing-many-rescue-centres-9810297.html

References:

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media/128966/quartstatsallgroups.pdf

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/367872/RSPCA-puts-down-53-000-animals-in-just-one-year

http://www.theguardian.com/world/shortcuts/2013/dec/08/dog-pounds-nightmare-christmas-unwanted-pets

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/these-powerful-portraits-of-dogs-minutes-before-being-put-down-show-the-harsh-realities-facing-many-rescue-centres-9810297.html

Thinking Outside of Your Bubble

One of the most important things that I think everybody should learn to do is to think outside of the bubble you live your life within. Everyone has a bubble, and it is okay to have a bubble. The bubble is your own, self-centred world that is necessary for survival. In your bubble you are allowed, nay you are encouraged, to think about your needs and to actively fulfil them. Which is great, because everyone needs to be selfish to some degree if they are to get anywhere in life. Where you take this level of selfishness, however, is where the idea of you being a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ person comes in to play. Or rather, whether you are an empathetic person or not. This is where the whole thinking outside of the bubble comes in.

You know the saying, ‘Sorry to burst your bubble’ or any of the idioms similar to that, well that is what learning to think outside of your bubble can prevent. A burst bubble is an unpleasant experience. It is sudden, it is sharp and it often leads to a painful fall back down to Earth. Cliché heaven is happening right here [and I love it]. By learning to think outside of the bubble, in effect you are making your bubble more flexible and elasticated – you are able to push your bubble’s boundaries close to bursting, but you are in control and so can keep your bubble intact. The greatest thing about learning to think outside of your bubble is that eventually you may realise that you don’t even need a bubble.

I personally feel like I shed my bubble some time ago. I’ve always been a naturally empathetic person. Even when people do completely, unforgivable, shitty things, I have always been able to think about it from their perspective. Depending on the level of shitty, it often leaves me thinking, “I understand why they would do such a thing, like I get it… but at the same time… I just don’t get it.” This kind of thought process appears to make no sense but it actually does make a lot of sense. I have the mental capacity to understand the thought process behind someone’s actions but that doesn’t mean I understand their emotional justification or their reasoning for why they think it or act on it. For example, I understand the thought process of somebody who is able to kill an animal at an abattoir. I get it. But I just don’t get how they can physically take the life of another living thing, like how they can physically rip the head off of a chicken. Because emotionally I am on a completely different wave length. Mentally, I can put myself in their position and understand the logic, and that can help to make me not dislike people who do terrible things, (even things much more terrible than killing a chicken for food in a society that has plenty of food and resources to replace that kind of protein).  

By losing the bubble you are actually more protected than when it is surrounding you. It takes away the shock when someone does something shitty to you and it helps you to move on. It also makes you think about the issues in your life differently, you see the world around you differently and if you can extend your empathy to the people around you, as well as the animals, plants and basically everything else around you – such as the planet – you just become a much more rounded, healthier person. It is much easier to justify your decisions if you know you have thought about how it may affect others, or how it may come across to other people. If you feel you can understand their thought process regarding your own actions then you can know if what you are doing is the right or wrong thing.

What’s more is that by thinking like this, you can also acknowledge your negative characteristics and not beat yourself up about them and in theory change them, if you are so inclined. For example, I know that I am a bitchy person. I enjoy a good bitch, I think biologically it has arisen as a way to bond with people, or at least that has been its role in my life. By being aware of those outside of my bubble, I know when and where it is okay to be a bitch and I also don’t try to justify my bitchiness. If someone comments on me being a bitch, which is rare because let’s face it – we all are. But if someone does comment, I won’t try to defend my comments with anything more than, ‘I know,’ and ‘Sorry.’ Trying to justify a bitchy comment just makes you mean, and yes there is a big difference between the two concepts.

Anyways, that’s my little thought for the day that I felt like writing down… do with it what you will. Agree, disagree, whatever makes you happy. 

Just a little one about being happy :)

So I have always been an incredibly insecure person. I never believed anyone actually liked me or wanted to be my friend, and the idea of a penis wielder wanting to date me was just unfathomable. Over the last few years however I’ve slowly shed that insecure past self and have become the person I am today. A happy person. A confident person. I still have my moments but on the whole I generally feel pretty happy with who I am. I know who my friends are, I know that when I leave Canterbury I will be missed and that breaks my heart but it is also reassuring that the bonds I have created are true and will last. I know that some oddball guys do apparently find me attractive and I know that I have a lot to offer someone if they want it, and if I want them. I know that people trust me, and I know that their trust is very well placed. I know what I like, I know what I need from those around me, I know what I am good at and I know what I am bad at. It is safe to say that I know who I am and I am happy with who I am. Also this realisation has only come this last week – or rather it has finally meshed together this last week, it has been brewing for some time.

This is a tiny blog post but I just wanted to put it out there on the interwebs because I want people to know that you can be happy even if you are alone, or single – because no one is truly alone, although it can desperately feel like you are. I have flirted with courtship, courted with potential, I have been the bad guy and I have been screwed over… and my status presently is me, myself and I. You can be happy without having a job – I am at that lovely stage of life where I am graduating from my obscure degree with no real job prospects because nobody is hiring, and all of my experience is so tailored to the role I want that it’s not really going to help me in any other field. You can be happy even if things aren’t going the way you planned – my grades this term haven’t exactly been as impressive as one would hope. And you can be happy if you are a weirdo – which I have been told that I am on so many occasions these last few weeks that I am beginning to believe it ;)

If you are able to accept your flaws, acknowledge your strengths and just be you, well then you can be happy no matter what the context.

Sometimes shitty things happen or you feel completely sucker punched by life, but it does seem to be those moments that prelude the state of happiness that I am currently experiencing – the happiness that comes with self-acceptance. So yeah, cliché and probably super unhelpful but soz – I just wanted to share.