Righting their wrongs
Whenever un-loved, abused, neglected, and abandoned animals come into the care of the Humane Society of Imperial County, we take on the responsibility in making sure that they get the love and medical attention that they need to ensure that the wrongs are made right.
Our goal is to make sure that they are placed into homes where they will be unconditionally loved and happy for the rest of their days.
The majority of un-loved animals that come into our care are puppies and kittens that are usually very sick and/or injured. These young animals are often found by people driving and find boxes or they see something crawling around on the ground along the roadside. Sometimes they are left in front of peoples’ homes, but most often these defenseless animals aren’t even given a fair chance and are dumped somewhere in the country to fend for themselves and must endure a slow demise.
There have been times where help came too late for these helpless animals and they could not be saved due to the severe deterioration of their health. Animal abandonment is often a last-minute attempt for pet owners to completely disregard their responsibility as a pet owner.
As previously mentioned in several previous columns, there is a simple way to deal with unwanted pets — spay and neuter. Spaying and neutering pets ensures that unwanted litters are not born and that pet owners do not acquire any unwanted financial liabilities that are associated with having multiple pets. There are certain diseases and negative health conditions that can be completely avoided simply by having pets spayed and neutered.
We cannot stress enough the importance of having pets regularly seen by a family veterinarian. Having pets regularly seen will ensure that they remain strong and healthy, and if there are any health issues, they will be addressed sooner than later and will eliminate any needless pain and suffering. It is inhumane to make a sick or injured pet deal with these problems all on their own without any medical care, especially if it is clear that they need to be seen by a veterinarian.
Under Penal Code 597 in the California Animal Law Handbook, it is clearly outlined that all animal abuse, negligence, abandonment, and animal fighting (cock fighting and dog fighting) is illegal and is punishable by law by a fine of $20,000 and imprisonment of up to one year.
As a community it is our responsibility to respect and protect animals. Holding offenders accountable for their actions not only saves the lives of innocent animals and ensures their safety, but it also ensures the safety of our community as a whole. It has been proven that people who commit murder start off by intentionally harming animals.
We strongly urge everyone to please keep their ears and eyes open and remain hyper-vigilant. It is important to make sure that all illegal activities are reported to the authorities as soon as you obtain any knowledge. Unfortunately the Humane Society of Imperial County does not have legal authority over these matters, but we are always happy to direct people in the right direction.
As Mahatma Gandhi once put it, “The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
If you have any knowledge or have any concerns about the mistreatment of animals, please make sure to contact the appropriate animal control agency immediately! Be the voice of the voiceless and let’s make the Imperial Valley safer and happier for all of its community members, both two and four legged.